Method and apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine, particularly the starting up of the engine
First Claim
1. In a method for controlling an internal combustion engine comprisinga step of detecting the operating conditions of said engine in the normal operation;
- a step of calculating desired values representative of the desired operating conditions of said engine, on the basis of the detected operating conditions;
a step of setting said desired values in respective reference registers;
a step of successively comparing the content of selected one of instantaneous registers storing instantaneous conditions of said engine respectively corresponding to said desired values with said desired value set in the corresponding one of said reference registers; and
a step of supplying control signals to means for controlling the operation of said engine in accordance with the result of the each comparison so as to optimally control said engine,said method further comprising, prior to said detecting step, the steps of;
starting a preset program in response to the turn on of the key switch,setting in said reference registers desired initial values representing the desired operating conditions of said engine at the time of starting in accordance with said preset program, andstarting the operation of comparing one of said desired initial values with corresponding one of said instantaneous conditions of said engine successively.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine employs a scheme whereby the operating conditions of the engine for normal operation are detected. Desired set values representative of the desired operating conditions of the engine are calculated on the basis of the detected operating conditions, and the desired set values are set in respective reference registers. The contents of one of instantaneous registers for storing instantaneous operating conditions of the engine respectively corresponding to the desired set values are successively compared with the desired set value stored in the corresponding one of the reference registers and a control signal is supplied in accordance with the result of each comparison to control the operation of the engine so that optimal operation of the engine may be performed.
Prior to the starting of the engine, a preset scenario or procedure is carried out in response to the turn on of the key switch. According to this preset scenario or procedure, the desired initial values for the operating conditions of the engine at the starting instant are set in the respective reference registers and then the operation for successively comparing one of the desired initial values with the corresponding one of instantaneous operating conditions of the engine is begun.
-
Citations
73 Claims
-
1. In a method for controlling an internal combustion engine comprising
a step of detecting the operating conditions of said engine in the normal operation; -
a step of calculating desired values representative of the desired operating conditions of said engine, on the basis of the detected operating conditions; a step of setting said desired values in respective reference registers; a step of successively comparing the content of selected one of instantaneous registers storing instantaneous conditions of said engine respectively corresponding to said desired values with said desired value set in the corresponding one of said reference registers; and a step of supplying control signals to means for controlling the operation of said engine in accordance with the result of the each comparison so as to optimally control said engine, said method further comprising, prior to said detecting step, the steps of; starting a preset program in response to the turn on of the key switch, setting in said reference registers desired initial values representing the desired operating conditions of said engine at the time of starting in accordance with said preset program, and starting the operation of comparing one of said desired initial values with corresponding one of said instantaneous conditions of said engine successively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. In a microprocessor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine comprising means for detecting the operating conditions of said engine;
-
a control apparatus comprising; means for controlling the operating conditions of said engine; a reference register group consisting of reference registers for respectively holding said desired values delivered from said microprocessor; an instantaneous register group consisting of instantaneous registers for respectively holding the pieces of data representing the instantaneous conditions of said engine respectively corresponding to said desired values; means for comparing successively the selected one of said desired values in said reference registers with the corresponding one of said pieces of data representing said instantaneous conditions of said engine, held in said instantaneous registers and for supplying the results of the comparison as control signals to said means for controlling said operating conditions of said engine; and a selecting means for sequentially selecting one of said desired values in said reference registers in a predetermined order, simultaneously reading said instantaneous conditions selectively out of the corresponding instantaneous registers, and supplying the read conditions to said comparison means, and wherein said microprocessor sets in said reference registers said desired values for initial control at the start of said engine in response to the turn on of the key switch and then actuates said selecting means after the completion of the setting of said desired values in said reference registers. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. In a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine having:
-
sensor means for producing signals representative of operating conditions of said engine; actuator means for controlling respective energy conversion functions of said engine in response to control signals applied thereto; an input/output unit coupled to receive signals produced by said sensor means, and to deliver control signals to said actuator means, and a data processing unit, coupled to said input/output unit, for carrying out engine control data processing operations in accordance with signals produced by said sensor means and thereby generating engine control codes that are coupled to said input/output unit; said input/output unit comprising; first means for generating an engine control timing signal pattern through which operational events of said engine are controlled; second means, coupled to said data processing unit, for storing said 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; - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71)
