The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 22, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 10, 2000
Peter Hohner, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, DE;
Jürgen Schenk, Albershausen, DE;
Hartung Wilstermann, Bammental, DE;
DaimlerChrysler AG, Stuttgart, DE;
Abstract
A method for determining the air/fuel ratio in an internal combustion engine combustion chamber having at least two ignition plugs spaced apart from one another. Ion-current measurement is carried out during successive operating cycles, wherein a first ignition plug is operated as an ion-current sensor and does not release ignition energy. The time of arrival at the first ignition plug of a flame front formed at the ignition point of a second ignition plug, is detected. The detected time of arrival of the flame front, the ignition point and the ignition-plug spacing are used to determine the speed of the flame and, from this, the air/fuel ratio is determined as a function of the speed and/or load of the internal combustion engine.