Engine ignition and control system

An ignition and engine control system for an internal combustion engine having a piston located within a combustion cylinder, said ignition and engine control system comprising:

• a spark plug, said spark plug having electrodes positioned within the combustion cylinder;
• an ignition transformer mounted on said spark plug, said transformer having a core, a primary winding and a secondary winding both located about said core, said secondary winding being electrically connected to said spark plug, said transformer adapted to produce an arc across said spark plug electrodes a multiple number of predetermined times during a given combustion cycle and being operable directly off of a 12 vdc power supply;
• a coil driver circuit adapted to supply an ignition charging current to said primary winding of said ignition transformer at a first predetermined time during said combustion cycle, said ignition charging current inducing an ignition voltage potential in said secondary winding which is applied to said electrodes of said spark plug to cause ignition of the engine, said coil driver circuit also being adapted to supply a diagnostic charging current to said primary winding of said ignition transformer at a second predetermined time during said combustion cycle, said second predetermined time being after said first predetermined time, said diagnostic charging current inducing a diagnostic voltage potential in said secondary winding which is applied to said electrodes of said spark plug to induce a diagnostic discharge across said electrodes of said spark plug;
• a controller including a programmable microprocessing unit, said controller providing control signals to said coil driver circuit thereby causing said multiple charging current to be initiated in said primary winding during a given combustion cycle;
• timing means for sensing the position of the piston in the combustion cylinder, said timing means providing timing signals to said controller corresponding to the position of the piston and said controller utilizing said timing signals to provide said control signals said predetermined times during the combustion cycle;
• and
• a first detection circuit coupled to said primary winding of said transformer and being capable of detecting the occurrence of diagnostic electrical discharge across said electrodes of said spark plug as a result of said diagnostic voltage potential in said secondary windings being applied to said spark plug and conductive conditions existing in said combustion cylinder, said first detection circuit outputting a signal to said controller in response to a failure of said electrical discharge to occur and existence of a predetermined condition within the combustion cylinder, said signal thereby allowing said controller to respond to the occurrence of said predetermined condition;
• and
• a second detection circuit capable of measuring the duration of said diagnostic electrical discharge across said electrodes of said spark plug as a result of said diagnostic voltage potential in said secondary windings being applied to said spark plugs, said second detection circuit outputting a signal corresponding to said duration of said diagnostic electrical discharge, said signal enabling said controller to determine an existing condition within said combustion chamber and respond thereto.