WO2006029919A1

WO2006029919A1 - Method and assembly for generating synchronous digital signals for motors

Info

Publication number: WO2006029919A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/053300
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jürgen LINDINGER; Diego Löbus; Harald Tschochner; Freddy Veit
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2004-09-17
Filing date: 2005-07-11
Publication date: 2006-03-23
Also published as: DE102004045189B4; EP1789667A1; DE102004045189A1

Abstract

The generation of digital signals for controlling internal combustion engines often places a great strain on motor control devices as a result of the high computing time and real time demands. The invention relates to a method, according to which a generic algorithm uploads information concerning the digital signal in the form of a signal configuration (130) to a working memory (118) and calculates the digital signal (128) to be generated from said information. The signal configuration (130) contains information on three planes: an event plane (132), on which information concerning individual events (210, 218, 222, 224) is stored, a group plane (134), on which information concerning the sequence of specific events (210, 218, 222, 224) that are assigned to a group (212, 214, 220) is stored and a chain plane (136), on which information concerning the composition of the individual groups (212, 214, 220) is stored for a digital signal (128). The generic algorithm calculates the digital signal (128) from said signal configuration (130) with the aid of additional condition variables of the digital signal that characterise the current operating condition of the internal combustion engine.

Description

description

Method and arrangement for generating motor synchronous digita¬ ler signals

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for generating motor-synchronous digital signals for controlling an internal combustion engine. In particular, the invention relates to a method and an arrangement for generating arbitrary digital signal forms, which are subject to predetermined boundary conditions with regard to the operating state of an internal combustion engine. Such methods and arrangements are predominantly used for controlling internal combustion engines by means of engine control units (engine control units, ECUs), for example during the generation of injection pulses, ignition pulses or signals for knock detection (knock window).

State of the art

The operation of modern internal combustion engines in automotive engineering is unthinkable without the use of high-performance computer systems. In particular, the increasingly restrictive requirements for pollutant emission in the form of corresponding statutory provisions make the use of the invention more sophisticated. Computer and control technology for the precise adjustment of the combustion mixture and the ignition timing required.

These tasks are essentially taken over by the engine control unit (ECU), the most powerful computer system on board a motor vehicle. In addition to one or more microprocessors (usually called "embedded systems"), a number of other electronic components, such as analogue Digital converter (AD converter) ■ or electronic Filterbau¬ stones, integrated into the corresponding housing of a Motorsteuerungsge¬ device. Typical motor control devices are subject to a high real-time requirement, which requires a careful optimization of all algorithms due to the limited memory and processor capacity (eg 32-bit processors, 56 MHz, 32 kbytes of main memory). The engine control unit calculates corresponding control signals and adjustment parameters from numerous sensor signals, such as an optimal time of ignition or the optimal duration of a fuel injection.

Accordingly, an essential task of the control of internal combustion engines is the generation of specific signals, in particular digital signals, which should have a predetermined shape. Furthermore, the signals often have to be generated and output in a precisely predetermined operating state of the combustion engine, for example a precisely defined position of a piston, a defined angular position of a crankshaft or a predetermined angular position of a camshaft.

Frequently, the point in time at which the signals are to be output is defined by certain boundary conditions which can also compete with one another. Thus, for example, the condition may be predetermined that a certain signal ei¬ millisecond before a certain event, such as the top dead center of a cylinder (TDC top dead center, TDC - in the following both the time of reaching the dead center and the angular position of the dead center is referred to), but not later than a certain angle difference before this event (eg not later than 10 ° crankshaft angle before TDC) is to be output. The boundary conditions given here compete with one another. If the angle condition occurs earlier than the time condition, then the signal is output earlier than one millisecond before TDC, namely, exactly at the time in which chem the angular position of the crankshaft reaches an angle of 10 ° before TDC.

This simple example already quite clearly shows the problems which occur in the calculation and the output of such signals: The ECU basically calculates all signals corresponding to its internal clock (counter, clock), whereas the operating state of the internal combustion engine regularly is defined by the angular position of the crankshaft.

Depending on the type of internal combustion engine, the angular position of the crankshaft exactly defines the position of the pistons in each individual cylinder. For example, a complete cycle of a typical four-cylinder internal combustion engine includes two complete revolutions of the crankshaft, ie angles from 0 ° to 720 °. After two revolutions (720 °), each cylinder of the engine has passed through its cycle once.

