Abstract: A system and method establishes an acceleration of a vehicle which may be used to control a brake system of a towed vehicle towed by a towing vehicle. The system and method establish a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establish a first acceleration value, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establish a second acceleration value, and establish a magnitude of the acceleration of the vehicle in a plane orthogonal to the gravity vector as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values.

Abstract: A system and method establishes an acceleration of a vehicle which may be used to control a brake system of a towed vehicle towed by a towing vehicle. The system and method establish a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establish a first acceleration value, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establish a second acceleration value, and establish a magnitude of the acceleration of the vehicle in a plane orthogonal to the gravity vector as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values.

Abstract: A system and method establishes an acceleration of a vehicle which may be used to control a brake system of a towed vehicle towed by a towing vehicle. The system and method establish a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establish a first acceleration value, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establish a second acceleration value, and establish a magnitude of the acceleration of the vehicle in a plane orthogonal to the gravity vector as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values.

Abstract: A system and method establishes an acceleration of a vehicle which may be used to control a brake system of a towed vehicle towed by a towing vehicle. The system and method establish a gravity vector representing acceleration due to gravity, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a first direction and responsively establish a first acceleration value, measure acceleration of the vehicle in a second direction and responsively establish a second acceleration value, and establish a magnitude of the acceleration of the vehicle in a plane orthogonal to the gravity vector as a function of the gravity vector and the first and second acceleration values.

Abstract: A method of determining the continuity of solenoids in an electronic automatic transmission system wherein a controller is programmed to determine solenoid continuity by checking for the presence of an inductive "OFF" spike which results from an open circuit or a direct short to supply voltage from the solenoid of the solenoid-actuated valves.

Abstract: A method to disengage an electronic speed control as a function of the condition of the park/neutral gear or manual clutch. If the automatic transmission lever is bumped from "drive" or the manual transmission clutch is depressed while the electronic speed control is operating, the method will sense this by detecting a difference in the ratio of engine speed to vehicle speed. If the ratio changes by .+-.25 percent, the electronic speed control is disengaged.

Abstract: In an idle speed control system for an engine equipped with a fuel/air mixture means and an air bypass means or movable throttle stop means, the idle speed can be quickly moved to the desired value by temporarily changing the spark advance and holding the changed spark advance until the air bypass system or movable throttle stop means has had a chance to respond to the various demands of the idle condition.

Abstract: A microprocessor-based electronic voltage regulation system for controlling the charging of the battery in a vehicle. The conventional voltage regulator is eliminated and the intelligence of the microprocessor already present on the vehicle for controlling engine operation is used to regulate the output of the alternator. The battery temperature signal from a temperature transducer and a battery voltage signal from a sense line connected directly to the positive terminal of the battery are supplied to the microprocessor through an analog-to-digital converter. The microprocessor is programmed to ascertain from the battery temperature signal the desired set point voltage based upon an inverse first order relationship between battery temperature and desired battery voltage with preset maximum and minimum voltage set point levels.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for controlling the energization of an electromagnetic fuel injection valve in response to the production of an injector control pulse in an electronic fuel injection system. The driver circuit operates a current regulating power transistor into saturation until the current through the solenoid coil of the injector valve attains a predetermined peak current value. A comparator circuit deactivates the power transistor to stop the build-up of current through the coil. A switched free-wheeling circuit is enabled, remains activated, and starts conducting when the power transistor is deactivated by the comparator circuit so that some current continues to be supplied to the solenoid coil when the power transistor is off, thereby causing the current through the coil to decay slowly.

Abstract: A circuit and method, for use with an electronically controlled load network for diagnosing short-circuit and open-circuit conditions and for protecting loads affected by those conditions by using positive feedback in cooperation with a microprocessor controlled tri-state input/output port pin.

Abstract: A system and method for synchronizing ignition and fuel injection pulses produced by the interruption of Hall Effect signals by a window-in-vane interrupter in an internal combustion engine ignition distributor.

Abstract: A regulated power supply for supplying DC output voltage and current to an electronic control system of an internal combustion engine, designed especially for automotive applications and cold cranking conditions encountered therein, is disclosed. The power supply has a series switching regulator section having a transformer provided with two windings, and a shunt switching regulator section that shares the transformer with the series regulator section. When normal battery voltages are available, the power supply through its series regulator section operates in a voltage dropping mode, intermittently passing current through the primary winding of the transformer to maintain the desired output voltage. When low battery voltages are encountered, such as during cold cranking conditions, the shunt regulator section of the power supply operates in a voltage boosting mode to maintain the desired output voltage.

Abstract: A vortex swirl flowmeter sensor circuit electrically connected to an electro-thermal sensor generates a voltage signal output from a flowmeter probe with the signal having a large signal to noise ratio. The sensor is electrically connected in a bridge network in the input to an operational amplifier. The output of the amplifier is fed back through a signal enhancement circuit for maintaining the instantaneous temperature of the sensor, and therefore its resistance constant.