Electronic interlock for multiple PTO enable switches
First Claim
1. In an internal combustion engine comprising an electronic engine control for controlling various operational functions of the engine, plural control-enabling devices that are individually actuable for enabling one operational function of the engine to occur, and an interlock circuit for operatively coupling said control-enabling devices with said electronic engine control such that when one of said control-enabling devices has been actuated to enable that one operational function to occur, subsequent actuation of any of the remainder of said control-enabling devices terminates the enablement of that one operational function, the improvement in said interlock circuit which comprises:
- A) memory circuit means having plural inputs and respective plural outputs and comprising memory for giving and maintaining an output signal at a respective output whenever an input signal is received at the respective input;
B) plural input circuits respectively operatively coupling respective ones of said control-enabling devices with respective ones of said inputs of said memory circuit means for providing respective input signals to respective ones of said inputs;
C) validation circuit means having plural inputs and an output means and comprising means for giving a validation signal at said output means only in response to any one of plural valid combinations of input signals to said validation circuit means'"'"' inputs;
D) plural coupling circuits respectively operatively coupling respective outputs of said memory circuit means with respective inputs of said validation circuit means for supplying respective output signals of said memory circuit means to respective inputs of said validation circuit means;
E) said validation circuit means comprising means for giving a validation signal at its output means in response to a first-to-be-actuated of said control-enabling devices and means for terminating the validation signal in response to a second-to-be-actuated of said control-enabling devices; and
F) means operatively coupling said output means of said validation circuit means with said electronic engine control for enabling that one operational function of the engine to occur when the validation signal is given and for terminating the enablement of that one operational function when the validation signal is terminated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Multiple control-request switches are operatively coupled by an electronic interlock circuit with an electronic engine control that controls an engine that powers a heavy duty automotive vehicle. The vehicle is also equipped with one or more devices, such as an air-compressor or hydraulic pump, that are powered from the engine via a power take-off. The control-request switches request control of this equipment from various stations via control of an operational function of the engine, such as control of engine speed. The interlock circuit functions to allow only a first-to-be-actuated of the control-request switches to acquire control so that subsequent actuation of any other switch causes the control to go to a default mode to avoid conflicting control of the engine and equipment powered through a power take-off.
43 Citations
18 Claims
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1. In an internal combustion engine comprising an electronic engine control for controlling various operational functions of the engine, plural control-enabling devices that are individually actuable for enabling one operational function of the engine to occur, and an interlock circuit for operatively coupling said control-enabling devices with said electronic engine control such that when one of said control-enabling devices has been actuated to enable that one operational function to occur, subsequent actuation of any of the remainder of said control-enabling devices terminates the enablement of that one operational function, the improvement in said interlock circuit which comprises:
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A) memory circuit means having plural inputs and respective plural outputs and comprising memory for giving and maintaining an output signal at a respective output whenever an input signal is received at the respective input; B) plural input circuits respectively operatively coupling respective ones of said control-enabling devices with respective ones of said inputs of said memory circuit means for providing respective input signals to respective ones of said inputs; C) validation circuit means having plural inputs and an output means and comprising means for giving a validation signal at said output means only in response to any one of plural valid combinations of input signals to said validation circuit means'"'"' inputs; D) plural coupling circuits respectively operatively coupling respective outputs of said memory circuit means with respective inputs of said validation circuit means for supplying respective output signals of said memory circuit means to respective inputs of said validation circuit means; E) said validation circuit means comprising means for giving a validation signal at its output means in response to a first-to-be-actuated of said control-enabling devices and means for terminating the validation signal in response to a second-to-be-actuated of said control-enabling devices; and F) means operatively coupling said output means of said validation circuit means with said electronic engine control for enabling that one operational function of the engine to occur when the validation signal is given and for terminating the enablement of that one operational function when the validation signal is terminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In an internal combustion engine comprising an electronic engine control for controlling various operational functions of the engine, plural request switches that are individually actuable for enabling one operational function of the engine to occur, and an interlock circuit for operatively coupling said request switches with said electronic engine control such that when one of said request switches has been actuated to enable that one operational function to occur, subsequent actuation of any of the remainder of said request switches terminates the enablement of that one operational function, the improvement in said interlock circuit which comprises:
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A) request-switch-actuation-detection circuit means having inputs and outputs and comprising means for detecting actuation of each of said request switches and for providing at a respective output a respective output signal representing actuation of the respective request switch; B) plural coupling circuits respectively operatively coupling respective ones of said request switches with respective inputs of said request-switch-actuation-detection circuit means for supplying respective input signals to respective inputs of said request-switch-actuation-detection circuit means; C) validation circuit means comprising a binary-to-decimal converter circuit means that comprises individual inputs, each of which inputs is operatively connected with a respective output of said request-switch-actuation-detection circuit means and corresponds to a particular binary digit of a binary number; D) said binary-to-decimal converter circuit means further comprising individual outputs each of which corresponds to a particular decimal number; and E) means operatively coupling said electronic engine control only with certain outputs of said binary-to-decimal converter circuit means for enabling the one operational function to occur only when a valid input signal pattern is present at said inputs of said binary-to-decimal converter circuit; F) each respective valid input signal pattern causing a respective validation signal to appear only at a single respective one of said certain outputs of said binary-to-decimal converter circuit means. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An interlock circuit for operatively coupling plural control-enabling devices that are individually actuable for causing the interlock circuit to give an enabling signal when one of said control-enabling devices has been actuated and to terminate the enabling signal upon subsequent actuation of any of the remainder of said control-enabling devices, said interlock circuit comprising in combination with said control-enabling devices:
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A) memory circuit means having plural inputs and respective plural outputs and comprising memory for giving and maintaining an output signal at a respective output whenever an input signal is received at the respective input; B) plural input circuits respectively operatively coupling respective ones of said control devices with respective ones of said inputs of said memory circuit means for providing respective input signals to respective ones of said inputs; c) validation circuit means having plural inputs and an output means and comprising means for giving a validation signal at said output means only in response to any one of plural valid combinations of input signals to said validation circuit means'"'"' inputs; D) plural coupling circuits respectively operatively coupling respective outputs of said memory circuit means with respective inputs of said validation circuit means for supplying respective output signals of said memory circuit means to respective inputs of said validation circuit means; E) said validation circuit means comprising means for giving a validation signal at its output means in response to a first-to-be-actuated of said control-enabling devices and means for terminating the validation signal in response to a second-to-be-actuated of said control-enabling devices; and F) means operatively coupled with said output means of said validation circuit means for giving the enabling signal when the validation signal is given and for terminating the enabling signal when the validation signal is terminated. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification