Resistive Based Combustion Sensing Method and Apparatus

A combustion sensor system for monitoring combustion misfire events in a combustion engine, the combustion sensor system comprising:

• an oxygen sensor comprising a metal oxide semiconductor layer bridging a gap between first and second electrodes;
• wherein a resistance of the metal oxide semiconductor layer changes with temperature and oxygen content of exhaust gas passing by the oxygen sensor;
• processing circuitry connectable to the oxygen sensor and configured to, when operatively connected to the oxygen sensor, be operative to:
• receive a combustion signal indicative of combustion timing of the engine based on a time-varying resistance of the oxygen sensor when the oxygen sensor is disposed in an exhaust plenum of the engine;
• the combustion signal indicating one or more spikes in the resistance that correspond to combustion events in the engine;
• monitor for a combustion misfire event based on the combustion signal;
• wherein a spike not being present at a time when a spike is expected indicates a combustion misfire event.