Abstrict Disclosed is a thermal flow meter which is relatively inexpensive
and operates with high accuracy and reliability, and a fuel controller
using the thermal flow meter adapted for internal combustion engines.
The thermal flow meter comprises a sensor unit for detecting a flow
rate signal, a reference power supply for generating a reference
signal, and a signal switch for selectively outputting the flow
rate signal from the sensor unit and the reference signal from the
reference power supply. The flow rate signal and the reference signal
are alternately output from the same output terminal.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A thermal flow meter comprising:
a flow rate detecting unit for detecting a flow rate signal,
a reference power supply for generating a reference signal,
a switch for selectively outputting the flow rate signal from said
flow rate detecting unit and the reference signal from said reference
power supply; and
a timing signal generator, wherein said switch selectively outputs
the flow rate signal and the reference signal in response to a timing
signal from said timing signal generator.
2. A thermal flow meter according to claim 1 further comprising
an amplifier for amplifying the flow rate signal and the reference
signal and then outputting the amplified signals as voltage signals.
3. A thermal flow meter according to claim 1 further comprising
an amnplifier for amplifying the flow rate signal and the reference
signal and then outputting the amplified signals as current signals.
4. A thermal flow meter according to claim 1 wherein plural items
of information are output via a single transmission line by using
plural factors selected from among a frequency, duty cycle and voltage
level which are contained in the flow rate signal.
5. A fuel controller comprising:
a thermal flow meter comprising a flow rate detecting unit for
detecting a flow rate signal, a reference power supply for generating
a reference signal, and a switch for selectively outputting the
flow rate signal from said flow rate detecting unit and the reference
signal from said reference power supply;
a timing signal generator, wherein said switch selectively outputs
the flow rate signal and the reference signal in response to a timing
signal from said timing signal generator; and
a signal processor for calculating a flow rate of fuel based on
the flow rate signal and the reference signal, from said thermal
flow meter.
6. A fuel controller according to claim 5 wherein said signal
processor discriminates an input signal from said thermal flow meter
and handles the input signal as the reference signal when the input
signal is outside a range of the flow rate signal.
7. A fuel controller according to claim 5 wherein said signal
processor determines said thermal flow meter to be failed when the
input signal from said thermal flow meter exceeds a predetermined
value and continues for a predetermined time.
8. A fuel controller according to claim 5 wherein an input impedance
of said signal processor is set to be low.
9. A fuel controller according to claim 5 wherein said signal
processor comprises an A/D converter and a microcomputer.
10. A fuel controller according to claim 9 wherein the reference
signal from said thermal flow meter is held and the held reference
signal is used as a reference voltage for said A/D converter.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal flow meter for detecting
the flow rate of a fluid with a thermosenstive resistance, and more
particularly to a thermal flow meter outputting a pulse-like signal
corresponding to the flow rate of a fluid, and a fuel controller
using the thermal flow meter adapted for, e.g., internal combustion
engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, very high accuracy is required in flow rate conversion
that is to be performed on a signal of a thermal flow meter in a
fuel controller for, e.g., internal combustion engines. Therefore,
a high-accuracy reference power supply is provided in the fuel controller,
and A/D conversion is made on a flow rate signal on the basis of
the reference power supply.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example in which a conventional
thermal flow meter outputting a voltage signal is employed in a
fuel controller for internal combustion engines.
In FIG. 9 a thermal flow meter 1 is connected to a fuel injection
controller 2 which comprises a high-accuracy reference power supply
3 an A/D converter 4 and a microcomputer 5. The thermal flow meter
1 includes an amplifier (not shown) which amplifies a flow rate
signal applied thereto and outputs an amplified signal.
A voltage signal output from the thermal flow meter 1 is applied
to the A/D converter 4 in the fuel injection controller 2 and the
applied voltage signal is A/D-converted on the basis of the high-accuracy
reference power supply 3. A resulting digital signal is used to
carry out a process of fuel injection amount control in the microcomputer
5.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example in which a conventional
thermal flow meter outputting a current signal is employed in a
fuel controller for internal combustion engines, the example being
disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-216420.
In FIG. 10 a high-accuracy reference resistance 6 is disposed
between the input side of an A/D converter 4 and the ground side.
