Cylinder identifying device for internal combustion engines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cylinder identifying device to identify the cylinder or cylinders of a running internal combustion engine in a specific stroke, and more particularly to a cylinder identifying device for internal combustion engines suitable for automotive use. A signal plate for detecting revolutions, fitted to the camshaft, is provided with two signal generating means per cylinder; a cylinder identifying signal is added before said two signals; and two sensors are so arranged as to have a phase difference from the detection of said projection. Bit patterns are prepared from the outputs of these two sensors correspondingly to individual cylinders, and cylinder identification is accomplished according to the combination of these patterns. The phase difference here is so set that the number of signals detected by the second sensor (sub-crank angle sensor, hereinafter abbreviated SCAS), out of said two sensors, between signals detected by the first sensor (base crank angle sensor, hereinafter abbreviated to BCAS), can be one of three kinds. A signal from a BCAS signal input means is received, and the number of signals generated is measured by a signal counting means. Further a SCAS signal is received by a SCAS signal input means, and bit patterns are generated by a bit preparing means. Cylinder identification is performed according to a bit pattern for cylinder identification from a cylinder identification criterion storage means, another bit pattern generated by said bit preparing means and the number of signals generated by the signal counting means.