Robert Boschgmbh

Heinrich Baumann

Werner Nitschke

Alfred Schulz

Gunther Schmidt

Peter Dilger

Wilfried Venzke

Klaus Glockler

To provide association of a particular angular position of a gear, for example the starter gear of an internal combustion (IC) engine, with an inductive pick-up (10), at least one tooth (15) is made a marker tooth by relieving the end portion (15') over a portion (B1) of its width (B) for a predetermined portion (H1) of the height (H) of the tooth, leaving the remainder of the tooth at its normal height (H) so that operation of the gear is not impaired. The output signal derived from the pick-up will be distorted when the at least one tooth passes thereby, thus providing a reference pulse. The tooth (16, 18) adjacent the marker tooth (15, 17) can be likewise relieved, preferably to a lesser extent. Relief can be parallel to the end portion of the tooth, or at an angle of inclination, the relief of an adjacent tooth preferably being at an angle of inclination opposite that of the marker tooth.

Positioning sensor

Repetitive processes in internal combustion engines which are dependent upon the values of particular parameters are controlled either by a main computer or an auxiliary computer. Switching from the main to the auxiliary computer takes place if a sequence error detecting stage detects errors in the desired alternation between the main control signals furnished by the main computer and reference mark signals indicative of predetermined angular positions of a shaft of the engine. Specifically, the system is switched to operate under control of the auxiliary computer if such an alternation error occurs again within a predetermined number of cycles. The switching can also take place as a result of missing reference mark signals and as a result of the absence of monitoring signals indicative of correct operation of the main computer program.

Apparatus for detecting malfunction in cyclically repetitive processes

In order to permit diagnosis of operation and function parameters in a motor vehicle which is equipped with an electronic microprocessor control system without the necessity of providing in the diagnostic equipment substantial additional memory capability, the control system includes a sub-program for diagnosis. A first subprogram executed by the control system in response to a command from the diagnostic equipment gives the appropriate actual operational data to the diagnostic equipment. A second subprogram simulates nominal values for specific vehicle data under various operating conditions and compares these with the actual values. The resulting information is given to an operator by a display and can additionally include various instructions, e.g. repair instructions or a trouble shooting sequence based on the diagnosis.

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Schwieberdingen, Germany

Heinrich Baumann