The other structure is the same as shown in FIG. 9.
In this example, a current signal output from a thermal flow meter
1 is subjected to current/voltage transformation (I/V transformation)
by the high-accuracy reference resistance 6 in a fuel injection
controller 2 and then applied to the A/D converter 4. The applied
voltage signal is A/D-converted on the basis of a high-accuracy
reference power supply 3. A resulting digital signal is used to
carry out a process of fuel injection amount control in a microcomputer
5.
If a resistance value of the high-accuracy reference resistance
6 has a temperature characteristic or changes depending on the individuals,
a resulting variation directly gives rise to an error of the flow
rate. For this reason, the high-accuracy reference resistance 6
is usually formed of a resistor which is expensive and has very
high accuracy.
In the conventional thermal flow meters, however, when it is used
in combination with the fuel injection controller, the high-accuracy
reference power supply is required for the A/D converter in the
fuel injection controller to suppress an error that may occur during
the A/D conversion. Also, in the thermal flow meter outputting a
current signal, a high-accuracy reference resistance, which has
a superior temperature characteristic or small variations (in temperature
characteristic, resistance value, etc.) depending on the individuals,
is required to suppress an error that may occur in the current/voltage
transformation. There has been hence a problem that the conventional
thermal flow meters are necessarily expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With a view of solving the problem as set forth above, an object
of the present invention is to provide a thermal flow meter which
is relatively inexpensive and operates with high accuracy and reliability,
and a fuel controller using the thermal flow meter adapted for internal
combustion engines.
A thermal flow meter according to a first aspect of the present
invention comprises a flow rate detecting unit for detecting a flow
rate signal, a reference power supply for generating a reference
signal, and switching means for selectively outputting the flow
rate signal from the flow rate detecting unit and the reference
signal from the reference power supply. With the first aspect of
the present invention, the flow rate signal and the reference signal
can be transmitted by one signal line. Therefore, highly accurate
signals can be transmitted without being affected by resistance
components of the line and an interface, etc. Further, the number
of transmission lines can be reduced.
A thermal flow meter according to a second aspect of the present
invention further comprises timing signal generating means, in addition
to the first aspect, wherein the switching means selectively outputs
the flow rate signal and the reference signal in response to a timing
signal from the timing signal generating means. With the second
aspect of the present invention, the need of inputting the timing
signal from the outside is eliminated and the number of transmission
lines can be reduced.
A thermal flow meter according to a third aspect of the present
invention further comprises, in addition to the first aspect, amplifying
means for amplifying the flow rate signal and the reference signal
and then outputting the amplified signals as voltage signals. With
the third aspect of the present invention, the flow rate can be
measured without being affected by the accuracy of the amplifying
means.
A thermal flow meter according to a fourth aspect of the present
invention further comprises, in addition to the first aspect, amplifying
means for amplifying the flow rate signal and the reference signal
and then outputting the amplified signals as current signals. With
the fourth aspect of the present invention, the effect of a difference
in GND potential between the thermal flow meter and a fuel controller,
for example, connected to the thermal flow meter can be eliminated.
In a thermal flow meter according to a fifth aspect of the present
invention, in addition to the first aspect, plural items of information
are output via a single transmission line by using plural factors
selected from among a frequency, duty and voltage level which are
contained in the flow rate signal. With the fifth aspect of the
present invention, the number of transmission lines can be reduced.
A fuel controller according to a sixth aspect of the present invention
is made up of a thermal flow meter comprising a flow rate detecting
unit for detecting a flow rate signal, a reference power supply
for generating a reference signal, and switching means for selectively
outputting the flow rate signal from the flow rate detecting unit
and the reference signal from the reference power supply, and signal
processing means for calculating a flow rate of fuel based on the
flow rate signal and the reference signal from the thermal flow
meter. With the sixth aspect of the present invention, the flow
rate of fuel can be controlled without being affected by the accuracy
of a current detecting resistance in a fuel control system.
In a fuel controller according to a seventh aspect of the present
invention, in addition to the sixth aspect, the signal processing
means discriminates an input signal from the thermal flow meter
and handles the input signal as the reference signal when the input
signal is outside a range of the flow rate signal. With the seventh
aspect of the present invention, the flow meter signal and the reference
signal can be easily discriminated from each other.
