Robert Boschgmbh

Immanuel Krauter

Karl Ott

Edmund Jeenicke

Gunther Kaiser

Winfried Klotzner

Joerg Fuchs

Werner Herden

Axel Aue

Walter Benedikt

Gunter Honig

Manfred Kirschner

Manfred Schenk

Uwe Guenther

Ulrich Mayer

Hartmut Schweizer

Beate Leibbrand

David Van Belzen

Claus Moessner

Davide Buro

Erwin Schmuck

Alfred Bruckelt

David V Belzen

Thomas Aberle

A control chip for providing the basic functionality of a control unit includes a voltage supply having at least two, in particular three, output voltages; at least two, in particular three, sensor power supplies, in particular having 5-V and/or 3.3-V output voltage; at least one driver for bidirectional interfaces; a CAN driver; a follower control; a main relay output stage having a diagnostic function; at least one bidirectional serial interface for controlling the output stages and for communicating with a microcontroller; at least six power output stages, in particular having rated currents of 0.6 A to 3 A; at least one low-level signal output, in particular having a rated current of 50 mA, and four ignition drivers.

Control chip for providing the basic functionality of a control unit

A method of detecting manipulation of a programmable memory device of a digital controller for a motor vehicle is described; data and control programs for operation of the controller and for control/regulation of certain functions of the motor vehicle can be stored in the memory device. To permit especially reliable detection of manipulation in the simplest possible way, in conjunction with each programming/reprogramming operation of the programmable memory device, information regarding the programming/reprogramming operation is stored in a separate memory area of the memory device where only reading and programming are possible, and in order to detect manipulation, the content of the separate memory area is read out and compared with given information.

Method of detecting manipulation of a programmable memory device of a digital controller

Device for forming a square-wave signal and detecting a reference mark

Device for recognising the angular position of a rotating part

The invention relates to ignition circuit monitoring in an internal combustion engine, where a sensor signal is generated in the course of each ignition by an ignition current sensor (5), which is supplied via a pulse shaper (6) to a memory unit (7). An ignition computer (4) reads out the contents of the memory following each ignition or each sensor signal and resets the memory unit (7) prior to the next ignition. Thus, when the sensor signal is missing, the ignition computer (4) detects the lack of ignition and an appropriate control signal is made available for control actions.

Ignition circuit monitoring in an internal combustion engine

Distributorless ignition system

Cylinder recognition apparatus for a distributorless ignition system

High-voltage switch

The resistance to supply voltage, e.g. battery, fluctuation of an input/output circuit for a control system, e.g. vehicular ignition/fuel injection system, is improved by placing a comparator K in each analog input line, and using a voltage divider UD to compensate the reference voltage U.sub.R applied to one of the comparator inputs. Processing speed is increased by using digital comparators 22-26, which test not only for threshold value equal to counter state, but also for threshold value greater than counter state, in the duty-cycle modification circuit. Chip count is reduced and integration is increased by using a single voltage divider to supply all the input comparators and by using a High-Speed Output (HSO) port on the central processing unit (CPU) to perform multiple output tasks.

Vehicle control system with HSO-triggered output

Switching circuit for controlling the current through an electrical

To control the ON or conduction time of a transistor (4) serially connected with the primary winding (2) of an ignition coil, the voltage drop across the collector or base respectively, and emitter is sensed and used as a control parameter with respect to a set or reference value determining current flow through the ignition coil under conditions of complete discharge of stored energy from the ignition coil. Conditions of complete discharge occur within a first speed range; in other speed ranges, in which residual stored energy remains within the ignition coil, indicative of current flow therethrough starting from a value other than zero or null, the voltage sensed across the transistor is compared with the reference value, and the current flow time adjusted in dependence on the comparison.

Method of stabilizing current flow through an automotive-type ignition

To protect electrical equipment against excessive applied input signals which, for example, may be analog signals, excessive with respect to positive or negative excess voltage in relation to an upper reference level (U.sub.Ref) and/or a lower reference level (GND), collector current control of the transistor (12) at the input (3) of the protective circuit by three transistors (11, 13, 14) holds the voltage level at the input (3) at the reference voltage level when a driving or signal supply circuit provides an excess voltage. The input transistors, and the further transistors, are connected in the form of a current mirror. The circuit can be constructed in dual form (11-14; 21-24) to provide for protection against negative over-voltage as well. Due to the symmetrical circuit structure, excellent temperature compensation is obtained. The circuit can easily be constructed in the form of an integrated circuit.

Over-voltage protective circuit for semiconductor network

An internal combustion engine ignition system includes an output switching transistor (7), the emitter-collector path of which is in series with the primary winding (5) of an ignition coil (6). To attain a constant amount of ignition energy in the ignition coil (6), the control current for the base of the output switching transistor (7) is supplied by a constant-current source (9), the level of the constant control current being selected such that while the ignition energy is being stored in the ignition coil (6), the saturated operation of the output switching transistor (7) is maintained.

Engine ignition system

A switching transistor (5) has its collector connected to a common junction (J) with a load (6), typically an ignition coil (8). A first driver transistor (11) connected through the base-emitter path of a second driver transistor (12) to control the conduction state of the switching transistor. A signal source (20, 21) alternatingly, causing the driver transistor to be blocked or conductive. To decrease the power requirements on the driver transistor, the driver transistor has its collector connected to the common junction (J) the voltage at line (13) of the driver and of the junction being arranged that the voltage at the junction (J) is less than the voltage at the base of the driver transistor when the switching transistor (5) is in fully saturated conductive condition, re-combination of charge carriers on the base of the switching transistor maintaining the switching transistor conductive until the charge carriers are exhausted, which causes a slight rise in voltage at the junction (J), but then causes increased conduction of the driver transistor due to the then overriding control from the driver transistor (11). The charge carriers, thereby, removing part of the load on the driver transistor. To insure rapid turn-off of the switching transistor (5), a control transistor (19) has its collector-emitter path connected across the base-emitter path of the switching transistor and, when rendered conductive, will cause the switching transistor to rapidly change to the blocked state.

Low-drive power switching transistor control circuit

A voltage-frequency converter having a chargeable and dischargeable memory, a comparator circuit and a subsequent multivibrator, wherein the charging and/or discharging signal for the memory is obtained from special signal sources. At constant charging and discharging signals, a linear voltage-frequency conversion is provided. In the case of variable charging or discharging voltages, non-linear signal conversions are possible. The multivibrator may be a digital monostable multivibrator, to effect precise, reproducible and quantifiable period durations in the output signal of the converter, and thus a very precise voltage-frequency conversion.

Voltage-frequency converter

Growing community of inventors

Erbstetten, Germany

Immanuel Krauter