Engine load transient compensation system

Claim 2

An engine load transient compensation system comprising: a plurality of switch means each of which, in response to actuation thereof, provides an associated digital switch signal which in turn implements providing an associated output load to an engine receiving a predetermined fuel mixture; circuitry means coupled to said plurality of switch means for receiving said digital switch signals and developing, in response thereto, a composite signal having a signal characteristic related to the total amount of engine load to be provided in accordance with all of said digital switch signals; transient detection means separate from and coupled to said circuitry means for receiving said composite signal as an input and determining a predetermined change in said signal characteristic over a time interval by monitoring said composite signal, rather than by separately monitoring each of said digital switch signals and for providing, in response thereto, a control signal; control means coupled to said transient detection means for receiving said control signal and implementing control of said engine in response to said control signal, wherein said circuitry means receives said digital switch signals and provides in response thereto an analog signal as said composite signal with the magnitude of said analog signal corresponding to said signal characteristic, and said analog signal magnitude being related to the total amount of engine load provided in accordance with actuation of all of said switch means.

Claim 3

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 1 wherein said transient detection means comprises a microprocessor means for receiving said analog signal, effectively sampling the magnitude of said analog signal, determining when said signal magnitude exceeds a predetermined magnitude change over an interval of time and providing, in response thereto, said control signal.

Claim 4

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 2 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for providing said control signal with an effective magnitude which varies in accordance with the degree of change in the magnitude of said composite signal.

Claim 5

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 3 wherein the degree of change in said effective magnitude of said control signal is proportional to the degree of change of said composite signal.

Claim 6

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 2 wherein said control means includes means responsive to said control signal for controlling the fuel mixture supplied to said engine.

Claim 7

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 1 wherein said circuitry means comprises a plurality of predetermined resistors each associated with one of said switch means and series coupled between said associated switch means and a summing terminal at which said composite signal is provided, said summing terminal provided as an input to said transient detector means.

Claim 8

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 6 wherein each of said resistors has a magnitude related to the degree of engine load implemented in response to activation of the switch means associated with each of said resistors, respectively.

Claim 9

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 7 wherein the ratio of the magnitudes of each of said resistors to one another is approximately inversely proportional to the ratio of the magnitudes of the engine loads implemented in response to activation of the switch means associated with each of said resistors, respectively.

Claim 10

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 8 wherein said summing terminal is coupled as an input to a microprocessor means.

Claim 11

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 9 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for effectively sampling the magnitude of said analog signal, determining when said signal exceeds a predetermined magnitude change over an interval of time and providing, in response thereto, said control signal.

Claim 12

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 10 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for determining said time interval.

Claim 13

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 6 wherein said summing ternimal is coupled as an input to a microprocessor means.

Claim 14

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 12 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for effectively sampling the magnitude of said analog signal, determining when said signal exceeds a predetermined magnitude change over an interval of time and providing, in response thereto, said control signal.

Claim 15

An engine load transient compensation system according to claim 13 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for determining said time interval.

Claim 16

A load transient compensation system comprising: a plurality of switch means each of which, in response to actuation thereof, provides an associated digital switch signal which in turn implements providing an associated output load to an apparatus controlled in accordance with at least one received control input; circuitry means coupled to said plurality of switch means for receiving said digital switch signals and developing, in response thereto, a composite signal having a signal characteristic related to the total amount of load to be provided in accordance with all of said digital switch signals; transient detection means separate from and coupled to said circuitry means for receiving said composite signal as an input and determining a predetermined change in said signal characteristic over a time interval by monitoring said composite signal, rather than by separately monitoring each of said digital switch signals, and for providing, in response thereto, a control signal; control means coupled to said transient detection means for receiving said control signal and implementing control of said apparatus in response to said control signal, wherein said circuitry means receives said digital switch signals and provides in response thereto an analog signal as said composite signal with the magnitude of said analog signal corresponding to said signal characteristic, and said analog signal magnitude being related to the total amount of load provided in accordance with actuation of all of said switch means.

Claim 17

A load transient compensation system comprising: a plurality of switch means each of which, in response to actuation thereof, provides an associated digital switch signal which in turn implements providing an associated output load to an apparatus controlled in accordance with at least one received control input; circuitry means coupled to said plurality of switch means for receiving said digital switch signals and developing, in response thereto, a composite signal having a signal characteristic related to the total amount of load to be provided in accordance with all of said digital switch signals; transient detection means separate from and coupled to said circuitry means for receiving said composite signal as an input and determining a predetermined change in said signal characteristic over a time interval by monitoring said composite signal, rather than by separately monitoring each of said digital switch signals, and for providing, in response thereto, a control signal; control means coupled to said transient detection means for receiving said control signal and implementing control of said apparatus in response to said control signal, wherein said circuitry means receives said digital switch signals and provides in response thereto an analog signal as said composite signal with the magnitude of said analog signal corresponding to said signal characteristic, and said analog signal magnitude being related to the total amount of load provided in accordance with actuation of all of said switch means.

Claim 18

A load transient compensation system according to claim 15 wherein said transient detection means comprises a microprocessor means for receiving said analog signal, effectively sampling the magnitude of said analog signal, determining when said signal magnitude exceeds a predetermined magnitude change over an interval of time and providing, in response thereto, said control signal.

Claim 19

A load transient compensation system according to claim 16 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for providing said control signal with an effective magnitude which varies in accordance with the degree of change in the magnitude of said composite signal.

Claim 20

A load transient compensation system according to claim 17 wherein the degree of change in said effective magnitude of said control signal is proportional to the degree of change of said composite signal.

Claim 21

A load transient compensation system according to claim 16 wherein said control means includes means responsive to said control signal for controlling said control input supplied to said engine.

Claim 22

A load transient compensation system according to claim 15 wherein said circuitry means comprises a plurality of predetermined resistors each associated with one of said switch means and series coupled between said associated switch means and a summing terminal at which said composite signal is provided, said summing terminal provided as an input to said transient detector means.

Claim 23

A load transient compensation system according to claim 20 wherein each of said resistors has a magnitude related to the degree of load implemented in response to activation of the switch means associated with each of said resistors, respectively.

Claim 24

A load transient compensation system according to claim 21 wherein the ratio of the magnitudes of each of said resistors to one another is approximately inversely proportional to the ratio of the magnitudes of the loads implemented in response to activation of the switch means associated with each of said resistors, respectively.

Claim 25

A load transient compensation system according to claim 22 wherein said summing terminal is coupled as an input to a microprocessor means.

Claim 26

A load transient compensation system according to claim 23 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for effectively sampling the magnitude of said analog signal, determining when said signal exceeds a predetermined magnitude change over an interval of time and providing, in response thereto, said control signal.

Claim 27

A load transient compensation system according to claim 24 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for determining said time interval.

Claim 28

A load transient compensation system according to claim 20 wherein said summing terminal is coupled aa an input to a microprocessor means.

Claim 29

A load transient compensation system according to claim 26 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for effectively sampling the magnitude of said analog signal, determining when said signal exceeds a predetermined magnitude change over an interval of time and providing, in response thereto, said control signal.

Claim 30

A load transient compensation system according to claim 27 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for determining said time interval.