Abstract: A device is proposed for measuring the composition of fluids, in particular of constituents of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines, in which a light ray (32, 31) is used to irradiate the exhaust gas to be measured over the length of a measuring section (29) and is weakened or changed more or less, depending on the content of constituents. The light signal being received is advantageously registered by a measured length light receiver (18) which is shielded light-tight against the light emitting light source (14) and is evaluated in relation to the original light emission, in an evaluation circuit (26). In this simple way, accurate information is obtained of the exhaust gas clouding and of the loading of a fluid or gas with constituents which are optically active.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring particulate matter in a flue gas or exhaust gas of a combustion process comprising means for transmitting a beam of light between an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. The light passes through two diametrically opposed light slits closed by transparent bodies in the wall of the tail pipe and crosses through a flow of exhaust gas carried in the tail pipe. The attenuation of intensity of the light beam is a measure of the particulate matter. When the measuring apparatus is used to measure a soot concentration in an exhaust gas of internal combustion engines of a vehicle, it is mounted directly on the tail pipe, and the transparent bodies are heated in the vicinity of the faces acted upon by the exhaust gas flow to a temperature above the soot burn-off temperature. As a result, adulteration of the measured value by soot deposits in the measurement path to the transparent bodies is prevented, and continuous operation of the measuring apparatus is assured.

Abstract: A device for measuring particle emissions of an internal combustion engine, in particular the soot concentration in the exhaust gas, has a signal transmission route, located between a transmitter and a receiver, which traverses a flow of exhaust gas carried in an exhaust gas tube of the engine. To avoid soiling of the active elements of the transmitter and receiver that would cause inaccuracies in measurement, the signal transmission route is embodied as a beam of light, which passes through two diametrically opposed openings in the wall of the exhaust tube. The light-admitting openings are each closed with a respective transparent disk. The disks are heatable and are heated to a temperature above the burnoff temperature of the particles. Appropriate light emitting and receiving elements are used in combination with appropriate heating and evaluation circuits which indicate the soot concentration and which control fuel input to change the soot concentration.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for the cylinder-group specific control of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine and an apparatus for carrying out the method for cylinder-group specific optimization of the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. The control strategy includes a first step for generating time-dependent signals to influence the air ratio lambda of the air-fuel mixture supplied to at least any two cylinder groups each made up of at least one cylinder. The air ratio lambda is influenced such that the air ratio is modified in a cylinder-group specific manner and that the mean air ratio of the air-fuel mixture supplied to all cylinders is maintained constant. A second step follows to detect the reaction of the internal combustion engine to the signals of the first step, this reaction manifesting itself in a modification of an output quantity.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus for metering an air-fuel mixture to an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a characteristic field set up with operating quantities of the internal combustion engine for anticipatorily controlling engine variables that influence the air-fuel mixture and a control arrangement, responsive to at least one engine variable, for correctively influencing the characteristic field values. The characteristic field values are stored in the characteristic field and selected in dependence on operating quantities of the internal combustion engine. The characteristic field values are modified by means of different control methods to correctively influence the same. More specifically, the control methods include a control to a minimal specific fuel consumption in the lower and part-load ranges as well as a control to maximum power in the upper load range as may be necessary.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus for controlling the operating characteristic quantities of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a characteristic field for pre-controlling engine variables influencing the operating characteristic quantities. The characteristic field is made up of the operating characteristic quantities. The apparatus further includes a control arrangement for controlling to maximum power output of the engine. The control arrangement is superposed on the pre-control and includes means for determining corrective values from the control loop in a predetermined operating range of the engine. The corrective values are applied to influence all of the pre-control values of the characteristic field over all operating ranges. With the apparatus of the invention, it is possible in a simple manner to consider changes in the surrounding factors that influence the engine.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus for metering an air-fuel mixture to an internal combustion engine with an extreme-value control arrangement for controlling to a minimal specific consumption of fuel. The extreme-value control arrangement includes a test signal generator for acting upon the fuel metered to the engine. The rotational speed and a fuel metering signal are applied by the extreme-value control arrangement as actual information with respect to the minimal specific fuel consumption. In particular, the quantities of rotational speed change and the change in duration of fuel injection are utilized to determine the minimal consumption in the case of an internal combustion engine equipped with fuel injection. Further, for a minimal consumption control, it has been shown to be advantageous to consider information as to which gear of the transmission of the engine is in place.

Abstract: To permit calibrating and testing a current-limiting sensor in situ, the sensor is exposed, from time to time, to ambient air forming a standard gas, and the output thereof compared with a standard, for example by connecting a resistor (4) of standard value in circuit therewith or for recalling from a memory (23) in a microcomputer (22) standard conditions; upon determination of a deviation between output from the sensor (2) when exposed to the standard gas--typically air--and the theoretical value as stored, the theoretical or reference value is reset if the deviation is within a predetermined limit or, otherwise, an alarm output is provided. The tolerance limits can be set in such a way that a first alarm output is provided in a narrow tolerance, thus indicating drift of the sensor toward eventual malfunction, and permitting utilization of the sensor for long lifetime, while providing advance warning of imminent failure.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus for controlling the air-fuel ratio, in particular of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a sensor responsive to this ratio such as an oxygen sensor or the like and a circuit arrangement for evaluating the sensor output signal. The circuit arrangement includes means to compensate for the offset voltage influence thereby permitting a precise control of the air-fuel ratio in a Lambda range in which the dependent relationship between the sensor output and the sensor input signals is barely distinctive. For this purpose, the influence of the offset voltage of the control amplifiers used is measured at regular or irregular intervals and stored in analog or digital format.

