Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Raymond O Butler, Jr

Albert Anthony Skinner

Ronald J Kiess

Thaddeus Schroeder

James Alva Boyer

Anthony L Marks

Daniel J O'Connor

Scott Birk Kesler

Bruno P Lequesne

Marion Edmond Ellis

Philip Allen Karau

Jerral A Long

Lewis Henry Little

Gerald O Huntzinger

John W Boyer

Diane E Hageman

John Delaplane

Lewis R Hetzler

Thomas Arthur Perry

John Robert Bradley

Colin J Hamer

Mark Albert Paul

Viorel N Moga

Harry Oliver Levers, Jr

Bruno Patrice Bernard Lequesne

Norman H Bracken

Douglas Lynn Sprunger

Robert W Koseluk

Kenneth P Senseman

Brian Dewayne Lively

Ronald N Gray

Dwayne Allen Huntzinger

Richard Laurence Haisley

Max W Ellis

Systems and methods for providing 'point of interest' information to travelers. Large databases can be populated with information relating to a wide variety of different 'points of interest.' Individual users can use the system to automatically focus on information that is likely to be interesting to the user, while ignoring information that is unlikely to be interest to the user. The position of the user can influence which &#x201c;points of interest&#x201d; on the database are selectively identified by the system.

System and method for providing information to travelers

An ignition control circuit () is responsive to a control signal (ESTC) to apply a drive signal (GD) to a power switching device () to conduct ignition coil current (I) therethrough. A resistor (R) included within the circuit () receives, and dissipates heat generated by, the coil current (I). The circuit () includes a first transistor (Q) positioned adjacent to the resistor (R) such that an operating temperature thereof is near that of the resistor (R), and a second transistor (Q) positioned remote from the resistor (R) and having an operating temperature defining a reference temperature. The first and second transistors (Q, Q) are configured to produce an output voltage (V) proportional to a difference in operating temperatures thereof, and a latch circuit (L) disables the control signal (ESTC) to thereby turn off the power switching device () when the output voltage (V) difference exceeds a reference voltage (V).

Over-dwell protection circuit for an automotive ignition control system

The present invention provides a spark plug coil and pressure sensor assembly for providing a spark to a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The assembly comprises a spark plug configured for mounting in a cylinder and a pressure sensor associated with the spark plug configured to detect a pressure in the cylinder and generate a pressure signal in response thereto. The assembly includes a first electrically conductive ring connector configured to receive the pressure signal and a housing having a main axis and having at least one electrically conductive leaf spring member. The leaf spring member is configured to resiliently engage the first electrically conductive ring connector over a first predetermined circumferential angle relative to the main axis of the coil housing.

Method of connection to a spark plug pressure sensor

A plurality of ignition coils having a combustion detection capability, such as an ion sense capability or cylinder pressure detection capability, are connected to a common communication line. The combustion signals for the plurality of ignition coils is multiplexed on the common communication line. The combustion signal for each ignition coil/cylinder is applied to the common line combined with a respective sync signal such as a current flag signal or a respective electronic spark timing (EST) signal. The sync signals allow each ignition coil to determine when it can transmit its combustion signal.

Ignition system with multiplexed combustion signals

An ignition coil cassette having bushings retained by an irregularity of the bushings being encased by epoxy. As a result, the process by which the bushings are installed into the ignition coil cassette avoids the cost associated with the overmolding installation process, and further avoids the potential for damage associated with the ultrasonic insertion process. The irregularity is located generally adjacent one end of each of the bushings and may be, for example, in the form of an undercut or a protrusion.

Ignition coil cassette having epoxy anchored bushings

An ignition coil durability testing apparatus and method utilizing an electronic spark timing circuit, a plurality of SCRs, a plurality of LEDs, and a voltage detection circuit. The electronic spark timing circuit activates an ignition switching transistor which applies a time varying voltage to a primary winding of an ignition coil. The plurality of SCRs are connected in series. A sustaining voltage device in the form of a spark gap or zener box is connected in series with the plurality of SCRs. The secondary winding of the ignition coil is connected to one end of the spark gap or an input of the zener box and to one input of a comparator through a voltage divider and a voltage reference is also connected to the other input of the comparator. When the output voltage of the secondary winding exceeds a preset breakdown voltage, the comparator turns on the plurality of LEDs which activate the plurality of SCRs. The high voltage of the secondary is then applied across the plurality of SCRs and the sustaining voltage device.

