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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Digital timing method for spark advance

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5856547
A method is described for controlling the point in time within a time interval ..delta..A of an output pulse for setting spark firing of an engine, the time interval ..delta..A corresponding to the speed at which the engine is running, the time interval ..delta..A being represented by a counted number of clock pulses which occur at a first, given clock rate. The method consists of the steps of: repeatedly combining a quantity which is proportional to a desired spark advance with itself at a second clock rate which is related to but less than the first given clock rate, where the quantity may assume one or more values during the course of the combining step; producing the output pulse when the combined quantity equals or exceeds the counted number of clock pulses, so that the point in time of the output pulse is a function of the value or values assigned to the quantity during the combining step; and setting the spark firing of the engine based on the point in time of the output pulse.
Assignee:
RCA Corp., Princeton, NJ
Patent Number(s):
US 4575809
OSTI ID:
5856547
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English