Abstract: A system, heated fuel injector, and controller for closed-loop temperature control of a heated fuel injector having simultaneous two-way data communication over a single-line data connection. The system includes a voltage source to output a heater enable signal and a variable current sink configured to draw a current value indicative of a temperature value related to the heated fuel injector. The heater signal and the current value are simultaneously present on the single-line data connection. The configuration reduces the effect of ground shift on the accuracy of determining a feedback signal from the heated fuel injector. The feedback signal is a temperature value related to the heated fuel injector and is indicated by a current value. Because the feedback signal is a current value, the feedback signal is generally immune from being influenced by ground shift between the controller and the heated fuel injector.

Abstract: A sensor includes an oxygen pump cell; an oxygen pump chamber; an emf cell; a reference chamber providing a fluid connection to the reference gas; gas channels in fluid communication with the pump and emf electrodes, the reference gas comprising reformate produced by a fuel reformer fueled by an air-fuel gas mixture having an air-fuel ratio; a reformer electronic control module; a sensor electronic control module; a heater; a temperature sensor disposed in communication with the heater and the sensor control module for maintaining the sensor at a desired operating temperature; a closed loop controlled operation amplifier in electrical communication with the sensor, whereby the oxygen pump cell provides sufficient oxygen ions to oxidize an incoming diffusion-limiting fuel flux to the emf cell and maintain a constant emf at the emf cell, and wherein a current value represents an equivalent to the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel gas mixture.

Abstract: A controller, a system, and a method to detect a short to ground condition of a return line of an external sensor that outputs a sensor signal relative to the return line. A ground switch that electrically connects the return line to a ground potential when the ground switch is in the closed state is momentarily opened, and one or more sensor signals are checked to determine if the sensor signals change as expected when the ground switch is opened. If a value change of a sensor signal is less than a threshold value when the ground switch is switched from the closed state to the open state, then a short to ground condition of the return line is indicated.

Abstract: A system, heated fuel injector, and controller for closed-loop temperature control of a heated fuel injector having simultaneous two-way data communication over a single-line data connection. The system includes a voltage source to output a heater enable signal and a variable current sink configured to draw a current value indicative of a temperature value related to the heated fuel injector. The heater signal and the current value are simultaneously present on the single-line data connection. The configuration reduces the effect of ground shift on the accuracy of determining a feedback signal from the heated fuel injector. The feedback signal is a temperature value related to the heated fuel injector and is indicated by a current value. Because the feedback signal is a current value, the feedback signal is generally immune from being influenced by ground shift between the controller and the heated fuel injector.

Abstract: A sensing system, including: a sensing assembly, the sensing assembly having: a trim resistor; and a controller removably secured to the sensing assembly, the controller being configured to determine a resistance value of the trim resistor; a database in operable communication with the controller, the database having a plurality of resistance values, each identifying a pair of compensation values; a microprocessor receiving the resistance value of the trim resistor, a first signal and a second signal, the resistance value of the trim resistor being used to define a selected pair of compensation values from the database, one of the selected pair of compensation values is used to adjust the first signal and the other one of the selected pair of compensation values is used to adjust the second signal.

Abstract: A technique for reducing a parasitic DC bias voltage on a sensor monitors the parasitic DC bias voltage on a first element of the sensor. A controlled bias voltage that is applied between the first element of the sensor and a second element of the sensor is then modified to substantially maintain the parasitic DC bias voltage at a desired potential.

Abstract: A sensing system, comprising: a sensing assembly, the sensing assembly having: a trim resistor integrally formed with the sensing assembly, the trim resistor having a resistance value; a first sensing element for providing a first signal in response to a first sensed condition; a second sensing element for providing a second signal in response to a second sensed condition; and a controller removably secured to the sensing assembly and receiving the first signal and the second signal, the controller being configured to determine the resistance value of the trim resistor; a database associated with the controller, the database having a plurality of resistance values, each resistance value in the database identifies a pair of compensation values; a microprocessor associated with the controller, the microprocessor receiving the resistance value of the trim resistor, the first signal and the second signal, the resistance value of the trim resistor being used to define a selected pair of compensation values from th

