| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 123623000 | Having supply voltage regulation | 19 |
| 20090183718 | GLOW PLUG CONTROL UNIT AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE IN A GLOW PLUG - A glow plug control unit is provided that comprises a first switch for connecting power supply lines to a glow plug. The glow plug control unit further comprises a voltage measurement unit for measuring the voltage at the power supply lines. A current measurement unit is built for measuring the current through the first switch and a control circuit is built for controlling the first switch and, in a current control mode, for regulating the current through the first switch. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20110011383 | GLOW PLUG FOR A DIESEL ENGINE - A method for using a glow plug in a diesel engine includes, but is not limited to a first step of providing an electrical energy source for supplying an electrical current through the glow plug, a second step of measuring the electrical current, a third step of calculating a voltage across the glow plug using a measured value of the electrical current, and a fourth step of controlling the electrical current through the glow plug using the calculated voltage. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110041818 | Method for Operating a Glow Plug with the Engine Running - The invention relates to a method for operating a glow plug with the engine running, wherein an effective voltage is generated from a vehicle electrical system voltage by pulse width modulation, the effective voltage is applied to the glow plug and changed as a function of engine parameters, a target value of the effective voltage that is dependent on the engine parameters and to which the effective voltage is changed is specified, a maximum increment for a change of the actual value of the effective voltage in at least one direction is specified, and a change of the actual value in at least one direction to a target value that deviates from the actual value by more than the maximum increment is carried out in several steps. The invention further relates to a controller which carries out such a method during operation. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110114071 | IGNITING COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES - The disclosure relates methods and related systems for controlling corona discharge in a combustion chamber without causing an arc strike. The methods can include measuring a baseline impedance of a circuit in electrical communication with an electrode, measuring an actual impedance of the circuit, determining an impedance setpoint based at least in part on the baseline impedance, comparing the actual impedance to the impedance setpoint, and adjusting the actual impedance based at least in part on the comparison between the actual impedance and the impedance setpoint. The electrode is arranged to deliver a corona discharge to the combustion chamber. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110139135 | POWER SUPPLY CONTROL FOR SPARK PLUG OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - A method for controlling the power supply of a radiofrequency spark plug in an internal combustion engine up to an electric voltage sufficient for generating a highly branched spark. To this end, the electric voltage for powering the spark plug is increased step by step up to an adequate voltage adapted for ignition. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110197865 | INTENTIONAL ARCING OF A CORONA IGNITER - A corona ignition system and method for igniting combustible gaseous mixtures includes the detection and control of arcing such that when arcing occurs, it is detected and the voltage to the ignitor increased to ensure sustained arcing for a period of time and of such quality that combustion of the mixture occurs through spark ignition for a period of time, after which the voltage is decreased to restore ignition by corona discharge only. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110220073 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A GLOW PLUG - The invention relates to a method for controlling a glow plug to a target value of the surface temperature while the engine is running, wherein an effective voltage is generated by pulse width modulation of a vehicle electrical system voltage and this effective voltage is applied to the glow plug, the electric resistance of the glow plug is measured and compared to a resistance value expected for the target value of the surface temperature, and the effective voltage is varied as a function of the deviation of the measured value of the electric resistance from the expected value of the electric resistance. According to the invention, a pressure sensor of the glow plug is used to measure the combustion chamber pressure and the resistance value expected for the target value of the surface temperature is determined as a function of the combustion chamber pressure. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20120031382 | DETERMINATION OF THE BURNING DURATION OF AN IGNITION SPARK - A method includes determining the moment of extinction of an ignition spark of an ignition device for an internal combustion engine, wherein the ignition device has a high voltage transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, of which the primary side is connected to a high voltage source and the secondary side is connected to a spark path to provide the ignition spark. The time variation in the primary current flowing on the primary side is measured and subdivided at least into a spark burning phase and a subsequent free-running phase of the high voltage transformer, and the transition from the spark burning phase into the free-running phase is equated to the moment of extinction of the ignition spark. The time variation of the primary current in the spark burning phase is mapped by a first function and in the free-running phase by a second function, and the intersection point of the two functions is equated to the moment of extinction of the ignition spark. