This invention relates to an engine for a vehicle using alternative fuel, preferably gas, comprising an engine (5) having a spark ignited ignition system (2) wherein said ignition system (2) includes misfire detection by means of a sensor device (4) providing information to a control system (20), connected to or within said ignition system (2), and wherein said combustion includes diluted operation to optimize emissions wherein said sensor device (4) includes an ion sensing measurement means (40) arranged to measure an ion current in said engine (5) and that said ignition system (2) has a built-in function to detect misfiring through an analysis of the ion current of the engine (5) during combustion.

This invention relates to an engine for a vehicle using alternative fuel, preferably gas, comprising an engine (5) having a spark ignited ignition system (2) wherein said ignition system (2) includes misfire detection by means of a sensor device (4) providing information to a control system (20), connected to or within said ignition system (2), and wherein said combustion includes diluted operation to optimize emissions wherein said sensor device (4) includes an ion sensing measurement means (40) arranged to measure an ion current in said engine (5) and that said ignition system (2) has a built-in function to detect misfiring through an analysis of the ion current of the engine (5) during combustion.

There are provided a plug built-in type optical measurement probe capable of obtaining a more accurate measurement value, and an optical measurement device provided with the same. A spark section and a light receiving section are held by a plug main body while being arranged next to each other in a protruding manner such that an end face of a holder is arranged at a position where discharge light from the spark section does not enter the field of view of the light receiving section. Accordingly, the light receiving section can be held in a manner protruding from the plug main body, and entering of the discharge light from the spark section can be restricted by the holder of the light receiving section. That is, by arranging the end face of the holder at a position where the discharge light from the spark section does not enter the field of view of the light receiving section, the light receiving intensity of the discharge light from the spark section can be prevented from being added to a measurement value, and it is possible to measure only the light generated at the time of combustion, and thus, a more accurate measurement value can be obtained.

There are provided a plug built-in type optical measurement probe capable of obtaining a more accurate measurement value, and an optical measurement device provided with the same. A spark section and a light receiving section are held by a plug main body while being arranged next to each other in a protruding manner such that an end face of a holder is arranged at a position where discharge light from the spark section does not enter the field of view of the light receiving section. Accordingly, the light receiving section can be held in a manner protruding from the plug main body, and entering of the discharge light from the spark section can be restricted by the holder of the light receiving section. That is, by arranging the end face of the holder at a position where the discharge light from the spark section does not enter the field of view of the light receiving section, the light receiving intensity of the discharge light from the spark section can be prevented from being added to a measurement value, and it is possible to measure only the light generated at the time of combustion, and thus, a more accurate measurement value can be obtained.

A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a first burn duration module and a spark control module. The first burn duration module determines a first duration of at least a portion of a fuel burn within a cylinder of an engine from a first time when a first predetermined percentage of a mass of fuel within the cylinder is burned to a second time when a second predetermined percentage of the fuel mass is burned. The spark control module controls a spark plug to adjust spark timing of the cylinder based on the first burn duration.

The present disclosure refers to a method for detecting an exchange of a component of an ignition system of a spark-ignited internal combustion engine. The method comprises the step of determining at least one parameter being indicative of an operation or condition of the ignition system; and the step of detecting an exchange of the component based on a comparison of the parameter with at least one reference value.

The present disclosure refers to a method for detecting an exchange of a component of an ignition system of a spark-ignited internal combustion engine. The method comprises the step of determining at least one parameter being indicative of an operation or condition of the ignition system; and the step of detecting an exchange of the component based on a comparison of the parameter with at least one reference value.

In a method for creating a spark across a spark gap, in particular for igniting a flammable liquid to measure its flash point, by means of a spark generator which comprises an ignition transformer, wherein the spark generator, on the primary side of the ignition transformer, comprises at least one DC voltage source and, on the secondary side of the ignition transformer, comprises two electrodes delimiting the spark gap to be formed, wherein voltage pulses from the DC voltage source are applied to the ignition transformer on the primary side thereof, which voltage pulses generate ignition voltage pulses on the secondary side, the ignition transformer is operated in a first phase according to the flyback converter principle and in a subsequent, second phase according to the forward converter principle.

To provide an ignition control device of an internal combustion engine capable of reducing the number of adjustment steps required for adjustment such as matching of a MOS gate voltage or the like without being affected by device variation. A detection voltage is generated on the basis of a primary current flowing through a current detection resistor having a positive temperature dependent characteristic. A reference voltage is generated by a potential difference between a base and an emitter of a first bipolar transistor circuit and a multiple type second bipolar transistor circuit in which a plurality of bipolar transistors are connected in parallel, and a resistance value of a first resistor connected to the emitter side of the plurality of the bipolar transistor circuit, on the basis of a current having a positive temperature dependent characteristic similar to the current detection resistor.

To suppress a failure of ignition of a fuel caused by a spark plug while suppressing wear of an electrode of the spark plug in an internal combustion engine. A control device 1 for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition control unit that controls energization of an ignition coil 300 that applies electric energy to a spark plug 200 that discharges in a cylinder 150 of an internal combustion engine 100 to ignite a fuel. The ignition control unit continuously transmits a first pulse signal (pulse signal for corona discharge) to an igniter connected to the ignition coil 300 before dielectric breakdown between electrodes of the spark plug 200, and continuously transmits a second pulse signal (pulse signal for arc discharge) to the igniter after the dielectric breakdown between the electrodes of the spark plug 200 to control the energization of the ignition coil 300. At this time, a period of the pulse signal for corona discharge is shorter than a period of the pulse signal for arc discharge.