Learning system for ignition control

Claim 1

A method for optimizing power in an internal combustion engine having cylinder combustion events related to a timing reference, comprising the steps of: offsetting the timing reference; calculating pressure differences in the cylinders between successive combustion events resulting from said offsetting step; and updating the timing reference when said pressure differences indicate said offset timing reference converges towards a value associated with optimal power.

Claim 2

A method for optimizing power in an internal combustion engine having cylinder combustion events related to a timing reference, comprising the steps of: offsetting the timing reference; calculating pressure differences in the cylinders between successive combustion events resulting from said offsetting step; and updating the timing reference when said pressure differences indicate said offset timing reference converges towards a value associated with optimal power.

Claim 6

A method for optimizing power output in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine by updating an ignition timing reference wherein cylinder combustion events are related to the ignition timing reference, comprising the steps of: generating said ignition timing reference; generating test intervals related in timing to said timing reference; offsetting said ignition timing reference during every other one of said test intervals; calculating pressure differences in each cylinder between successive test intervals; averaging said pressure differences; determining whether said average value is converging; and updating said ignition timing reference in response to said determination step.

Claim 7

A method for optimizing power output in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine by updating an ignition timing reference wherein cylinder combustion events are related to the ignition timing reference, comprising the steps of: generating said ignition timing reference; generating test intervals related in timing to said timing reference; offsetting said ignition timing reference during every other one of said test intervals; calculating pressure differences in each cylinder between successive test intervals; averaging said pressure differences; determining whether said average value is converging; and updating said ignition timing reference in response to said determination step.

Claim 11

A method for optimizing power output in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine by updating an ignition timing reference wherein cylinder combustion events are related to the ignition timing reference, comprising the steps of: providing said ignition timing reference from stored values in response to an indication of engine speed and engine load; generating test intervals for each of the cylinders related in timing to a combustion event; offsetting said ignition timing reference during every other one of said test intervals for each of the cylinders; calculating pressure differences in each of the cylinders between successive ones of said test interval; providing an averaged value related to said pressure differences for each of the cylinders; determining whether each of said averaged values is converging; and updating said stored values of ignition timing references for each of the cylinders in response to said determination step.

Claim 12

A method for optimizing power output in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine by updating an ignition timing reference wherein cylinder combustion events are related to the ignition timing reference, comprising the steps of: providing said ignition timing reference from stored values in response to an indication of engine speed and engine load; generating test intervals for each of the cylinders related in timing to a combustion event; offsetting said ignition timing reference during every other one of said test intervals for each of the cylinders; calculating pressure differences in each of the cylinders between successive ones of said test interval; providing an averaged value related to said pressure differences for each of the cylinders; determining whether each of said averaged values is converging; and updating said stored values of ignition timing references for each of the cylinders in response to said determination step.

Claim 13

A method for optimizing power in a combustion cylinder of an internal combustion engine wherein each combustion event is related to a timing reference, comprising the steps of: generating learning intervals related in time to said timing reference; offsetting said timing reference during one of said learning interval such that said timing reference is offset in time from said timing reference during a previous one of said learning intervals; calculating differences in pressure generated by said cylinder between said learning interval and said previous learning interval; indicating in response to said pressure difference calculation when said offset timing reference converges towards a value associated with optimal power; and updating said timing reference when said convergence is indicated.

Claim 14

A method for optimizing power in a combustion cylinder of an internal combustion engine wherein each combustion event is related to a timing reference, comprising the steps of: generating learning intervals related in time to said timing reference; offsetting said timing reference during one of said learning interval such that said timing reference is offset in time from said timing reference during a previous one of said learning intervals; calculating differences in pressure generated by said cylinder between said learning interval and said previous learning interval; indicating in response to said pressure difference calculation when said offset timing reference converges towards a value associated with optimal power; and updating said timing reference when said convergence is indicated.

