# US 2008/0189024 A1 · Engine control apparatus using signal with level changing with engine operation

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2008/0189024 A1
- Document ID: US20080189024A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/068,116
- Filed: 2008-02-01
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-01
- Assignees: Denso Corporation
- Inventors: Haruhiko Kondo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080189024A1

## CPC

- F02D 41/009: {using means for generating position or synchronisation signals}
- F02D 41/2403: {using essentially up/down counters}
- F02D 2250/14: Timing of measurement, e.g. synchronisation of measurements to the engine cycle
- F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W)

## Abstract

In an apparatus for controlling an engine, an irregular-region start detector detects that a predetermined-directed level change in an input signal is synchronized with a start of appearance of an irregular region thereof. An irregular-region end detector detects that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with an end of the irregular region thereof. A fixing unit fixes a reference interval to a predetermined value when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of appearance of the irregular region thereof. A resetting unit resets the reference interval from the predetermined-value to one of the measured intervals when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for controlling an engine, the apparatus comprising:
an interval measuring unit configured to receive an input signal input thereto and composed of a regular region and an irregular region repetitively appearing in time, the input signal having a level that regularly changes in time in a predetermined direction in the regular region thereof every amount of regular operation of the engine, the level of the input signal irregularly changing in time in the predetermined direction in the irregular region thereof with an amount of irregular operation of the engine, the interval measuring unit being configured to sequentially measure an interval between appearance of a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal and that of a temporally next predetermined-directed level change therein;
a multiplication clock generating unit configured to sequentially use one of the measured intervals as a reference interval and to divide, by a multiplication number, the reference interval so as to generate a multiplication clock, the multiplication clock including a train of clock pulses whose clock cycle corresponds to a division of the reference interval by the multiplication number;
an engine control unit configured to control the engine in synchronization with the multiplication clock generated by the multiplication clock generating unit;
an irregular-region start detector configured to detect that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with a start of appearance of the irregular region thereof;
an irregular-region end detector configured to detect that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with an end of the irregular region thereof;
a fixing unit configured to fix the reference interval to a predetermined value when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of appearance of the irregular region thereof; and
a resetting unit configured to reset the reference interval from the predetermined-value to one of the measured intervals when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined value is one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of the irregular region thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
a correcting unit configured to correct one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at a point of time when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of the irregular region thereof,
wherein the fixing unit is configured to fix the reference interval to the corrected one of the intervals by the correcting unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the correcting unit is configured to correct one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at the point of time to a value, the value being the product of one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at the point of time and a predetermined coefficient.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the correcting unit is configured to correct one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at the point of time based on another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit before the point of time.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the correcting unit is configured to correct one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at the point of time based on another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit before the point of time.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the regular engine operation is a regular angle of rotation of a crankshaft of the engine, and the amount of the irregular engine operation is an irregular angle of rotation of the crankshaft, further comprising:
a signal supplying unit configured to supply, to the interval measuring unit, a crank signal as the input signal, the level of the crank signal regularly changing in time in the predetermined direction in the regular region thereof every regular angle of rotation of the crankshaft, the level of the crank signal irregularly changing in time in the predetermined direction in the irregular region thereof with the irregular angle of rotation of the crankshaft,
the multiplication clock generating unit being configured to sequentially use one of the measured intervals as the reference interval and to divide, by a first multiplication number as the multiplication number, the reference interval so as to generate a first multiplication clock as the multiplication clock, the first multiplication clock including a train of clock pulses whose clock cycle corresponds to a division of the reference interval by the first multiplication number,
the engine control unit comprising:
a count unit configured to count in synchronization with the first multiplication clock generated by the multiplication clock generating unit, a count value of the count unit corresponding to a rotational position of the crankshaft in one cycle of the engine when the rotational position thereof is represented with a predetermined resolution,
the predetermined resolution being obtained by dividing the regular angle of rotation of the crankshaft by the first multiplication number, the engine control unit being configured to control the engine based on the rotational position of the crankshaft specified by the corresponding count value of the count unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:
a first measurement correcting unit configured to correct, based on a period of the irregular region in the crank signal, another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at a point of time when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof,
wherein, when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof, the multiplication clock generating unit is configured to divide, by the first multiplication number as the multiplication number, the corrected one of the intervals by the first measurement correcting unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:
an abnormality determining unit configured to determine whether the crank signal is abnormal based on a state of the input signal,
wherein, while it is determined that the crank signal is abnormal, the signal supplying unit is configured to switch the input signal from the crank signal to a cam signal, the amount of the regular engine operation is a regular angle of rotation of a camshaft of the engine, the amount of the irregular engine operation is an irregular angle of rotation of the camshaft, the level of the cam signal regularly changes in time in the predetermined direction in the regular region thereof every regular angle of rotation of the camshaft, and the level of the cam signal irregularly changes in time in the predetermined direction in the irregular region thereof with the irregular angle of rotation of the camshaft, and
wherein the multiplication clock generating unit is configured to divide, by a second multiplication number as the multiplication number, the reference interval so as to generate the multiplication clock, the multiplication clock including a train of clock pulses whose clock cycle corresponds to a division of the reference interval by the second multiplication number, the second multiplication number being obtained by dividing, by the regular angle of rotation of the crankshaft, the product of the regular angle of rotation of the camshaft and the first multiplication number.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:
an abnormality determining unit configured to determine whether the crank signal is abnormal based on a state of the input signal,
wherein, while it is determined that the crank signal is abnormal, the signal supplying unit is configured to switch the input signal from the crank signal to a cam signal, the amount of the regular engine operation is a regular angle of rotation of a camshaft of the engine, the amount of the irregular engine operation is an irregular angle of rotation of the camshaft, the level of the cam signal regularly changes in time in the predetermined direction in the regular region thereof every regular angle of rotation of the camshaft, and the level of the cam signal irregularly changes in time in the predetermined direction in the irregular region thereof with the irregular angle of rotation of the camshaft, and
wherein the multiplication clock generating unit is configured to divide, by a second multiplication number as the multiplication number, the reference interval so as to generate the multiplication clock, the multiplication clock including a train of clock pulses whose clock cycle corresponds to a division of the reference interval by the second multiplication number, the second multiplication number being obtained by dividing, by the regular angle of rotation of the crankshaft, the product of the regular angle of rotation of the camshaft and the first multiplication number.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:
an irregular-region detector configured to detect that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal appears within the irregular region therein based on the input signal,
wherein, when it is detected that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal appears within the irregular region therein based on the input signal, the fixing unit is configured to:
fix the reference interval to a value,
the value being obtained by dividing, by a division value, one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at a point of time when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of the irregular region thereof,
the division value being based on a ratio of a timing of the appearance of the predetermined-directed level change within the irregular region to a period of the irregular region.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:
a second measurement correcting unit configured to correct, based on a period of the irregular region in the cam signal, another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at a point of time when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof,
wherein, when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof, the multiplication clock generating unit is configured to divide, by a second multiplication number as the multiplication number, the corrected one of the intervals by the second measurement correcting unit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:
a second measurement correcting unit configured to correct, based on a period of the irregular region in the cam signal, another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring unit at a point of time when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof,
wherein, when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof, the multiplication clock generating unit is configured to divide, by a second multiplication number as the multiplication number, the corrected one of the intervals by the second measurement correcting unit.

