The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine with fuel which is combusted using a spark plug. According to the invention, the aging of the spark plug, in particular the aging of an electric resistor of the spark plug, is monitored during the operation of the internal combustion engine, wherein electromagnetic radiation of the spark plug is detected for monitoring purposes. The invention additionally relates to a controller for carrying out the method.

A method for evaluating the compression of the cylinders of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having an electric starter motor and a respective starting battery, comprising: start capturing the battery voltage signal when the starter motor stars to rotate the internal-combustion engine so as to initiate operation of the engine under its own power; cease capturing the battery voltage signal when the engine enters operation under its own power; process the captured voltage signal for the location of local minimums; calculate the time difference between consecutive local minimums; detect if there is a variation of time between the calculated differences higher than a predetermined threshold between any said calculated time differences; and, if there is such variation, signal a potential engine malfunction. Also provided is a device for accomplishing the foregoing.

An assembly for a motor vehicle is provided. The assembly comprises a steering wheel assembly comprising a steering wheel hub for coupling to a steering column of the motor vehicle, such that rotation of the hub about a steering axis rotates the steering column, and a steering wheel rim assembly comprising a steering wheel rim extending around a first axis of the steering wheel assembly, wherein the steering wheel rim is movably coupled to the steering wheel hub, such that the steering wheel rim is selectively pivotable relative to the steering wheel hub about a second axis, the second axis having a component in a direction perpendicular to the first axis, and a controller configured to determine a pivot angle of the steering wheel rim and activate or deactivate an ignition system and/or a driver restraint system of the vehicle based on the pivot angle.

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for igniting fuel for an internal combustion engine, an ignition system include a first ignition device associated with a pre-combustion chamber of a cylinder and a second ignition device associated with a main combustion chamber of the cylinder. An engine control unit is operably connected to both the engine and the ignition system to ignite fuel for the cylinder with the first ignition device independently of igniting fuel with the second ignition device. The engine control unit determines an occurrence of a combustion condition and in response thereto (i) ignites fuel for combustion with both the first and the second ignition devices or (ii) ignites fuel for combustion only with the second ignition device. The engine control unit determines a second combustion condition and in response thereto ignites fuel only with the first ignition device.

Apparatuses, methods, and systems for igniting fuel for an internal combustion engine, an ignition system include a first ignition device associated with a pre-combustion chamber of a cylinder and a second ignition device associated with a main combustion chamber of the cylinder. An engine control unit is operably connected to both the engine and the ignition system to ignite fuel for the cylinder with the first ignition device independently of igniting fuel with the second ignition device. The engine control unit determines an occurrence of a combustion condition and in response thereto (i) ignites fuel for combustion with both the first and the second ignition devices or (ii) ignites fuel for combustion only with the second ignition device. The engine control unit determines a second combustion condition and in response thereto ignites fuel only with the first ignition device.

A control device for the selective control of a multiplicity of actuators of an internal combustion engine is provided. The control device includes a central control unit, and a multiplicity of actuators associated with the multiplicity of actuator controls, which are connected to the central control unit. Each actuator control, of the multiplicity of actuator controls, includes an address, so that the actuator controls are selectively controllable by the central control unit by means of the address. Also, each actuator control includes a comparator, which is configured to compare a signal, preferably a voltage or current signal, emitted by the central control unit with the address. The comparator also emits an activation signal via an activation line, if the comparison has resulted in a match of the signal with the address of the respective actuator control within a window, preferably a voltage window (ΔV).

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving a collection of measurements of electric current amplitude in a primary winding of an engine ignition system having the primary winding and a spark plug, identifying an ignition start time, identifying an inflection point based on the plurality of measurements, determining an inflection point time representative of a time at which the identified inflection point occurred, determining a spark start time based on an amount of time between the ignition start time and the inflection point time, and providing a signal indicative of the spark start time.

A current control circuit for an ignition system (i.e., igniter current limiter) is disclosed. The current control circuit can reduce a coil current over a soft shut down (SSD) period using an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) that is controlled by a negative feedback loop, which controls the current limit of the IGBT according to a SSD profile. In order to prevent an unwanted current rise during the soft shut down period, the current control circuit compares a gate voltage of the IGBT to a reference signal and based on the comparison can enable the SSD profile to include a fast ramp. The fast ramp quickly lowers the current limit of the IGBT so that the coil current equals the current limit and can be controlled by the negative feedback loop.

A current control circuit for an ignition system (i.e., igniter current limiter) is disclosed. The current control circuit can reduce a coil current over a soft shut down (SSD) period using an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) that is controlled by a negative feedback loop, which controls the current limit of the IGBT according to a SSD profile. In order to prevent an unwanted current rise during the soft shut down period, the current control circuit compares a gate voltage of the IGBT to a reference signal and based on the comparison can enable the SSD profile to include a fast ramp. The fast ramp quickly lowers the current limit of the IGBT so that the coil current equals the current limit and can be controlled by the negative feedback loop.

The ignition apparatus includes: an ignition plug; a plurality of high voltage devices each configured to generate the high voltage and apply the high voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode; a leakage current detection device configured to detect a leakage current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a control device configured to control respective operations of the plurality of high voltage devices and the leakage current detection device. When the control device determines that leakage is present between the first electrode and the second electrode based on the leakage current detected by the leakage current detection device, the control device causes each of the plurality of high voltage devices to apply the high voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode at the same period.