Patent ID: 6275766
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: F02D

Abstract:
A method of improving the control quality of a vehicle engine having a rotatable and positionable crankshaft by prioritizing tasks to be performed by a microprocessor preprogrammed with an inventory of foreground and background engine tasks affecting the efficiency and performance of the vehicle, the method comprising:sensing the speed of rotation of the crankshaft to provide a first, second, or third signal indicative of respective low, medium, or high crankshaft speeds;sensing the position of the crankshaft to provide a fourth signal of the crankshaft position; andprocessing the signals to select:(a) foreground tasks for execution, if the fourth signal is received to indicate the crankshaft is at a predetermined position;(b) a first set of such foreground tasks for execution in a first manner, if the first signal is received to indicate a low crankshaft speed;(c) a second set of such foreground tasks for execution in a second manner, if the second signal is received to indicate a medium crankshaft speed; and(d) a third set of such foreground tasks for execution in a third manner, if the third signal is received to indicate a high crankshaft speed,whereby background engine tasks may be executed by the microprocessor based on the priority for execution such microprocessor accords the selection of first, second or third sets of the foreground tasks.