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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7528607 | Measurement of CN emissions from engine spark igniter for characterization of spark igniter energy A method and system for measuring the amount of energy released by a spark ignition system. This energy can be quantified spectroscopically by measuring the emission of cyanogen radicals in the presence of a ignition event and a known A/F ratio. ... | 05/05/2009 |
| 7400965 | Ignition control process A process is provided for ignition control in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, using an ignition coil which has a connected primary winding and a secondary winding which is connected to a spark plug, and an ignition control unit which is used to control ... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7375531 | Method of informing pilot of aircraft of spark detected in gas turbine engine A system for detecting spark in an igniter for a gas turbine engine. An igniter generates a plasma, or spark, somewhat similar to an automotive spark plug. In the invention, an inductive pick-up is positioned adjacent the igniter, to detect current pulses in the ign... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7355300 | Solid state turbine engine ignition exciter having elevated temperature operational capability A turbine engine ignition exciter circuit applies energy stored in the exciter tank capacitor to the load (igniter plug) through a thyristor type semiconductor switching device that minimizes leakage current at elevated operating temperatures. The semiconductor swit... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7347195 | Method and device for controlling the current in a spark plug The present invention relates to a method of controlling the spark current in a spark plug (8), comprising a voltage source (1; 14), an ignition system (2) connected to the voltage source, and a spark plug (8) connected to the ignition sy... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7348782 | Ignition device and spark condition detection method When a spark discharge is produced, a first current flows in one direction. From a rise of an ignition signal to energize an ignition coil to a fall of the ignition signal to deenergize the ignition coil, in order that a second current flowing in the opposite direct... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7275415 | Particulate-based flow sensor A fluid conveyance apparatus having more than one particulate matter sensing probe situated at two or more locations on the apparatus. Signals from the probes from at least two locations may indicate particulate matter flowing within a fluid through the conveyance a... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7267115 | Ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine The ignition apparatus includes an electronic control unit and an igniter. The igniter detects ions resulting from ignition, and sends an ion current output signal to the electronic control unit. The igniter has a waveform shaping circuit and an ion current detectin... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7251571 | Methods of diagnosing open-secondary winding of an ignition coil using the ionization current signal In a first embodiment, the present invention is a method of detecting an open secondary winding, including the steps of enabling an integrator, resetting the integrator, detecting an ionization current, integrating the ionization current over a spark window, compari... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7242195 | Integral spark detector in fitting which supports igniter in gas turbine engine A system for detecting spark in an igniter for a gas turbine engine. An igniter generates a plasma, or spark, somewhat similar to an automotive spark plug. In the invention, an inductive pick-up is positioned adjacent the igniter, to detect current pulses in the ign... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7213573 | System and method of controlling engine dilution rate using combustion stability measurer derived from the ionization signal This feature of the present invention comprises a system and method of controlling exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) based on a measure combustion stability measure. The combustion stability measure is obtained by determining the integration duration of the engine ion... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7212005 | Ignition coil tester The present invention relates to an ignition coil tester having a control module and an output electronics for testing the functioning of rod-type ignition coils, which is connectible to a diagnostic tester, the rod-type ignition coil having a primary winding and a ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7191084 | Method and apparatus for gas turbine engine ignition systems A method for testing an igniter coupled within a gas turbine engine, wherein the gas turbine engine includes a combustor, a pressure transducer coupled to the combustor, and a spark detector. The method includes operating the gas turbine engine, monitoring the opera... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7137385 | Device to provide a regulated power supply for in-cylinder ionization detection by using the ignition coli fly back energy and two-stage regulation This feature of the present invention comprises a method and apparatus that provides a regulated power supply for in-cylinder ionization detection by harvesting the excess ignition coil leakage and magnetizing energy immediately following the turn off of the ignitio... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7129705 | Ignition spark tester A device for testing the functioning in an internal combustion engine of spark plugs which are recessed within the cylinder head. Connection to the recessed spark plugs can be accomplished by an elongated device shaped to fit within and extend beyond the spark plug ... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7124019 | Powertrain control module spark duration diagnostic system A system and method for diagnosing ignition system performance of an internal combustion engine. The method operates an engine control unit to produce a sequence of spark ignition current pulses through primary windings of a plurality of ignition coils. The current ... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7063079 | Device for reducing the part count and package size of an in-cylinder ionization detection system by integrating the ionization detection circuit and ignition coil driver into a single package Two embodiments of an integrated ionization detection circuit and ignition coil driver, an ASIC and a single electronic package, are disclosed. The apparatuses reduce the cost and complexity of an in-cylinder ionization detection system by combining like functionali... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7061245 | Coil-on plug capacitive sensors and passive coil-on plug diagnostic system incorporating same A capacitive sensor for a coil-on plug ignition testing apparatus includes a first portion of the capacitive sensor and a second portion of the capacitive sensor, at least one of which has a substantially planar base, and each of which has one or more engagement mem... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7055372 | Method of detecting cylinder ID using in-cylinder ionization for spark detection following partial coil charging The present feature of the invention comprises a method and apparatus for determining cylinder ID. When a cylinder is compressed, the resistance increases across the spark plug gap. Thus, if a spark coil is only partially charged before activation of the spark, the ... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7013883 | Ignition coil for use in engine and engine having plastic cylinder head cover To improve an anti-heat shock performance and an electric field concentration relaxation (an insulation performance) between a secondary coil and a center core, to attain a narrow diameter structure in an individual ignition type ignition coil and further to improve... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7015698 | Sensor for detection of spark in igniter in gas turbine engine An igniter for a gas turbine engine. An igniter generates a plasma, or spark, somewhat similar to an automotive spark plug. In the invention, an inductive pick-up is used to detect current which produces the spark, the thereby infer the presence of spark. Further, t... | 03/21/2006 |