A fuel controller according to an eighth aspect of the present
invention, in addition to the sixth aspect, the signal processing
means determines the thermal flow meter to be failed when the input
signal from the thermal flow meter exceeds a predetermined value
and continues for a predetermined time. With the eighth aspect of
the present invention, since a time factor is essentially added
as one of the conditions for failure determination, erroneous failure
determination can be avoided even if the reference signal has a
level falling within the range set for the failure determination.
A fuel controller according to a ninth aspect of the present invention,
in addition to the sixth aspect, an input impedance of the signal
processing means is set to be low. In the thermal flow meter outputting
a voltage signal, particularly, a current amount passing the signal
line can be increased without reducing accuracy. With the ninth
aspect of the present invention, an improvement in contact reliability
and noise resistance of a signal transmission system, which includes
contact resistance of a connector, etc., can be therefore realized.
A fuel controller according to a tenth aspect of the present invention,
in addition to the sixth aspect, the signal processing means is
constituted by an A/D converter and a microcomputer. With the tenth
aspect of the present invention, the configuration of the fuel controller
can be simplified.
A fuel controller according to an eleventh aspect of the present
invention, in addition to the tenth aspect, the reference signal
from the thermal flow meter is held and the held reference signal
is used as a reference voltage for the A/D converter. With the eleventh
aspect of the present invention, the need of executing a division
of in the process of calculating the flow rate of fuel is eliminated
and hence the processing speed can be increased.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a principal part of Embodiment
1 of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a chart for explaining the operation of Embodiment 1
of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of Embodiment
1 of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a principal part of Embodiment
2 of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of Embodiment
3 of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a chart for explaining Embodiment 6 of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a conventional fuel controller.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing another conventional fuel controller.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described
below with reference to the drawings, taking as an example the case
where the invention is applied to a fuel controller for internal
combustion engines.
Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
In FIG. 1 components corresponding to those in FIG. 9 are denoted
by the same reference numerals and the detailed description thereof
is omitted here.
As shown in FIG. 1 a fuel controller comprises a thermal flow
meter 1A outputting a voltage signal, and a fuel injection controller
2A. The fuel injection controller 2A includes an A/D converter 4
and a microcomputer 5A. Incidentally, the A/D converter 4 and the
microcomputer 5A cooperatively constitute signal processing means.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one example of internal configuration
of the thermal flow meter 1A.
In FIG. 2 the thermal flow meter 1A comprises a reference power
supply 7 for generating a reference signal, a sensor unit 8 for
generating a flow rate signal, an oscillator 9 as timing signal
generating means, for alternately outputting H (high-level)/L (low-level)
signals at a predetermined cycle, signal switching means 10 for
switching over the reference signal and the flow rate signal in
response to an output of the oscillator 9 an amplifier 11 as amplifying
means, for amplifying the reference signal and the flow rate signal
selectively output from the signal switching means 10 and a jumper
line 12 disposed between the output side of the sensor unit 8 and
the input side of the amplifier 11.
The operation of Embodiment 1 will now be described with reference
to FIGS. 3 and 4.
In the thermal flow meter 1A, as seen from FIG. 3 the signal switching
means 10 switches over a reference signal VR' and a flow rate signal
VQ' at the timing (e.g., falling) of a square-wave signal PS from
the oscillator 9 so that the reference signal VR' and the flow rate
signal VQ' are alternately applied to the amplifier 11. The amplifier
11 amplifies the applied signals at a predetermined amplification
rate and then outputs a reference signal VR and a flow rate signal
VQ resulting from the amplification.
Assuming here that the amplification rate of the amplifier 11 is
G, the reference signal from the reference power supply 7 is VR',
and the flow rate signal from the sensor unit 8 is VQ', the reference
signal VR and the flow rate signal VQ resulting from the amplification,
expressed by the following formulae, are produced respectively at
the output side of the amplifier 11 i.e., at the output side of
the thermal flow meter 1A:
Considering the amplification rate G in a like manner to the later-described
formula (6), error factors attributable to the amplification rate
G are canceled and hence an error of G is not included in the result.
Accordingly, the amplifier 11 is not required to have high accuracy
and can be realized with an inexpensive configuration. Note that
the amplifier 11 may be dispensed with.