Ignition coil durability testing apparatus and method

A thick film resistor strain gauge is applied to a stainless steel shell portion of a spark plug. There are two preferable ways of applying a thick film resistor to the metal shell. In a first embodiment, the thick film resistor may be directly printed on to the shell portion with special screen printing equipment. In a second embodiment, the thick film resistor is printed and applied as a decal to the shell portion. The thick film resistors may be included in a quarter, a half, or a full wheatstone bridge strain gauge circuit. One of two embodiments of an automatic drift compensating circuit is used to determine the change in resistance experienced by the thick film resistors affixed to the spark plug. Either one of the automatic drift compensation circuits output a voltage signal which is proportional to the pressure changes occurring inside the engine cylinder into which the spark plug is threaded.

Spark plug mounted thick film strain gauge

Staggered firing of first and second spark plugs in a dual-plug spark ignition engine is achieved by apparatus that fires the first spark plug based on an output signal produced by an engine control module and firing the second plug based on the output of a delay control circuit responsive to the output signal produced by the engine control module. The delay control circuit additionally detects engine speed based on the firing frequency of the first spark plug, and selects a delay time so that the firing of the second spark plug is delayed with respect to the firing of the first spark plug by a calibrated angle of engine rotation.

Control apparatus for staggered spark plug firing in a dual-plug spark ignition engine

A product, product by process, and process according to the present invention integrates an ignition coil driver electronics or ignitor into a plughole coil housing. Electronic components are mounted directly to a printed circuit board serving as a direct connection to connector terminals and/or coil leads via plated-apertures. If required, at least one protective layer can be applied directly to an external surface of at least some of the electronic components mounted on the printed circuit board to compensate for differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion. The protective layer is selected from a group including a conformal coating, a soft buffer material, a hard epoxy globtop, and combinations thereof.

Ignition coil driver chip on printed circuit board for plughole coil housing

An impulse noise suppression circuit for an integrator-based ion current signal processing system includes a one-shot circuit activated by a trigger signal that is produced when a noise transient in a bandpass filtered ion current signal exceeds a predetermined threshold. The output pulse of the one-shot circuit is selected to have a pulse width configured to mask a substantial portion of the noise transient without masking the remaining filtered ion current signal during the remainder of a knock window in which knock is detected.

System and method for impulse noise suppression for integrator-based ion current signal processor

An ignition apparatus includes a central core extending along a main axis, and a primary winding disposed radially outwardly thereof. The ignition apparatus further includes a secondary winding. The primary winding has a greater axial length than the secondary winding, this additional axial length being implemented on the low-voltage axial end of the ignition apparatus, relative to the main axis. The extended primary winding provides an increased leakage inductance spike, which may be used by an ion sense system to (i) obtain increased bias voltages, and, (ii) increase the effective turns ratio, thereby reducing the amount of wire required for the secondary winding.

Ignition apparatus having increased leakage to charge ion sense system

An ignition system for use with a spark plug in an internal combustion engine comprising an ignition apparatus for producing a breakdown voltage on a first output thereof configured to breakdown a spark gap of the spark plug a power source having a second output configured for connection to the spark plug, said source being further configured to sustain power to the spark gap during discharge and an impedance having first and second terminals coupled between the first and second outputs, the impedance having an electrical characteristic configured to allow application of the breakdown voltage and suppress high voltage transient.

High power ignition system having high impedance to protect the transformer

A drive circuit for an ignition system includes an ignition coil and spark plug associated with each cylinder of an internal combustion engine. Each ignition coil has a primary winding with the first end connectable to a power source and a second end opposite the first end connected to a silicon-control rectifier (SCR). Each coil also has a secondary winding connectable to a respective spark plug. The SCR may be integrated with the coil. A main driver device is connected between the other end of the SCR and ground. The driver device is configured to conduct a primary current in response to a drive signal. The SCRs are controlled into conduction by a respective gating signal. A control circuit is configured to generate the gating signals and the drive signal in response to one or more ignition control signals. An SCR for each coil is used to select which coil is allowed to carry current when the main driver is turned on. This allows the use of a single driver device, and multiple SCRs as selectors, thereby reducing the cost of the drive circuit since SCRs are less expensive.

Ignition drive circuit

An ignition apparatus includes a high resistivity ferrite central core with a secondary winding disposed directly thereon. The ignition apparatus also includes, in a progressively coaxial fashion, a primary spool, a primary winding disposed on the spool, a case, and an outer core or shield of magnetically permeable material. The ignition apparatus exhibits reduced capacitance, and eliminates radial partial discharge at the inside diameter of the secondary winding.

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Anderson, IN, United States of America

Raymond O Butler, Jr