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US 2016/0097368 A1Published application
Spark plug fouling detection for ignition system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsGarlan J. Huberts, Qiuping Qu
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Abstract
A method for determining a level of spark plug fouling and providing an indication to change the spark plugs of an ignition system is provided. The method includes providing a dwell command on a control wire of an ignition system and generating an indication of a recommendation to change a spark plug of the ignition system based upon a current on the control wire.
Claims13
A method comprising:
- providing a dwell command on a control wire of an ignition system;
- and generating an indication of a recommendation to change a spark plug of the ignition system based upon a current on the control wire.
11-18. (canceled)
A system for determining a level of spark plug fouling and pre-ignition, the system comprising:
- an ignition coil for an ignition system, the ignition coil including a primary winding and a secondary winding;
- a spark plug connected to a high voltage terminal of the secondary winding;
- a battery connected to a low voltage terminal of the secondary winding;
- a feed-forward diode with sensing resistor network connected between the low voltage terminal and the battery;
- a comparator receiving input from a reference voltage and a sensed voltage tap connected to the feed-forward diode, the comparator configured to output a logic 1 when the sensed voltage is less than the reference voltage and a logic 0 when the sensed voltage is greater than the reference voltage;
- a logic OR gate receiving input from the comparator and controlling a switch;
- a current sink connected between a control wire and ground while the switch is closed, the switch being open when the output of the logic OR gate is 0 and closed when the output of the logic OR gate is 1;
- and
- a controller configured to execute non-transitory instructions to:
- provide a dwell command on a control wire of an ignition system;
- and provide an indication of a recommendation to change the spark plug based upon a measurement of current on the control wire.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.