Claim 17

A method for optimizing power in each combustion cylinder of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein each combustion event in each cylinder is related to ignition power applied to a spark plug coupled to the cylinder, comprising the steps of: generating a separate timing reference for each of the cylinders wherein the application of ignition power is responsive to said timing reference; generating learning intervals related in time to said timing reference for each of the cylinders; offsetting said timing reference during said learning interval such that said timing reference is offset in time from said timing reference during a previous one of said learning intervals; calculating differences in pressure generated by the cylinder between said learning interval and said previous learning interval; providing an indication of whether said offset timing reference is converging towards a value associated with optimal power, said providing step being responsive to said pressure differences; and updating said timing reference when said convergence is indicated.

Claim 18

A method for optimizing power in each combustion cylinder of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein each combustion event in each cylinder is related to ignition power applied to a spark plug coupled to the cylinder, comprising the steps of: generating a separate timing reference for each of the cylinders wherein the application of ignition power is responsive to said timing reference; generating learning intervals related in time to said timing reference for each of the cylinders; offsetting said timing reference during said learning interval such that said timing reference is offset in time from said timing reference during a previous one of said learning intervals; calculating differences in pressure generated by the cylinder between said learning interval and said previous learning interval; providing an indication of whether said offset timing reference is converging towards a value associated with optimal power, said providing step being responsive to said pressure differences; and updating said timing reference when said convergence is indicated.

Claim 20

An apparatus for optimizing power in a combustion cylinder of an internal combustion engine wherein each combustion event is related to a timing reference, comprising: interval means for generating learning intervals related in time to said timing reference; offset means for offsetting said timing references during said learning intervals such that said timing reference is offset in time from said timing reference during a previous one of said learning intervals; calculating means for calculating differences in pressure generated by said cylinder between said learning interval and said previous learning interval; indicating means responsive to said calculating means for indicating when said offset timing reference converges towards a value associated with optimal power; and update means for updating said timing reference when said convergence is indicated.

Claim 21

An apparatus for optimizing power in a combustion cylinder of an internal combustion engine wherein each combustion event is related to a timing reference, comprising: interval means for generating learning intervals related in time to said timing reference; offset means for offsetting said timing references during said learning intervals such that said timing reference is offset in time from said timing reference during a previous one of said learning intervals; calculating means for calculating differences in pressure generated by said cylinder between said learning interval and said previous learning interval; indicating means responsive to said calculating means for indicating when said offset timing reference converges towards a value associated with optimal power; and update means for updating said timing reference when said convergence is indicated.

Claim 24

An apparatus for optimizing power in each combustion cylinder of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein each combustion event in each cylinder is related to ignition power applied to a spark plug coupled to the cylinder, comprising: generating means for generating a separate timing reference for each of the cylinders wherein the application of ignition power is responsive to said timing reference; interval means for generating learning intervals related in time to said timing reference for each of the cylinders; offset means for offsetting said timing reference during said learning interval such that such timing reference is offset in time from said timing reference during a previous one of said learning intervals; calculating means for calculating differences in pressure generated by the cylinder between said learning interval and said previous learning interval; indicating means responsive to said calculating means for providing an indication of whether said offset timing reference is converging towards a value associated with optimal power; and updating means for updating said timing reference when said convergence is indicated.

Claim 25

An apparatus for optimizing power in each combustion cylinder of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein each combustion event in each cylinder is related to ignition power applied to a spark plug coupled to the cylinder, comprising: generating means for generating a separate timing reference for each of the cylinders wherein the application of ignition power is responsive to said timing reference; interval means for generating learning intervals related in time to said timing reference for each of the cylinders; offset means for offsetting said timing reference during said learning interval such that such timing reference is offset in time from said timing reference during a previous one of said learning intervals; calculating means for calculating differences in pressure generated by the cylinder between said learning interval and said previous learning interval; indicating means responsive to said calculating means for providing an indication of whether said offset timing reference is converging towards a value associated with optimal power; and updating means for updating said timing reference when said convergence is indicated.