Abstract: A method for equalizing the measured voltage of each cluster in a fuel cell stack wherein at least one of the clusters has a different number of cells than the identical number of cells in the remaining clusters by creating a pseudo voltage for the different cell numbered cluster. The average cell voltage of the all of the cells in the fuel cell stack is calculated and multiplied by a constant equal to the difference in the number of cells in the identical cell clusters and the number of cells in the different numbered cell cluster. The resultant product is added to the actual voltage measured across the different numbered cell cluster to create a pseudo voltage which is equivalent in cell number to the number of cells in the other identical numbered cell clusters.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a combustor to heat a fuel processor to a desired temperature in a fuel cell system, wherein the fuel processor generates hydrogen (H2) from a hydrocarbon for reaction within a fuel cell to generate electricity. More particularly, the invention provides a method and select system design features which cooperate to provide a start up mode of operation and a smooth transition from start-up of the combustor and fuel processor to a running mode.

Abstract: A method for controlling the heat output of a combustor in a fuel cell apparatus to a fuel processor where the combustor has dual air inlet streams including atmospheric air and fuel cell cathode effluent containing oxygen depleted air. In all operating modes, an enthalpy balance is provided by regulating the quantity of the air flow stream to the combustor to support fuel cell processor heat requirements. A control provides a quick fast forward change in an air valve orifice cross section in response to a calculated predetermined air flow, the molar constituents of the air stream to the combustor, the pressure drop across the air valve, and a look up table of the orifice cross sectional area and valve steps. A feedback loop fine tunes any error between the measured air flow to the combustor and the predetermined air flow.

Abstract: An engine knock control system that can be digitally reconfigured to operate in different knock signal processing modes. The system includes a knock detection circuit that processes an incoming knock signal produced by a vibration or pressure sensor on the engine. The circuit includes a plurality of circuit devices that are capable of being interconnected in different circuit topology configurations to thereby process the knock signal in a selected one of a plurality of different modes. The circuit includes hardware and software for forming a selected interconnection configuration of the circuit devices in response to a coded data signal input to the circuit.

Abstract: A closed loop knock control system integrates a knock signal comprising knock intensity indicating knock pulses from an engine mounted knock sensor into a retard voltage in an integrating amplifier normally provided with a fixed reference voltage through a series pair of resistors. The junction of the series pair of resistors is connected through another resistor and a semiconductor switch, when the switch is actuated, to a second constant reference voltage greater in the retard direction than the first. An open loop knock anticipating system responds to a detected knock anticipating event by actuating the semiconductor switch means for a predetermined time duration to produce a step change in the retard direction for the predetermined time duration in the retard voltage and thus in the spark timing. If voltage limiting means is provided in the closed loop system for the output of the integrator, the summed combination of the closed and open loop retard voltages is also limited thereby.

Abstract: A spark ignited internal combustion engine includes a spark coil in which current is turned on and off to generate spark events. A triangular wave voltage generator and comparator combine to retard the spark events from spark timing signals, the voltage ramping in one direction toward a reference in response to a spark timing signal and ramping in the other direction when the comparator senses that the voltage equals the reference, at which time a spark event is initiated. An RF clamp clamps the input to the comparator to prevent initiation of a spark event from each spark event to the following spark timing event. A minimum burn timer may be initiated by the comparator to prevent current flow in the spark coil for a minimum predetermined time after the initiation of a spark event; and the RF clamp may include a timer to delay its initiation sufficiently to allow latching of the minimum burn timer.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted, spark ignited, internal combustion engine subject to bursts of ringing knock vibration of varying duration corresponding to knock of varying intensity includes apparatus effective to generate pulses in response to the bursts and of corresponding duration. Further apparatus delays the trailing edge of each pulse by a common predetermined duration to favorably reduce the ratio of the durations of such pulses before application to apparatus effective to control a knock reducing parameter of the engine. The reduced ratio of duration between short and long pulses provides more uniform control over the total range of knock intensity. The engine may also include apparatus to delay the leading edge of each pulse by a common predetermined duration to eliminate short noise pulses and improve the knock signal to noise ratio. If so, this apparatus is inserted prior to the trailing edge delay apparatus and the common predetermined duration of the latter is greater than that of the former.