Electronic engine control apparatus having arrangement for detecting stopping of the engine
First Claim
1. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine for which sensor means produce signals representative of operating conditions of said engine, and being coupled to actuator means for controlling respective energy conversion functions of said engine in response to control signals applied thereto, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
- first means for generating an engine control timing signal pattern through which operational events of said engine are controlled;
second means for storing a plurality of engine control codes supplied thereto by said processor;
third means, coupled to said first means, for generating respective engine timing codes the values of which are selectively modified by said engine control timing pattern;
fourth means, coupled to said second and third means, for comparing respective ones of said engine control codes with respective ones of said engine timing codes and producing respective output signals when said respective engine control codes define a prescribed relationship with respect to said engine timing codes; and
fifth means, coupled to said fourth means, for producing control signals to be coupled to said actuator means in response to the output signals produced by said fourth means; and
whereinone of said engine control codes as supplied to said second means by said processor is representative of a prescribed rate of rotation of the engine crankshaft; and
wherein said control apparatus further comprisessixth means, responsive to an output signal produced by said fourth means in response to a respective enging timing code generated by said third means defining said prescribed relationship with respect to said one engine control code, for preventing said fifth means from coupling control signals to said actuator means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic engine control apparatus controls the engine on a basis of the outputs of the digital processor which arithmetically processes output signals from plural sensors for detecting the operating conditions of the engine. Whether or not a pulse to be generated in timing with the rotation of the engine has been generated within a preset period of time, as specified by the digital processor, is checked. If the pulse is generated, a timer for measuring the preset period is cleared. If the pulse is not generated within the preset period, a signal indicating the stopping of the engine is generated, whereby an interrupt signal is generated to cause the digital processor to process the interrupt.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine for which sensor means produce signals representative of operating conditions of said engine, and being coupled to actuator means for controlling respective energy conversion functions of said engine in response to control signals applied thereto, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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first means for generating an engine control timing signal pattern through which operational events of said engine are controlled; second means for storing a plurality of engine control codes supplied thereto by said processor; third means, coupled to said first means, for generating respective engine timing codes the values of which are selectively modified by said engine control timing pattern; fourth means, coupled to said second and third means, for comparing respective ones of said engine control codes with respective ones of said engine timing codes and producing respective output signals when said respective engine control codes define a prescribed relationship with respect to said engine timing codes; and fifth means, coupled to said fourth means, for producing control signals to be coupled to said actuator means in response to the output signals produced by said fourth means; and
whereinone of said engine control codes as supplied to said second means by said processor is representative of a prescribed rate of rotation of the engine crankshaft; and
wherein said control apparatus further comprisessixth means, responsive to an output signal produced by said fourth means in response to a respective enging timing code generated by said third means defining said prescribed relationship with respect to said one engine control code, for preventing said fifth means from coupling control signals to said actuator means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operations of an internal combustion engine for which a plurality of sensors detect operating conditions of the engine, and being coupled to actuators for controlling respective energy conversion functions of said engine, a control apparatus for generating pulses for driving said actuators in accordance with the engine control data generated by said processor, said actuators controlling the energy conversion functions of said engine in accordance with the pulses delivered from said control apparatus, comprising, in combination:
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first and second registers for storing respective data corresponding to fuel injection and ignition; a first counter for counting first pulses generated at regular intervals; a second counter for counting second pulses generated in timing with the rotation of said engine; comparing means for comparing the contents of said first and second registers with the contents of said first and second counters and outputting first and second output signals representative of the results of comparison, respectively; first and second storage means for storing said first and second output signals; a set signal generator for generating set signals for coupling said first and second output signals to said first and second storage means respectively, said actuators being controlled in accordance with the contents of said first and second storage means; means for producing sequential timing pulses; means for storing a count whose value is successively modified by said sequential timing pulses; means for loading and storing a selected reference value supplied thereto by said processor; means for detecting stopping of the engine in response to the value of said count reaching said selected reference value as supplied by said processor; and means for inhibiting said set signal generator from coupling said set signals to said storage means in response to the detection of the stopping of the engine by the engine stopping detecting means. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine having an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least ignition means for controlling the ignition timing of said engine, in response to control signals coupled thereto, and being coupled to receive signals of said engine, produced by a plurality of sensors indicative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least an angle sensor for producing an output signal in response to a predetermined angle of rotation of the crankshaft, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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first means for producing output signals at predetermined time intervals; second means for counting the output signals produced by said first means; third means for loading and storing a selectable reference count value supplied thereto by said processor; fourth means for producing an output dependent upon a selectable degree of rotation of the crankshaft relative to its position at which an output is produced by said angle sensor; fifth means, coupled to said fourth means, for returning the count total of said second means to its initial value in response to the output of said fourth means; sixth means for supplying an output to be coupled to said processor means in response to the counted value of said second means reaching said selectable reference count stored by said third means value; and seventh means, adapted to be coupled to receive data from said processor means in accordance with the output of the sixth means, and preventing control signals from being delivered to said ignition means. