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. 30, 2016
Filed:
Oct. 25, 2013
Borgwarner Beru Systems Gmbh, Ludwigsburg, DE;
Arun Sasikumar Sujatha, Ludwigsburg, DE;
Ganghua Ruan, Ludwigsburg, DE;
Stefan Heinzelmann, Talheim, DE;
Dirk Wüstenhagen, Auma-Weidatal, DE;
Ulrich Schönauer, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, DE;
BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH, Ludwigsburg, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for generating an ion current which occurs as a direct current between a central electrode and one or more side electrodes of a spark plug of a spark ignition engine which is supplied repeatedly with an ignition voltage from an ignition voltage source, wherein the spark ignition engine is assigned an engine control unit, which, in an engine cycle, determines for each spark plug a target ignition point and/or an activation point for the ignition voltage source before the target ignition point, and a second voltage source is provided, which delivers a second voltage for the generation of the ion current, wherein the second voltage source lying in the engine cycle for a first time interval Δt, which is shorter than the duration of the engine cycle, is connected to the electrodes of the spark plug, and wherein the ion current flowing as a result of the application of the second voltage to the electrodes of the spark plug takes a path which avoids the ignition voltage source.