Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A knocking discrimination apparatus for discriminating a degree of knocking taking place in an internal combustion engine, wherein an output signal of a knocking sensor for detecting a vibration caused by the knocking is compared with a reference signal for the discrimination of knocking, comprising: a control circuit for controlling a peak level of the output signal of said knocking sensor to be held at a substantially constant level regardless of an operating condition of the internal combustion engine, so as to compare the controlled peak level of said output signal with said reference signal which has a constant level for the discrimination of knocking; a high pass filter for passing selectively at least high frequency components of said output signal; and a counter for counting said high frequency components caused by the excess of the peak level of said output signal above the constant level of the reference signal, said counter indicating the degree of knocking present in said engine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A knocking discrimination apparatus for discriminating a degree of knocking taking place in an internal combustion engine, wherein an output signal of a knocking sensor for detecting a vibration caused by the knocking is compared with a reference signal for the discrimination of knocking, comprising: a control circuit for controlling a peak level of the output signal of said knocking sensor to be held at a substantially constant level regardless of an operating condition of the internal combustion engine, so as to compare the controlled peak level of said output signal with said reference signal which has a constant level for the discrimination of knocking; a high pass filter for passing selectively at least high frequency components of said output signal; and a counter for counting said high frequency components caused by the excess of the peak level of said output signal above the constant level of the reference signal, said counter indicating the degree of knocking present in said engine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
A knocking discrimination apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said knocking sensor comprises: a magnet provided with a resonant frequency which coincides nearly with a frequency of said vibration caused by the knocking, and a magnetic field sensitive element disposed in a magnetic field which is formed by said magnet; and said control circuit controls a direct current which is supplied to said element in response to the operating condition of the internal combustion engine, so as to hold a level of an output voltage of said element at the substantially constant level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
A knocking discrimination apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control circuit comprises a direct current source for supplying a constant direct current to said element, and at least one variable direct current source for supplying a variable direct current in opposite polarity to said constant direct current which variable direct current is varied at least with response to the operating condition of the internal combustion engine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A knocking discrimination apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said magnetic field sensitive element comprises a Hall element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A knocking discrimination apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said magnetic field sensitive element comprises a magnito-resistive element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
A knocking discrimination apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said knocking sensor comprises a magnet provided with a resonant frequency which coincides nearly with a frequency of said vibration caused by the knocking, and a magneto-resistive element disposed in a magnetic field which is formed by said magnet; and said control circuit controls a direct current which is supplied to said magneto-resistive element in response to the operating condition of the internal combustion engine, so as to hold a level of an output voltage of said magneto-resistive element at the almost constant level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
A knocking discrimination apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said control circuit comprises a direct current source for supplying a constant direct current to said magneto-resistive element, and at least one variable direct current source for supplying a variable direct current in opposite polarity to said constant direct current which variable direct current is varied at least with response to the operating condition of the internal combustion engine.