The angular position of the crankshaft is typically detected by means of a so-called encoder disk on the crankshaft. This encoder disk is usually a metallic toothed disk whose rotation is usually detected by means of an inductive sensor. For example, typical donor disks for four-cylinder engines have 60 teeth (or 58 after deduction of the two "tooth gaps"), which corresponds to a number of 120 teeth for a complete cycle of 720 °, ie one tooth per 6 ° angular position. By means of different sensor systems, the teeth of the encoder disk are detected and thus the instantaneous angular position of the crankshaft is measured.

However, the time variable of the ECU and the angular position of the crankshaft are not in a well-defined, fixed relationship to one another, since the conversion from angular to time units and vice versa always depends on the rotational speed of the combustion engine. However, this requires that the ECU in the calculation of certain digital signals constantly converts taking into account the current speed between Zeitvariab¬ le and angle variables, which in reality corresponds to a constant recalculation of the digital signal to be generated. This computational burden significantly burdens the limited resources of the engine control unit.

If, for example, a particular pulse is to be output in a specific angular position before TDC, the instantaneous angular position and the instantaneous rotational speed are first detected in conventional algorithms. From this, a time prediction is then generated when the predefined angle position is reached before TDC. At this vorherge¬ said time then the corresponding pulse is output. Short-term changes in the rotational speed are usually not taken into account in these methods. In addition, the method becomes considerably more complicated when additionally additional boundary conditions (as in the above example) are predetermined or when more complicated pulse sequences with successive events dependent on external prescriptions (eg a positive edge) are to be generated and output.

The described problems become particularly noticeable when the specifications regarding the shape of the signal to be output are frequently changed. On the one hand, this may be the case during ongoing operation of the internal combustion engine, for example if, instead of an injection pulse, an ignition pulse with a completely different signal shape should now be output. Furthermore, during the development of engine control systems or during a subsequent optimization of these systems in a workshop, changed specifications with regard to the shape of the signals to be output occur frequently, which in the conventional methods necessitate a complete change of the software code stored in the ECU do. task

The object of the invention is therefore to improve the existing possibilities for generating motor-synchronous signals, in particular injection or ignition pulses or signals for defining a knocking Windows.

Solution'

This object is achieved by the inventions having the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the inventions are indicated in the subclaims.

A method for generating motor-synchronous digital signals for controlling an internal combustion engine is proposed, as well as an arrangement by means of which the described method can be realized in one of the illustrated embodiments.

An engine-synchronous digital signal is to be understood as meaning a digital signal which is in direct correlation with the operating state of the internal combustion engine, for example the angular position of a crankshaft. Thus, motor-synchronous means that certain signals (eg flanks or entire pulses) are output in a specific operating state of the internal combustion engine, but with slight inaccuracies (eg in the range of an angle error of 6 °) in FIG Buy, which, for example, result from the fact that the speed of the Verbrennungs¬ engine has changed between the beginning and end of the calculation of the digital signal.

In this context, the terms "signal", "pulse" or similar terms are used interchangeably throughout this description. These are basically digital electrical Signals with arbitrary time course, ie both individual pulses (ie for example "rising edge - high level - falling edge") as well as more complex signal forms. In principle, a signal is thus composed of a sequence of edges (rising edges, falling edges) and perio of the constant signal level (eg TTL high, TTL low).

The proposed method should have the following steps, wherein the specified steps need not necessarily be carried out in the order shown. The execution of the method steps can in particular also be carried out in parallel, temporally overlapping or also continuously. Furthermore, in addition to the listed process steps, further, not shown, process steps can be performed.

First, a signal configuration is read in whole or in part in a first electronic memory of a computer system. This signal configuration should contain the following information, wherein additional information not listed may also be included:

at least one event information, wherein the at least one event information has information about at least one event,

at least one group information, wherein the at least one group information comprises at least information about the grouping of one or more events into a group, and at least one chain information, wherein the at least one chain information contains information about the combination of one or more groups into a chain ¬ points.

Furthermore, at least one state variable is read into the computer system (for example likewise into the first electronic memory). These at least one state Riable should contain information about an operating condition of the internal combustion engine. This may be, for example, the position of a piston, an angular position of a camshaft, an angular position of a crankshaft, or similar information. In a preferred embodiment, the angular position of a crankshaft is used, which is to be assumed in the following description.

