Patent · US Expired

Method of detecting abnormality in crank angle signal of internal combustion engines

US4788956A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
4References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 23, 1986
Grant dateDec 6, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 23, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01M15/06
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method of detecting an abnormality in a crank angle signal of an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft. The method comprises the steps of monitoring the condition of a first reference position signal generated at a predetermined crank angle position of the crankshaft and the condition of a second position signal generated whenever the crankshaft rotates through a predetermined rotational angle, setting a first flag to a predetermined logical state if the first reference position signal is generated before the second position signal is generated a predetermined number of times after generation of the first reference position signal, setting a second flag to a predetermined logical state if the first reference position signal is not generated after the second position signal has been generated said predetermined number of times after generation of the first reference position signal and before an immediately succeeding generation of the second position signal; and detecting an abnormality in one of the first reference position signal and second position signal based on a predetermined combination of logical states exhibited by the first and second flags.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.