Patent · US Expired

Process and apparatus for recognizing ignition failures in an internal-combustion engine having two spark plugs per cylinder

US6211680A · kind A · utility

5Cited by

7References

7Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Daimlerchrysler AG · US

Inventors

Peter Hohner · Echterdingen, DE
Juergen Schenk · Albershausen, DE
Hartung Wilstermann · Gaildorf, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 13, 1998
Grant date	Apr 3, 2001
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 13, 2018

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01M15/042
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A process for recognizing ignition failures in an internal-combustion engine which has two spark plugs per cylinder, based on a measurement of the ionic current at the spark plugs. In this process, the ionic current signals of the two spark plugs are each integrated using an assigned integrator over an entire combustion cycle and the integrator values are compared with one another. Since, in the case of a defective spark plug, an ionic current signal will occur only some time after the ignition (specifically after the arrival of the flame from the ignited spark plug), its integration value is significantly lower than that of the intact spark plug. From this information, the correct operation of the spark plugs is determined.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.