Variable power drivetrain engine control system

A vehicle having an engine, a fuel delivery system, a transmission, a throttle control and an engine control means for operatively controlling the fuel delivery system to supply fuel to the engine, said control means including:

• a memory means;
• a first fuel delivery curve stored in said memory means;
• a second fuel delivery curve stored in said memory means;
• means for sensing vehicle speed and producing a vehicle speed signal;
• means for calculating a running average vehicle speed value from said vehicle speed signal and producing a corresponding running average vehicle speed signal;
• means for sensing engine speed and producing an engine speed signal;
• means for sensing throttle demand from said throttle control and producing a corresponding throttle signal;
• means for determining vehicle deceleration from said vehicle speed signal and producing a deceleration signal corresponding thereto;
• and
• means for controlling said fuel delivery system to deliver fuel to said engine according to said first fuel delivery curve in accordance with said throttle signal, said means for controlling said fuel delivery system enabling fuel delivery by said fuel delivery system to said engine according to said second fuel delivery curve in response to the following conditions:
• (1) said vehicle speed signal is less than said running average vehicle speed signal minus a predetermined value DELTA, or
• (2) said vehicle deceleration signal is above a predetermined deceleration limit, and
• (3) said throttle signal is in excess of a predetermined throttle level.

An engine control system for use with a vehicle having an internal combustion engine coupled to a transmission, said control system comprising:

• fuel delivery means for delivering fuel to said engine in response to a signal supplied to said fuel input;
• engine speed sensing means for producing an engine speed signal corresponding to engine speed;
• vehicle speed sensing means for producing a vehicle speed signal corresponding to vehicle speed;
• throttle demand sensing means for producing a throttle signal corresponding to a throttle request from the operator of the vehicle;
• first circuit means responsive to said vehicle speed signal for producing an average speed signal corresponding to average vehicle speed over a recently expired interval of time;
• second circuit means responsive to said engine speed signal for producing a deceleration signal corresponding to instantaneous engine deceleration;
• third circuit means responsive to said throttle signal, said vehicle speed signal, said average speed signal and said deceleration signal to supply a low power output fueling signal to said fuel input in accordance with said throttle signal in a first mode of operation, and in a second mode of operation, to supply a high power output fueling signal to said fuel input, wherein said third circuit means operates in said second mode of operation if:
• (a) said throttle signal is in excess of a predetermined throttle level --AND--
• (b) ((said vehicle speed signal is more than a predetermined DELTA value below said average vehicle speed signal) --OR-- (said deceleration signal is greater than a predetermined deceleration limit)).