Furthermore, at least one digital signal is calculated from the read-in at least one signal configuration and the read-in at least one state variable. Preferably, this calculated digital signal is output in electronic form with predetermined levels (high, low, for example TTL levels) via a physical interface, in particular a specific pin (signal pin) of an interface.

The term of a computer system is to be interpreted broadly. It may, for example, be merely a processor, but it may also include an additional main memory or an additional non-volatile memory as well as other hardware not mentioned.

The read-in signal configuration is preferably stored in a second electronic memory, in particular a nonvolatile memory, prior to read-in. In particular, this non-volatile memory may be a flash memory. The first electronic memory is, for example, a working memory (RAM) of the computer system. This refinement has the advantage that the use of new signal forms only requires a change in the signal configuration stored in the flash memory. Furthermore, the information before and after reading can also be stored divided, z. For example, part of the information in a flash memory, another part in a working memory. The signal configuration concerns specifications with regard to the shape of the digital signal to be calculated, as well as further specifications, in particular about the time sequence and certain conditions of the sequence (timing) of individual components of the digital signal.

In an advantageous embodiment, the read at least one event information contains at least one of the following information about one or more events: information that an event in the form ei¬ ner output of a signal with a certain signal level should occur, o. For example, "generate a TTL high signal", - an information that an event in the form ei¬ nes change of a signal level from a predetermined first level to a predetermined second level (Flan¬ ke) should occur, o. B. "generate a rising edge of a TTL low to a TTL high signal", information that an event at a given time and / or in a predetermined operating condition, in particular in a predetermined Win¬ kelstellung a crankshaft , should occur, o. B. "the event should occur in an angular position of the crankshaft of 480 °", an information that an event with a predetermined time difference and / or a predetermined

Operating state difference, in particular an angular difference of an angular position of a crankshaft, before or after a predetermined other event should occur o. B. "the event should take place in an angular position of the crankshaft of 20 ° before TDC", an information that an event for a given time interval and or operating state interval, in particular an angular position interval of an angular position of a crankshaft, should continue o. For example, "the event (eg, a TTL high level) should last 1 millisecond" or "the event should last for an interval of crankshaft angular position of 10 degrees", - information as to whether a particular event is occurring should (enable) or not (disable), information about the event and / or the group, which should occur next.

An event can therefore be a quasi-infinitesimally short event (eg a flank), but also a longer-lasting event, such as an event. B. a "high Sig¬ nalpegel". Furthermore, an event may also be the occurrence of a specific operating state (for example, a specific angular position, for example 10 ° before TDC) or a specific time (eg 10 milliseconds before TDC).

The provision of enable / disable information makes it possible to provide entire parts of the signal, but to "turn it off" if necessary. Thus, for example, an additional single pulse may be provided in the digital signal, but if necessary (eg for certain types of motor) it can be switched off or suppressed by a "disable".

The at least one group information should indicate how the individual events are to be grouped and may contain special rules for the execution of the events within the group. In an advantageous embodiment, the group information therefore contains at least one of the following information about one or more groups: information about the identity of at least one grouped event, o. Eg "Event 1 (eg positive edge) belongs to group 5", information about a logical link and / or conditional entry and / or prioritization of one or more events grouped together in the group, eg. B. "Group 4 includes events 3, 6, and 15. Event 3 should be executed when event 6 occurs (eg, 1 millisecond before TDC), but not later than event 15 (e.g. Angular position 10 ° before TDC). ", - information about the anticipated operating status and / or the probable time at which one or more of the events summarized in the group will occur, o. B. "According to the current engine speed, event 15 (angular position 10 ° before TDC) will presumably occur at time counter 4578.", information about the time and / or the operating state in which the last preceding event occurred, o z. B. "The last preceding event was event 27 (eg, a negative edge) which occurred at time counter 3588."

The logical linking of the events may be a logical combination of the events within the group, for example by a conditional occurrence of a certain event (see example above) or else the fulfillment of an external condition. Thus, for example, it can be specified in a group information as a condition that a specific event should only occur if a signal on a specific pin of an interface has a certain signal level (eg a TTL high) ,

When calculating the digital signal, all events at the level of a group are evaluated in such a way that the occurrence of all events is calculated. It will be taking into account the conditions and prioritizations of the events specified in the at least one group information, the times or also the operating states (eg angle positions) of the occurrence of each event are calculated, but preferably only one of these is used in this calculation both variables, in particular the time, is used. In this case, an updated version of the read-in state variables, for example the angular position of the crankshaft or the rotational speed, is preferably used continuously, which ensures, in particular, a constant comparison between the operating state of the internal combustion engine and the internal time of a computer system. Thus, after the calculation, the time of each event associated with a particular group is known.