Also, since the oscillator 9 is provided in the thermal flow meter
1A, any signal is not needed to be taken from the external, and
the number of connector terminals can be reduced.
Further, where it is not desired that the oscillator 9 be provided
in the thermal flow meter 1A, an oscillation signal or a timing
signal may be taken from the external.
Additionally, where it is desired to employ the conventional specifications
for an interface, a flow meter may be provided with the conventional
specifications by omitting the reference power supply 7 the oscillator
9 and the signal switching means 10 in FIG. 2 and connecting the
sensor unit 8 directly to the amplifier 11 through the jumper line
12.
In other words, the jumper line 12 serves to make H/W used in common
between the conventional specifications and the specifications of
the present invention.
Signals output from the thermal flow meter 1A are applied, as a
reference signal Vr and a flow rate signal Vq resulting respectively
from later-described impedance transformation of the reference signal
VR and the flow rate signal VQ, to the A/D converter 4 of the fuel
injection controller 2A. The A/D-converted signals are alternately
transmitted as digital signals to the microcomputer 5A.
The microcomputer 5A executes processing of the digital signals
to carry out discrimination and storage of the signals as shown
in FIG. 4.
More specifically, in FIG. 4 the microcomputer 5A takes in, as
an input signal Vi, the digital signal from the A/D converter 4
(step S1), checks a change (rising or falling) of the input signal
Vi (step S2), and then determines whether or not the change of the
input signal Vi is within a flow rate signal range QR (see FIG.
3)(step S3).
If the change of the input signal Vi is within the flow rate signal
range QR, that input signal Vi is regarded as the flow rate signal
Vq and is once stored in a memory (not shown) (step S4). If the
change of the input signal Vi is not within the flow rate signal
range QR, that input signal Vi is regarded as the reference signal
Vr and is once stored in the memory (step S5).
Next, in step S6 a fuel injection amount is calculated based on
a result obtained from the following formula (3):
Assuming now that the signal line impedance of an interface between
the thermal flow meter 1A and the fuel injection controller 2A is
Rs, the input impedance of the fuel injection controller 2A is Ri,
the voltage level of the reference signal in the thermal flow meter
1A is VR, the voltage level of the flow rate signal in the thermal
flow meter 1A is VQ, the voltage level of the reference signal applied
to the A/D converter 4 is Vr, and the voltage level of the flow
rate signal applied to the A/D converter 4 is Vq, the following
formulae hold:
Putting the formulae (4) and (5) in the above formula (3) results
in:
This means that the effects of the signal line and the input impedance
are attributable to the same components and are canceled. Accordingly,
a signal represented by the flow rate signal/the reference signal
is precisely transmitted via a route of the thermal flow meter 1A.fwdarw.the
A/D converter 4.fwdarw.the microcomputer 5A.
Also, in the flow meter outputting a voltage signal, by making
the input impedance Ri small, a current amount passing the signal
line can be increased without reducing accuracy. An improvement
in contact reliability and noise resistance of a signal transmission
system, which includes contact resistance of a connector, etc.,
can be therefore realized.
Further, since the reference signal and the flow rate signal are
transmitted in the form of square waves by using one signal line,
there is no need of providing an additional signal line and connector
for transmitting the reference signal from the thermal flow meter
1A to the fuel injection controller 2A in spite of the reference
power supply being provided on the side of the thermal flow meter
1A.
Moreover, since the reference signal is set to a level outside
the output range of the flow rate signal as shown in FIG. 3 signal
discrimination between the reference signal and the flow rate signal
can be easily made by determining the signal levels.
Additionally, where 5 V is divided using 10 bits, for example,
in the A/D conversion, there results in a resolution (digital error)
of 1 bit.apprxeq.5 mV. Since the level of the reference signal is
set to be higher than the output range of the flow rate signal as
shown in FIG. 3 a value of the flow rate signal/the reference signal
can be calculated with a smaller effect caused by a digital error
of the reference signal than would be the case of setting the level
of the reference signal to be smaller than the output range of the
flow rate signal.
Embodiment 2.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
In FIG. 5 components corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted
by the same reference numerals and the detailed description thereof
is omitted here.
