Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Daniel J O'Connor

Raymond O Butler, Jr

John W Boyer

Scott Birk Kesler

Ronald J Kiess

Max W Ellis

An ignition apparatus including a primary and a secondary winding for producing a spark voltage, an ion current detection circuit for producing an ion current signal, a slope detector and a knock detector. The slope detector determines when the ion current signal exhibits a slope indicative of a time period when knock is likely to occur, and de-asserts a knock reset signal. The knock reset signal holds the knock detector in reset, thus disallowing or masking the processing of signals by the knock detector that may be mistaken for knock.

System and method for generating a knock determination window for an ion current sensing system

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition coil coupled to a spark plug in a combustion chamber of the engine, and a switch responsive to an ignition control signal for causing a primary current to flow through a primary winding ( ) of the ignition coil. A control circuit is configured to generate the ignition control signal so as to produce a plurality of sparks at the spark plug during a combustion event in the cylinder. A secondary current trip circuit in sensing relation to the secondary winding is configured to generate secondary current trip signal when the secondary current decays down past a secondary current trip threshold. The control circuit is further configured to trigger a recharge event of the multicharge operation in response to the secondary current trip signal, thereby minimizing variability in terms of the amount of energy delivered to the combustion chamber.

Multicharge ignition system having secondary current feedback to trigger start of recharge event

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition coil coupled to a spark plug in a combustion chamber of the engine, and a switch responsive to an ignition control signal for causing a primary current to flow through a primary winding of the ignition coil. A control circuit is configured to generate the ignition control signal so as to produce a plurality of sparks at the spark plug during a combustion event in the cylinder. A combustion detection circuit in sensing relation with the combustion cylinder is configured to generate a combustion detect signal when combustion occurs. The control circuit is further configured to terminate the generation of the ignition control signal during the combustion event in response to the combustion detect signal, thereby terminating multicharge operation when the need for further sparks is no longer present. Unnecessary spark plug wear is avoided.

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Westfield, IN, United States of America

Daniel J O'Connor