Abstract: There is disclosed a thermal-type air flow measuring instrument which judges whether the direction of flow of a fluid, ranging from a static flow to a pulsating flow involving a reverse flow, is forward or reverse, and outputs a signal corresponding to the flow rate of the fluid, thereby measuring the flow rate with high precision. An auxiliary passage is provided in a fluid passage, and is constituted by first, second and third passageways. Two temperature sensing resistors are mounted respectively at an upstream side and a downstream side within the first passageway in close proximity to each other. Most of the fluid, flowed into the first passageway in a forward direction, flows through the second passageway. The third passageway serves to direct a reverse flow of the fluid toward the temperature sensing resistors.

Abstract: A torque detection mechanism can be provided for a power train and its control unit without newly adding a sensor and its signal processing module. As a gear pair for the torque detection mechanism of a phase difference type, existing gears in a transmission are used, or a gear pair for this mechanism are provided adjacent to these existing gears. From phase signals sent from pickups, a phase difference signal is obtained by use of one part of existing devices in the control unit. The torque detection mechanism can be realized with the minimum number of component parts by utilizing the existing members and spaces instead of newly adding a sensor and its module. The invention can be applied to either of FF and FR cars, and has a practical structure in respect of the performance, costs and reliability.

Abstract: On an outer peripheral portion of a rotor (1), three protrusions are provided per each cylinder. A pickup coil 2 is disposed facing to the outer peripheral portion with a predetermined distance. A rotation signal (S.sub.0) is converted to a rotation signal pulse (S.sub.1) having three pulses (A, B and C) per each cylinder corresponding to the three protrusions. According to the first signal (A) of the rotation signal pulse (S.sub.1) the cranking ignition period (A.sub.1) is determined. According to the second signal (B) of the rotation signal pulse (S.sub.1), the starting timing for flowing current to the ignition coil (8) is decided. According to the third signal (C) of the rotation signal pulse (S.sub.1), the ignition timing at cranking operation is defined by detecting time intervals (3t, t, 2t) between the three signals (A, B, C).

Abstract: A fuel injection system of the type in which the opening time of a fuel injection valve is controlled on the basis of a predetermined program and in accordance with various operation parameters such as the intake air flow rate, engine speed and engine temperature. The system has a means for detecting at least one of the offset of the engine speed from a command speed and the engine speed variation per unit time, the data being used together with the above-mentioned operation parameters in controlling the opening time of the fuel injection valve.

Abstract: In a supercharger for an internal combustion engine having a waste gate valve, a signal for controlling the opening of the waste gate valve is generated in such a manner that a basic amount thereof is produced on the basis of the opening of a throttle valve and the number of revolutions of the engine and then the basic amount is so corrected that an actual mass flow rate of intake air follows a desired value thereof determined by the opening of the throttle valve and the number of revolutions of the engine at that time. According to this, a temperature sensor exclusively used for the controlling the waste gate can be omitted.

Abstract: A basic pulse width T.sub.p is determined in accordance with the throttle valve opening and speed of an engine, and the basic pulse width T.sub.p is corrected when the peak value of cylinder pressures exceeds a given range established by the average value of the peak pressure values.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine comprises a position sensor for detecting an operational position of an accelerator pedal operated by a driver, a microprocessor for generating a target throttle valve opening in accordance with a predetermined function in response to the operational position of the accelerator pedal, and a servo motor provided with a throttle valve opening sensor and a servo drive circuit for controlling the opening of the throttle valve of the engine to the target throttle valve opening. In the microprocessor, there is provided a compensation circuit for compensating, during the acceleration, for the target throttle valve opening in response to the operational positions of the accelerator pedal immediately before and after the acceleration and an engine operational parameter immediately before the acceleration.

Abstract: A knock control apparatus for internal combustion engines includes a plurality of sensors for generating signals indicative of the operating conditions of an engine, a plurality of actuators responsive to control signals to control the respective energy conversion functions of the engine, a data processing unit responsive to the signals from the sensors to perform engine controlling data processing operations and thereby supply engine control values to the actuators, and a knock sensing unit for detecting the occurrence of knocking in the engine and generating knock detection signals, and the data processing unit is responsive to the knock detection signals from the knock sensing unit to retard the calculated ignition timing.

Abstract: An ignition timing control apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders. The apparatus includes a knock sensor for detecting a knocking condition in the engine, sensors for detecting other operating conditions of the engine, a microprocessor unit for receiving signals from the sensors to determine a basic ignition timing of the engine and generate an ignition timing control signal, and a power transistor circuit responsive to the ignition timing control signal from the microprocessor unit to switch on and off the primary current in an ignition coil and generate a high-voltage ignition signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having a carburetor which, controls the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine in the steady operating condition of the engine on the basis of predetermined data determined relative to the engine crankshaft rotation speed and intake vacuum and stored in a memory. A three-way catalyst purifies engine exhaust gases, and an output signal from an O.sub.2 sensor in the exhaust system is fed back for the control of the air-fuel ratio in the engine exhaust gases. A circuit checks whether this feedback control is normally carried or not. The air-fuel ratio supplied to the engine in an unsteady operating condition of the engine is controlled by regulating the fuel and air supplied to the engine while bypassing the carburetor, by the sensed values of the intake vacuum, engine crankshaft rotation speed and engine temperature and also depending on the throttle valve position.