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120312285 | METHOD FOR OPERATING AN IGNITION DEVICE FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, AND IGNITION DEVICE FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD - A method is provided for operating an ignition device for an internal combustion engine, which ignition device includes an ignition coil configured as a transformer, a spark plug connected to the secondary winding of the ignition coil, an actuable switching element connected in series to the primary winding of the ignition coil, and a control unit connected to the control input of the switching element, wherein the control unit provides an adjustable supply voltage for the ignition coil and an actuating signal for the switching element as a function of the currents through the primary and the secondary windings of the ignition coil and the voltage between the connecting point of the primary winding of the ignition coil to the switching element and the negative terminal of the supply voltage, as a result of which firstly operation of the spark plug by way of alternating current is possible and secondly regulation of said current is possible, which leads to more reliable ignition with a lower wear of the spark plugs. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20130055992 | ENGINE IGNITION CONTROL DEVICE - An engine ignition control device includes: a pulser; and a control unit, which includes a micro control unit (MCU) and a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB is electrically connected to the micro control unit, wherein the PCB includes a back porch signal generating circuit. The back porch signal generating circuit is electrically connected to the micro control unit, and includes a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). Emitter (E) of the bipolar junction transistor is electrically connected to the pulser, collector (C) of the bipolar junction transistor is electrically connected to the micro control unit, and base (B) of the bipolar junction transistor is increased to a predetermined voltage level that is larger than 0V. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130263834 | IGNITION DEVICE AND IGNITION METHOD FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - The ignition device for the internal combustion engine includes: an ignition plug including a first electrode and a second electrode opposed to each other via a predetermined gap, for generating in the predetermined gap a spark discharge for igniting a combustible mixture in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine; an ignition coil including a primary coil and a secondary coil, for generating a high voltage in the secondary coil by supplying or stopping a primary current flowing through the primary coil, and then applying the generated high voltage to the first electrode; and a control unit for driving the ignition coil for a plurality of times within a single ignition process, and changing a primary voltage for driving the ignition coil within the single ignition process. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130263835 | Ignition Device for an Internal Combustion Engine and Method for Operating an Ignition Device for an Internal Combustion Engine - An ignition device for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition coil designed as a transformer, the secondary winding thereof being designed to connect to a spark plug, an actuatable switch element connected in series with the primary winding of the ignition coil, and a controller connected to the primary winding of the ignition coil and the control input of the switching element. The controller has a voltage converter which provides a supply voltage for the ignition coil at the output thereof and which can be connected to a motor vehicle electrical system voltage, a controllable changeover switch for applying the supply voltage at either positive or negative polarity to the series circuit of the primary winding of the ignition coil and the switching element, depending on a control signal, and a control circuit which generates the control signal based on a phase of the ignition process. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130319384 | METHOD FOR MONITORING THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OF A CYCLICALLY OPERATING COMBUSTION ENGINE - The present invention relates to a method for monitoring the combustion chamber of a cyclically operating combustion engine in which an air-fuel-mixture is ignited by means of a corona discharge generated by an electrical oscillating circuit in which an ignition electrode, which is electrically isolated from the combustion chamber walls, and the combustion chamber walls form a capacitor, wherein by evaluating an electrical parameter of the oscillating circuit information about the combustion chamber is gained. The voltage exciting the oscillating circuit is reduced after the beginning of the combustion and the oscillating circuit is then excited with a reduced voltage. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140123967 | IGNITION DEVICE - An ignition device includes a spark plug and an ignition coil. The spark plug is attached to a cylinder head such that a center electrode and a ground electrode project into a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, airflow is generated in a predetermined direction to the spark plug during a compression step. The ignition coil has a primary coil and a secondary coil. An output voltage of the secondary coil after interruption of energization of the primary coil is restricted to a predetermined voltage or less. The ground electrode has a leg portion extending from a housing of the spark plug and an opposing portion that extends in a direction intersecting with the leg portion and forms a gap by opposing the center electrode. The leg portion is attached to a position further upstream than the gap in a flow direction of the airflow during the compression step. | 05-08-2014 |
