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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7863903 | Combustion state detection apparatus and combustion state detection method for internal combustion engine A combustion state detection apparatus for an internal combustion engine, includes convexity detection means (30) for detecting that domain within the detection interval in which the change shape of the ionic current is upwardly convex, on the basis of the io... | 01/04/2011 |
| 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 |
| 7152562 | Motorcycle timing adjustment A motorcycle engine's ignition system controls the spark that ignites the fuel in a cylinder. The ignitition system routes high-voltage pulses to individual cylinders of a motorcycle engine in the correct sequence and with precise timing. A timing structure is provi... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7095234 | Device for triggering ignition circuits A device for triggering ignition circuits is provided, a coupling being provided between a positive output stage and negative output stage of different pairs. Each positive and each negative output stage is assigned a diagnostic unit and a drive circuit. ... | 08/22/2006 |
| 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 |
| 7023214 | Sensor for ignition timing device A variable reluctance sensor for use with an ignition timing device includes a support tube insertable in a bore extending from a first end to a second end. A sensor housing is insertable in the bore, while a variable reluctance probe is disposed in the sensor housi... | 04/04/2006 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 6940283 | Detecting field from different ignition coils using adjustable probe Detecting the magnetic field generated by a coil-on-plug (101) (aka coil-over-plug) using an adjustable probe (111). The probe (111) includes a signal detector (115) for detecting the field, a detachable adapter (117) configured to... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6750565 | Method of switching on an inductive load A method for switching on an inductive load, in particular an ignition coil, whose current is intended repeatedly to reach a predefined variable end value at a respectively predefined variable time, includes measuring the time interval between the switching-on actio... | 06/15/2004 |
| 6734676 | Method and timing circuit for generating a switching or control signal A method for generating a control signal after a predeterminable period of time is described. The method includes applying a voltage to an inductor at a beginning of a time measurement; and outputting, via a current threshold value detector, the control signal if a ... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6664789 | Engine ignition timing device An ignition timing device for timing an engine having a timing port and a timing mark indicative of a position of a movable member. The ignition timing device includes a sensor adapted to be secured in the timing port to provide a timing mark signal indic... | 12/16/2003 |
| 6559647 | Diagnosing spark plugs malfunction in a dual plug engine The present invention related generally to a method for determining spark plug malfunction and more particularly to a method for determining spark plug malfunction in an internal combustion engine in which at least two spark plugs are disposed in each cyl... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6542100 | Apparatus and method for filtering a signal which represents a digital data stream A signal to be produced, which represents a digital data stream, is generated using the currents or voltages from current or voltage sources selected from multiple current or voltage sources. The current or voltage sources whose currents or voltages are u... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6512375 | Method of detecting spark plug fouling and ignition system having means for carrying out the same A method of detecting spark plug fouling in an internal combustion engine is provided. The method comprises calculating an integration value of discharge current flowing between electrodes of a spark plug during a period of a spark discharge and judging i... | 01/28/2003 |
| 6483312 | Cylinder discrimination device and cylinder discrimination method of engine An internal combustion engine is equipped with a plurality of cam sensors that output cylinder discrimination signals during every uneven crank angle interval, and specific cylinders are discriminated based on said cylinder discrimination signals output f... | 11/19/2002 |
| 6459267 | Cylinder identifying apparatus for combustion engine A cylinder identifying apparatus comprising a crank angle sensor 20 detecting a crank angle of a combustion engine 14 having a plurality of cylinders, a cylinder identifying means 31 identifying a cylinder to be controlled by an output signal from the cra... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6429658 | Engine ignition timing device An ignition timing device for timing an engine having a timing port includes a sensor securable in the timing port to provide a timing mark signal. An ignition sensor is adapted to provide an ignition signal. A comparator receives the timing mark signal a... | 08/06/2002 |
| 6388446 | Engine ignition timing tool An engine ignition timing tool is provided for use with a strobe timing light in setting the timing of Harley-Davidson motorcycle engines The timing display tool includes a modified circuit breaker cam bolt having a pointer indicator attachable to a cam a... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6359439 | Compression sense ignition system with fault mode detection and having improved capacitive sensing A compression sense ignition system includes a sensing capacitor having a conductive sensing element disposed in proximity to the secondary winding leads of a first and a second ignition coil for developing a compression sense ignition signal. Epoxy potti... | 03/19/2002 |
