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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8069709 | Ion-based triple sensor An ion-based triple sensor is disclosed. The ion-based triple sensor may include an ion sensing unit, configured to measure an ionic current intensity, a pressure sensing unit, configured to measure a pressure, and a temperature sensing unit, configured to measure a... | 12/06/2011 |
| 7971476 | Method and devices for the identification of various phases of an ionization current signal during the combustion in an internal combustion engine The present invention falls into the field of methods and devices for identifying the various phases of the ionization current during combustion in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The present invention develops over various phases comprising the ... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7882730 | Internal-combustion-engine ignition diagnosis apparatus There is provided an ignition diagnosis apparatus that detects ignition abnormality in a multi-point-ignition internal combustion engine. An ion detection device provided in at least one of a plurality of ignition devices detects an electric quantity based on ions p... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7624627 | Ion-based triple sensor An ion-based triple sensor is disclosed. The ion-based triple sensor may include an ion sensing unit, configured to measure an ionic current intensity, a pressure sensing unit, configured to measure a pressure, and a temperature sensing unit, configured to measure a... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7458250 | Ion sensing arrangement for small gasoline engine An ion sensing arrangement for a small internal combustion engine includes an ion sensor placed in the engine's combustion chamber to measure the conductivity of the combusted fuel-air mixture. Scaling circuitry, such as variable voltage divider circuitry, is connec... | 12/02/2008 |
| 7448253 | Combustion state determination method of internal combustion engine The present invention is a combustion state determination method of an internal combustion engine for detecting an ion current which is generated in a combustion chamber at combustion of the internal combustion engine in a detection period to determine a combustion ... | 11/11/2008 |
| 7444232 | Knock control apparatus for internal combustion engine A knock control apparatus for an internal combustion engine can avoid an incorrect knock determination thereby to prevent output power reduction and suppress knocks occurring in succession. A knock detection section outputs a knock detection signal based on an ionic... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7373803 | Driver circuit for an ion measurement device A driver circuit is described for an ion measuring device associated with a cylinder of a diesel engine for the measurement of the conductivity of the combustion gas present in the cylinder, wherein a negative voltage can be applied by the driver circuit to a glow p... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7353803 | Misfire detection apparatus for internal combustion engine based on piston speed The present invention generally includes a method of detecting a misfire in an internal combustion engine. The method includes detecting a first engine speed at a first crankshaft position that corresponds to about a top dead center compression position of a first p... | 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 |
| 7347081 | Knock detecting apparatus and method for internal combustion engine The signal levels of vibration waveform signals outputted by knock sensors are extracted at a filter processing section for each of a plurality of frequency bands. The mean value of the signal levels in the frequency bands at a point in time when variation of the si... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7290442 | Method and system of estimating MBT timing using in-cylinder ionization signal A robust multi-criteria minimum timing for the best torque (MBT) timing estimation method and apparatus utilizes different ionization signal waveforms that are generated under different engine operating conditions. The MBT timing criteria is calculated based upon bo... | 11/06/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7243020 | Knock detection apparatus and knock detection method A knock detection apparatus which is capable of changing a knock control starting time period appropriately so as to prevent erroneous knock determination, to thereby expand a knock control range. A peak value acquisition unit acquires a peak value of a vibration of... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7204133 | Method and apparatus for detecting combustion instability in continuous combustion systems An apparatus and method to sense the onset of combustion stability is presented. An electrode is positioned in a turbine combustion chamber such that the electrode is exposed to gases in the combustion chamber. The electrode may be integrated with an igniter. A cont... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7197913 | Low cost circuit for IC engine diagnostics using ionization current signal This feature of the present invention comprises a method, apparatus, and system for detecting and conditioning an ionization current signal. In one embodiment of the invention, an analog signal conditioning circuit detects and processes the ionization signal. The an... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7174251 | Knocking detection apparatus and detecting method A knocking detection apparatus including: spark plugs disposed in cylinders of an internal combustion engine; an ion current detector for detecting ion currents flowing in the spark plugs; a time-frequency transformer for setting time intervals allowing one or more ... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7164271 | Ion current detecting device in internal combustion engine An ion current detecting device includes an ion current detecting unit which detects ion current based on combustion ion generated after an ignition which is performed in a combustion chamber and an amplifier unit which amplifies ion current detected by the ion curr... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7137382 | Optimal wide open throttle air/fuel ratio control This feature of the present invention comprises a method and apparatus which uses an ionization signal to optimize the air to fuel ratio AFR of the combustion mixture when the engine is operated at wide open throttle (WOT). This feature of the present invention opti... | 11/21/2006 |
| 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 |
| 7120533 | Soft-computing method for establishing the heat dissipation law in a diesel common rail engine A soft-computing method for establishing the dissipation law of the heat in a diesel Common Rail engine, in particular for establishing the dissipation mean speed (HRR) of the heat, includes the following steps: choosing a number o... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7096722 | Method and apparatus for detecting combustion instability in continuous combustion systems An apparatus and method to sense the onset of combustion stability is presented. An electrode is positioned in a turbine combustion chamber such that the electrode is exposed to gases in the combustion chamber. A control module applies a voltage potential to the ele... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7079935 | Valve control for an engine with electromechanically actuated valves A system and method to control engine valve timing of an internal combustion engine. Electromechanical valves are controlled to improve engine fuel economy. Further, the method can adjust valve operation to provide air-fuel charge motion and increase combustion stab... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7073485 | Engine management An engine management system for an internal combustion engine, which has at least one cylinder pressure sensor and at least one engine actuator, includes a data processor arranged to receive and process cylinder pressure data from the cylinder pressure sensor and th... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7066121 | Cylinder and valve mode control for an engine with valves that may be deactivated A method to select cylinder and valve operational modes in an internal combustion engine with valves that may be deactivated. A simplified method to select cylinder and valve modes is presented. ... | 06/27/2006 |
| 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 |
| 7063062 | Valve selection for an engine operating in a multi-stroke cylinder mode A method to control valve patterns in a cylinder operating in a multi-stroke cylinder mode. Valves are controlled to improve drivability and emissions. ... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7062373 | Misfire detection apparatus of internal combustion engine A misfire detection apparatus of an internal combustion engine. The misfire detection apparatus includes an angle sensor for detecting rotation angle of the internal combustion engine, an ECU for performing fuel injection and ignition control based on rotation infor... | 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 |
| 7051575 | Control device for internal combustion engine A control device for an internal combustion engine comprising: a knocking sensor for detecting a knocking signal of the internal combustion engine; a band pass filter for extracting a knocking signal of a predetermined frequency band from the output signal of the kn... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7031821 | Electromagnetic valve control in an internal combustion engine with an asymmetric exhaust system design A system and method to control engine valves of an internal combustion engine is shown. Electromechanical valves are controlled in a manner to reduce hydrocarbon emissions of an internal combustion engine. Further, the method can adjust valve operation to account fo... | 04/18/2006 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 6993960 | Method and apparatus for detecting combustion instability in continuous combustion systems An apparatus and method to sense the onset of combustion stability is presented. An electrode is positioned in a turbine combustion chamber such that the electrode is exposed to gases in the combustion chamber. The electrode may be integrated with an igniter. A cont... | 02/07/2006 |
| 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 |
| 6951201 | Method for reducing pin count of an integrated coil with driver and ionization detection circuit by multiplexing ionization and coil charge current feedback signals In a first preferred embodiment, the present feature of the invention multiplexes both the ionization and driver current feedback signals into one signal, thus reducing cost and making coil packaging easier. The multiplexed signal first outputs the ionization detect... | 10/04/2005 |
| 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 |
