Ignition energy and breakdown voltage circuit and method

In an engine and associated ignition energy and breakdown voltage circuit, the engine having at least one spark plug and associated ignition coil including a primary and secondary winding, the secondary winding connected to the associated at least one spark plug and having a first and second end, the ignition energy and breakdown voltage circuit comprising:

• a resistor connected to the first end of the ignition coil's secondary winding for sensing an arcing current generated by the at least one spark plug;
• a high voltage probe, having a first end and a second end, the high voltage probe first end connected to the at least one spark plug for probing a breakdown voltage of the at least one spark plug;
• a current scaling amplifier having an input and output, the current scaling amplifier's input in communication with the current sensing resistor for scaling the at least one spark plug arcing current;
• a voltage scaling amplifier having an input and output, the voltage scaling amplifier's input connected to the high voltage probe's second end for scaling the at least one spark plug breakdown voltage;
• a multiplier having an input and output, the multiplier input connected to the current scaling amplifier output and the voltage scaling amplifier output, for producing an arcing power signal by multiplying the at least one spark plug arcing current and an at least one spark plug arcing voltage;
• a peak detector having an input and output, the peak detector input connected to the voltage scaling amplifier output, for storing the at least one spark plug breakdown voltage;
• an integrator having an input and an output, the integrator input connected to the multiplier output, for producing an energy signal proportional to an amount of energy delivered to at least one spark plug by integrating the multiplier produced arcing power signal over time;
• an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) with corresponding memory and at least one bus line, the ECU connected to the ignition coil's primary winding for sending a charging signal to the ignition coil;
• and
• means for resetting the ignition probing circuit having an input and output, the reset means input connected to the ECU and the reset means output connected to the peak detector and integrator.

In an engine and associated ignition energy and breakdown voltage circuit, the engine having at least one spark plug and an associated ignition coil having a primary and secondary winding, the secondary winding in communication with the at least one spark plug and having a first and second end, the ignition energy and breakdown voltage circuit comprising:

• means for sensing an arcing current generated by the at least one spark plug, the sensing means in communication with the first end of the ignition coil's secondary winding;
• a multiplier having an input and output, the multiplier's input in communication with the arcing current sensing means and the at least one spark plug, for producing an arcing power signal by multiplying the at least one spark plug arcing current and an at least one spark plug arcing voltage;
• means for storing a breakdown voltage of the at least one spark plug, the breakdown voltage storage means having an input and output, the input in communication with the at least one spark plug;
• and
• means for integrating the multiplier produced arcing power signal over time, thereby producing an energy signal proportional to an amount of energy delivered to the at least one spark plug, the integration means having an input connected to the multiplier output.

In an engine and associated ignition energy and breakdown voltage circuit, the engine having at least one spark plug and an associated ignition coil having a primary and secondary winding, the secondary winding in communication with the at least one spark plug and having a first and second end, the ignition energy and breakdown voltage circuit comprising:

• means for sensing an arcing current generated by the at least one spark plug, the sensing means in communication with the first end of the ignition coil's secondary winding;
• means for probing an at least one spark plug breakdown voltage, having a first end and a second end, the at least one spark plug breakdown voltage probing means first end in communication with the at least one spark plug;
• a multiplier having an input and output, the multiplier's input connected to the arcing current sensing means and the at least one spark plug breakdown voltage probing means second end, for producing an arcing power signal by multiplying the ignition coil arcing current and an arcing voltage of the at least one spark plug;
• a peak detector having an input and output, the peak detector input connected to the at least one spark plug breakdown voltage probing means second end, for storing the at least one spark plug breakdown voltage;
• an integrator having an input and output, the integrator input connected to the multiplier output, for integrating the multiplier produced arcing power signal over time, thereby producing an energy signal proportional to an amount of energy delivered to the at least one spark plug;
• and
• means for resetting the ignition probing circuit having an input and output, the reset means input connected to the ECU and the reset means output connected to the peak detector and integrator.