Method and apparatus for the automatic synchronization of dynamic angular and time domain control systems

US6834216B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Freeescale Semiconductor, Inc. · US

Inventors

• John P. Hansen · Austin, US
• Ronald W. Stence · Austin, US
• Stan B. Ostrum · Austin, US
• Alan Michael Rooke · Northville, US
• Pascal Renard · Jossigny, FR

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 13, 2001
• Grant date: Dec 21, 2004
• Expiry date: Feb 3, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B2219/37488
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A hardware system is provided for performing angle-to-time and time-to-angle conversions in a dynamic angular measurement and control system. The system has the capability of updating scheduled event times of other hardware timers in the system that are being used to generate output events at some specific angular position in the future. One application of the system is in automotive powertrain control systems in which the position of the engine is determined from a pulsed signal generated by a rotating crankshaft that accelerates and decelerates over time. The system performs critical calculations in hardware which consumes less CPU bandwidth than existing systems, resulting in potential cost savings for the overall system.