Methods and apparatus for adjusting a throttle of a vehicle engine

#The present invention generally relates to vehicle controls and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for adjusting a throttle of a vehicle engine.

#Operation of a vehicle generally includes operator adjustment of a throttle to select the operating level of the vehicle engine. For example, operation of an automobile generally includes adjusting the fuel injectors, engine spark and amount of airflow through an intake manifold to an intake port of an internal combustion engine in response to operator adjustment of the throttle. The operator adjustment of the throttle is typically accomplished with an input mechanism, such as a foot pedal, joystick, hand pedal, lever or track ball, which is coupled to an input sensor. The input sensor provides an input signal to a processor that generates the control signals for the hardware of the vehicle engine to provide the operating level indicated by the input mechanism.

#The ability of the operator to accurately adjust the input mechanism for a maximum operating level of the vehicle engine can be limited by a number of factors. For example, the physical characteristics of an operator (e.g., height) can limit the ability of the operator to position the input mechanism at a location that provides the maximum operating level of the vehicle engine. In addition, variations in the placement of the input mechanism within a vehicle compartment or variations in obstructions to the motion of the input mechanism (e.g., floor mat thickness) can limit the ability of an operator to obtain the maximum operating level. Therefore, these and other factors that limit the ability of the operator to adjust the input mechanism for a maximum operating level of the vehicle engine can result in undesirable attributes of the throttle, such as a dead pedal at maximum pedal travel.

#The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and:

#FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of an apparatus for adjusting a throttle of a vehicle engine according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

#FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method for adjusting a throttle of a vehicle engine according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

#The following detailed description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention is mainly exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application or use of the invention.

#Referring to FIG. 2, an apparatus 20 is illustrated for adjusting a throttle 22 of a vehicle engine 24 according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 20 is comprised of an input sensor 26 that is configured to provide an input signal 28 having a value that approximately corresponds to an operating level of the vehicle engine 24 requested by an operator (not shown). The apparatus 20 is also comprised of a memory 30 that is configured to store a maximum input value (e.g., MAX_INPUT_1) 32 for the input sensor 26 and a processor 34 configured to receive the input signal 28 provided by the input sensor 26. The processor 30 is also configured to access the memory 30 to retrieve the maximum input value 32. The processor 34 is further configured to compare the value of the input signal 28 and the maximum input value 32 and update the maximum input value 32 with the value of the input signal 28 if the value of the input signal 28 is greater than the maximum input value 32.

#In addition to comparing the value of the input signal 28 and the maximum input value 32 and updating the maximum input value 32 with the value of the input signal if the value of the input signal 28 is greater than the maximum input value 32, the processor 34 is configured to generate a throttle control signal 36 that controls the throttle 22 of the vehicle engine 24 using the maximum input value 32 and the input signal 28. The processor 34 can be configured to generate the throttle control signal 36 that reflects the operating level of the vehicle engine 24 requested by the operator using any number of methods. For example, and without any intention to limit the invention to this method of generating the throttle control signal 36, the processor 34 can be configured to determine a ratio of the maximum input value 32 to the input signal 28 [e.g., (value of the input signal 28)/(maximum input value 32)] and generate the throttle control 36 that provides the fraction of the maximum operating level for the vehicle engine of the determined ratio [e.g., {fraction (5/10)}=a throttle control signal 36 that configures the throttle for fifty percent (50%) of the maximum operating level of the vehicle engine]. However, as previously described in this detailed description of preferred embodiments, any number of methods can be utilized to generate the throttle control signal 36 using the maximum input value 32. Furthermore, any number of throttle configurations and any number of vehicle engines for any number of land (e.g., automobiles, trains), air (e.g., aircraft), water (e.g., ships) and space vehicles can be utilized in accordance with the present invention.