-
-
14. 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;
-
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 sixth means, coupled to said third means and responsive to first prescribed data supplied by said data processing unit, for enabling the generation of engine timing codes by said third means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 21, 22, 24)
-
-
52. An electronic engine control apparatus for an internal combustion engine comprising
a power source for supplying a power to said apparatus; -
a plurality of sensors for detecting operating conditions of the engine; a digital converter for converting analog outputs of said sensors into corresponding digital quantities; actuators for controlling said engine; digital processing means for receiving the outputs of said sensors and the outputs of said digital converter and for outputting various digital data corresponding to settings of said actuators; a first plurality of storage means for storing the outputs of said digital processing means as various reference values; counting means for counting digital values representing instantaneous states of said actuators and said engine, said counting means including a second plurality of storage means corresponding to said first plurality of storage means for storing instantaneous data representing the states of said actuators and said engine; a comparator for comparing the contents of each storage means of said first plurality with the contents of the corresponding storage means of said second plurality; a third plurality of storage means corresponding to said first plurality of means for storing outputs of said comparator; transfer means for transferring to said actuators the outputs of said third plurality of storage means; a stage signal generator adapted to generate stage signals, corresponding to said first plurality of storage means, each of said first plurality of storage means, each of said second plurality of storage means and the corresponding storage means of said third plurality being respectively selected in accordance with said stage signals, and the output of a selected storage means of said second plurality corresponding to a respective stage signal being compared with the output of the selected storage means of said first plurality by said comparator, the outputs of said comparator being stored in the selected storage means of said third plurality, and said engine being controlled on the basis of said stored outputs; and stage signal generator control means for energizing said stage signal generator so as to generate said stage signals in response to first prescribed data applied from said digital processing means and for deenergizing said stage signal generator so as to prevent the generation of stage signals in response to prescribed data applied from said digital processing means, whereby said digital processing means sets in the storage means of said first plurality outputs of said digital processing means for initial control of said engine in response to the activation of said power source, and then applies and first prescribed data to said stage signal generator control means thereby energizing said stage signal generator.
-
-
61. In a method for controlling an internal combustion engine using actuators for controlling said engine and digital processing means for outputting various digital data corresponding to settings of said actuators, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) generating signals representing various operating conditions of said engine during normal operation; (b) generating digital data representative of the desired various operating conditions of said engine by performing data processing calculations in said digital processing means on the basis of the signals representing operating conditions; (c) setting into respective registers said various desired digital data as reference values; (d) counting digital values representing instantaneous states of said actuators and said engine, thereby obtaining counted digital values as instantaneous values associated with said reference values; (e) comparing successively selected ones of said reference values with the associated instantaneous values; (f) applying the result of comparison to said actuators for controlling said engine; said method further comprising the steps of; (g) setting into said respective register initial digital data representing the desired operating conditions of said engine at the time of starting said engine as initial reference values for the initial control in response to the activation of a power source for energizing the engine; and
then(h) applying first prescribed data, for controlling the start of the comparing step, from said digital processing means to means for controlling the comparing operation after the initial reference value setting step, thereby starting the operation of comparing one of said initial reference values with corresponding one of said instantaneous values successively and then applying the results of the comparison to said actuators.
-
-
70. In a microprocessor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine comprising means for detecting the operating conditions of said engine;
-
a control apparatus comprising; means for controlling the operating conditions of said engine; a reference register group consisting of reference registers for respectively holding desired values delivered from said microprocessor; at least one counter for counting up stage signals produced at a predetermined time interval; a selecting means for selecting one of said desired values in said reference registers; means for comparing successively the selected one of said desired values in said reference registers with the value of the count held in said counter; means for supplying the results of the comparison as control signals to said means for controlling said operating conditions of said engine; and a mode register coupled to said control apparatus and to said microprocessor for controlling the application of said control signals of said supplying means to said means for controlling said operating conditions of said engine in accordance with data delivered to said mode register from said microprocessor..Iaddend. .Iadd.
-
- 73. fourth means to said actuator means..Iaddend. .Iadd.76. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 73, further comprising means for selecting said respective ones of said stored engine control codes which are to be compared in said third means, and wherein said fifth means is coupled to said selecting means..Iaddend.
Specification