Abstract: A lawn mower includes an engine, an energy storage device, a motor/generator including an output shaft, an engine coupling, wherein, with the engine coupling disengaged, the motor/generator drives the output shaft, and with the engine coupling engaged, the engine or both the motor/generator and the engine drive the output shaft, a mower blade, a power take-off clutch, and a control unit configured to implement a first operating condition in which the engine coupling is disengaged, the engine is off, and the output shaft is driven by the motor/generator, and configured to implement a second operating condition in which the engine coupling is engaged, the engine is on, the output shaft is driven by the engine or both the motor/generator and the engine.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes an internal combustion engine, an electric motor configured to start the engine, a blade driven by the engine, and an assembly for stopping at least one of the blade and the engine. The assembly includes a brake mechanism, a release mechanism movable to an engaged position to release the brake mechanism, an interlock configured to selectively prevent the release mechanism from moving to the engaged position, and an interface allowing an operator to release the interlock to allow the release mechanism to move to the engaged position. The lawn mower further includes a switch actuated by the release mechanism and a control module coupled to the switch so that the switch provides a signal to the control module when the release mechanism is in the engaged position and the control module turns on the electric motor in response to the signal to start the engine.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an engine block including a cylinder, a piston positioned within the cylinder, a crankshaft configured to be driven by the piston, a fuel system for supplying an air-fuel mixture to the cylinder, and an electric starting system including a starter motor, a battery receiver, and a lithium-ion battery removably attached to the battery receiver, wherein the lithium-ion battery is configured to power the starter motor to start the engine.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes an internal combustion engine, a rotary tool driven by the internal combustion engine, an electric motor coupled to the internal combustion engine and configured to start the internal combustion engine, a receiving port mounted to the internal combustion engine, an energy storage device configured to be selectively inserted into and removed from the receiving port without tools, a first user interface, and a second user interface, wherein the electric motor starts the internal combustion engine upon actuation of the first user interface and the second user interface.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes an internal combustion engine, an electric motor configured to start the internal combustion engine, and a blade driven by the internal combustion engine. The lawn mower further includes an assembly for stopping at least one of the blade and the internal combustion engine. The assembly includes a brake mechanism, a release mechanism, a linkage between the brake mechanism and the release mechanism. The assembly further includes an interlock configured to prevent the release mechanism from releasing the brake mechanism, and an interface allowing an operator to release the interlock. The electric motor is coupled to the assembly such that release of the brake mechanism automatically engages the electric motor to start the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A snowthrower includes a body, a chute rotatable relative to the body among multiple chute positions, wherein the chute is configured to discharge snow from the snowthrower, a motor for rotating the chute, a chute position detector configured to detect a current chute position, a compass sensor configured to detect a snowthrower bearing, and an electronic control unit configured to, in a compass guidance operating mode, control the motor to move the chute to an appropriate chute position to maintain the chute at a preferred chute bearing in response to a comparison of the snowthrower bearing detected by the compass sensor and the current chute position detected by the chute position detector.

Abstract: A pressure washer includes an engine, a water pump driven by the engine, a starter motor coupled to the engine to start the engine, an energy storage device electrically coupled to the starter motor, a spray device including an activation device for starting and stopping a flow of water from the spray device, a pressure sensor, and a flow sensor. The water pump has a low pressure side and a high pressure side. The high pressure side provides pressurized water. The pressure sensor is located at the low pressure side and is configured to indicate a water pressure relative to a threshold pressure. The flow sensor is located at the low pressure side and is configured to indicate a water flow relative to a threshold flow. With the engine off, the starter motor starts the engine when the pressure sensor indicates the water pressure is above the threshold pressure and the flow sensor indicates the water flow is above the threshold flow.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes an internal combustion engine, an electric motor configured to start the internal combustion engine, and a blade driven by the internal combustion engine. The lawn mower further includes an assembly for stopping at least one of the blade and the internal combustion engine. The assembly includes a brake mechanism, a release mechanism, a linkage between the brake mechanism and the release mechanism. The assembly further includes an interlock configured to prevent the release mechanism from releasing the brake mechanism, and an interface allowing an operator to release the interlock. The electric motor is coupled to the assembly such that release of the brake mechanism automatically engages the electric motor to start the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A method of controlling a choke valve of an engine with a controller is disclosed. Also disclosed is an automatic choke performing the method, an engine having the automatic choke, and an apparatus having the engine. The controller includes an electronic circuit, such as a programmable device, and is coupled to a temperature sensor and a motor. The method includes determining a temperature value using the temperature sensor, determining a time period to hold the choke valve in a first position, keeping the choke valve at the first position for the time period, moving the choke valve from the first position toward a second position using the motor, determining a count to hold the choke valve, keeping the choke valve at the second position for the count, and moving the choke valve from the second position toward a fully open position.

Abstract: An engine including an automatic choke that includes a choke valve movable between a fully closed position and a fully open position, a temperature sensor coupled to the engine and operable to provide a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the engine, and a motor connected to the choke valve and operable to move the choke valve in response to a motor control signal. A controller is electrically connected to the motor and to the temperature sensor. The controller includes an electronic circuit having a memory. A table includes engine specific choke position data stored in memory, wherein the controller determines a choke initial position based on the temperature of the engine and the choke position data, and wherein the motor moves the choke valve toward that position in response to an attempt to start the engine.