Preferably, during operation of the internal combustion engine or during the calculation of the at least one digital signal, the information originally read in (event information and / or group information and / or chain information) is constantly supplemented and updated. Thus, in particular, the time of occurrence of certain events can be recorded and, depending on the current value of the at least one state variable of the internal combustion engine (eg the angular position of the crankshaft), a prediction of the time of occurrence of a specific Er events are constantly updated. Corresponding information about the actual occurrence of certain events can also be stored in an updated manner, eg. B. in the form of a "ready message". The further calculation of the at least one digital signal can also be based on this updated information.

Finally, the at least one chain information represents the highest level of information about the digital signal to be calculated. In particular, it should contain information about the entire course of the digital signal to be calculated and therefore describes how the individual groups are to be calculated. to line up. Furthermore, it can contain information about when (ie, for example at what time or in which angular position of the crankshaft) the digital signal should finally be output. After evaluation of the chain information, the calculation of the at least one digital signal is thus largely completed, so that an immediate output of the calculated digital signal can take place.

A "stringing together" of the groups does not necessarily mean an overlapping of the groups without overlapping. This is due in particular to the fact that individual events can be assigned to different groups. For example, event 21 may be simultaneously assigned to group 1 and the group of 10. This is the case, in particular, when an event is a reference event, for example "10 ° Winkelstel¬ tion before TDC". Such an event may, for example, be assigned to group 1 and there trigger the triggering of an event 5 also assigned to this group 1. At the same time, this reference event in group 10 may trigger the triggering of an event 7. This clarifies that the at least one digital signal to be calculated does not necessarily have to represent a "simple" sequence of groups.

Although the assignment of individual events to groups is not necessarily unique. Preferably, however, each group is uniquely assigned to a specific chain.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one chain information read contains at least one of the following information about one or more groups and / or events: information about the identity of at least one group grouped in the chain and / or at least one in the Chain of summarized event, an information about at least one reference state of the internal combustion engine, in particular an upper Tot¬ time (TDC), o z. B. "The digital signal is to be output in an angular position 10 ° before TDC", information about the current operating state of the internal combustion engine, in particular an angular position of a crankshaft, o z. B. "The crankshaft is currently in an angular position of 473 °".

In particular, the latter information is again preferably constantly updated during operation and / or supplemented to a timely, d. H. to ensure motor-synchronous output of the digital signal. The at least one digital signal thus calculated is then preferably output via a physical interface and can, for example, control an ignition process (in the case of an ignition pulse). Due to this dependency of the calculation of the digital signal at the chain level of external signals applied to an interface, for example, and the possibility of direct output via an interface, the level of the chain information can also be referred to as a "hardware-coupled "Level designate. Advantageously, a chain is assigned to exactly one pin of an interface.

The method described offers a number of advantages over conventional methods for calculating digital signals. In particular, the algorithm for calculating the at least one digital signal is a generic algorithm which can be applied to almost any desired signal forms. This generic algorithm only interprets and processes a signal configuration specified "from the outside". If the shape of the digital signal to be generated is to be changed, for example due to changed requirements in the development of engine control devices, then only a change is necessary. tion of the signal configuration in the form of a storage, for example in a flash memory, required. A complex adaptation of the actual algorithm is not required.

Furthermore, the method described is extremely resource-conserving and fast and thus outstandingly suitable for use in real-time systems. The calculation of the at least one digital signal represents i. d. R. is merely an evaluation of simple rules and a sequence of predefined events, which reduces the computational effort and thus significantly increases the speed of calculation and output of the at least one digital signal.

In particular, the multiple use of specific events also contributes to optimized conservation of resources. Since the calculation of the signals takes place in particular also under constant consideration of updated data on the operating state of the internal combustion engine, the calculation and output of the at least one digital signal is performed highly synchronous with the engine, which in particular results in reduced pollutant emission and an increased service life of the engine Internal combustion engine leads.

In addition to the described method and the arrangement in one of its embodiments, the scope of the invention includes a computer program which, when executed on a computer or computer network, executes the method according to the invention in one of its embodiments.

