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Methods and apparatus for testing operation and diagnosing faults in an engine including an electronic control unit. A diagnostic computer is coupled to the electronic control unit and displays engine testing and diagnostic text messages in any one of a plurality of selectable languages, energize ig

Methods and apparatus for testing operation and diagnosing faults in an engine including an electronic control unit. A diagnostic computer is coupled to the electronic control unit and displays engine testing and diagnostic text messages in any one of a plurality of selectable languages, energize ignition circuits on demand, display menu screen displays associated with engine testing, diagnostics and service, and generate summary screen displays and reports for later use.

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Methods and apparatus for testing operation and diagnosing faults in an engine including an electronic control unit. A diagnostic computer is coupled to the electronic control unit and displays engine testing and diagnostic text messages in any one of a plurality of selectable languages, energize ig

Methods and apparatus for testing operation and diagnosing faults in an engine including an electronic control unit. A diagnostic computer is coupled to the electronic control unit and displays engine testing and diagnostic text messages in any one of a plurality of selectable languages, energize ignition circuits on demand, display menu screen displays associated with engine testing, diagnostics and service, and generate summary screen displays and reports for later use. bject. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said vector field is a magnetic field. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein each said sensor includes at least one loop of an electrical conductor. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein each said sensor includes a single-component magnetometer. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein each said generator includes a radiator of said respective instance of said vector field, each said radiator including at least one loop of an electrical conductor. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein said generators are mutually independent. 20. The method of claim 14, wherein each said generator includes a radiator of said respective instance of said vector field, at least one of said radiators being spatially extended. 21. The method of claim 14, wherein the object is provided with exactly one said sensor. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein at least five said vector field generators are provided, and wherein said generating of said instances of said vector fields includes generating three independent groups of said instances, each said group including three said instances. 23. The method of claim 14, wherein said parameters are determined empirically. 24. The method of claim 14, wherein said parameters are determined theoretically. 25. The method of claim 14, wherein said equations are polynomials in coordinates of said position of the object, said parameters of said equations being coefficients of said polynomials. 26. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of: (f) computing an orientation of the object with respect to said reference frame. 27. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising: (a) at least one vector field component sensor, associated with the object, for measuring a respective component of a vector field; (b) a processor for solving a set of equations that relate, for each said at least one sensor, said respective component of said vector field only to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame; (c) a memory for storing empirically determined parameters of said equations; and (d) a plurality of vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field. 28. The system of claim 27, including a single said vector field component sensor. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein said single vector field component sensor is included in a distal portion of a guide wire. 30. The system of claim 27, including exactly two said vector field component sensors. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein said two vector field component sensors are in tandem in a distal portion of a guide wire. 32. The system of claim 30, wherein said two vector field component sensors are included in a distal portion of a guide wire, with a first said vector field component sensor being substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said guide wire and a second said vector field component sensor being substantially perpendicular to said axis. 33. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising: (a) at most two vector field component sensors, associated with the object, for measuring respective components of a vector field; (b) a processor for solving a set of equations that relate, for each said sensor, said respective component of said vector field only to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame; (c) a memory for storing parameters of said equations; and (d) at least three vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field. 34. The system of claim 33, including a single said vector field component sensor. 35. The system of claim 34, wherein said single vector field component sensor is included in a distal portion of a guide wire. 36. The system of claim 33, including exactly two said vector field component sensors. 37. The system of clai m 36, wherein said two vector field component sensors are in tandem in a distal portion of a guide wire. 38. The system of claim 36, wherein said two vector field component sensors are included in a distal portion of a guide wire, with a first said vector field component sensor being substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said guide wire and a second said vector field component sensor being substantially perpendicular to said axis. 39. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of: (a) providing the object with at least one vector field component sensor for measuring a respective component of a vector field; (b) empirically determining a rotationally invariant operator that relates said at least one respective component to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame; (c) providing a plurality of vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame; (d) for each said generator: (i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at least one sensor, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and (e) computing said position of the object, using said operator. 40. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of: (a) providing the object with at most two vector field component sensors for measuring respective components of a vector field; (b) determining a rotationally invariant operator that relates said at most two respective components to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame; (c) providing at least three vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame; (d) for each said generator: (i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at most two sensors, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and (e) computing said position of the object, using said operator. 41. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising: (a) at least one vector field component sensor, associated with the object, for measuring a respective component of a vector field; (b) a memory for storing an empirically determined, rotationally invariant operator that relates said at least one respective component of said vector field to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame; (c) a processor for computing said position, using said operator; and (d) a plurality of vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field. 42. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising: (a) at most two vector field component sensors, associated with the object, for measuring respective components of a vector field; (b) a memory for storing a rotationally invariant operator that relates said at most two respective components of said vector field to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame; (c) a processor for computing said position, using said operator; and (d) at least three vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field. 43. A method of tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising the steps of: (a) providing the object with at most two vector field component sensors for measuring respective components of a vector field; (b) for each said at most two vector field component sensors, determining parameters of a set of equations that relate said respective component to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame, independent of an orientation of the object; (c) providing at least three vector field generators for generating respective instances of said vector field, each said generator having a fixed respective position in said reference frame; (d) for each said generator: (i) generating said respective instance of said vector field, and (ii) for each said at most two sensors, measuring said respective component of said respective instance of said vector field; and (e) solving said set of equations for said position of the object. 44. A system for tracking an object that moves in three dimensions, comprising: (a) at most two vector field component sensors, associated with the object, for measuring respective components of a vector field; (b) a processor for solving a set of equations that relate, for each said sensor, said respective component of said vector field to a position of the object with respect to a reference frame, independent of an orientation of the object; (c) a memory for storing parameters of said equations; and (d) at least three vector field generators, having fixed respective positions in said reference frame, for generating respective instances of said vector field. 45. The system of claim 29, wherein said distal portion of said guide wire is substantially helical, and wherein said guide wire also includes a substantially helical, electrically insulating medial portion, said single vector field component sensor being an electrically conducting section of said distal portion of said guide wire. 46. The system of claim 45, wherein said distal portion of said guide wire includes a plurality of said electrically conducting sections, each pair of successive said electrically conducting sections having therebetween an electrically insulating section in tandem with said each pair of successive electrically conducting sections. 47. The system of claim 45, wherein said guide wire further includes a substantially helical, electrically conducting proximal portion in tandem with said medial portion. 48. The system of claim 45, wherein said guide wire further includes a first electrically conducting wire, electrically coupled to a distal end of said distal portion of said guide wire, and wherein said guide wire further includes a second electrically conducting wire, electrically coupled to a proximal end of said distal portion of said guide wire. 49. The system of claim 48, wherein said distal and medial portions of said guide wire define an axial channel, wherethrough said electrically conducting wires extend. 50. The system of claim 31, wherein said distal portion of said guide wire is substantially helical, said two vector field component sensors being electrically conducting sections of said distal portion of said guide wire that have therebetween an electrically insulating section in tandem with said two electrically conducting sections. 51. The system of claim 50, wherein said guide wire further includes a substantially helical, electrically insulating medial portion in tandem with said distal portion of said guide wire. 52. The system of claim 50, wherein said guide wire further includes a substantially helical, electrically conducting proximal portion in tandem with said medial portion. 53. The system of claim 51, wherein said guide wire further includes a first electrically conducting wire, electrically coupled to a distal end of said distal portion of said guide wire, and wherein said guide wire further includes a second electrically conducting wire, electrically coupled to a proximal end of said distal portion of said guide wire. 54. The system of claim 53, wherein said distal and medial portions of said guide wire define an axial channel, wherethrough said electrically conducting wires extend. 