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[John Brewer]

Hi, My name is John Brewer and I learned of this list from the "Offroad
Mailing List".  I am a Controls/Missile Engineer with a very keen interest
in Automobiles- more specifically, making my own automobile perform more
efficiently; power, torque, economy, reliability, etc.  My current project
which is just ramping up, is the design of a new induction system for my
1978 Toyota Landcruiser, FJ40 with the stock 253 cid straight six motor.
Ultimately I hope to design an intake manifold, digital electronic fuel
injection, and electronic ignition system.  I plan to apply modern control
theory, MIMO techniques to this project, i.e., Kalman Filters, optimal
observers, LQG controllers, etc.

While I am a better than average mechanic and am well versed in the theory
and simulation of CONTINUOUS control systems, I have little experience in
synthesizing these systems in practice and even less in digital
electronics.  In other words, I know all about it but can't do anything
with it cause I don't know how- yet.  I am fairly certain where my
deficiencies lie however.  I need to become familiar with
programming/interfacing/using micro controller units, I don't know how to
do this right now.  I need to become familiar with the nuts-and-bolts of
BUILDING digital control systems.  My problem is that I don't know where to
start.  Can anybody recommend any books that might get me started here?

If all goes well, I hope to have a working digital EFI system in my cruiser
in a few years, one in which I can play around with the control laws and
algorithms.  Ultimately I might like to use some of this in a dissertation
topic.  THANKS

John Brewer

P.S.  Do list members make significant use of MatLab?

"Any man who would trade liberty for security deserves neither." -  Ben
Franklin