Abstract: An engine including an automatic choke that includes a choke valve movable between a fully closed position and a fully open position, a temperature sensor coupled to the engine and operable to provide a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the engine, and a motor connected to the choke valve and operable to move the choke valve in response to a motor control signal. A controller is electrically connected to the motor and to the temperature sensor. The controller includes an electronic circuit having a memory. A table includes engine specific choke position data stored in memory, wherein the controller determines a choke initial position based on the temperature of the engine and the choke position data, and wherein the motor moves the choke valve toward that position in response to an attempt to start the engine.

Abstract: An automatic choke connectable to an engine. Also disclosed is an engine including the automatic choke, an apparatus including the engine and the automatic choke, and a method of controlling a choke valve. The automatic choke includes a motor for moving a choke valve and a controller electrically connected to the motor. In one construction, the controller is configured to store position information and a flag related to a position of the choke valve, determine the engine has, and control the automatic choke with the stored position information based on the flag and the determination that the engine has re-started. In another construction, the controller is configured to generate a motor control signal to direct the choke valve to a fully-open position without providing choke relief based on a temperature value indicating the engine temperature is greater than a threshold.

Abstract: A fuel control system that has a fuel control device to control the flow of fuel to a carburetor of an internal combustion engine. The fuel control device includes a control member that is movable between a first position and a second position to control the flow of fuel into a carburetor. When a kill switch within the fuel control system is closed, induced current from a primary ignition coil within the internal combustion engine is fed through an electromagnetic coil, causing the fuel flow control device to interrupt the supply of fuel to the carburetor. Thus, when an operator desires to stop the internal combustion engine, the kill switch closes and the fuel control device interrupts the supply of fuel to the carburetor to prevent backfires.

Abstract: A fuel control system that has a fuel control device to control the flow of fuel to a carburetor of an internal combustion engine. The fuel control device includes a control member that is movable between a first position and a second position to control the flow of fuel into a carburetor. When a kill switch within the fuel control system is closed, induced current from a primary ignition coil within the internal combustion engine is fed through an electromagnetic coil, causing the fuel flow control device to interrupt the supply of fuel to the carburetor. Thus, when an operator desires to stop the internal combustion engine, the kill switch closes and the fuel control device interrupts the supply of fuel to the carburetor to prevent backfires.

Abstract: An engine control, communication and starting system for outdoor power equipment that has a controller and a one or more safety interlocks. The controller monitors the status of the safety interlocks to determine whether the internal combustion engine can be started upon activation of a starting device. If the starting device is activated and one or more of the safety interlocks is in a condition that prevents operation of the engine, the controller generates a feedback message to the operator through a feedback system. The feedback message can be either an audible or visual message that relays information to the operator. The system further includes a speed selection circuit that allows the operator to select the desired engine speed. The controller operates the internal combustion engine at the selected engine speed. During engine operation, the controller terminates operation of the engine if any of the safety interlocks move to an un-allowed status.

Abstract: An automatic choke connectable to an engine. Also disclosed is an engine including the automatic choke, an apparatus including the engine and the automatic choke, and a method of controlling a choke valve. The automatic choke includes a motor for moving a choke valve and a controller electrically connected to the motor. In one construction, the controller is configured to store position information and a flag related to a position of the choke valve, determine the engine has, and control the automatic choke with the stored position information based on the flag and the determination that the engine has re-started. In another construction, the controller is configured to generate a motor control signal to direct the choke valve to a fully-open position without providing choke relief based on a temperature value indicating the engine temperature is greater than a threshold.

Abstract: A method of controlling a choke valve of an engine with a controller is disclosed. Also disclosed is an automatic choke performing the method, an engine having the automatic choke, and an apparatus having the engine. The controller includes an electronic circuit, such as a programmable device, and is coupled to a temperature sensor and a motor. The method includes determining a temperature value using the temperature sensor, determining a time period to hold the choke valve in a first position, keeping the choke valve at the first position for the time period, moving the choke valve from the first position toward a second position using the motor, determining a count to hold the choke valve, keeping the choke valve at the second position for the count, and moving the choke valve from the second position toward a fully open position.

Abstract: A method of and an arrangement for obtaining quality indicators for an objective assessment of a degraded or output video signal (11) with respect to a reference or input video signal (10). The strength of edges or signal transitions (12; 13) in both the input and the output video signals (10; 11) are calculated (14) providing input and output edge signals (15; 16). By processing (19; 21, 22) the edge signals (15; 16) introduced edges (23) and omitted edges (24) in the output edge signal (16) are established. For each of the luminance and chrominance signals of a colour video signal first and second quality indicators are obtained from normalized values of the introduced edges (23) and the omitted edges (24), related to the output edge signal (23) and the input edge signal (24) normalized by first and second normalization factors, recorrelation of calculated MOS and observed MOS by human test persons reaches a value of above 0.9.

Abstract: A data acquisition module for collecting data from engine-driven power equipment. The module records the operational characteristics of the power equipment. The module stores historical operational data such as time of use, total operational time, load, speed, etc. The module also provides information to the user when service or maintenance is due to be performed.

Abstract: A control system for an electric motor having an integral flywheel rotor. The motor includes a stator mounted co-axially with the engine crankshaft and a rotor surrounding the stator. A sensor is positioned near the rotor for sensing its rotational speed. The sensor is coupled to a controller. The controller is operable to deliver an output signal to the stator to start the internal combustion engine. While the engine is starting, the processor steps the starter motor from a low speed to a high speed. Once the engine has started and is rotating at a speed greater than a trigger speed, the processor delivers another output signal such that the motor is commutated at a speed that is less than the speed of the rotor to generate a speed slip. By commutating the motor in this manner, it acts as a generator. The speed slip is regulated when the motor is generating electric power so that the motor produces a constant output voltage.