As shown in FIG. 5 a fuel controller comprises a thermal flow
meter 1B outputting a current signal, and a fuel injection controller
2B. The fuel injection controller 2B includes an A/D converter 4
a microcomputer 5B, and a reference resistance 6 disposed between
the input side of the A/D converter 4 and the ground side. Incidentally,
the A/D converter 4 and the microcomputer 5B cooperatively constitute
signal processing means.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing one example of internal configuration
of the thermal flow meter 1B.
The thermal flow meter 1B has the same configuration as that of
the thermal flow meter 1A shown in FIG. 2 except that the amplifier
11 in FIG. 2 is replaced by an amplifier & V/I transformer 13.
The operation of Embodiment 2 will now be described.
In the thermal flow meter 1B, as seen from FIG. 3 the signal switching
means 10 switches over a reference signal VR' and a flow rate signal
VQ' at the timing (e.g., falling) of a square-wave signal PS from
the oscillator 9 so that the reference signal VR' and the flow rate
signal VQ' are alternately applied to the amplifier & V/I transformer
13. The amplifier & V/I transformer 13 amplifies the applied
signals at a predetermined amplification rate and then outputs a
reference signal IR and a flow rate signal IQ resulting from V/I
transformation subsequent to the amplification.
Before being applied to the A/D converter 4 of the fuel injection
controller 2B, signals output from the thermal flow meter 1B, i.e.,
the reference signal IR and the flow rate signal IQ, are essentially
transformed by the reference resistance 6 into voltage signals which
are then supplied to the A/D converter 4. The A/D-converted signals
are alternately transmitted as digital signals to the microcomputer
5B.
The subsequent signal processing in the microcomputer 5B can be
executed in a like manner to Embodiment 1.
Thus, the operation of this Embodiment 2 can be basically considered
by replacing the input impedance Ri in Embodiment 1 with the reference
resistance 6. In other words, as with Embodiment 1 a signal represented
by the flow rate signal/the reference signal is transmitted via
a route of the thermal flow meter 1B.fwdarw.I/V transformation by
the reference resistance 6.fwdarw.the A/D converter 4.fwdarw.the
microcomputer 5B.
In this Embodiment 2 therefore, the flow rate signal/the reference
signal=Vq/Vr=VQ/VR is resulted and the terms of the input impedance
Ri are essentially canceled; hence an expensive and high-accuracy
resistor, which should be used in the conventional flow meter shown
in FIG. 10 is no longer required.
Accordingly, in this Embodiment 2 the signals are precisely transmitted
regardless of accuracy of the reference resistance 6 used for the
I/V transformation. Also, even if there is a difference in GND potential
between the thermal flow meter 1B and the fuel injection controller
2B, the difference does not act as an error factor. As a result,
in addition to the advantages with the above Embodiment 1 it is
possible to realize signal transmission with high accuracy.
Embodiment 3.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
Note that the circuit configuration of this Embodiment 3 can be
constructed similarly to that of the above Embodiment 1 or 2 and
hence the detailed description thereof is omitted here.
This Embodiment 3 represents one example of the case including
failure recognition to determine a failure of the thermal flow meter.
Hitherto, the transmitted signal has been only a flow rate signal
and is held within the predetermined range of flow rate output except
noise components caused by crosstalk and so on. It has been therefore
customary for a conventional fuel injection controller to make failure
recognition by determining any signal outside the predetermined
range of flow rate output to be a failure signal resulting from
disconnection or short circuit occurred in a thermal flow meter
or a transmission line. In FIG. 4 for example, if the transmission
line is disconnected or short-circuited to the ground, a resulting
signal has a level lower than the predetermined range of flow rate
output and can be determined to be a failure signal by the conventional
method. However, if the transmission line is short-circuited to
an on-level of the reference signal, a resulting signal cannot be
determined to be a failure signal by the conventional method when
a signal level for failure determination is set almost the same
as that of the reference signal.
To avoid the above problem, in this Embodiment 3 a threshold Vf
used for signal discrimination to determine a failure of the thermal
flow meter is set to a level between the flow rate signal Vq and
the reference signal Vr, as shown in FIG. 3. The signal discrimination
is performed based on comparison with the threshold Vf.
By so setting, a failure process can be executed by determining
the thermal flow meter to be failed if the flow rate signal is not
input to the fuel injection controller for a time sufficiently longer
than the cycle of the reference signal.
