Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating a horizontally-magnified, scrolling drive-trace line on a graphical display screen of an engine analyzer aids a technician in controlling a vehicle's speed over a fixed driving period of successive driving time intervals. Toward this end, an initial drive-trace line is displayed on the screen representing the ideal vehicle speed at which the technician should maintain the vehicle during a first set of successive driving time intervals. A movable iconic marker is displayed on the screen disposed along the displayed initial drive-trace line. The iconic marker is moved horizontally on the screen after each elapsed time interval until the marker reaches a predetermined position along the drive-trace line, after which time the drive trace line is scrolled. The scrolling process involves deleting a portion of a previous drive-trace line, redrawing the remaining drive-trace line on the screen shifted horizontally by a predetermined amount, and appending a new drive-trace line portion associated with a subsequent time interval to the remaining drive-trace line to create a scrolled drive-trace line after each elapsed time interval. In addition to the drive-trace line, upper and lower speed-limiting lines may also be provided to aid the technician in maintaining his speed within an allowable range.

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First Claim