Abstract: To supervise a program controlled device which is subject to stray noise or disturbance pulses, particularly microprocessor controlled automotive vehicle electronic systems, a timing circuit is provided responsive to check pulses added to the program and defining a timing interval, the monitoring system distinguishing between disturbance pulses and static defects by supervising the control pulses and, upon failure of the control pulses, generating a program restart or interrupt signal, respectively, which both initiate a new start of the program cycle or, respectively, define a timing interval which, upon failure to sense further control pulses, initiates energization of an emergency switching system. Continuous failure to receive control pulses also can initiate the emergency switching system.

Abstract: In order to permit a simplification of the crankshaft rotation sensor device which provides the computer of the control system with angular speed and position information for ignition and/or fuel injection timing, a signal generated by one pickup for every two engine cylinders from a single reference mark on the crankshaft is formed into a signal pulse which is used to trigger the counting of clock pulses from a clock into a counter. These are then periodically transferred to a computer as a numerical signal which represents the required information. In a first mode the counts are transferred every other period between pulses and the counter counts in the cycle periods between the pulses in which the counter is not transferring to the computer. In a second mode, the counter counts every cycle between pulses and the counts are transferred during every pulse itself.

Abstract: A plurality of selectively switchable loads can be addressed from a central station over a ring bus system which has at least a clock bus and a control bus. The central station includes a timing counter which sends signals, for example in groups of pulses, on selected buses forming selection cycles to address specific loads and control signals to separate sequential selection cycles. These signals can be decoded at the receivers. To ensure operator supervision of proper operation of the system, a pulse interrogation stage is connected to at least the clock bus of the bus system and responsive to the occurrence of pulses thereon, and providing an alarm output or warning signal, possibly operating a warning device if the pulses do not occur as they should.

Abstract: To permit use of a simple transducer cooperating with a star-wheel, for example the starter gear or other gear on an internal combustion engine and having alternate magnetically responsive projections uniformly distributed around the circumference thereof, a counter is provided to count off a predetermined number of pulses derived from the transducer, the number of pulses being analyzed for their time duration to provide a single output pulse having a time duration corresponding to a predetermined number of teeth passing the transducer. A marker pulse derived from a separate marker element provides a reference. Signals representative of operating parameters of the engine are combined with the pulse having the length corresponding to the predetermined number of pulses, the resulting output being used to provide, upon comparison with a speed-responsive signal, an output, the time occurrence of which will cause triggering of the event, for example generation of a spark for an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: To permit external programming of the decoding of outputs from a binary counter, a polarized power supply is connected, selectively, through a plurality of control gates to the counter, the control gates having transfer switch characteristics and, in dependence on their connection to the specific polarity of the power supply, provide decoded outputs representative of specific count states of the counter to enable further AND-function gates in accordance with the decoded outputs and thereby permit selection of selected loads if other inputs to the AND-function gates are also enabled.

Abstract: To connect cyclically intermittently operating loads to a pulse controlled remote control system, for example having a central system controlling connection of loads on board of a vehicle, such as an automotive vehicle, cyclically operating loads are intermittently connected to the power line, although the main control switch may be constantly connected, thus using the pulse source of the control system, additionally, as the cyclical control element for intermittent connection. A typical load is, for example, a direction or warning flasher in a vehicle, a windshield wiper with intermittent operation, washer-wiper combinations, and the like.

Abstract: A plurality of receivers which can be respectively addressed by addressing pulses provide reply pulses on a separate reply signal bus indicative of a single digit, or multi-digit binary response condition. To permit extended indication, the central station includes a holding stage which holds the output received from the reply receivers for the duration of a selection cycle during which the plurality of loads can be addressed, for example during a predetermined counted number of such cycles or during a predetermined counted number of pulses to permit averaging-type instruments to respond to said number of pulses --if present--or to permit extended indication of single digit binary output--if present.

Abstract: A central station is connected to a ring bus system to which a number of separately addressable loads are connected through specific load receivers. The central station has a switching system by operation of selected switches of which, specific loads can be addressed. The ring bus system has a power line or bus, a clock line or bus, and a control line or bus. The clock line provides clock pulses during a selection cycle, and upon coincidence of a clock pulse with a pulse on the control bus, a specific load associated with a predetermined numbered pulse on the clock line can be addressed by sensing coincidence of the pulse on the control line and on the clock line. To separate selection cycles, a control signal is transmitted which may form a pause of clock pulses on the clock line. This control signal, in accordance with the invention, is represented by a series of pulses transmitted on a line other than the clock line, for example on the control bus.

Abstract: A central station generates grouped clock pulses in recurring selection cycles, separated from each other by an extended control pulse (or pulse gap); particular loads are associated with particular counts of a central counter in the central station. The separate counts of the counters are connectable to a control bus of a combined power bus, clock bus and control bus cable system which passes by all the loads associated with the power supply. At the loads, receiving counter step in synchronism with the pulses occurring during the selection cycle. Specific loads are assigned specific count numbers and when coincidence between the count, as stepped by the counter and a pulse on the control bus, (as controlled by a switch setting at the central station) occurs, switching function, such as connection, or disconnection is effected at the load.

Abstract: By means of an auxiliary voltage the semi-conductor controlled rectifier of a capacitor discharge magneto ignition system is at some limiting speed of the engine kept in its conducting condition from a time before the initiation of a charging halfwave until at least after the end of the charging halfwave. The auxiliary voltage is derived from a halfwave of polarity opposite to that which charges the ignition capacitor, and acts through a transistor to keep the SCR continuously conducting while the overspeed condition continues. The overspeed limit will be determined by the bias applied to the transistor.

Abstract: An additional diode is provided in series with the charging diode through which the storage capacitor of a magneto ignition system is charged and the shutdown switch for the engine is connected between the common connection of the two diodes and the common connection of the magneto generator, and the capacitor diodes, because of their high back resistance, prevent any high positive or negative voltages from appearing across an open shutdown switch.

Abstract: In an ignition system in which the spark coil is wound right on the magneto armature and the spark is produced by electronic interruption of a short circuit across the primary winding, the first of a succession of rectified half waves applied to the electronic circuit unit has its amplitude reduced either by insertion of a circuit component in one half wave path of the rectifier to provide damping, or by the configuration of the armature core, or both. The magneto rotor has a U-shaped permanent magnet, the pole faces on the end of the legs of which are rotated past opposed pole faces of the armature core, which has the desired effect if the latter is of asymmetric U-shape or of symmetrical E-shape.

Abstract: To prevent spurious responses of a semiconductor switching element used in triggered magneto-type semiconductor ignition-switching systems, primarily due to noise signals introduced by the magneto, the control circuit for the ignition system includes a common, parallel connected R/C compensation circuit, connected through decoupling diodes to the ignition trigger pulse sources for the respective cylinders and the grounded main terminal of the switching element to supply a compensating voltage which suppresses noise voltages which increases with increasing speed of the internal combustion engine and thus dynamically compensates for generated noise pulses.

Abstract: To prevent phase-shift and pulse retardation in capacitor ignition systems, supplied with pulses from an a-c generator, the ignition capacitor is included in the armature circuit of the magneto to form, with the armature, an oscillatory circuit; the magneto supplies temporally spaced pulsed of opposite polarity, the first pulse causing oscillation of the oscillatory capacitor-armature circuit which, upon the first oscillation swing, recharges the capacitor with opposite polarity so that the next pulse derived from the magneto will add to the charge placed on the capacitor by the first oscillatory swing, thus preventing spark retardation due to phase shift upon change in engine speed.