The operation of this Embodiment 3 for carrying out such a failure
process will be described below with reference to a flowchart of
FIG. 7 taking as an example the case of employing the circuit configuration
of Embodiment 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The microcomputer 5A takes in, as an input signal Vi, the digital
signal from the A/D converter 4 (step S11), checks a change (rising
or falling) of the input signal Vi (step S12), and then determines
whether or not the input signal Vi is larger than the threshold
Vf (step S13).
If the input signal Vi is smaller than the threshold Vf, that input
signal Vi is regarded as the flow rate signal Vq and is once stored
in a memory (not shown) (step S14). If the input signal Vi is larger
than the threshold Vf, it is then determined whether or not there
occurs a change of the input signal Vi within a predetermined time,
e.g., a time sufficiently longer than the cycle of the reference
signal (step S15). If there occurs a change, that input signal Vi
is regarded as the reference signal Vr and is once stored in the
memory (step S16).
Next, in step S17 a fuel injection amount is calculated based
on the result obtained from the above formula (3), i.e., the detected
flow rate.
On the other hand, if there occurs no change of the input signal
Vi within the predetermined time in step S15 i.e., if a certain
time elapses without any change of the input signal Vi, this is
regarded as representing a failed condition (step S18). For example,
if the flow rate signal is not input to the fuel injection controller
from the thermal flow meter for a time sufficiently longer than
the cycle of the reference signal, that thermal flow meter is determined
to be failed. Then, a fuel injection amount is calculated based
on the failure recognition of the thermal flow meter 1A (step S19).
With this Embodiment 3 as described above, since a time factor
is added as one of the conditions for failure determination, erroneous
failure determination can be avoided even if the reference signal
has a level falling within the range set for the failure determination.
Embodiment 4.
Though not shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 a capacitor is usually inserted
in parallel to the input impedance Ri and the reference resistance
6 for the purpose of, e.g., removing noises in the signal transmission
system. Therefore, the edge of waveform rising and falling of the
input signal becomes less sharp.
The signal discrimination is made in FIGS. 4 and 7 based on the
change of the input signal Vi. In view of the above, the signal
discrimination may be made by detecting and storing the input signal
Vi after a predetermined time has elapsed from its change, instead
of detecting and storing the input signal Vi immediately after its
change.
Embodiment 5.
The signal discrimination between the reference signal and the
flow rate signal is made in FIGS. 4 and 7 based on the change of
the input signal Vi by using software, but it may be made by using
hardware such as a comparator.
Also, the circuit configuration may be modified such that the reference
signal is held and the held reference signal is applied to a reference
signal input terminal of the A/D converter 4 i.e., such that the
reference signal transmitted from the thermal flow meter may be
used as a basis for the A/D conversion performed in the A/D converter
4.
By so modifying, since the reference signal from the thermal flow
meter and the reference signal for the A/D converter 4 can be regarded
as the same, the need of executing a division of the flow rate signal/the
reference signal in the microcomputer is eliminated and hence the
processing speed can be increased.
Embodiment 6.
FIG. 8 is a waveform chart for explaining Embodiment 6 of the present
invention.
In FIG. 8 there is shown signal waveform from the thermal flow
meter outputting a substantially pulse-like signal. The pulse-like
signal contains four kinds of signal components representing a frequency
(1/T1), duty (T2/T1), "H (high-level)" voltage (Voh),
and "L (low-level)" voltage (Vol). In this Embodiment
6 those signal components are given with respective items of information
produced in the thermal flow meter.
Let now consider, by way of example, the case of a Karman's vortex
flow meter with an atmospheric pressure and a temperature sensor
both built therein. When the pulse-like signal is transmitted on
condition, for example, that the frequency represents flow rate
information, Voh represents atmospheric pressure information, and
the duty represents temperature information, the fuel injection
controller can get the flow rate information by detecting the frequency,
the atmospheric pressure information by detecting Voh, and the temperature
information by detecting the duty through one signal line. As a
result, the overall size can be reduced from the structural point
of view and reliability of the signal transmission system can be
improved.
Alternatively, in Embodiment 1 the frequency and duty may be allocated
to represent respectively the temperature information and the atmospheric
pressure information. |