Chrysler Corporation

Chrysler Motors Corporation

William R Kissel

Douglas C Frantz

Thomas Glowczewski

Maurice B Leising

Gerald L Holbrook

Min Sway-Tin

Keith B Carle

Michael R Lindsay

Gerald R Honkanen

Daniel P Merchant

James L Vincent

Alexander S Korol

Michael F Michel

A method of determining the continuity of solenoids in an electronic automatic transmission system wherein a controller is programmed to determine solenoid continuity by checking for the presence of an inductive 'OFF' spike which results from an open circuit or a direct short to supply voltage from the solenoid of the solenoid-actuated valves.

Method of determining the continuity of solenoids in an electronic

A method to disengage an electronic speed control as a function of the condition of the park/neutral gear or manual clutch. If the automatic transmission lever is bumped from 'drive' or the manual transmission clutch is depressed while the electronic speed control is operating, the method will sense this by detecting a difference in the ratio of engine speed to vehicle speed. If the ratio changes by .+-.25 percent, the electronic speed control is disengaged.

Electronic speed control system for vehicles, a method of determining

In an idle speed control system for an engine equipped with a fuel/air mixture means and an air bypass means or movable throttle stop means, the idle speed can be quickly moved to the desired value by temporarily changing the spark advance and holding the changed spark advance until the air bypass system or movable throttle stop means has had a chance to respond to the various demands of the idle condition.

Programmed spark scatter control method for quick response to changing

A microprocessor-based electronic voltage regulation system for controlling the charging of the battery in a vehicle. The conventional voltage regulator is eliminated and the intelligence of the microprocessor already present on the vehicle for controlling engine operation is used to regulate the output of the alternator. The battery temperature signal from a temperature transducer and a battery voltage signal from a sense line connected directly to the positive terminal of the battery are supplied to the microprocessor through an analog-to-digital converter. The microprocessor is programmed to ascertain from the battery temperature signal the desired set point voltage based upon an inverse first order relationship between battery temperature and desired battery voltage with preset maximum and minimum voltage set point levels. Energization of the field windings is controlled in accordance with a comparison between the desired set point voltage and the battery voltage signal on the battery sense line and is implemented in response to a control signal from the microprocessor by a solid-state power switching circuit which interfaces with the alternator field windings. In addition, the microprocessor is provided with additional feedback information relating to various driving conditions, such as vehicle deceleration, throttle position, engine RPM, and elapsed time since ignition, and is further programmed to modify the desired voltage set point or modify engine RPM in accordance with such driving conditions. Overcurrent protection for the logic circuitry and improved diagnostic capabilities are also provided.

Microcomputer controlled electronic alternator for vehicles

A method of and apparatus for controlling the energization of an electromagnetic fuel injection valve in response to the production of an injector control pulse in an electronic fuel injection system. The driver circuit operates a current regulating power transistor into saturation until the current through the solenoid coil of the injector valve attains a predetermined peak current value. A comparator circuit deactivates the power transistor to stop the build-up of current through the coil. A switched free-wheeling circuit is enabled, remains activated, and starts conducting when the power transistor is deactivated by the comparator circuit so that some current continues to be supplied to the solenoid coil when the power transistor is off, thereby causing the current through the coil to decay slowly. When the solenoid current has decayed to a predetermined hold current level, the comparator circuit reactivates the power transistor and thereafter, due to hysteresis in the comparator circuit, cycles the power transistor on and off to substantially maintain the current through the coil at the predetermined hold current level. At the end of the injector control pulse, both the current regulating power transistor and the switched free-wheeling circuit are deactivated. Then, through multiple power dissipation pathways momentarily activated by the avalanching of a zener diode in series with the injector's solenoid coil, the energy stored in the solenoid coil and the current through the coil diminish rapidly to zero.

Electronic fuel injector driver circuit

A circuit and method, for use with an electronically controlled load network for diagnosing short-circuit and open-circuit conditions and for protecting loads affected by those conditions by using positive feedback in cooperation with a microprocessor controlled tri-state input/output port pin.

Diagnostic protection circuit and method using tri-state control and

A system and method for synchronizing ignition and fuel injection pulses produced by the interruption of Hall Effect signals by a window-in-vane interrupter in an internal combustion engine ignition distributor.

Ignition distributor-Hall Effect sensor switching system and method

A regulated power supply for supplying DC output voltage and current to an electronic control system of an internal combustion engine, designed especially for automotive applications and cold cranking conditions encountered therein, is disclosed. The power supply has a series switching regulator section having a transformer provided with two windings, and a shunt switching regulator section that shares the transformer with the series regulator section. When normal battery voltages are available, the power supply through its series regulator section operates in a voltage dropping mode, intermittently passing current through the primary winding of the transformer to maintain the desired output voltage. When low battery voltages are encountered, such as during cold cranking conditions, the shunt regulator section of the power supply operates in a voltage boosting mode to maintain the desired output voltage. The voltage boosting function is accomplished by intermittently shunting current from the primary winding towards ground, and utilizing the resultant magnetic energy stored in the core of the transformer to boost the voltage available to the load. Mutual inductance between the primary and secondary windings allows energy stored in the core of the transformer as a result of current flowing through the primary winding to be beneficially delivered through the secondary winding to the output of the power supply during both modes of power supply operation, thereby improving overall power supply efficiency and reducing power supply cost and complexity.

Buck-boost regulated D.C. to D.C. power supply

A closed loop, electronically controlled and regulated fuel metering system for operating an internal combustion engine in accordance with a predetermined mass fuel-air ratio scheduled in the controller for different engine operating conditions. Linear air flow and fuel flow measuring devices and transducers responsive to selected ambient fluid and engine operating parameters develop electrical signals, which are related to the air flow rate and fuel flow rate and are modified in accordance with the sensed ambient parameters and a programmed signal from the scheduler representing the fuel-air ratio according to which it is desired to operate the engine over its range of operation. The modified fuel and air signals are electrically combined to balance the controller which operates a fuel metering or supply device to deliver a quantum of fuel precisely in accordance with the desired mass fuel-air ratio scheduled in the controller for said different engine operating conditions over the entire range of engine operation and ambient fluid parameter variations.

Fuel metering apparatus and method

A vortex swirl flowmeter sensor circuit electrically connected to an electro-thermal sensor generates a voltage signal output from a flowmeter probe with the signal having a large signal to noise ratio. The sensor is electrically connected in a bridge network in the input to an operational amplifier. The output of the amplifier is fed back through a signal enhancement circuit for maintaining the instantaneous temperature of the sensor, and therefore its resistance constant.

Growing community of inventors

Milford, MI, United States of America

William R Kissel