US3870869A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital apparatus for the timing and analysis of internal combustion engines
Assignee: Columbia Gas System Service Corp
•
Filing: 1973-04-26
•
Granted: 1975-03-11
•
Expires: 1993-04-26
Abstract
Abstract A starting impulse generated when the crank shaft of an engine passes a specific point and starts a counter that counts impulses for one revolution. During the same revolution, another signal corresponding to a specific engine event starts another counter that continues until the end of the same revolution. A computing circuit uses data from the counters to determine engine speed and the angle at which the engine event occurs and presents this information as a numerical readout. A mark signal may be generated as a cursor for cathode ray tube display of ignition or other engine waveforms. The cursor can be moved to any point along the waveform by a manual control, and the angle at whatever point is selected will be presented in the numerical readout.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur Eberle
- 👤 Nicholas A Spitzer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:58
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01P; G01P3/00; G01P3/42; G01P3/44; G01P3/48; G01P3/481; G01P3/489; F; F02; F02P; F02P17/00; F02P17/02; F02P17/04; F02P17/08; F02B; F02B75/00; F02B75/02; F02B2075/022; F02B2075/027; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/0097
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
Digital analyzing means for a rotating body, said means comprising: A. clock signal source means to produce fixed repetition rate clock signals; B. a first counter; C. first connecting means to connect said first counter to said source means to count a first number n1 of said clock signals at a repetition rate of fc while said body rotates through a first angle; D. a second counter; E. second connecting means to connect said second counter to said source means to count a second number n2 of said clock signals at a rate of kfc proportional to the repetition rate fc while said body rotates through a second angle; F. first signal generating means connected to said clock signal source means to generate a first signal having a repetition rate f1 proportional to the repetition rate fc and to said number n1 and inversely proportional to a maximum count nm; G. means connected to said first signal-generating means to count a selected number n3 at said repetition rate f1 to establish a first time interval t1 n3/f1; H. second signal-generating means connected to said clock signal source means to generate a second signal having a repetition rate f2; and I. means connected to said second signal-generating means to count from zero to a number n4 at a rate f2 for said time t1 such that n4 t1f2 is a measure of angular rotation of said rotating body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
Digital analyzing means for a rotating body, said means comprising: A. clock signal source means to produce fixed repetition rate clock signals; B. a first counter; C. first connecting means to connect said first counter to said source means to count a first number n1 of said clock signals at a repetition rate of fc while said body rotates through a first angle; D. a second counter; E. second connecting means to connect said second counter to said source means to count a second number n2 of said clock signals at a rate of kfc proportional to the repetition rate fc while said body rotates through a second angle; F. first signal generating means connected to said clock signal source means to generate a first signal having a repetition rate f1 proportional to the repetition rate fc and to said number n1 and inversely proportional to a maximum count nm; G. means connected to said first signal-generating means to count a selected number n3 at said repetition rate f1 to establish a first time interval t1 n3/f1; H. second signal-generating means connected to said clock signal source means to generate a second signal having a repetition rate f2; and I. means connected to said second signal-generating means to count from zero to a number n4 at a rate f2 for said time t1 such that n4 t1f2 is a measure of angular rotation of said rotating body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
237 words
Digital analyzing means for a rotating body, said means comprising: A. clock signal source means to produce fixed repetition rate clock signals; B. a first counter; C. first connecting means to connect said first counter to said source means to count a first number n1 of said clock signals at a repetition rate of fc while said body rotates through a first angle; D. a second counter; E. second connecting means to connect said second counter to said source means to count a second number n2 of said clock signals at a rate of kfc proportional to the repetition rate fc while said body rotates through a second angle; F. first signal generating means connected to said clock signal source means to generate a first signal having a repetition rate f1 proportional to the repetition rate fc and to said number n1 and inversely proportional to a maximum count nm; G. means connected to said first signal-generating means to count a selected number n3 at said repetition rate f1 to establish a first time interval t1 n3/f1; H. second signal-generating means connected to said clock signal source means to generate a second signal having a repetition rate f2; and I. means connected to said second signal-generating means to count from zero to a number n4 at a rate f2 for said time t1 such that n4 t1f2 is a measure of angular rotation of said rotating body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
237 words
Digital analyzing means for a rotating body, said means comprising: A. clock signal source means to produce fixed repetition rate clock signals; B. a first counter; C. first connecting means to connect said first counter to said source means to count a first number n1 of said clock signals at a repetition rate of fc while said body rotates through a first angle; D. a second counter; E. second connecting means to connect said second counter to said source means to count a second number n2 of said clock signals at a rate of kfc proportional to the repetition rate fc while said body rotates through a second angle; F. first signal generating means connected to said clock signal source means to generate a first signal having a repetition rate f1 proportional to the repetition rate fc and to said number n1 and inversely proportional to a maximum count nm; G. means connected to said first signal-generating means to count a selected number n3 at said repetition rate f1 to establish a first time interval t1 n3/f1; H. second signal-generating means connected to said clock signal source means to generate a second signal having a repetition rate f2; and I. means connected to said second signal-generating means to count from zero to a number n4 at a rate f2 for said time t1 such that n4 t1f2 is a measure of angular rotation of said rotating body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
means to generate a timing impulse signal each time said rotating body passes a predetermined angular position, and
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
means to generate a timing impulse signal each time said rotating body passes a predetermined angular position, and
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The analyzing means of claim 1 in which said first connecting means comprises: A. means to generate a timing pulse signal each time said rotating body passes a predetermined angular position; and B. gating means opened by selected ones of said timing impulse signals and closed by the succeeding timing impulse signal, whereby said first angle is 360*.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