| 20150114371 | CORONA IGNITION SYSTEM FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A CORONA IGNITION SYSTEM - A corona ignition system for igniting fuel in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising a oscillating circuit, which contains an ignition electrode, a high-frequency generator, which is connected to the oscillating circuit, in order to produce an AC voltage to excite the oscillating circuit, a converter in order to produce an input voltage for the high-frequency generator from an on-board supply voltage, a voltage controller to stabilize the input voltage produced by the converter for the high-frequency generator, and a control unit for controlling the high-frequency generator, wherein the control unit communicates an imminent load change of the converter to the voltage regulator, before the load change occurs as a result of activation or deactivation of the high-frequency generator. A method for controlling a corona ignition system is also described. | 04-30-2015 |
| 20160061177 | IGNITION CONTROL APPARATUS - An ignition control apparatus of the present embodiment controls operation of an ignition plug provided so as to ignite an air-fuel mixed gas. The ignition control apparatus is characterized in that the ignition control apparatus includes: an ignition coil provided with a primary winding which allows a current to pass as a primary current therethrough and a second winding connected to the ignition coil, an increase and a decrease in the primary current generating a secondary current passing through the secondary winding; a DC power supply provided with a non-ground side output terminal, the non-ground side output terminal being connected to one end of the primary winding so that the primary current is made to pass through the primary winding; a first switching element configured of a semiconductor switching element provided with a first control terminal, a fist power side terminal, and a first ground side terminal, the semiconductor switching element controlling on and off states of current supply between the first power side terminal and the first ground side terminal based on a first control signal inputted to the first control terminal, the first power side terminal being connected to the other end side of the primary winding, the first ground side terminal being connected to a ground side; a second switching element configured of a semiconductor switching element provided with a second control terminal, a second power side terminal, and a second ground side terminal, the semiconductor switching element controlling on and off states of current supply between the second power side terminal and the second ground side terminal based on a second control signal inputted to the second control terminal, the second ground side terminal being connected to the other end side of the primary winding; a third switching element configured of a semiconductor switching element provided with a third control terminal, a third power side terminal, and a third ground side terminal, the semiconductor switching element controlling on and off states of current supply between the third power side terminal and the third ground side terminal based on a third control signal inputted to the third control terminal, the third power side terminal being connected to the second power side terminal of the second switching element, the third ground side terminal being connected to the ground side; and an energy accumulation coil configured of an inductor, the inductor being interposed in a power line connecting the non-ground side output terminal of the DC power supply and the third power side terminal of the third switching element, the energy accumulation coil accumulating energy therein in response to turning on of the third switching element. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160105001 | IGNITER - An igniter includes a switch element and a switch control apparatus. An ignition signal IGT is input to an input line of the switch control apparatus. A high-frequency filter removes high-frequency noise from the input line. A voltage comparator compares an output voltage V | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160123294 | IGNITER AND VEHICLE - An igniter includes: a switch connected to an ignition coil; and a controller to control the switch according to an ignition signal. The controller includes an ignition signal input; a determination stage comparing a voltage of the input with a reference voltage to generate a determination signal; a drive stage controlling the switch's ON/OFF according to the determination signal; a comparison circuit receiving a first supply voltage, comparing a current on the switch with a reference current, and generating a feedback-signal having a level based on the comparison; an output transistor having one end grounded and the other end connected to an output terminal of an ignition check signal and having a threshold voltage higher than the first supply voltage; and a level-shifter receiving a second supply voltage higher than the threshold voltage, level-shifting the feedback-signal, and outputting the level-shifted feedback-signal to a control terminal of the output transistor. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20180023494 | CONTROLLER AND ABNORMALITY DETECTING METHOD OF AIR-FUEL-RATIO SENSOR | 01-25-2018 |