### Claim 14

A program product embedded in a media accessible by a computer for controlling an engine, the program product comprising:
an interval measuring for instructing a computer to receive an input signal input thereto and composed of a regular region and an irregular region repetitively appearing in time, the input signal having a level that regularly changes in time in a predetermined direction in the regular region thereof every amount of regular operation of the engine, the level irregularly changing in time in the predetermined direction in the irregular region thereof with an amount of irregular operation of the engine, the interval measuring means being configured to instruct a computer to sequentially measure an interval between appearance of a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal and that of a temporally next predetermined-directed level change therein;
a multiplication clock generating means for instructing a computer to sequentially use one of the measured intervals as a reference interval and to divide, by a multiplication number, the reference interval so as to generate a multiplication clock, the multiplication clock including a train of clock pulses whose clock cycle corresponds to a division of the reference interval by the multiplication number;
an engine control means for instructing a computer to control the engine in synchronization with the multiplication clock generated by the multiplication clock generating means;
an irregular-region start detecting means for instructing a computer to detect that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with a start of appearance of the irregular region thereof;
an irregular-region end detecting means for instructing a computer to detect that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with an end of the irregular region thereof;
a fixing means for instructing a computer to fix the reference interval to a predetermined value when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of appearance of the irregular region thereof; and
a resetting means for instructing a computer to reset the reference interval from the predetermined-value to one of the measured intervals when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A program product according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined value is one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of the irregular region thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A program product according to claim 15, further comprising:
a correcting means for instructing a computer to correct one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at a point of time when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of the irregular region thereof,
wherein the fixing means is configured to fix the reference interval to the corrected one of the intervals by the correcting means.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A program product according to claim 16, wherein the correcting means is configured to correct one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at the point of time to a value, the value being the product of one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at the point of time and a predetermined coefficient.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

A program product according to claim 16, wherein the correcting means is configured to correct one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at the point of time based on another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means before the point of time.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

A program product according to claim 17, wherein the correcting means is configured to correct one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at the point of time based on another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means before the point of time.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

