Portable apparatus for testing electronic engine control systems

• US 5,668,312 A
• Filed: 07/23/1996
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Research Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Research Products Corporation
• Inventors: Kaman, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dombroske, George M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US08/685,157
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 73/116, 73/117.1, 73/118.1, 73/119 R, 324/379, 324/383, 324/386, 324/402
• US Class Current: 73/114.61
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31915 In-circuit Testers

Abstract

A portable apparatus is provided for testing an engine control system of a reciprocating engine. The apparatus includes a processor for generating a simulated waveform of an at least one engine position sensor and a connector for operably coupling the selected waveform to the engine control system.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus for testing an electronic engine control system of a reciprocating engine comprising:

means for generating a first simulated waveform of a rotational position of a first rotating engine element of the reciprocating engine;

means for generating a second simulated waveform having a predetermined phase offset with respect to the first simulated waveform; and

connector means for operably coupling the first and second waveforms to the engine control system.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means for generating the first and second waveforms with the predetermined phase offset further comprises a processor.

3. The apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the means for generating the first and second simulated waveforms further comprises a plurality of removable memory modules and a receptacle disposed on the portable apparatus for one-at-a-time coupling of a memory module of the plurality of memory modules with the processor.

4. The apparatus as in claim 3 wherein each memory module of the plurality of memory modules further comprises a memory element containing a parametric data set defining the first and second simulated waveforms and predetermined phase offset.

5. The apparatus as in claim 4 wherein each memory module of the plurality of memory modules further comprises a memory element containing a plurality of parametric data sets defining a plurality of first and second simulated waveforms and predetermined phase offsets.

6. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the portable apparatus further comprises a selector switch for selecting a parametric data set of the plurality of data of a memory module sets for generating the first and second simulated waveform with predetermined phase offset.

7. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein each parametric data set of the plurality of parametric data sets further comprises a memory containing a look-up table of time versus voltage values for the first and second simulated waveforms and phase offsets of the first and second waveforms.

8. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the first simulated waveform further comprises a simulated waveform of a crankshaft position sensor of the reciprocating engine.

9. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the second simulated waveform further comprises a simulated waveform of a cam position sensor.

10. A portable apparatus for testing an electronic engine control system of a reciprocating engine comprising:

a first processor for generating a first simulated waveform of a rotational position of a first rotating engine element of the reciprocating engine;

a second processor for generating a second simulated waveform having a predetermined phase offset with respect to the first simulated waveform; and

connector means for operably coupling the first and second waveforms to the engine control system.

11. The apparatus as in claim 10 further comprising a plurality of removable memory modules and a receptacle disposed on the portable apparatus for one-at-a-time coupling of a memory module of the plurality of memory modules to the first and second processors.

12. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein each memory module of the plurality of memory modules further comprises a memory element containing a parametric data set defining the first and second simulated waveforms and predetermined phase offset.

13. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein each memory module of the plurality of memory modules further comprises a plurality of parametric data sets defining a plurality of first and second simulated waveforms and predetermined phase offsets.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the portable apparatus further comprises a selector switch for selecting a parametric data set of the plurality of data sets for generating the first and second simulated waveforms and predetermined phase offset.

15. The apparatus as in claim 13 wherein each parametric data set of the plurality of memory modules further comprises a memory containing a look-up table of time versus voltage values for the first and second simulated waveforms and predetermined phase offsets.

16. The apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the first simulated waveform further comprises a simulated waveform of a crankshaft position sensor of the reciprocating engine.

17. The apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the second simulated waveform further comprises a simulated waveform of a cam position sensor.

18. An apparatus for testing an engine control system of a reciprocating engine comprising:

a detachable memory module containing parametric data defining a plurality of sets of waveforms with each parametric set of the plurality of sets including a first and second waveform and predetermined phase offset;

a selector switch for selecting a set of waveforms of the plurality of sets of waveforms with predetermined phase offset;

a computer for generating the first and second waveform with the predetermined phase offset; and

a connector for operably interconnecting the selected waveforms to the engine control system.

19. The apparatus as in claim 18 wherein a first simulated waveform of each set of waveforms further comprises a simulated waveform of a crankshaft position sensor of the reciprocating engine.

20. The apparatus as in claim 18 wherein a second simulated waveform of each set of waveforms further comprises a simulated waveform of a cam position sensor.

21. A detachable module for an apparatus for testing an engine control system comprising:

a memory element containing a set of parameters defining a first simulated waveform and a second simulated waveform offset with respect to the first simulated waveform by a predetermined phase offset; and

a coupler for removably coupling the memory element to the apparatus for testing an engine control system.

22. A detachable memory module for an apparatus for testing an engine control system comprising:

a memory element containing a plurality of sets of parameters where each set of parameters defines a first simulated waveform and a second simulated waveform offset with respect to the first simulated waveform by a predetermined phase offset; and

a coupler for removably coupling the memory element to the apparatus for testing an engine control system.