Abstract: A torque sensor, or relative angular movement sensor, capable of measuring the angular displacement of a component in a power-assisted steering system, comprises an input member coupled to one end of a torsion bar, an output member coupled to another end of the torsion bar, LED light sources, a pair of photodetector units adapted to receive light from the LED light sources, and signal processing means adapted to receive output signals from the photodetector units, the output signals of the photodetector units being dependent upon the light signals which they receive, and wherein the signal processing means is adapted to produce a modified output signal which closely matches and is representative of the angular position of a chosen portion of the torsion bar.

Abstract: An engine control system generates a manifold pressure demand signal from an engine output demand signal provided by an accelerator pedal position transducer or a cruise control. The manifold pressure demand signal is compared with the actual inlet manifold pressure and the difference used to control an engine throttle and a turbocharger by means of a waste gate.

Abstract: An engine throttle control system comprises a control unit for controlling the position of a throttle by means of a motor in response to a position transducer actuated by an accelerator pedal. A detector detects when a signal produced by the control system is outside a range of acceptable values and, for instance, shuts down the engine. In one embodiment, the detector detects whether power supplied to the motor is less than a value expected on the basis of the position and speed of movement derived from the output of a throttle position sensor.

Abstract: An engine throttle control system comprises a control unit for controlling the position of a throttle by means of a motor in response to a position transducer actuated by an accelerator pedal. A detector detects when a signal produced by the control system is outside a range of acceptable values and, for instance, shuts down the engine. In one embodiment, the detector detects whether stress in an accelerator pedal return spring is less than a value expected.

Abstract: An adaptive control system is provided for an internal combustion engine having at least two control inputs which affect an engine output. The system involves establishing a first base value for a first control input as a function of engine operating conditions and establishing a second base value for a second control input as a function of engine operating conditions. Corrections are applied in accordance with a predetermined control strategy to the first base value and the second base value to obtain a first corrected value for the first control input and a second corrected value for the second control input. A particular control input is periodically perturbed, and the engine output is monitored. The actual slope or differential of the engine output with respect to the particular control input is determined.

Abstract: An engine throttle control system comprises a control unit for controlling the position of a throttle by means of a motor in response to a position transducer actuated by an accelerator pedal. A detector detects when a signal produced by the control system is outside a range of acceptable values and, for instance, shuts down the engine. In one embodiment, the detector detects whether power supplied to the motor is less then a value expected on the basis of the position and speed of movement derived from the output of a throttle position sensor.

Abstract: An engine throttle control system actuates a throttle by means of a motor. In order to overcome static friction, a differentiator differentiates a throttle position demand signal and adds the differentiated signal to the demand signal. This composite signal is used by a control unit to drive the motor.

Abstract: An adaptive control system is provided for an internal combustion engine having at least two control inputs which affect an engine output. The system involves establishing a first base value for a first control input as a function of engine operating conditions and establishing a second base value for a second control input as a function of engine operating conditions. Corrections are applied in accordance with a predetermined control strategy to the first base value and the second base value to obtain a first corrected value for the first control input and a second corrected value for the second control input. A particular control input is periodically perturbed, and the engine output is monitored. The actual slope or differential of the engine output with respect to the particular control input is determined.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine having two inputs and one output affected by both inputs. One input is perturbed and the effect on the output is compared with a desired effect on the output. The other input is varied until the actual affect on the output is the same as the desired effect on output. In one embodiment, ignition timing is periodically varied and the effect upon engine speed is detected. The detected output variations are compared with predetermined output variations for the existing engine speed and load demand. Any error is used to correct fueling to the engine. In a further embodiment the error corrects the ignition timing directly and corrects fueling indirectly at a slower rate. Further embodiments control air/fuel ratio, engine roughness, exhaust gas recirculation, for individual cylinders or groups of cylinders or the engine as a whole, depending upon the change in engine output in response to the variation in engine input.

Abstract: A transmission system comprises an engine (10) which drives a propeller shaft (14) through continuously variable gearing (CVG) (11), split path gearing (12), and a disconnector device (13). The gear ratio of the CVG (11) is controlled by an actuator (24). The input and output shaft speeds of the CVG (11) are sensed by transducers (25, 26) and the propeller shaft speed is sensed by a pair of transducers (27, 28). The system is responsive to an accelerator pedal (22) and a selector switch (23), and controls a throttle (19) via an electric motor (20).In normal operation, with the selector switch (23) in the drive position (D) or the reverse position (R), two signal generators (41, 42) calculate a target throttle position and a target engine speed and the motor (20) and actuator (24) adjust the throttle (19) and CVG (11) accordingly.When the switch (23) is in the neutral position (N) or the park position (P), the disconnector device (13) receives the drive from the propeller shaft (14). The speed (N.sub.

Abstract: A closed loop idling control for an i.c. engine includes a difference signal generator which produces an engine speed error signal. This signals directly controls the ignition timing to provide a fast loop control of speed, but also controls the throttle position via an integrator to provide a slow loop which cancels out the error with minimum exhaust contamination.

Abstract: An engine operation timing control includes a transducer producing pulses at predetermined different angular positions of the engine shaft, a speed counter connected to the transducer and periodically generating a multibit digital signal corresponding to the speed of the engine, a programmed read only memory device addressed by the speed counter providing a digital output identifying the transducer pulse appropriate to commence the operation at the existing speed, and counter means for periodically causing commencement of said operation in synchronism with respective ones of the transducer pulses, said memory device being connected to said counter means to vary the phase of said counter means relative to shaft position.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine operation timing control uses a programmed read only memory to produce a multibit digital signal used to determine the instant of operation. There are two inputs to the ROM, one of which is from a speed counter and the other of which is from another engine parameter transducer. The digital output of the ROM is applied to a timing counter for conversion to a time duration by clocking out timing pulses. The same master clock is used for clocking both the speed counter and the timing counter, a frequency divider programmed in accordance with the 3MSBs of the speed counter is used to reduce the clock frequency as the count in counter increases during speed computation, the same divisor remaining in action during the timing operation.