A program product according to claim 14, wherein the amount of the regular engine operation is a regular angle of rotation of a crankshaft of the engine, and the amount of the irregular engine operation is an irregular angle of rotation of the crankshaft, further comprising:
a signal supplying means for instructing a computer to supply, to the interval measuring means, a crank signal as the input signal, the level of the crank signal regularly changing in time in the predetermined direction in the regular region thereof every regular angle of rotation of the crankshaft, the level of the crank signal irregularly changing in time in the predetermined direction in the irregular region thereof with the irregular angle of rotation of the crankshaft,
the multiplication clock generating means being configured to instruct a computer to sequentially use one of the measured intervals as the reference interval and to divide, by a first multiplication number as the multiplication number, the reference interval so as to generate a first multiplication clock as the multiplication clock, the first multiplication clock including a train of clock pulses whose clock cycle corresponds to a division of the reference interval by the first multiplication number,
the engine control means comprising:
a count means for instructing a computer to count in synchronization with the first multiplication clock generated by the multiplication clock generating means, a count value of the count means corresponding to a rotational position of the crankshaft in one cycle of the engine when the rotational position thereof is represented with a predetermined resolution, the predetermined resolution being obtained by dividing the regular angle of rotation of the crankshaft by the first multiplication number,
the engine control means being configured to instruct a computer to control the engine based on the rotational position of the crankshaft specified by the corresponding count value of the count means.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

A program product according to claim 20, further comprising:
a first measurement correcting means for instructing a computer to correct, based on a period of the irregular region in the crank signal, another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at a point of time when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof,
wherein, when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof, the multiplication clock generating means is configured to instruct a computer to divide, by the first multiplication number as the multiplication number, the corrected one of the intervals by the first measurement correcting means.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

A program product according to claim 20, further comprising:
an abnormality determining means for instructing a computer to determine whether the crank signal is abnormal based on a state of the input signal,
wherein, while it is determined that the crank signal is abnormal, the signal supplying means is configured to switch the input signal from the crank signal to a cam signal, the amount of regular engine operation is a regular angle of rotation of a camshaft of the engine, the amount of irregular engine operation is an irregular angle of rotation of the camshaft, the level of the cam signal regularly changes in time in the predetermined direction in the regular region thereof every regular angle of rotation of the camshaft, and the level of the cam signal irregularly changes in time in the predetermined direction in the irregular region thereof with the irregular angle of rotation of the camshaft, and
wherein the multiplication clock generating means is configured to instruct a computer to divide, by a second multiplication number as the multiplication number, the reference interval so as to generate the multiplication clock, the multiplication clock including a train of clock pulses whose clock cycle corresponds to a division of the reference interval by the second multiplication number, the second multiplication number being obtained by dividing, by the regular angle of rotation of the crankshaft, the product of the regular angle of rotation of the camshaft and the first multiplication number.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

A program product according to claim 21, further comprising:
an abnormality determining means for instructing a computer to determine whether the crank signal is abnormal based on a state of the input signal,
wherein, while it is determined that the crank signal is abnormal, the signal supplying means is configured to switch the input signal from the crank signal to a cam signal, the amount of regular engine operation is a regular angle of rotation of a camshaft of the engine, the amount of irregular engine operation is an irregular angle of rotation of the camshaft, the level of the cam signal regularly changes in time in the predetermined direction in the regular region thereof every regular angle of rotation of the camshaft, and the level of the cam signal irregularly changes in time in the predetermined direction in the irregular region thereof with the irregular angle of rotation of the camshaft, and
wherein the multiplication clock generating means is configured to instruct a computer to divide, by a second multiplication number as the multiplication number, the reference interval so as to generate the multiplication clock, the multiplication clock including a train of clock pulses whose clock cycle corresponds to a division of the reference interval by the second multiplication number, the second multiplication number being obtained by dividing, by the regular angle of rotation of the crankshaft, the product of the regular angle of rotation of the camshaft and the first multiplication number.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

A program product according to claim 23, further comprising:
an irregular-region detector for instructing a computer to detect that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal appears within the irregular region therein based on the input signal,
wherein, when it is detected that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal appears within the irregular region therein based on the input signal, the fixing means is configured to instruct a computer to:
fix the reference interval to a value,
the value being obtained by dividing, by a division value, one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at a point of time when it is detected that the predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the start of the irregular region thereof,
the division value being based on a ratio of a timing of the appearance of the predetermined-directed level change within the irregular region to a period of the irregular region.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

A program product according to claim 22, further comprising:
a second measurement correcting means for instructing a computer to correct, based on a period of the irregular region in the cam signal, another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at a point of time when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof,
wherein, when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof, the multiplication clock generating means is configured to instruct a computer to divide, by a second multiplication number as the multiplication number, the corrected one of the intervals by the second measurement correcting means.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

A program product according to claim 24, further comprising:
a second measurement correcting means for instructing a computer to correct, based on a period of the irregular region in the cam signal, another one of the intervals measured by the interval measuring means at a point of time when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof,
wherein, when it is determined that a predetermined-directed level change in the input signal is synchronized with the end of the irregular region thereof, the multiplication clock generating means is configured to instruct a computer to divide, by a second multiplication number as the multiplication number, the corrected one of the intervals by the second measurement correcting means.