System and method for combined knock and torque timing control

Claim 1

A method for controlling ignition timing in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of: generating base ignition timing to create an ignition spark within the combustion chamber; indicating knock occurrence in the combustion chamber; providing a count of combustion events in the combustion chamber between two successive knock occurrences; retarding said base ignition timing by a first predetermined increment when said count is less than a first predetermined count; and advancing said base ignition timing by a second predetermined increment when said count is greater than a second predetermined count.

Claim 2

A method for controlling ignition timing in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of: generating base ignition timing to create an ignition spark within the combustion chamber; indicating knock occurrence in the combustion chamber; providing a count of combustion events in the combustion chamber between two successive knock occurrences; retarding said base ignition timing by a first predetermined increment when said count is less than a first predetermined count; and advancing said base ignition timing by a second predetermined increment when said count is greater than a second predetermined count.

Claim 5

A method for controlling ignition timing in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion chamber, comprising the steps of: detecting knock in the combustion chamber; generating a separate base ignition timing for each of a plurality of sets of engine speed and load operating conditions; retarding said base ignition timing a predetermined increment for each of said sets when a first predetermined number of engine cycles occur between two successive knock detections at said engine speed and load operating conditions of said set; and advancing said base ignition timing for said set a second predetermined amount when a second predetermined number of engine cycles occur before a second one of said successive knock detections is detected at said engine speed and load operating conditions of said set.

Claim 6

A method for controlling ignition timing in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion chamber, comprising the steps of: detecting knock in the combustion chamber; generating a separate base ignition timing for each of a plurality of sets of engine speed and load operating conditions; retarding said base ignition timing a predetermined increment for each of said sets when a first predetermined number of engine cycles occur between two successive knock detections at said engine speed and load operating conditions of said set; and advancing said base ignition timing for said set a second predetermined amount when a second predetermined number of engine cycles occur before a second one of said successive knock detections is detected at said engine speed and load operating conditions of said set.

Claim 10

A system for controlling ignition timing of a combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine, comprising: indicating means for providing an indication of knock in the combustion chamber; ignition means for providing a base ignition timing to the combustion chamber; counting means for providing a count of cyclical events of the combustion chamber between two successive knock indications; and ignition trim means for retarding said base ignition timing by a predetermined amount when said count is less than a first predetermined count and for advancing said base ignition timing when said count reaches a second predetermined count.

Claim 11

A system for controlling ignition timing of a combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine, comprising: indicating means for providing an indication of knock in the combustion chamber; ignition means for providing a base ignition timing to the combustion chamber; counting means for providing a count of cyclical events of the combustion chamber between two successive knock indications; and ignition trim means for retarding said base ignition timing by a predetermined amount when said count is less than a first predetermined count and for advancing said base ignition timing when said count reaches a second predetermined count.

Claim 14

An apparatus for controlling ignition timing in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising: detecting means for detecting knock in the combustion chamber; first storage means for storing a plurality of base ignition timing signals corresponding to an equal plurality of engine speed and load operating points; trimming means for optimizing torque output of the combustion chamber by providing MBT trim signals in response to a measurement of combustion pressure at each of said speed and load operating points; second storage means for storing each of said MBT trim signals in storage locations corresponding to said speed and load operating points; control means for counting combustion events between two successive knock detections at each of said speed and load operating points, said control means providing a retard signal when said count is less than a first predetermined count and providing an advance signal when said count is greater than a second predetermined count; an accumulator for each of said speed and load operating points, each of said accumulators being incremented by said retard signal and decremented by said advance signal to generate an accumulated knock trim signals; and ignition means for providing the ignition timing to the combustion chamber at each of said speed and load operating points by combining one of said base timing signals from said first storage means and a corresponding one of said MBT trim signals from said second storage means and a corresponding one of said accumulated knock trim signals from a corresponding one of said accumulators.

Claim 15

An apparatus for controlling ignition timing in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising: detecting means for detecting knock in the combustion chamber; first storage means for storing a plurality of base ignition timing signals corresponding to an equal plurality of engine speed and load operating points; trimming means for optimizing torque output of the combustion chamber by providing MBT trim signals in response to a measurement of combustion pressure at each of said speed and load operating points; second storage means for storing each of said MBT trim signals in storage locations corresponding to said speed and load operating points; control means for counting combustion events between two successive knock detections at each of said speed and load operating points, said control means providing a retard signal when said count is less than a first predetermined count and providing an advance signal when said count is greater than a second predetermined count; an accumulator for each of said speed and load operating points, each of said accumulators being incremented by said retard signal and decremented by said advance signal to generate an accumulated knock trim signals; and ignition means for providing the ignition timing to the combustion chamber at each of said speed and load operating points by combining one of said base timing signals from said first storage means and a corresponding one of said MBT trim signals from said second storage means and a corresponding one of said accumulated knock trim signals from a corresponding one of said accumulators.