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine having an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least ignition means for controlling the ignition timing of said engine, in response to control signals applied thereto, and being coupled to receive signals produced by a plurality of sensors indicative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least an angle sensor for producing an output signal in response to a predetermined angle of rotation of the output crankshaft, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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first means for producing a respective first or a second signal in accordance with data coupled thereto from said processor; second means for producing signals of a predetermined time interval in response to said first signal produced by said first means and terminating said signals in response to said second signal produced by said first means; third means for counting the output signals produced by said second means, fourth means for loading and storing a selectable reference count value supplied thereto by said processor; fifth means for producing an output dependent upon a selectable degree of rotation of said output crankshaft relative to its position at which an output is produced by said angle sensor; sixth means for resetting the counted total of said third means to its initial value in response to the output of said fifth means; seventh means for delivering an output to the processor when the counted value of said third means reaches said selectable reference count stored by said fourth means and eighth means adapted to be coupled to receive data produced by the processor in accordance with the output of the seventh means, said eighth means preventing control signals from being delivered to said ignition means. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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- 36. A method of operating a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine, said engine including an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy caused by the combustion of a fuel, and at least ignition means for controlling energy conversion, in response to control signals applied thereto, and being coupled to receive signals produced by a plurality of sensors indicative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including an angle sensor for producing an output in accordance with a predetermined angle of rotation of the output crankshaft of the engine, said apparatus including input/output means adapted to receive sensed signals from said sensors and to deliver control signals to said energy conversion controlling means;
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37. the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) loading, in reference storage means, a selectable reference count value; (b) producing a signal at predetermined time intervals; (c) advancing a count in response to said signals; (d) restarting said count in response to the output of the angle sensor; (e) continuously repeating the sequence of steps (b) through (d); (f) producing a signal when the count total reaches said selectable count value; and (g) preventing control signals from being delivered from the input/output means to said ignition means in response to the signal produced in step (f). - View Dependent Claims (39)
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41. A method of operating a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine, said engine including an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy caused by the combustion of a fuel, and at least one means controlling energy conversion in response to control signals applied thereto, and being coupled to receive signals produced by a plurality of sensors indicative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including an angle sensor for producing an output signal in accordance with a predetermined rotation of the output crankshaft of the engine, said apparatus including input/output means adapted to receive sensed signals from said sensors and to deliver control signals to said energy conversion controlling means;
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the method comprising the steps of; (a) loading, in reference storage means, a selectable count value; (b) producing signals at predetermined time intervals; (c) advancing a count in response to said signals; (d) returning the count value to an initial value in response to an output of the angle sensor; (e) continuously repeating the sequence of steps (b) through (d); (f) producing a signal when the count total reaches said selectable count value; and (g) returning engine control data processing operations to their initial states in response to the signal produced by step (f). - View Dependent Claims (43)
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45. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine, having an output crankshaft, for which sensor means produce signals representative of operating conditions of said engine, said sensor means including an angle sensor for producing an output signal in response to a predetermined angle of rotation of the output crankshaft, and being coupled to actuator means for controlling respective energy conversion functions of said engine in response to control signals applied thereto, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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first means for generating an engine control timing signal pattern through which operational events of said engine are controlled; second means for storing a plurality of engine control codes; third means, coupled to said first means, for generating respective engine timing codes the values of which are selectively modified by said engine control timing pattern; fourth means, coupled to said second and third means, for comparing respective ones of said engine control codes with respective ones of said engine timing codes and producing respective output signals when said respective engine control codes define a prescribed relationship with respect to said engine timing codes; and fifth means, coupled to said fourth means, for producing control signals to be coupled to said actuator means in response to the output signals produced by said fourth means; and
whereinone of said engine control codes is representative of a prescribed rate of rotation of the engine crankshaft, and a second of said engine control codes is representative of a prescribed degree of rotation of said crankshaft relative to its position at which said angle sensor produces an output; and
wherein said control apparatus further comprisessixth means, responsive to an output signal produced by said fourth means in response to a respective engine timing code generated by said third means defining said prescribed relationship with respect to said one engine control code, for preventing said fifth means from coupling control signals to said actuator means; and seventh means, responsive to an output signal produced by said fourth means in response to a respective engine timing code generated by said third means defining said prescribed relationship with respect to said second engine control code, for preventing the respective engine timing code generated by said third means that is associated with said one engine control code from defining said prescribed relationship with respect to said one engine control code.
