Spark timing control system for internal combustion engine
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling the occurrence times of discharges of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle having a transmission and sources for deriving signals indicative of:
- (a) the engine being cranked or operating normally, (b) the transmission being in high or low gear, (c) engine speed, and (d) the values of parameters determining engine load, said apparatus comprising a computer responsive to the signals, said computer including;
read only memory means having tables for storing signals with values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle as functions of engine load and engine speed for the engine being cranked, operating normally, the transmission being in high and low gear;
said computer being responsive to the signals of the sources for selecting from the tables stored signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle corresponding with the conditions indicated by signals (a), (b), (c) and (d); and
a spark control circuit responsive to the signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle for controlling the occurrence times of sparking of a spark plug for each cylinder of the engine.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The occurrence times of discharges of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle having a transmission and sources for deriving signals indicative of: (a) the engine being cranked or operating normally, (b) the transmission being in high or low gear, (c) engine speed, and (d) the values of parameters determining engine load are controlled by a computer responsive to the signals. The computer includes a read only memory having tables for storing signals with values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle as functions of engine load and engine speed for the engine being cranked, operating normally, the transmission being in high and low gear. The computer responds to the signals of the sources for selecting from the tables stored signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle corresponding with the conditions indicated by signals (a), (b), (c) and (d). A spark control circuit responds to the signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle to control the occurrence times of sparking for each cylinder of the engine. The same type of computer is susceptible to use for vehicles having different spark advance and dwell angle characteristics as functions of engine speed and engine load. The tables are for plural vehicle types having the different characteristics. Switches selectively enable signals of the tables associated with only one of the vehicle types to be coupled to the computer.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for controlling the occurrence times of discharges of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle having a transmission and sources for deriving signals indicative of:
- (a) the engine being cranked or operating normally, (b) the transmission being in high or low gear, (c) engine speed, and (d) the values of parameters determining engine load, said apparatus comprising a computer responsive to the signals, said computer including;
read only memory means having tables for storing signals with values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle as functions of engine load and engine speed for the engine being cranked, operating normally, the transmission being in high and low gear;
said computer being responsive to the signals of the sources for selecting from the tables stored signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle corresponding with the conditions indicated by signals (a), (b), (c) and (d); and
a spark control circuit responsive to the signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle for controlling the occurrence times of sparking of a spark plug for each cylinder of the engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- (a) the engine being cranked or operating normally, (b) the transmission being in high or low gear, (c) engine speed, and (d) the values of parameters determining engine load, said apparatus comprising a computer responsive to the signals, said computer including;
-
9. Apparatus for controlling the occurrence times of discharges of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle having a transmission and sources for deriving signals indicative of engine speed, and the values of parameters determining engine load, said apparatus comprising a computer responsive to the signals, said computer including:
- read only memory means having tables for storing signals with values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle as functions of engine load and engine speed;
said computer being responsive to the signals for selecting from the tables signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle corresponding with the conditions indicated by the values of the signals indicative of engine speed and parameters determining engine load;
a spark control circuit responsive to the signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle for controlling the occurrence times of sparking of a spark plug for each cylinder of the engine;
the same type of computer being susceptible to use for vehicles having different spark advance and dwell angle characteristics as functions of engine speed and engine load;
the table means including tables for a plurality of vehicle types having the different characteristics; and
switch means for enabling signals of the tables associated with only one of the vehicle types to be coupled to the computer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
- read only memory means having tables for storing signals with values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle as functions of engine load and engine speed;
-
14. Apparatus for controlling the occurrence times of discharges of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle having a transmission and sources for deriving signals indicative of engine speed, and the values of parameters determining engine load, said apparatus comprising a computer responsive to the signals, said computer including:
- read only memory means having tables for storing signals with values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle as functions of engine load and engine speed;
said computer being responsive to the signals for selecting from the tables signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle corresponding with the conditions indicated by the values of the signals indicative of engine speed and parameters determining engine load;
a spark control circuit responsive to the signals having values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle for controlling the occurrence times of sparking of a spark plug for each cylinder of the engine;
the vehicle including a source for deriving a signal indicative of the engine accelerating or decelerating, the tables of the read only memory means having separate values for the engine accelerating and decelerating, the computer selecting the table values for the engine accelerating and decelerating in response to the accelerating source indicating the engine accelerating and decelerating, respectively.
- read only memory means having tables for storing signals with values indicative of spark advance and dwell angle as functions of engine load and engine speed;
Specification