Briggs & Stratton, LLC

Douglas Shears

Richard A Dykstra

John A Fiorenza

Scott Lee Wesenberg

Joseph L Pfaff

The device automatically determines whether a load is being applied to the engine, and outputs a change signal that is used to change one or more engine operating parameters accordingly, such as engine speed, engine timing, or fuel flow. The load is sensed without using a manifold pressure or throttle plate position sensor, thereby reducing the cost of the system. The load is sensed by determining a period of a first crankshaft revolution, determining a period of the successive second crankshaft revolution, and computing a difference value that is a function of the difference between the first and second periods. Since the difference value is proportional to engine load, the difference values may be compared with a reference value to determine whether a load is being applied to the engine. The reference value may be preset, may be manually determined by the operator, or may be learned by the system's software. When the learning feature is used, the system is automatically mapped to the particular engine on which it is used.

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Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Douglas Shears