Abstract: A parameter characterizing the course of combustion is ascertained by means of a sensor, preferably an optical sensor. In order to distinguish irregular combustion processes from regular ones, the filtered signal is examined as to its symmetry relative to an imaginary axis of symmetry in the signal maximum. If it is thereby determined that the signal is not symmetrical with respect to this axis, then a recognition signal for irregular combustion is emitted. In order to perform this method, a symmetry pulse is generated, which marks the temporal appearance of the signal maximum. In accordance with this pulse, a characteristic variable is generated which characterizes the course of the signal before the signal maximum and another characteristic variable is generated which characterizes the course of the signal after the signal maximum, and these characteristic variables are then compared with one another.

Abstract: To provide for temperature measurement of a solid electrolyte polarographic gas composition sensor, an ac signal is superimposed from an ac voltage source (2) on the applied voltage from a voltage source (1) if the sensor is a polarographic sensor, the ac signal being separated from the output by a filter combination (6, 7), the dc output being evaluated as usual, and the ac output being rectified in a rectifier (9) to obtain a measure of the temperature since the ac resistance (R.sub.alt) is highly temperature dependent (see FIG. 3). The ac preferably is about 10% of the applied dc voltage, so that the voltage swing of the ac potential falls well within the linear range of output current with respect to voltage (see FIG. 2). The output from the ac channel (7, 9) to evaluate the temperature signal can be connected to a control loop circuit (10, 11), including a heater (11) to heat the sensor to maintain a uniform temperature thereof.

Abstract: To provide a suitable number of display fields (e.g. ARRIVAL; TIME; etc.), each of which characterizes and identifies the significance or import or meaning of a displayed numerical value on a display device (16), the display fields are associated in groups or sets (11-15; 42-45) having a particular geometric position (columns; segmental), and a plurality of keys (21-25) are provided with each key being associated with a group or set of the display fields, and connected to a counter (61) to select a particular one of the display fields within the group or set by the number of key operations, the numerical value associated with the display field then being displayed on the numerical display (16).

Abstract: Since the maximum jolt amplitude during gear shifts in an automatic transmission occurs when a frictional clutch band is first holding fully and since a mathematical relationship can be established between this maximum amplitude and the amplitude of the jolt while the band is slipping, the maximum permissible jolt amplitude during slippage (R.sub.O) is calculated as a function of the input and output speed of the transmission at the start of the gear shift and the predetermined maximum permissible over-all jolt amplitude (R.sub.max). The actual jolt amplitude is determined continuously, compared to R.sub.O, and the friction band is activated to maintain the actual jolt equal to R.sub.O, while the band is slipping.

Abstract: To simulate freewheel operation, that is to allow torque transmission in one direction only, the variation with respect to time of the torque transmitted by a friction coupling clutch or brake band) is computed and the coupling is released when the transmitted torque passes through zero. When the coupling is slipping, the time at which the torque passed through zero is taken to be the time at which the input and output speed of the coupling are the same. When a slipping and a fully engaged coupling are connected in parallel, the torque transmitted by the fully engaged coupling is computed from a set of equations utilizing only parameters sensed in any case in a standard drive system. Speed sensors and a torsiometer furnish signals required for the computations. Preferably, the computations are implemented by a microprocessor.

Abstract: Rapid movement of the gas pedal initiates a shifting operation to the next higher or next lower gear depending upon whether the speed of the gearing lies above or below a predetermined speed range. The speed range extends from a first to a second predetermined speed. Both the width of the range and the actual values of the first and second predetermined speed are automatically adjusted as a function of the throttle valve position and the then-present gear. If the gas pedal is not activated but the gear speed is less than a predetermined first threshold speed, an automatic down-shift takes place. Up-shifting can only occur when the speed of the gearing exceeds a minimum up-shift speed. Engagement and disengagement of the clutch is controlled and may include jolt limiting. The engine speed is limited during gear shifting.

Abstract: To control shifting shock upon starting of a stopped vehicle with an automatic transmission and when shifting from neutral into a drive gear (first, or reverse), a signal representative of transmission input speed (therefore equally representative of engine output speed) is used, twice differentiated, to control a shift-shock control system when shifting between neutral and a drive gear. When the vehicle is moving above a predetermined speed, e.g. 7 km/h, the automatic shock control system is controlled by a twice differentiated signal derived from the output of the transmission and when shifting is to be commanded between first and second, and second and third (or other gears), respectively.

Abstract: As a clutch between a motor and a vehicle transmission is progressively engaged through the region of slipping engagement, the jolt effect produced is measured and at the same time the jolt effect that would be produced if the clutch were at once grippingly (fully) engaged is predicted. The higher of the respective measured and predicted jolt effects is subtracted from a signal representing maximum permissible jolt, and the resulting difference is used as the input of a three-term (PID) controller, the output of which produces a displacement of an electrically actuatable clutch control member. The controller and control member are so designed that when the controller is shut off, the clutch goes at once into full engagement. The circuit compares motor speed with transmission input speed in order to shut off the controller when these two speeds are equal, thus fully engaging the clutch, and also to shut off at the same time the jolt-measuring and predicting circuits.