초록 ▼

Internal combustion engine ignition timing control for timing combustion events of an air-fuel mixture in engine cylinders in response to cylinder mean effective pressure feedback information. Cylinder mean effective pressure information is provided through monitoring of variation in ion content in

Internal combustion engine ignition timing control for timing combustion events of an air-fuel mixture in engine cylinders in response to cylinder mean effective pressure feedback information. Cylinder mean effective pressure information is provided through monitoring of variation in ion content in cylinder combustion plasma through ionization current variation measurement and integration. Ion content variation monitoring is carried out at varying ignition timing angles and ignition timing is driven toward timing associated with a minimum ion content variation corresponding to a preferred ignition timing associated with maximum combustion efficiency.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The embodiments of the invention in which a property or privilege is claimed are described as follows:] [1.] A closed-loop ignition timing control method for timing application of an ignition signal to a spark plug for igniting an air-fuel mixture in an engine cylinder during a cylinder combustion

[ The embodiments of the invention in which a property or privilege is claimed are described as follows:] [1.] A closed-loop ignition timing control method for timing application of an ignition signal to a spark plug for igniting an air-fuel mixture in an engine cylinder during a cylinder combustion event, comprising the steps of:referencing a base ignition timing command;varying the base ignition timing command in accordance with an ignition timing variation value;applying the ignition signal to the spark plug in accordance with the varied base ignition timing command to initiate a cylinder combustion event;transducing cylinder combustion plasma ion content into an ion content output signal during the cylinder combustion event;determining cylinder combustion plasma ion content variation as a function of the ion content output signal; andvarying ignition timing in response to the determined cylinder combustion plasma ion content variation in direction to minimize the variation.