55. The system of claim 35, wherein said distal portion of said guide wire is substantially helical, and wherein said guide wire also includes a substantially helical, electrically insulating medial portion, said single vector field component sens or being an electrically conducting section of said distal portion of said guide wire. 56. The system of claim 55, wherein said distal portion of said guide wire includes a plurality of said electrically conducting sections, each pair of successive said electrically conducting sections having therebetween an electrically insulating section in tandem with said each pair of successive electrically conducting sections. 57. The system of claim 55, wherein said guide wire further includes a substantially helical, electrically conducting proximal portion in tandem with said medial portion. 58. The system of claim 55, wherein said guide wire further includes a first electrically conducting wire, electrically coupled to a distal end of said distal portion of said guide wire, and wherein said guide wire further includes a second electrically conducting wire, electrically coupled to a proximal end of said distal portion of said guide wire. 59. The system of claim 58, wherein said distal and medial portions of said guide wire define an axial channel, wherethrough said electrically conducting wires extend. 60. The system of claim 37, wherein said distal portion of said guide wire is substantially helical, said two vector field component sensors being electrically conducting sections of said distal portion of said guide wire that have therebetween an electrically insulating section in tandem with said two electrically conducting sections. 61. The system of claim 60, wherein said guide wire further includes a substantially helical, electrically insulating medial portion in tandem with said distal portion of said guide wire. 62. The system of claim 61, wherein said guide wire further includes a substantially helical, electrically conducting proximal portion in tandem with said medial portion. 63. The system of claim 61, wherein said guide wire further includes a first electrically conducting wire, electrically coupled to a distal end of said distal portion of said guide wire, and wherein said guide wire further includes a second electrically conducting wire, electrically coupled to a proximal end of said distal portion of said guide wire. 64. The system of claim 63, wherein said distal and medial portions of said guide wire define an axial channel, wherethrough said electrically conducting wires extend. a digital signal representative of a current overall positional state for the assembly. 3. The device of claim 1, in which the converter comprises: hardware configured to monitor each of the systems and, independently for each system, to detect changes in the current activation/deactivation states of the sensors therein; and truth table logic encoded in the hardware, the logic disposed to convert said detected changes into a digital signal representative of a current overall positional state of the assembly. 4. The device of claim 3, in which the hardware includes circuitry selected from the group consisting of: (1) logic integrated circuits; (2) a programmable gate array (PGA); (3) a field programmable gate array (FPGA); (4) a programmable logic array (PLA); (5) a programmable logic device (PLD); (6) an erasable programming logic device (EPLD); and (7) an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). 5. The device of claim 1, in which the source is a magnet and in which the sensors are Hall Effect devices. 6. The device of claim 1, in which the source in at least one system comprises a plurality of individual sources affixed to the component at separate predetermined locations. 7. A method for establishing the position of a marker disposed to travel along a predefined path, the method comprising: (a) deploying an array of at least two sensors along at least a part of the path of the marker, different combinations of sensors within the array disposed to become activated and de-activated via sensory communication with at least one source as the marker travels its path, said different combinations ranging from one sensor to multiple sensors activated by at least one source at different times during travel along the path by the marker; (b) converting current combined activation/deactivation states of the sensors in the array into a digital signal representative of a current position for the marker along the path. 8. The method of claim 7, in which step (b) includes: (1) polling the sensors; (2) detecting a current combined activation/deactivation state of the sensors; and (3) via reference to a truth table, translating said detected current combined activation/deactivation state of the sensors into a digital signal representative of a current position for the marker along the path. 9. The method of claim 8, in which step (b) is accomplished by a processor driven by software. 10. The method of claim 7, in which step (b) includes: (1) monitoring the array; (2) detecting changes in the current activation/deactivation states of the sensors; and (3) via reference to a truth table, converting said detected changes into a digital signal representative of a current position for the marker along the path. 11. The method of claim 10, in which step (b) is accomplished by hardware including circuitry selected from the group consisting of: (1) logic integrated circuits; (2) a programmable gate array (PGA); (3) a field programmable gate array (FPGA); (4) a programmable logic array (PLA); (5) a programmable logic device (PLD); (6) an erasable programming logic device (EPLD); and (7) an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). 12. The method of claim 7, in which the path of the marker is selected from the group consisting of: (1) an endless loop; and (2) a reciprocating path. 13. The method of claim 7, in which the path of the marker is an endless circular loop. 14. The method of claim 7, in which the path of the marker is a reciprocating path along a circular arc. 15. The method of claim 7, in which said at least one source is a single source co-located with the marker. 16. The method of claim 7, in which said sensory communication is via a medium selected from the group consisting of: (1) magnetic flux; (2) visible light radiation; (3) infrared radiation; (4) ultraviolet radiation; (5) ultrasound radiation; (6) radioactive radiation; (7) electrostatic charge; (8) radio f