Abstract: A vehicle kinematic control circuit for a vehicle adjusts the track of one or more rear wheels of the vehicle through a limited angular range, using an electric motor, connected mechanically to at least one rear wheel. The motor has at least two independently operable sets of phase windings, each set comprising at least two phase windings, each set connected to a motor bridge, controlled by a microcontroller. In normal use the microcontroller generates motor control signals that apply appropriate PWM modulated voltage waveforms to the set of phase windings connected to that bridge to drive the rotor of the motor in a first manner thereby to actively steer the rear wheel.

Abstract: A vehicle kinematic control circuit for a vehicle adjusts the track of one or more rear wheels of the vehicle through a limited angular range, using an electric motor, connected mechanically to at least one rear wheel. The motor has at least two independently operable sets of phase windings, each set comprising at least two phase windings, each set connected to a motor bridge, controlled by a microcontroller. In normal use the microcontroller generates motor control signals that apply appropriate PWM modulated voltage waveforms to the set of phase windings connected to that bridge to drive the rotor of the motor in a first manner thereby to actively steer the rear wheel.

Abstract: A knock detection system for an internal combustion engine comprises an input for receiving a signal from a vibration-sensing transducer, an amplifier to which the input is connected and a rectifying and integrating device connected to the output of the amplifier, the amplifier comprising a variable gain amplifier and feedback device being provided for controlling the gain of the variable gain amplifier in dependence upon variations in the output level of the rectifying and integrating device. The gain control which is exercised tends to maintain the integrator output level within an optimum band so as to overcome problems due to input offset voltage errors.

Abstract: A knock detection system for an internal combustion engine comprises an input for receiving a signal from a vibration sensing transducer and two bandpass filters and connected to the input. A first bandpass filter passes a band of frequencies containing the characteristic knock frequency, so that it passes the knock-representing component together with noise. The second bandpass filter passes an adjacent band of frequencies having substantially no knock component content but a noise component corresponding to that passed by the first filter. The outputs of the two bandpass filters are referenced to each other (e.g. by rectifying their outputs on opposite polarities and summing) to cancel out the noise and provide a signal which represents the knock component included in the output from the vibration-sensing transducer.

Abstract: An angular position detector for an internal combustion engine includes a toothed wheel with a missing tooth and a sensor providing a pulse train as the teeth pass the sensor. To provide an accurate datum position signal a micro-computer receives the pulse train and outputs the datum signal when the period between successive pulses is significantly shorter than the preceding period.