Furthermore, the scope of the invention includes a computer program with program code means for carrying out the method according to the invention in one of its embodiments when the program is executed on a computer or computer network. In particular, the program code means may be stored on a computer-readable medium. In addition, the scope of the invention, a volume on which a data structure is stored, which can perform the inventive method in one of its embodiments after loading into a working and / or main memory of a computer or computer network.

Also included within the scope of the invention is a computer program product having program code means stored on a machine-readable carrier to perform the inventive method in one of its embodiments when the program is executed on a computer or computer network.

Under a computer program product, the program is understood as a tradable product. In principle, it can be in any form, for example on paper or a computer-readable data carrier, and in particular can be distributed via a data transmission network.

Finally, the scope of the invention includes a modulated data signal which contains instructions executable by a computer system or computer network for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding method claims.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments, which are illustrated schematically in the figures. However, the invention is not limited to the examples. The same reference numerals in the individual figures designate elements which are identical or have the same function or which correspond to one another in terms of their functions. In detail shows:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an arrangement for calculating motor synchronous digital signals; Fig. 2 shows an example of a signal configuration subdivided into channels, groups and chains; and FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of a method for calculating motor-synchronous digital signals.

1 shows a preferred arrangement for calculating motor-synchronous digital signals. A microcomputer 110 is connected via an interface 112 to a flash memory 114. The microcomputer 110 has a central processing unit 116 and a main memory 118. Furthermore, the microcomputer 110 has an interface 120, which is connected to a sensor system 122 for detecting a crankshaft signal. Furthermore, the interface 120 is also connected to a further system (not shown) via which, for example, a trigger signal 124 can be transmitted to the microcomputer 110. In addition to the interface 120, the microcomputer 110 also has an interface 126, via which a digital signal 128 can be output.

A signal configuration 130, which is composed of an event information block 132, a group information block 134 and a chain information block 136, is stored in the flash memory 114. Via the interface 112, this signal configuration can be read into the working memory 118 of the microcomputer 110, from where it is available to the central processing unit 116 for the calculation of the digital signal 128. Furthermore, the central computing unit 116 can also access the main memory 118 in writing in order to update or supplement the data stored therein.

To clarify the data structure of the signal configuration 130, an exemplary structure of such a signal configuration is shown once again in the upper part of FIG. 2. By means of the preferred method shown in Fig. 3 For example, this signal configuration 130 can be converted by the central computing unit 116 into a digital signal 128, which is shown in detail in the lower part of FIG. 2. In the following, therefore, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are described in connection.

The signal configuration 130 is composed of event information 132 on the lowest level, group information 134 on the middle level, and chain information 136 on the top level. It becomes clear that one and the same event can be assigned to different groups. For example, the event 210 is assigned to both the group 212 and the group 214. On the other hand, the groups, such. B. the groups 212 and 214 shown here, exactly one chain 216 assigned. Each chain 216 corresponds exactly one pin of the interface 126 of the microcomputer 110.

The lower part of FIG. 2 shows how the signal configuration 130 subdivided into the three levels 132, 134 and 136 is combined by the central processing unit 116 into a corresponding digital data signal 128. An example of this is a section of the digital signal which begins with a TTL high level, then has a falling edge 218, then lies at a TTL low level for a certain period of time, then again has a rising edge, in turn to then run on a TTL high level.

The method is carried out such that first in step 310 in FIG. 3, the signal configuration 130 is read from the flash memory 114 into the main memory 118 of the microcomputer 110. Furthermore, in step 312, the current angular position of the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine determined by the sensor system 122 is loaded into the main memory 118. All data loaded in the main memory 118 can be continuously updated by access of the central processing unit 116. (step 314 in FIG. 3). Thus, in particular, the stored current value of the angular position is constantly read again.

Subsequently, in step 316, the digital signal 128 is calculated from the read-in and updated data stored in the main memory 118. As an example, the calculation of the falling edge 218 will be explained here (see FIG. 3 below). The group information 220, which includes information about the falling edge 218, includes two events: first, the falling edge event 218 and second, the crankshaft angular position event 222 (dashed line). The group information further includes that the event 218 (falling edge) should occur in a specific relationship to event 222, for example with an angular distance of 5 ° before event 222.

From the constantly updated information about the current operating state of the internal combustion engine (angular position, rotational speed) is now calculated when event 222 is likely to occur. This, in turn, can be used to calculate the time at which event 218 (falling edge) should occur and generate a corresponding signal. Later, according to the chain information 136, the signals thus calculated are then combined to form the digital signal 128 and output in step 318 via the interface 126 (or a pin of the interface 126 assigned to the chain 136).

