Granted Patent B1

US 7,717,085 · App. 12/263,657 · Granted May 18, 2010

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A method comprising:

receiving an encoded throttle position sensor signal from a throttle body;

forming a first replicated throttle position sensor signal and a second replicated second throttle position sensor signal from the encoded signal; and

communicating the first replicated throttle position sensor signal and the second throttle position sensor signal to a diagnostics module.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

prior to receiving, generating a throttle position sensor signal from a first throttle position sensor; and

encoding the throttle position sensor signal to form the encoded signal.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein generating a throttle position sensor comprises generating the throttle position sensor signal at an electronic throttle.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining errors from the first replicated throttle position signal and the second replicated throttle position signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 further comprising when errors in the first replicated throttle position signal or second replicated throttle position signal occur, generating a diagnostic code indicative of the error in the first replicated throttle position sensor signal or second replicated throttle position sensor signal.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second replicated throttle position sensor signal is an inverted first replicated throttle position signal.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first replicated throttle position sensor signal corresponds to a time between two falling edges of the encoded signal.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising controlling a motor of an electronic throttle in response to the first replicated throttle position sensor signal.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising performing diagnostics on the first replicated throttle position signal and the second replicated throttle position signal in the diagnostics module.

10. A system comprising:

a throttle body generating a throttle position sensor signal and encoding the throttle position sensor signal to form an encoded throttle position sensor signal; and

an electronic control module receiving the encoded throttle position sensor signal from a throttle body, forming a first replicated throttle position sensor signal and a second replicated second throttle position sensor signal from the encoded signal and communicating the first replicated throttle position sensor signal and the second throttle position sensor signal to a diagnostics module.

11. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein the throttle body comprises an electronic throttle.

12. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein the diagnostics module determines errors from the first replicated throttle position sensor signal and the second replicated throttle position sensor signal.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the diagnostics code generates a diagnostic code indicative of the errors in the first replicated throttle position sensor signal and the second replicated throttle position sensor signal.

14. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein the second replicated throttle position sensor signal is an inverted first replicated throttle position signal.

15. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein the first replicated throttle position sensor signal corresponds to a time between two falling edges of the encoded signal.

16. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein the throttle body comprises a motor, said electronic control module controlling the motor in response to the first replicated throttle position sensor signal.

17. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein the diagnostics module performs diagnostics on the first replicated throttle position signal and the second replicated throttle position signal.

Assignments (12)