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46. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operations of an internal combustion engine, having an output crankshaft, for which a plurality of sensors detect operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including an angle sensor for producing an output pulse in response to a predetermined angle of rotation of the crankshaft, and being coupled to actuators for controlling respective energy conversion functions of said engine, a control apparatus for generating pulses for driving said actuators in accordance with the engine control data generated by said processor, said actuators controlling the energy conversion functions of said engine in accordance with the pulses delivered from said control apparatus, comprising, in combination:
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first and second registers for storing respective data corresponding to fuel injection and ignition; a first counter for counting first pulses generated at regular intervals; a second counter for counting second pulses generated in timing with the rotation of said engine; comparing means for comparing the contents of said first and second registers with the contents of said first and second counters and outputting first and second output signals representative of the results of comparison, respectively; first and second storage means for storing said first and second output signals; a set signal generator for generating set signals for coupling said first and second output signals to said first and second storage means respectively, said actuators being controlled in accordance with the contents of said first and second storage means; means for detecting stopping of the engine; means for inhibiting said set signal generator from coupling said set signals to said storage means in response to the detection of the stopping of the engine by the engine stopping detecting means; and means for producing an output dependent upon a selectable degree of rotation of the crankshaft relative to its position at which an output is produced by said angle sensor, and thereby preventing said detecting means for detecting the stopping of the engine.
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47. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine having an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least ignition means for controlling the ignition timing of said engine, in response to control signals coupled thereto, and being coupled to receive signals of said engine, produced by a plurality of sensors indicative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least an angle sensor for producing an output signal in response to a predetermined angle of rotation of the crankshaft, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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first means for producing output signals at predetermined time intervals; second means for counting the output signals produced by said first means; third means for producing an output dependent upon a selectable degree of rotation of the crankshaft relative to its position at which an output is produced by said angle sensor; fourth means, coupled to said third means, for returning the count total of said second means to its initial value in response to the output of said third means; fifth means for supplying an output to be coupled to said processor in response to the counted value of said second means reaching a predetermined value; and sixth means, adapted to be coupled to receive data from said processor means in accordance with the output of the fifth means, and preventing control signals from being delivered to said ignition means.
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48. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine having an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least ignition means for controlling the ignition timing of said engine, in response to control signals applied thereto, and being coupled to receive signals produced by a plurality of sensors indicative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least an angle sensor for producing an output signal in response to a predetermined angle of rotation of the output crankshaft, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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first means for producing a respective first or a second signal in accordance with data coupled thereto from said processor; second means for producing signals of a predetermined time interval in response to said first signal produced by said first means and terminating said signals in response to said second signal produced by said first means; third means for counting the output signals produced by said second means; fourth means for producing an output dependent upon a selectable degree of rotation of said output crankshaft relative to its position at which an output is produced by said angle sensor; fifth means for resetting the counted total of said third means to its initial value in response to the output of said fourth means; sixth means for delivering an output to the processor when the counted value of said third means reaches a predetermined value; and seventh means adapted to be coupled to receive data produced by the processor in accordance with the output of the sixth means, said seventh means preventing control signals from being delivered to said ignition means.
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49. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine having an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least ignition means for controlling the ignition timing of said engine, in response to control signals coupled thereto, and being coupled to receive signals of said engine, produced by a plurality of sensors indicative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least an angle sensor for producing an output signal in response to a predetermined angle of rotation of the crankshaft, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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first means for producing output signals at predetermined time intervals; second means for counting the output signals produced by said first means; third means for loading and storing a selectable reference count supplied thereto by said processor; fourth means for returning the count total of said second means to its initial value in response to the output of said angle sensor; fifth means for supplying an output to be coupled to said processor means in response to the counted value of said second means reaching said selectable reference count stored by said third means; and sixth means, adapted to be coupled to receive data from said processor in accordance with the output of the fifth means, and preventing control signals from being delivered to said ignition means.
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50. For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of a combustion engine having an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least ignition means for controlling the ignition timing of said engine, in response to control signals applied thereto, and being coupled to receive signals produced by a plurality of sensors indicative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least an angle sensor for producing an output signal in response to a predetermined angle of rotation of the output crankshaft, a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
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first means for producing a respective first or a second signal in accordance with data coupled thereto from said processor; second means for producing signals of a predetermined time interval in response to said first signal produced by said first means and terminating said signals in response to said second signal produced by said first means; third means for counting the output signals produced by said second means; fourth means for loading and storing a selectable reference count value supplied thereto by said processor; fifth means for resetting the counted total of said third means to its initial value in response to the output of said sensor; sixth means for delivering an output to the processor when the counted value of said third means reaches said selectable reference count stored by said fourth means; and seventh means adapted to be coupled to receive data produced by the processor in accordance with the output of the sixth means, said seventh means preventing control signals from being delivered to said ignition means.
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Specification