| 6281682 | Sensor for detecting ignition current and ion current in ignition secondary circuit An ignition secondary sensor is provided which is disposed in a high voltage path between an ignition coil and a spark plug for use with a detecting circuit for detecting ignition current and ion current flowing through a spark plug. The sensor comprises ... | 08/28/2001 |
| 6111413 | Digital degree wheel for testing ignition timing A digital degree wheel is provided including an engine sensor mounted to at least one of a camshaft, distributor and crankshaft of a vehicle for generating an activation signal after the detection of the rotation thereof. An ignition sensor connected to a... | 08/29/2000 |
| 6091244 | Method and arrangement for detecting combustion misfires of a internal combustion engine The invention is directed to a method of detecting combustion misfires of an internal combustion engine wherein an ion current is generated during the operation of the engine. The ion current signal is detected over a pregiven time interval starting with ... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6029631 | Method of identifying the combustion chamber of a combustion engine that is in the compression stroke, and a method and device for starting a combustion engine A combustion engine comprises at least two combustion chambers and an ignition system having a spark device (11, 13) forming an electrode gap and a charging member (20) for accumulating the electrical energy necessary for generating a spark in the electro... | 02/29/2000 |
| 5892334 | Adjustable timing light A adjustable timing light including a housing having bottom portion and a top portion. The top portion of the housing is pivotally coupled to the bottom portion of the housing such that the top portion has a first orientation situated perpendicularly with... | 04/06/1999 |
| 5767681 | Timing light for automotive engines A timing light for adjusting an engine's timing has a stroboscopic lamp for illuminating the timing marks and a trigger circuit for causing the stroboscopic lamp to illuminate the timing marks at a desired time. The trigger circuit has an input circuit re... | 06/16/1998 |
| 5751147 | Preignition detecting method A preignition detecting method which prevents preignition (PI) from being misjudged as having occurred when an ignition plug is fouling. It is determined whether or not the ignition plug fouls in accordance with a voltage, developed across a detecting res... | 05/12/1998 |
| 5672972 | Diagnostic system for a capacitor discharge ignition system An apparatus is provided for monitoring ignition in individual cylinders of a multi-cylinder engine of the type having an ignition system which includes a separate transformer for each cylinder. Each transformer has primary and secondary coils. The second... | 09/30/1997 |
| 5625143 | Misfire detector for internal combustion engine A misfire detector for an internal combustion engine is provided which, if any of a plurality of modification factors is replaced by a value out of the proper range, can prevent erroneous misfire detection from, continuing. The misfire detector comprises ... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5563515 | Cylinder identifying apparatus for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with misfire detection A cylinder identified apparatus for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine can prevent abnormal or erroneous engine control based on misidentification of cylinders due misfiring, thus avoiding possible damage to the engine. A signal generator 108 gen... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5561379 | Remote planar capacitive sensor apparatus for a direct ignition system Ignition events in a direct ignition system are sensed by capacitively coupling positive and negative ignition voltages generated by the secondary winding of the ignition transformer. A pair of planar conductive plates disposed remote from each of the sec... | 10/01/1996 |
| 5521509 | Device of estimating heat resistivity for a spark plug and a method of estimating the same In a device of estimating heat resistivity for a spark plug, an ignition spark control circuit is provided to discontinue ignition spark across electrodes of a spark plug at a predetermined intervals. A counter circuit is provided to count the times of th... | 05/28/1996 |
| 5510715 | Apparatus for determining the ignition characteristic of an internal combustion engine An apparatus for determining the ignition characteristic of combustion in an internal combustion engine having an ignition coil including an ionic current computing circuit which analyzes ionic current enabled as a result of combustion. Ionic current flow... | 04/23/1996 |
| 5431134 | Engine ignition timing device A Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine ignition timing device which electronically determines piston top dead center positioning and the degrees of spark plug ignition before or after TDC to permit dynamic setting and monitoring of the engine ignition timing... | 07/11/1995 |
| 5431044 | Combustion detection circuit for a catalytic converter preheater The present invention is directed to an electrical circuit for detecting the presence of combustion within a catalytic converter preheater. Combustion of an air/fuel mixture within the preheater results in a wide-band high voltage RF signal across a spark... | 07/11/1995 |
| 5410253 | Method of indicating combustion in an internal combustion engine Absolute engine position sensing is provided by monitoring the temporal relationship of energization of multiple spark plugs sharing a common source of drive energy in a direct ignition application. The spark plugs are connected across the source with opp... | 04/25/1995 |
| 5383350 | Sensor and method for detecting misfires in internal combustion engines A sensor (10) detects misfires of combustion cylinders in an internal combustion engine by monitoring the exhaust from the engine. The sensor (10) comprises a spark gap (18) to be situated in exhaust from the engine and a transformer assembly (34). The tr... | 01/24/1995 |
