Digital control system

Claim 2

A digital control system for controlling a controlled object according to at least one controlled variable concerning the controlled object, comprising: (a) memory means having a plurality of memory addresses each address comprising N bits in which at least two instructions, each instruction comprising at least one bit, are stored, the number of instructions the satisfying equation K≦2 n , where K is the number of instructions, n is the number of bits per instruction, and n≦N/2; and (b) control means which processes information in units of N bits, accesses one of the memory addresses according to the measured value of the detected controlled variable, fetches one of the instructions in the address according to said measured variable value, and outputs a command signal to the controlled object to perform a predetermined operation according to the contents of the fetched instruction.

Claim 3

The control system according to claim 1, wherein said control means fetches the predetermined instruction by means of a predetermined bit shift operation performed in accordance with the difference between the measured controlled variable and the closest one of a plurality of reference values of the variable, the accessed memory address corresponding to the closest reference value.

Claim 4

A digital control system for use in an engine control, comprising: (a) at least two detection means which detect at least two engine operating parameters; (b) memory means having a plurality of N-bit addresses, each address corresponding to the intersection between a row and a column of a matrix, the rows of the matrix corresponding to predetermined values of one of the engine operating parameters and the columns thereof corresponding to predetermined values of the other engine operating parameters, and storing a plurality of predetermined instructions represented as n-bit binary values so as to satisfy the following equation: n≦N/2; and (c) control means which reads the detected engine operating parameters, accesses one of the addresses in said memory means according to the detected engine operating parameters, fetches one of the predetermined instructions from the accessed address according to a positional relationship between the accessed address and the combination of the two detected engine operating parameters, and outputs a signal to the engine to cause the latter to perform a predetermined operation according to the contents of the fetched instruction.

Claim 5

A digital control system for use in an engine control, comprising: (a) at least two detection means which detect at least two engine operating parameters; (b) memory means having a plurality of N-bit addresses, each address corresponding to the intersection between a row and a column of a matrix, the rows of the matrix corresponding to predetermined values of one of the engine operating parameters and the columns thereof corresponding to predetermined values of the other engine operating parameters, and storing a plurality of predetermined instructions represented as n-bit binary values so as to satisfy the following equation: n≦N/2; and (c) control means which reads the detected engine operating parameters, accesses one of the addresses in said memory means according to the detected engine operating parameters, fetches one of the predetermined instructions from the accessed address according to a positional relationship between the accessed address and the combination of the two detected engine operating parameters, and outputs a signal to the engine to cause the latter to perform a predetermined operation according to the contents of the fetched instruction.

Claim 6

The digital control system according to claim 3, wherein said control means accesses one of the addresses in said memory means in such a manner that when the detected value of one of the engine operating parameters equals or is greater than one of the predetermined rows of the matrix and less than the next greater row and the detected value of the other engine operating parameter equals or is greater than one of the predetermined columns and less than the next greater column, said control means accesses the address corresponding to the intersection of the predetermined row and column.

Claim 7

The digital control system according to claim 4, wherein said control means fetches the predetermined instruction from the accessed address in such a manner that said control means fetches the predetermined instruction by performing one of a plurality of predetermined bit-shift operations which is selected depending on which of four matrix cells the intersection of the two detected engine operating parameters falls, the four matrix cells being defined by the rows and columns immediately less than and greater than the two detected engine operating parameters an additional row corresponding to the average of the values of the above-mentioned rows, and an additional column corresponding to the average of the values of the above-mentioned columns.

Claim 8

An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control method for an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of: arranging in a memory device comprising a plurality of addresses capable of holding N bits of information each a plurality of instructions comprising n bits of information, n being less than half of N, at least two instructions being arranged according to corresponding bit arrangements in each address and each address corresponding to a range of combinations of at least two engine operating parameters; measuring at least two engine operating parameters pertinent to exhaust gas recirculation; retrieving the instructions from the memory address corresponding to the combination of the measured engine parameters; deriving one of said retrieved instructions by means of the corresponding bit arrangement selected in accordance with the relationship between the combination of the measured parameters and the range of combinations corresponding to the address from which said instructions were retrieved; and controlling the flow of atmospheric air and of exhaust into the engine in accordance with the derived instruction.

Claim 9

An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control method for an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of: arranging in a memory device comprising a plurality of addresses capable of holding N bits of information each a plurality of instructions comprising n bits of information, n being less than half of N, at least two instructions being arranged according to corresponding bit arrangements in each address and each address corresponding to a range of combinations of at least two engine operating parameters; measuring at least two engine operating parameters pertinent to exhaust gas recirculation; retrieving the instructions from the memory address corresponding to the combination of the measured engine parameters; deriving one of said retrieved instructions by means of the corresponding bit arrangement selected in accordance with the relationship between the combination of the measured parameters and the range of combinations corresponding to the address from which said instructions were retrieved; and controlling the flow of atmospheric air and of exhaust into the engine in accordance with the derived instruction.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6, wherein a throttle valve can be actuated to either a fully-open position or a partially-open position to regulate atmospheric air flow into the engine and an EGR valve can be actuated to either a fully-open position or a partially-open position to regulate exhaust gas flow into the engine, and wherein each of said instructions comprises two bits specifying one of the four possible combinations of positions of said valves.

Claim 11

The method of claim 6, wherein engine revolution speed and engine load are measured as the engine operating parameters in said measuring step.