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:
Aug. 22, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 09, 2004
Koji Ando, Kariya, JP;
Haruo Kawakita, Okazaki, JP;
Koji Ando, Kariya, JP;
Haruo Kawakita, Okazaki, JP;
Denso Corporation, Kariya, JP;
Abstract
An ignition control apparatus for an internal combustion engine of the present invention has a switching circuit and a control circuit. The switching circuit includes a first switch controlling a main current constituting the most portion of the coil current, a second switch controlling a sensing current constituting the coil current together with the main current; and a temperature sensor detecting temperatures of the first and the second switches, which are realized by semiconductors. The control circuit, which is heat-isolated from the switching circuit, includes a current limiting circuit operating the first switch and the second switch to adjust the coil current to a predetermined value based on the sensing current, and a thermal shutoff circuit turning off both the first switch and the second switch when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value.