The example of the calculation of the falling edge 218 shown in FIG. 2 is a comparatively simple example, since the occurrence of the event 218 is only in relation to a further event 222. At the same time, however, there could also be a relation to another event, for example the rising edge 224. Thus, for example, the condition for the occurrence of the falling edge 218 could lau¬ ten: The falling edge 218 should be a millisecond before rising edge 224, but no later than 20 ° before TDC (event 222).

In the calculation of the falling edge 218, therefore, the (most probable) time of entry of the rising edge 224 would first be calculated in accordance with the method described above. Next, it would be calculated which condition is met first: does event 222 occur sooner than or later than one millisecond before event 224? If event 222 occurs earlier than one millisecond before event 224, then the falling edge 218 is triggered precisely at the time of event 222 (ie at an angular position of 20 ° before TDC). On the other hand, if event 222 occurs later, the falling edge 218 will be triggered exactly one millisecond before event 224 (the latter case is shown in Figure 2 below).

In this way, the events of the event information 132 are successively evaluated by means of the group information 134 and the chain information 136 and the corresponding times of the triggering of the individual events are calculated. These times are typically not absolute times, but points in time relative to a specific start time of the digital signal 128. This start time can be predetermined for the microcomputer 110, for example, by the external trigger signal 124.

Claims

claims

1. A method for generating motor-synchronous digital signals (128) for controlling an internal combustion engine with the following steps: a) at least one signal configuration (130) is completely or partially read into a first electronic memory (118) of a computer system (110),

- wherein the signal configuration comprises the following information: al) at least one event information (132),

- wherein the at least one event information (132) has information about at least one event (210, 218, 222, 224); and a2) at least one group information (134),

- wherein the at least one group information item (134) has at least information about the grouping of one or more events into a group (212, 214, 220); and a3) at least one chain information (136),

- wherein the at least one chain information (136) information on the assembly of one or more groups (212, 214, 220) to a chain (216); b) at least one state variable is read into the computer system (110),

- wherein the at least one state variable contains information about an operating state of the internal combustion engine ent; and c) at least one digital signal (128) is calculated from the at least one signal configuration (130) read in step a) and the at least one state variable read in step b).

2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least one event information (132) read in step a) comprises at least one of the following information: on one or more events (210, 218, 222, 224) includes:

an information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) is to occur in the form of an output of a signal having a certain signal level; and or

an information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) in the form of a change of a signal level from a predetermined first level to a predetermined second level

(Flank) should enter; and / or - information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) should occur at a given time and / or in a predetermined operating state, in particular in a predefined angular position of a crankshaft; and / or - an information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) with a predetermined time difference and / or a predetermined operating state difference, in particular an angular difference of an angular position of a crankshaft, before or after a predetermined other event (210, 218 , 222, 224); and or

an information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) is to last for a predefined time interval and / or operating state interval, in particular an angular position interval of an angular position of a crankshaft; and or

an information as to whether a particular event (210, 218, 222, 224) should occur (enable) or not (disable); and or

information about the event (210, 218, 222, 224) and / or the group (212, 214, 220) to be entered next.

3. The method according to one of the two preceding Ansprü¬ che, characterized in that the at least one group information (134) read in step a) contains at least one of the following information about one or more groups (121, 214, 220):

information about the identity of at least one grouped event (210, 218, 222,

224); and / or information about a logical link and / or a conditional occurrence and / or a prioritization of one or more events (210, 218, 222, 224) combined in the group (212, 214, 220); and or

- Information about the expected Betriebszu¬ stand and / or the estimated time to which one or more of the group (212, 214, 220) summarized events (210, 218, 222, 224) will occur; and / or information about the point in time and / or the operating state in which the last preceding event (210, 218, 222, 224) has occurred.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the read in step a) at least one Ket¬ teninformation (136) at least one of the following Informati on on one or more groups (212, 214, 220) and / or events (210, 218, 222, 224) includes: information about the identity of at least one grouping in the chain (216) and / or at least one chain-linked event (210, 218, 222, 224); and or

- Information about at least one reference state of the internal combustion engine, in particular a top dead center (TDC); and or

- Information about the current operating state of the internal combustion engine, in particular an angular position ei¬ ner crankshaft.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized the at least one state variable read in step b) is an angular position of a crankshaft.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the following additional process step: d) the read in step a) signal configuration (130) is supplemented by additional information and / or replaced.

7. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that in step d) information is stored which has an indication as to whether a specific event has been carried out or not.

8. The method according to one of the two preceding Ansprü¬ surface, characterized in that in step d) at least one of the following Informa¬ tions is stored:

an updated information about the anticipated operating state and / or the probable time at which one or more of the events (210, 218, 220, 224) combined in the group (212, 214, 220) will occur; and / or updated information about the time and / or the operating state in which the last preceding event (210, 218, 220, 224) has occurred.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the process steps b), c) and / or d) is carried out repeatedly or continuously.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized there is a unique association of each group (212, 214, 220) with a single chain (216).

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one calculated in step c) digita¬ les signal (128) in electronic form with predetermined high and low levels via a physical interface (126) is output.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the read in step a) signal configuration (130) before reading in a second electronic SpeI rather (114), in particular a non-volatile memory, ab¬ is stored.

13. An arrangement for generating motor synchronous digital signals (128) for controlling an internal combustion engine comprising: a) a computer system (119); b) means (112) for reading a signal configuration (130) into a first electronic memory (118) of a computer system (110),

- wherein the signal configuration (130) has the following information: al) at least one event information (132),

- wherein the at least one group information (134) at least one information about the combination of one or more events (210, 218, 222, 224) to a group

(212, 214, 220); and a3) at least one chain information (136), - wherein the at least one chain information (136) information on the assembly of one or more groups (212, 214, 220) to a chain (216); c) means (120, 122) for reading at least one state variable into the computer system (110),

- wherein the at least one state variable contains information about an operating state of the internal combustion engine ent; and d) means (116) for calculating at least one digital signal (128) from the read-in at least one signal configuration (130) and the read-in at least one state variable.

14. Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least one event information (132) read contains at least one of the following information about one or more events (210, 218, 222, 224):

an information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) in the form of a change of a signal level from a predetermined first level to a predetermined second level (edge) is to occur; and or

- Information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) at a given time and / or in a predetermined operating condition, in particular in a vorgege¬ surrounded angular position of a crankshaft to occur; and or

an information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) with a predetermined time difference and / or a predetermined operating state difference, in particular an angular difference of an angular position of a crankshaft, before or after a predetermined other event (210, 218, 222, 224) should enter; and or an information that an event (210, 218, 222, 224) is to last for a predefined time interval and / or operating state interval, in particular an angular position interval of an angular position of a crankshaft; and or

15. Arrangement according to one of the two preceding An¬ claims, characterized in that the read at least one group information (134) contains at least one of the following information about one or more groups (212, 214, 220):

an information about the identity of at least one event grouped in the group (212, 214, 220)

(210, 218, 222, 224); and or

information about a logical link and / or conditional entry and / or prioritization of one or more events (210, 218, 222, 224) combined in the group (212, 214, 220); and or

16. Arrangement according to one of the preceding Anordungsanungsan- claims, characterized the at least one chain information (136) read contains at least one of the following information about one or more groups (212, 214, 220) and / or events (210, 218, 222, 224): information about the identity of at least one of the chain (216) summarized group (212, 214, 220) and / or at least one summarized in the chain (216) event (210, 218, 222, 224); and or

17. Arrangement according to one of the preceding Anordungsanungsan¬ claims with at least one physical interface (126) for outputting the at least one calculated digital signal (128) in electronic form with predetermined high and low levels.

18. Arrangement according to one of the preceding Anordungsanungsan¬ claims, characterized in that the read signal configuration (128) prior to reading into the first electronic memory (118) in a second electronic memory (114), in particular a non-volatile memory is stored.

19. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each chain (216) in the output of the digital Sig¬ signals (128) is associated with exactly one pin (signal pin) an interface (126).

20. Computer program with program code means to a method according to one of the preceding method claims when the computer program is running on a computer or computer network.

21. Computer program with program code means according to the preceding claim, which are stored on a computer-readable data carrier.

22. A data carrier or computer system on which a Daten¬ structure is stored, which executes the method according to one of the preceding Ver¬ claims after loading into a work and / or main memory of a computer or computer network.

23. Computer program product with program code means stored on a machine-readable carrier to all

Perform steps according to one of the preceding method claims, when the program is executed on a computer or computer network.

24. A modulated data signal which contains instructions executable by a computer system or computer network for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims.