Electronic engine control apparatus

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output shaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means for supplying fuel to said engine in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including rotation sensor means for generating pulses in accordance with the rotation of the output shaft,

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means for generating pulses at predetermined time intervals,
• second means, coupled to said rotation sensor means and to said first means, for synchronizing the output pulses of said rotation sensor means with the output pulses of said first means,
• third means, coupled to said first and second means, for counting the outputs of said second means in synchronization with the pulses generated by said first means, and for producing an output pulse when the counted value thereof reaches a first prescribed value;
• fourth means, coupled to said third means, for counting pulses supplied thereto, said fourth means beginning its counting operation in response to receipt of an output pulse from said third means, and being coupled to said first means for synchronizing its counting operation with output pulses of said first means, and producing output pulses and having its counting operating stopped when its counted value reaches a second prescribed value;
• and
• fifth means, coupled to receive the output pulse from said fourth means, for producing a control signal for operating said fuel supply means.

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output shaft driven by mechanical energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means for supplying fuel to said engine in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least a first sensor for generating pulses in response to the rotation of said output shaft of the engine through a prescribed angle of rotation, said angle of rotation being defined in accordance with the number of cylinders of said engine,

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means, coupled to said first sensor, for counting output pulses from said first sensor and producing an output pulse when its counted value reaches a value defined in accordance with the number of cylinders of said engine;
• second means for generating sequential timing pulses;
• third means, coupled to said first means and to said second means, for counting the sequential timing pulses of said second means, and producing an output pulse, its counting operation and said output pulse being initiated by the output pulse from said first means and being stopped and said output pulse being terminated when its counted value reaches a first prescribed value;
• and
• fourth means, coupled to receive the output pulse from said third means, for producing a control signal for operating said fuel supply means.

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output shaft driven by mechanical energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means for supplying fuel to said engine in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least a first sensor for generating position pulses in response to a first prescribed angle of rotation of said engine shaft, and a second sensor for generating reference pulses in response to a second prescribed angle of rotation of said engine shaft rotation, said second prescribed rotation angle being defined in accordance with the number of cylinders of said engine and comprising a predetermined number of said first prescribed angles,

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means, coupled to said first and second sensors, and responsive to said reference pulses, for initiating the counting of said position pulses, and producing an output pulse when the accumulated value of counted position pulses reaches a first prescribed value;
• second means, coupled to said first means, for counting the output pulses of said first means and producing an output pulse when its counted value reaches a value being defined in accordance with the number of cylinders of said engine;
• third means for generating sequential timing pulses;
• fourth means, coupled to said second means and to said third means, for counting the sequential timing pulses of said third means and producing an output pulse, the counting and output pulse being initiated by the receipt of sequential timing pulses of said second means and terminated when its counted value reaches a second prescribed value;
• and
• fifth means, coupled to receive the output pulse from said fourth means, for producing a control signal for operating said fuel supply means.

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output shaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means and ignition means for controlling energy conversions in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least a first sensor for generating pulses in response to the rotation of said engine output shaft,

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means, coupled to said first sensor, for counting output pulses of said first sensor and producing an output pulse when its counted value reaches a first prescribed value;
• second means, coupled to said first means and to said second means, for counting the output pulses of said second means and producing an output pulse which is initiated in response to an output pulse from said first means and terminates when its counted value reaches a second prescribed value;
• fourth means, coupled to receive the output pulse from said third means, for producing a control signal for operating said fuel supply means;
• fifth means, coupled to said first sensor and to said second means, for staring the counting of pulses from said second means in response to the output pulse of said first sensor and producing an output pulse when the counted value of counted pulses from said second means reaches a third prescribed value;
• and
• sixth means, coupled to receive the output pulse from said fifth means, for producing a control signal for operating said ignition means.

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output shaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means and ignition means for controlling energy conversion in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including at least first sensor means for generating position pulses in response to a first prescribed angle of rotation of said engine shaft, and second sensor means for generating reference pulses in response to a second prescribed angle of rotation of said engine shaft, said reference rotation angle being defined in accordance with the number of cylinders of said engine and including a predetermined number of said first prescribed angles of rotation,

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means, coupled to said second sensor means, and responsive to said reference pulses, for starting the counting of position pulses and counting said position pulses and producing an output pulse when its counted value reaches a first prescribed value;
• second means, coupled to said first means, for counting the output pulses of said first means and producing output pulses when its counted value reaches a value defined in accordance with the number of engine cylinders;
• third means for generating sequential timing pulses;
• fourth means, coupled to said second means and to said third means, for counting the sequential timing pulses of said third means and producing an output pulse, said output pulse and the counting operation of said fourth means being initiated in response to an output pulse from said second means and being terminated when its counted value reaches a third prescribed value;
• fifth means, coupled to receive the output pulse from said fourth means, for producing a control signal for operating said fuel supply means;
• sixth means, coupled to said third means and to said second sensor means, for starting the counting of the sequential timing pulses from said third means in response to the reference pulse from said second sensor means and producing an output pulse when its counted value reaches a fourth prescribed value;
• and
• seventh means, coupled to receive the output pulse from said sixth means, for producing a control signal for operating said ignition means.

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means for supplying fuel to said engine in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of said engine, said sensors including rotation sensor means for generating pulses in accordance with the rotation of said output shaft;

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means for generating sequential timing pulses;
• second means, coupled to said rotation sensor means and said first means, for counting sequential timing pulses generated by said first means in response to a pulse generated by said rotation sensor means and producing an output pulse when the accumulated value of the counted pulses corresponds to a first prescribed value;
• and
• third means, coupled to said first and second means, for generating a fuel injection control signal the duration of which defines the supply of fuel to said engine, said fuel injection control signal beginning in response to a selected one of the output pulses produced by said second means and extending for a period of time during which said third means counts sequential timing pulses generated by said first means until the counted value of said timing pulses corresponds to a second prescribed value.

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output crankshaft driven by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means for supplying fuel to said engine and ignition means for controlling the ignition of fuel supplied to the engine in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of said engine, said sensors including rotation sensor means for generating pulses in accordance with the rotation of said output crankshaft;

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means for generating sequential timing pulses;
• second means, coupled to said rotation sensor means and said first means, for counting sequential timing pulses generated by said first means in response to a pulse generated by said rotation sensor means and producing an output pulse when the accumulated value of the counted pulses corresponds to a first prescribed value;
• and
• third means, coupled to said first and second means, for generating an ignition signal by counting sequential timing pulses generated by said first means, in response to a selected one of the output pulses produced by said second means, until the counted value of said sequential timing pulses corresponds to a second prescribed value, said ignition signal being generated in response to said counted value of sequential timing pulses corresponding to said second prescribed value.

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output crankshaft drawn by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means for supplying fuel to said engine and ignition means for controlling the ignition of fuel supplied to the engine in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including rotation sensor means for generating pulses in accordance with said output crankshaft;

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means for generating an engine control timing signal pattern containing timing pulses occurring at predetermined intervals through which operational events of said engine are controlled,
• second means for storing engine control data,
• third means, coupled to said first means, for generating respective engine timing codes the value of which are selectively modified by said engine control timing signal pattern,
• fourth means, coupled to said second and third means, for comparing respective ones of said engine timing codes with respective engine control data and producing respective output signals when said respective engine timing codes define a prescribed relationship with respect to said engine control data,
• fifth means, coupled to said fourth means, for producing respective control signals to be supplied to said fuel supply means and said ignition control means in response to respective output signals produced by said fourth means, and wherein
• said second means includes means for storing first prescribed engine control data representative of a prescribed angular rotation of said crankshaft between a predetermined angular position of said crankshaft and the angular position of said crankshaft at which said rotation sensor means produces a prescribed reference pulse, and
• said fourth means includes means for producing an output signal for controlling the supply of fuel to said engine by said fuel supply means upon a first of said engine timing codes generated by said third means reaching a value corresponding to said first prescribed engine control data.

For use in a processor-controlled apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having an output crankshaft drawn by mechanical energy converted from heat energy which is released by the combustion of fuel, said engine including at least fuel supply means for supplying fuel to said engine and ignition means for controlling the ignition of fuel supplied to the engine in accordance with signals produced by sensors representative of operating conditions of the engine, said sensors including rotation sensor means for generating pulses in accordance with said output crankshaft;

• a control apparatus comprising, in combination:
• first means for generating an engine control timing signal pattern contaning timing pulses occurring at predetermined intervals through which operational events of said engine are controlled,
• second means for storing engine control data,
• third means, coupled to said first means, for generating respective engine timing codes the value of which are selectively modified by said engine control timing signal pattern,
• fourth means, coupled to said second and third means, for comparing respective ones of said engine timing codes with respective engine control data and producing respective output signals when said respective engine timing codes define a prescribed relationship with respect to said engine control data, and
• fifth means, coupled to said fourth means, for producing respective control signals to be supplied to said fuel supply means and said ignition control means in response to respective output signals produced by said fourth means, and wherein
• said second means includes means for storing first prescribed engine control data representative of the number of cylinders of said engine, and
• said fourth means includes means for producing an output signal for controlling the supply of fuel to said engine upon a first of said engine timing codes generated by said third means reaching a value corresponding to said first prescribed engine control data.