Electronic controller for regulating temperature within an internal combustion engine system

Claim 1

An electronic controller for regulating temperature within an internal combustion engine system having a plurality of electrically controllable temperature dissipating mechanisms, comprising: temperature sensing means for thermal coupling with said engine system and for providing temperature indicating signal; means for providing a plurality of reference signals; first comparator means for determining a first relationship between said temperature indicating signal and one of said reference signals and for providing a first signal indicative of said first relationship; second comparator means for determining a second relationship between said temperature indicating signal and another of said reference signals and for providing a second signal indicative of said second relationship; logic gating means responsive to said first and second signals for providing first and second digital output signals for controlling said temperature dissipating mechanisms, said logic gating means comprising; a first semiconductor gate responsive to said first signal; and a second semiconductor gate responsive to said first and second signals; said first gate providing said first digital output signal when receptive of said first signal; said second gate providing said second digital output signal when receptive of said first signal and said second signal simultaneously, said output signals thereby occurring in controlled temporal relationship to one another determined in accordance with said first and second signals.