US5056360A — Selection of velocity interval for power stroke a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 191 words

A method for determining crankshaft acceleration corresponding to individual power strokes of an internal combustion engine, said method comprising the steps of: providing position signals at predetermined points of the rotation of said combustion engine, said points being at substantially regularly spaced rotation angles such that at least one position signal occurs during every power stroke; establishing one velocity measurement interval for each power stroke, each velocity measurement interval including between about 45° and 180° of rotation of said crankshaft; measuring a time period during each respective velocity measurement interval; and calculating said acceleration corresponding to each individual power stroke as a function of the difference between the time period for each individual power stroke and the time period for the next successive power stroke; wherein each velocity measurement interval has a phase in relation to its respective power stroke such that a loss of power occurring in a particular power stroke causes a drop in the calculated acceleration corresponding to said particular power stroke and causes a smaller but substantially equal drop in the calculated accelerations corresponding to the power strokes immediately preceding and immediately following said particular power stroke.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 191 words

A method for determining crankshaft acceleration corresponding to individual power strokes of an internal combustion engine, said method comprising the steps of: providing position signals at predetermined points of the rotation of said combustion engine, said points being at substantially regularly spaced rotation angles such that at least one position signal occurs during every power stroke; establishing one velocity measurement interval for each power stroke, each velocity measurement interval including between about 45° and 180° of rotation of said crankshaft; measuring a time period during each respective velocity measurement interval; and calculating said acceleration corresponding to each individual power stroke as a function of the difference between the time period for each individual power stroke and the time period for the next successive power stroke; wherein each velocity measurement interval has a phase in relation to its respective power stroke such that a loss of power occurring in a particular power stroke causes a drop in the calculated acceleration corresponding to said particular power stroke and causes a smaller but substantially equal drop in the calculated accelerations corresponding to the power strokes immediately preceding and immediately following said particular power stroke.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 170 words

A method for determining crankshaft acceleration corresponding to individual power strokes of an internal combustion engine, said method comprising the steps of: providing position signals at predetermined points of the rotation of said combustion engine, said points being at substantially regularly spaced rotation angles such that at least one position signal occurs during every power stroke; measuring a first time period of rotation through a first rotation interval defined by first selected position signals separated by at least about 45° of rotation and measuring a second time period of rotation through a second rotation interval defined by second selected position signals separated by at least about 45° of rotation, each rotation interval including at least a portion of a selected power stroke, said first and second rotation intervals being substantially symmetrical with respect to a rotational position within said selected power stroke where a maximum acceleration would approximately occur during a proper firing thereof; and determining said acceleration based on the difference between said first and second measured time periods.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 170 words

A method for determining crankshaft acceleration corresponding to individual power strokes of an internal combustion engine, said method comprising the steps of: providing position signals at predetermined points of the rotation of said combustion engine, said points being at substantially regularly spaced rotation angles such that at least one position signal occurs during every power stroke; measuring a first time period of rotation through a first rotation interval defined by first selected position signals separated by at least about 45° of rotation and measuring a second time period of rotation through a second rotation interval defined by second selected position signals separated by at least about 45° of rotation, each rotation interval including at least a portion of a selected power stroke, said first and second rotation intervals being substantially symmetrical with respect to a rotational position within said selected power stroke where a maximum acceleration would approximately occur during a proper firing thereof; and determining said acceleration based on the difference between said first and second measured time periods.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said position signals are in the form of a square wave having one positive transition per power stroke.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 3 wherein said positive transition occurs near the beginning of each power stroke and wherein said square wave has a negative transition at each rotational position substantially halfway between successive positive transitions.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 4 wherein said first selected position signals and said second selected position signals are all comprised of a negative transition.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 2 wherein the end of said first rotation interval and the beginning of said second rotation interval substantially conincide with a rotational position halfway between the beginning of said selected power stroke and the beginning of the next successive power stroke.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said first rotation interval has a midpoint substantially coincident with the beginning of said selected power stroke and wherein said second rotation interval has a midpoint substantially coincident with the beginning of the next successive power stroke.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said first rotation interval further includes a portion of the power stroke immediately preceding said selected power stroke.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said second rotation interval further includes a portion of the power stroke immediately succeeding said selected power stroke.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 2 wherein said second time period becomes a first time period for determining an acceleration corresponding to the power stroke immediately succeeding said selected power stroke.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 182 words

Apparatus for measuring acceleration corresponding to individual power strokes of an internal combustion engine comprising: position sensor means for generating position signals at predetermined rotational positions of said engine, at least one predetermined rotational position occurring during each power stroke of said engine; a clock generating clock pulses at a frequency equal to at least about 1 megahertz; interval means coupled to said position sensor means and said clock for counting said clock pulses during a first rotation interval and during a second rotation interval to obtain first and second counts, respectively, said first and second rotation intervals each including at least about 45° of rotation of said engine and at least a portion of a selected power stroke, said first and second rotation intervals being substantially symmetrical with respect to a point within said selected power stroke where a maximum acceleration would approximately occur during a proper firing thereof; and calculating means coupled to said interval means for calculating said acceleration corresponding to said selected power stroke in proportion to the difference of the reciprocals of said first and second counts.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 182 words

Apparatus for measuring acceleration corresponding to individual power strokes of an internal combustion engine comprising: position sensor means for generating position signals at predetermined rotational positions of said engine, at least one predetermined rotational position occurring during each power stroke of said engine; a clock generating clock pulses at a frequency equal to at least about 1 megahertz; interval means coupled to said position sensor means and said clock for counting said clock pulses during a first rotation interval and during a second rotation interval to obtain first and second counts, respectively, said first and second rotation intervals each including at least about 45° of rotation of said engine and at least a portion of a selected power stroke, said first and second rotation intervals being substantially symmetrical with respect to a point within said selected power stroke where a maximum acceleration would approximately occur during a proper firing thereof; and calculating means coupled to said interval means for calculating said acceleration corresponding to said selected power stroke in proportion to the difference of the reciprocals of said first and second counts.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said position sensor means is comprised of: a rotor for rotation with the crankshaft of said engine having reference marks at predetermined positions; and stationary pickup means for sensing the passage of said reference marks.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said position signals are comprised of an electrical square wave having alternate rising and falling edges.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 56 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein one rising edge and one falling edge occurs between the beginning points of successive power strokes, said first rotation interval ending and said second rotation interval beginning at the rising or falling edge occurring at a position nearest to a midpoint at or just before halfway between said beginning points.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-10-14	1995-04-15	1995-10-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-10-14	1999-04-15	1999-10-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-10-14	2003-04-15	2003-10-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Selection of velocity interval for power stroke acceleration measurements

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