Ignition coil control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065997-B2
Application number	US-202217844428-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2022
Priority date	Jul 28, 2021
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

An ignition coil control system includes: a plurality of ignition coils that respectively include a primary coil and a secondary coil; a spark plug that generates a spark discharge by a discharge current generated by the plurality of ignition coils and that includes a center electrode and a ground electrode; a sensing part measuring a current applied to the primary coil; and an ignition controller that adjusts a reference duty signal based on an amount of the current applied to the primary coil sensed by the sensing part to adjust discharge energy generated between the center electrode and the ground electrode through the secondary coil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ignition coil control system, comprising:
a plurality of ignition coils that respectively include a primary coil and a secondary coil;
a spark plug that generates a spark discharge by a discharge current generated by the plurality of ignition coils and includes a center electrode and a ground electrode;
a sensing part measuring a current applied to the primary coil; and
an ignition controller that adjusts a reference duty signal based on an amount of the current applied to the primary coil sensed by the sensing part to adjust discharge energy generated between the center electrode and the ground electrode through the secondary coil.

2. The ignition coil control system of claim 1 , wherein
the ignition controller decreases a ratio of the reference duty signal when the current applied to the primary coil exceeds a maximum threshold value.

3. The ignition coil control system of claim 1 , wherein
the ignition controller increases a ratio of the reference duty signal when the current applied to the primary coil is less than a minimum threshold value.

4. The ignition coil control system of claim 1 , wherein
the sensing part directly measures the current applied to the primary coil.

5. The ignition coil control system of claim 1 , wherein
the sensing part calculates the current of the primary coil through a resistance value of a resistor electrically connected in series to the primary coil and a voltage applied to the resistor.

6. The ignition coil control system of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of ignition coils is two ignition coils that respectively supply a current to the center electrode and the ground electrode, and
the ignition controller applies the reference duty signal to each of the primary coils of the two ignition coils to perform multi-stage ignition.

7. The ignition coil control system of claim 6 , wherein
the reference duty signal applied to each of the primary coils of the two ignition coils is delayed for a set delay time.

8. An ignition coil control method in which a spark plug is included that generates spark discharge by a discharge current generated by a plurality of ignition coils, respectively including a primary coil and a secondary coil, and that includes a center electrode and a ground electrode, the ignition coil control method comprising:
measuring a current applied to the primary coil; and
adjusting a reference duty signal based on an amount of the current applied to the primary coil to adjust discharge energy generated between the center electrode and the ground electrode through the secondary coil.

9. The ignition coil control method of claim 8 , wherein
when the current applied to the primary coil exceeds a maximum threshold value, a ratio of the reference duty signal is decreased.

10. The ignition coil control method of claim 8 , wherein
when the current applied to the primary coil is less than a minimum threshold value, a ratio of the reference duty signal is increased.

11. The ignition coil control method of claim 8 , wherein
the plurality of ignition coils is two ignition coils that respectively supply a current to the center electrode and the ground electrode, and
the ignition controller applies the reference duty signal to each of the primary coils of the two ignition coils to perform multi-stage ignition.

12. The ignition coil control method of claim 11 , wherein
the reference duty signal applied to each of the primary coils of the two ignition coils is delayed for a set delay time.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Sim Kiseon

Classifications

• H01F38/12 Primary

  Ignition, e.g. for IC engines · CPC title

• H03K3/017

  Adjustment of width or dutycycle of pulses (pulse width modulation H03K7/08 {; to maintain energy constant H03K3/015}) · CPC title

• F02P17/12

  Testing characteristics of the spark, ignition voltage or current (testing of sparking plugs H01T13/60) · CPC title

• F02P3/0435

  with semiconductor devices (F02P3/0453, F02P3/051, F02P3/0552 take precedence) · CPC title

• F02P15/08

  having multiple-spark ignition, i.e. ignition occurring simultaneously at different places in one engine cylinder or in two or more separate engine cylinders · CPC title