US 12,567,536 B2 · Ignition coil assembly with internal diagnostic features

Abstract

An ignition coil assembly with internal diagnostic features that can be used to monitor and evaluate different aspects of an ignition system and provide continuous feedback. The ignition coil assembly may be a coil-on-plug type device that converts low-voltage battery power into high-voltage ignition pulses, and may include several input terminals, an ignition coil with primary and secondary windings, ignition circuitry, an output terminal, a spark plug connector, and a housing. The ignition circuitry includes an ignition operational circuit and an ignition diagnostic circuit, which in turn has a charging evaluation circuit for monitoring a charging phase, a discharging evaluation circuit for monitoring a discharging phase, and a feedback integration circuit for combining outputs into a multiplexed digital signal that can then be sent to an engine control unit (ECU) or the like over a single output terminal.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An ignition coil assembly for use in an ignition system, comprising:

a plurality of input terminals;
an output terminal;
an ignition coil having a primary winding and a secondary winding;
and
ignition circuitry having an ignition operational circuit and an ignition diagnostic circuit, the ignition operational circuit is configured to manage charging and discharging the ignition coil and is coupled to at least some of the input terminals and to the ignition coil, the ignition diagnostic circuit is configured to monitor different aspects of the ignition system and includes a charging evaluation circuit coupled to the primary winding, a discharging evaluation circuit coupled to the secondary winding, and a feedback integration circuit coupled to the charging evaluation circuit, the discharging evaluation circuit, and the output terminal,
wherein the ignition diagnostic circuit is configured to provide continuous feedback to the ignition system by sending a diagnostic signal over the output terminal, the diagnostic signal includes information representative of both a charging phase and a discharging phase.

3 more elements

A method of operating an ignition coil assembly for use in an ignition system,

the ignition coil assembly comprises:
a plurality of input terminals;
an output terminal;
an ignition coil having a primary winding and a secondary winding;
and
ignition circuitry having an ignition operational circuit and an ignition diagnostic circuit, wherein the ignition diagnostic circuit includes a charging evaluation circuit coupled to the primary winding, a discharging evaluation circuit coupled to the secondary winding, and a feedback integration circuit coupled to the charging evaluation circuit, the discharging evaluation circuit, and the output terminal;
the method comprises the steps of:
managing charging and discharging of the ignition coil with the ignition operational circuit;
monitoring different aspects of the ignition system with the ignition diagnostic circuit;
and
providing continuous feedback from the ignition diagnostic circuit to the ignition system by sending a diagnostic signal over the output terminal, wherein the diagnostic signal includes information representative of both a charging phase and a discharging phase.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ignition coil assembly with internal diagnostic features

Life of this patent

Ignition coil assembly with internal diagnostic features

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18