Ignition coil current monitoring
US6100701A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 2, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 8, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 2, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF02P11/06
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present invention relates to the monitoring of current drawn by an ignition coil for a spark ignition engine, and in particular to circuitry and a method for detecting a malfunction in the charging of an ignition coil or its associated drive circuitry. The electronic circuit comprises: circuitry to measure the voltage of a battery (VB) for charging the coil; software (52) to determine according to the measured battery voltage (VB) a nominal dwell time (TC) for charging fully the coil prior to discharge of the coil; circuitry (32,34) to measure an amount of current drawn by the coil over a time less than the time taken to charge fully the coil; software (36) to extrapolate from the measured current a calculated expected dwell time TD to charge fully the coil; and a device to indicate an error condition (44,62,64,66,68) if the difference (44) between the expected (TD) and nominal (TC) dwell times is beyond a predetermined error limit (58,60).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.