Abstract: An ignition timing control method compensates for the variations in characteristic among different knock sensors and for the aging of a knock sensor of an engine by detecting the output of the knock sensor under an engine operating condition which is less conductive to knocking phenomenon, e.g., the idling operation, comparing the detected sensor output with a plurality of preliminarily stored reference values to detect and store the sensitivity of the sensor, computing an amount of retard in accordance with a knock intensity detected under a knock control condition and the stored sensor sensitivity, obtaining a correction amount in accordance with the retard amount, and correcting a basic ignition timing in accordance with the correction amount thereby determining a final ignition timing, and an apparatus carrying out the method.

Abstract: An electronic control apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which a quantity of intake air fed to the engine cylinders is detected by processing an output signal produced by an air flow sensor incorporating a heat generating element and an optimal quantity of fuel corresponding to the detected intake air flow is supplied to the internal combustion engine. Arrangement is made such that the internal combustion engine can be operated with an optimal fuel supply even when the heat generating element electrically energized is not yet heated to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed are method and apparatus for controlling knocking of an internal combustion engine by retarding an ignition timing in accordance with a knocking intensity of detected knocking and advancing the ignition timing at a predetermined velocity after the ignition timing has been retarded. When the detected knocking intensity is below a predetermined level, it is regarded that the knocking has not occurred and the retardation is inhibited.

Abstract: The data processing unit of an engine control apparatus constantly fetches signals flowing from the sensors and signals flowing to the actuators, and decides whether the respective fetched signals are normal or abnormal to thereby store the results of the decision as diagnosis data in a random access memory.The data processing unit stores a predetermined code in a predetermined area of the random access memory, carries out the engine control data processing operations in accordance with the diagnosis data, and writes the predetermined code in the predetermined area of the random access memory and clears data of all areas of the random access memory other than the predetermined area to thereby carry out the engine control data processing when the read data is determined not to be equal to the predetermined data.

Abstract: A method of controlling an internal combustion engine employs a microcomputer to control the fuel supply to the engine as well as the ignition timing thereof on the basis of measurement of the air quantity fed to the engine. For measuring the air quantity charged to the engine with high accuracy, the intake air flow fed to the engine is sampled in synchronism with the pulsating variation thereof. A value obtained by averaging the sampled values is used as the intake air quantity on the basis of which the fuel supply and the ignition timing are arithmetically determined.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, especially, the air-fuel ratio and the rate of exhaust gas recirculation, controls the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine in the steady operating condition of the engine on the basis of predetermined data determined relative to the engine crankshaft rotation speed and intake vacuum and stored previously in a memory. A three-way catalyst is used to purify engine exhaust gases, and an output signal from an O.sub.2 sensor in the exhaust system is fed back for the control of the air-fuel ratio in the engine exhaust gases. A circuit is provided to check whether this feedback control is normally carried or not.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus comprises sensors for sensing operation parameters of an internal combustion engine, a control unit for controlling the operation of the internal combustion engine based on the operation parameters sensed by the sensors, and a control circuit operative, when one of the sensors or the control unit fails, to generate one of predetermined signals indicating a plurality of predetermined operation conditions in accordance with a current operation condition to continue the operation of the internal combustion engine in accordance with the generated predetermined signal.

Abstract: A control system employs a microcomputer, which controls the starting operation of a spark ignition type engine provided with a fuel injection system. The control system is loaded with, at least, contact information of an ignition switch for connecting an ignition device to a power supply and a starter switch for connecting a starter motor to the power supply, and an output signal of a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of cooling water of the engine. Where the cooling water temperature is not higher than a predetermined temperature, a fuel pump which supplies pressurized fuel to an injector of the fuel injection system is started simultaneously with the closure of the ignition switch, and this fuel pump is stopped during the operation of the starter motor.

Abstract: An intake air amount detecting system which comprises:a temperature-dependent resistor disposed in an intake air path of an internal combustion engine;a sensor control circuit which feeds a heating current to the temperature-dependent resistor, which detects the change in resistance of the temperature-dependent resistor, which amplifies the detected signal, which effects the compensation depending upon the temperature of the intake air, and which controls the heating current in order to maintain the temperature of the temperature-dependent resistor constant; andan operation circuit which converts a signal that represents the heating current into an intake air flow rate;wherein the sensor control circuit is provided with a response-adjusting circuit which delays the response of the heating current only when the intake air flow rate decreases.

Abstract: A method of starting the operation of an internal combustion engine utilizes a turning force transmitted from wheels of a vehicle through a clutch in addition to a driving force generated by a starting motor. A computer for controlling engine operations detects the initiation of the engine starting operation on the basis of the rotating speed of the engine or intake air quantity and additionally detects the termination of the engine starting operation when the engine rotating speed or intake air quantity exceeds an associated reference value. When the engine stops in the course of running of a vehicle, the engine can be re-started under the influence of the inertial force of the vehicle without resorting to the operation of the starting motor.