| 7005855 | Device to provide a regulated power supply for in-cylinder ionization detection by using the ignition coil fly back energy and two-stage regulation The present invention is directed to a dual charge rate power supply circuit and method for ionization detection. The circuit includes a first diode, first and second capacitors, and first and second current paths. The first diode includes an anode operably connecte... | 02/28/2006 |
| 7002351 | Variable compensation circuit for capacitive adapters A variable compensation circuit for capacitive adapters is provided and includes an input connector for receiving a signal output from a capacitive adapter positioned within an electric near field emitted from a component of an engine ignition system, an output conn... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6998846 | Ignition diagnosis using ionization signal The present feature of the invention is generally directed to a subsystem of an ignition diagnostics and feedback control system using ionization current feedback. It utilizes the ionization signal from an ionization detection circuit to monitor ignition parameters,... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6994073 | Method and apparatus for detecting ionization signal in diesel and dual mode engines with plasma discharge system An apparatus and method to detect combustion conditions using ion signals for use in a feedback control of a diesel engine is presented. The apparatus is a spark plug type of sensor or a sensor integrated with a fuel injector. The spark plug type of sensor is used t... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6971258 | Particulate matter sensor A sensor for detecting particulate matter in an exhaust stream of an engine. The sensor may be a spark-plug-like device having an extended center electrode composed of a stainless steel or other material. The electrode may have a thin passivating layer formed on it.... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6969995 | Measuring device for ignition voltages The invention relates to a measuring device with a sensor (4) for monitoring the ignition voltage of an associated cylinder of an internal combustion engine, said sensor (4) being arranged along the ignition conductor (12), between the spark plu... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6954074 | Circuit for measuring ionization current in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine A circuit for measuring ionization current in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine including an ignition coil, having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and an ignition plug. The ignition plug ignites an air/fuel mixture in the combustion ch... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6943554 | Ionic current detection apparatus for internal combustion engine An ionic current detection apparatus for an internal combustion engine does not generate a false ionic current, and hence it does not generate a false knock component signal either, thereby avoiding an incorrect combustion determination or an incorrect knock determi... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6940284 | Efficient diagnosis of faulty distributorless and hybrid ignition systems A method for efficiently determining whether a distributorless or hybrid ignition system is the origin of engine problems by consecutively disconnecting and reconnecting the primary connector from each coil of the ignition system. Once a single primary connector is ... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6925374 | Misfire detection apparatus of internal combustion engine A misfire detection apparatus of an internal combustion engine for detecting combustion or a misfire of an air fuel mixture in the internal combustion engine based on an ion current generated at the combustion time of the air fuel mixture. The misfire detection appa... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6914434 | Driver circuit Driver circuit (1) for actuating an electrical device via a control line (3) and for diagnosing the state of the control line (3) and/or of the actuated device, having a test circuit (Q1-Q6, R1-R6), connected to the c... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6880540 | Ignition coil, and internal combustion engine ignition device An object of the present invention is to provide an ignition coil which has a structure to make it possible to connect the ignition coil to a spark plug directly and in which an installation space need not be changed largely when the ignition coil is mounted in a cy... | 04/19/2005 |
| 6874464 | System and method to detect and correct spark plug fouling in a marine engine A system and method for operating a combustion engine including a combustion chamber operable in at least a first operating mode and second operating mode. An engine control unit (ECU) performs conductivity sensing within the combustion chamber and interprets the re... | 04/05/2005 |
| 6850069 | Coil on plug capacitive signal amplification and method of determining burn-time A coil-on plug testing apparatus for detecting a weak field output by a shielded coil-on plug ignition and generating an output signal representing an ignition signal includes a capacitive sensor attachable to a coil-on-plug device for detecting an electric field ge... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6850071 | Spark monitor and kill circuit The method and apparatus of the present invention are useful for the monitoring of the electrical signals within an internal combustion spark plug circuit and the killing of a spark plug within that circuit. The invention essentially consists of connecting a transfo... | 02/01/2005 |
| 6813932 | Misfire detection device for internal combustion engine A misfire detecting device for an internal combustion engine including an ion current detecting means for detecting ion currents generated between electrodes of spark plugs; an ion current judging means for judging whether or not the ion current exists at each ignit... | 11/09/2004 |
| 6789409 | Knock detection apparatus for internal combustion engine A knock detection apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided which accurately distinguishes knock from noise even when noise having a frequency component identical to a knock frequency component is superposed on an ion current signal. The apparatus incl... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6741080 | Buffered ion sense current source in an ignition coil In an ignition coil assembly of an ion sensing ignition system having an ignition coil output, a buffered ion-sense current source circuit is provided and includes a current sensing circuit, the current sensing circuit being disposed so as to be communicated with th... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6734677 | Device and method for detecting engine combustion condition A combustion condition detecting device detects combustion ions between opposing electrodes in a combustion chamber by ion current flowing between the electrodes in response to a.c. current voltage applied between the electrodes. A low pass filter for eliminating cu... | 05/11/2004 |