first gating means opened by selected ones of said timing impulse signals and closed by the succeeding timing impulse signal, whereby said first angle is 360*; B. said second counter is an up-down counter comprising an up input terminal and a down input terminal; and C. said second connecting means comprises second gating means opened at a time corresponding to a selected event during a rotation of said body and closed simultaneously with said first gating means and connecting said clock signal source means to said up input terminal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
first gating means opened by selected ones of said timing impulse signals and closed by the succeeding timing impulse signal, whereby said first angle is 360*; B. said second counter is an up-down counter comprising an up input terminal and a down input terminal; and C. said second connecting means comprises second gating means opened at a time corresponding to a selected event during a rotation of said body and closed simultaneously with said first gating means and connecting said clock signal source means to said up input terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 2 in which k 1.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 3 in which f1 n1/nmfc.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The analyzing means of claim 2 in which said selected number n3 is 60fc/nm and said rate f2 is proportional to the rate fc, whereby said number n4 is the number of revolutions per minute of said body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The analyzing means of claim 5 in which said means to count from zero to a number n4 comprises a scaler circuit having a scaling ratio r, whereby f2 fc/r.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
The analyzing means of claim 6 in which r 100.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 5 in which said means to count a selected number n3 comprises said second counter and said means to count from zero to a number n4 comprises a third counter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 8 in which said second counter is an up-down counter comprising means to parallel-load said number n3 therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 2 in which: A. said second connecting means comprises second gating means that opens at a particular point in a revolution of said body to start the count of n2 at a particular engine event and closes simultaneously with said first-named gating means; B. n3 n2; and C. f2 3600fc/nm
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 1 in which n3 n2 and f2 is proportional to 3600fc and inversely proportional to nm, whereby said number n4 is a measure of the angle through which said body rotates while said second counter is counting n2.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 1 in which said first signal-generating means comprises a binary rate multiplier having a maximum count nm higher than any number n1 or 3600 to be entered into it.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 12 in which: A. said first connecting means comprises:
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
63 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 13 in which said means to count a selected number n3 comprises said second counter, said binary rate multiplier being connected to said down input terminal to count said number n2 down to zero at a rate f1 proportional to the number n1 and to said repetition rate fc and inversely proportional to said maximum count nm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 14 in which said means to count from zero to a number n4 Comprises a third counter.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
131 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 15 comprising, in addition: A. means connecting said clock signal means to said third counter to count up from zero while said counter is counting said number n2 down to zero; B. means to transfer the count from said third counter to said second counter when said second counter reaches zero; C. means to modify the ratio in said binary rate multiplier to produce an output signal having a repetition rate f2 proportional to 3600 fc and inversely proportional to nm and to cause said counter to count down to zero a second time at said rate f2; and D. means to connect said clock signal source means to said third counter to count up from zero to said number n4 at said rate f2.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 12 comprising, in addition: A. a data register having an input connected to said first counter to record the number n1; B. a data selector connected to said data register to select either said number n1 or the number 3600; and C. means connecting the output of said data selector to said first counter to enter said number 3600 into said counter or to reenter said number n1 into said counter.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
67 words
The digital analyzing means of claim 12 comprising, in addition: A. means to generate a sweep ramp signal synchronously with said timing pulses; and B. means comprising a voltage comparator and a reference voltage source to generate a mark pulse at any selected point along said ramp and means to use said mark pulse to initiate the counting of said second number n2 in said second counter.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
199 words
The process of analyzing angular rotation of a body comprising the steps of: A. counting a series of pulses of a first fixed repetition rate fc, said counting beginning when said body reaches a predetermined angular position and ending when said body again reaches said predetermined angular position, the number of said pulses counted being defined as n1; B. subsequently establishing a time interval t1 by counting a selected number n2 of pulses of said series of pulses multiplied by a selected ratio to have a second repetition rate f1 proportional to said first repetition rate and proportional to the number n1 in said first series and inversely proportional to a maximum count nm, whereby t1 n2nm/n1fc; and C. counting a series of clock pulses for a time interval that has a duration equal to the time it takes to count said selected number n2 of pulses, the repetition rate of said clock pulses being proportional to the repetition rate of said first pulses, and said selected number n2 being proportional to the repetition rate of said clock pulses such that said last-named count n3 of said clock pulses is a measure of the angular rotation of said body.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
199 words
The process of analyzing angular rotation of a body comprising the steps of: A. counting a series of pulses of a first fixed repetition rate fc, said counting beginning when said body reaches a predetermined angular position and ending when said body again reaches said predetermined angular position, the number of said pulses counted being defined as n1; B. subsequently establishing a time interval t1 by counting a selected number n2 of pulses of said series of pulses multiplied by a selected ratio to have a second repetition rate f1 proportional to said first repetition rate and proportional to the number n1 in said first series and inversely proportional to a maximum count nm, whereby t1 n2nm/n1fc; and C. counting a series of clock pulses for a time interval that has a duration equal to the time it takes to count said selected number n2 of pulses, the repetition rate of said clock pulses being proportional to the repetition rate of said first pulses, and said selected number n2 being proportional to the repetition rate of said clock pulses such that said last-named count n3 of said clock pulses is a measure of the angular rotation of said body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |