Apparatus for electronic engine control with performance check for the final ignition stage

Claim 1

An apparatus for electronic engine control, comprising an electrical control circuit for controlling a final ignition stage as a function of engine parameters including an engine speed and an engine temperature, said electrical control circuit including at least one sensor arranged at one of at least one ignition cable leading to spark plug means of the engine and a cable leading from an ignition coil to a distributor rotor arm, for detecting an ignition voltage and generating a control signal in response to activation of the final ignition stage, and control means for effecting a performance check of the final ignition stage in response to the control signal, said control means emitting an error flag when the control signal deviates from a predetermined control signal, said electrical control circuit also including a counter to which the error flag is fed as a counting pulse, fuel injection being switched off when a reference counter state is reached, said control means including a read-only memory for storing a reference counter state, and a battery-buffered memory for storing an actual counter state, the fuel injection being first switched on again when a thrust cut-off is effected by release of an accelerator pedal.

Claim 2

An apparatus for electronic engine control, comprising an electrical control circuit for controlling a final ignition stage as a function of engine parameters including an engine speed and an engine temperature, said electrical control circuit including at least one sensor arranged at one of at least one ignition cable leading to spark plug means of the engine and a cable leading from an ignition coil to a distributor rotor arm, for detecting an ignition voltage and generating a control signal in response to activation of the final ignition stage, and control means for effecting a performance check of the final ignition stage in response to the control signal, said control means emitting an error flag when the control signal deviates from a predetermined control signal, said electrical control circuit also including a counter to which the error flag is fed as a counting pulse, fuel injection being switched off when a reference counter state is reached, said control means including a read-only memory for storing a reference counter state, and a battery-buffered memory for storing an actual counter state, the fuel injection being first switched on again when a thrust cut-off is effected by release of an accelerator pedal.