Delphi Automotive Systems Luxembourg S.a.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Borg Warner Luxembourg Automotive Systems Sa

Borgwarner US Technologies LLC

Frank Lorenz

Peter Weyand

Marco Loenarz

Albert Anthony Skinner

Volker Heise

Salah Derrouich

A multi-charge ignition system including a spark plug control unit () adapted to control at least two coil stages so as to successively energise and de-energise said coil stage(s) to provide a current to a spark plug, said two stages comprising a first transformer (T) including a first primary winding (L) inductively coupled to a first secondary winding (L); a second transformer (T) including a second primary winding (L) inductively coupled to a second secondary winding (L); a first switch Qelectrically connected between the low side of the first primary winding Land the low side/earth, a second switch Qhaving a connection to the low side of the second primary winding L; and including a first diode Delectrically connected between the low side of said first secondary winding Land ground, and a second diode Dconnected to a point between the low side of said second secondary winding Land ground and, including means to measure the voltage at a first connection point () between the first switch and the low side of Land/or the voltage at a second connection () point between the second switch and the low side of L; and means to control the operation of the system dependent upon said measured voltages.

Method and apparatus to control an ignition system

An ignition system including a spark plug control unit adapted to control at least two coil stages to provide a current to a spark plug, including two stages including a first transformer including a first primary winding inductively coupled to a first secondary winding; a second transformer including a second primary winding inductively coupled to a second secondary winding; the control unit enabled to simultaneously switch on and off two corresponding switches to maintain a continuous ignition fire, and includes a step-down converter stage with a switch and a diode. The method includes i) switching off the switch; and ii) toggling the two corresponding switches.

An ignition system includes a controller which controls two stages&#x2014;to provide current to a spark plug. The stages include a first transformer including a first primary winding and a first secondary winding and a second transformer including a second primary winding and a second secondary winding. A switch is electrically connected between a supply high side and the high side of the first primary winding. A second switch is electrically connected between the first primary winding and the power supply low side supply. A third switch is connected between the junction of the switch and high side end of the first inductor and a point between the low side of the second primary winding and low side supply. A fourth switch is located between the low side of the second primary winding and the point. A fifth switch is located between the point and low side supply.

A multi-charge ignition system including a spark plug control unit adapted to control at least two coil stages so as to successively energise and de-energise the coil stages to provide a current to a spark plug, the two stages including a first transformer including a first primary winding inductively coupled to a first secondary winding a second transformer including a second primary winding inductively coupled to a second secondary winding. A first switch is located between the high end side of the first primary winding and the high end side of the second primary winding, and a second switch is located between the low side of the first primary winding and high side of the second primary winding.

A multi-charge ignition system includes a spark plug control unit adapted to control at least two coil stages so as to successively energise and de-energise the coil stages to provide a current to a spark plug. The two stages include a first transformer including a first primary winding inductively coupled to a first secondary winding; a second transformer including a second primary winding inductively coupled to a second secondary winding. An auxiliary primary winding is connected from the common high side of the primary winding in series to an auxiliary secondary winding, the other end of said auxiliary secondary winding is electrically connected to ground/low side, and includes a switch which selectively allows current to pass through the auxiliary windings.

A method is provided for controlling an ignition system which includes a spark plug control unit adapted to control at least one coil stage, the at least one coil stage adapted to successively energize and de-energize to provide a current to a spark plug, each coil stage includes a primary winding inductively coupled to a secondary winding. The method includes measuring low side voltages at one or more of each coil stage and controlling a duty cycle or a pulse width of a PWM-signal of a step-down converter stage dependent on a battery voltage, a maximum primary current threshold, and the measured voltages.

An ignition coil system is configured for use with a spark ignition internal combustion engine. The system includes a first switching circuit electrically connected to the primary coil that provides electrical power to the primary coil. The system includes a second switching circuit connected to the primary coil that is configured to short the terminals of the primary coil after the secondary current has been induced in the secondary coil, whereby the secondary coil induces a current in the primary coil, thereby reducing the secondary current in the secondary wire coil. A controller in communication with the first and second switching circuits is configured to receive a single electronic spark timing (EST) signal and to control the conductive states and the non-conductive states of the first and second switching circuits based on this single EST signal.

Ignition system for spark ignition engines and method of operating same

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition transformer with two primary windings. The ignition system is designed to generate, for a given ignition event, a unipolar current through the secondary winding by way of a control circuit that is configured to first energize and deenergize the first primary winding to establish a first electrical arc across the spark-plug electrodes and, when the current in the secondary winding reaches, or drops below, a current threshold, repeatedly energizes and deenergizes the second primary winding to establish a plurality of second current pulses across the electrodes in order to maintain the burn phase.

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Trier, Germany

Frank Lorenz