A booster circuit for use with an ignition system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The booster circuit includes a relay control circuitry disposed in parallel between the voltage source and the one or more ignition coils for igniting fuel in the engine in synchronism with engine operation; a controllable switching element for selectively completing a booster circuit for connecting the relay control circuitry in series with the voltage source and the one or more ignition coils; and the booster circuit having electronic circuitry including at least one output for providing booster energy at the at least one output, when the booster circuit is completed by the controllable switching element to assure producing of a suitable voltage applied to the one or more ignition coils.

Circuits and methods to control a current in a coil are disclosed. The circuit and methods provide over-dwell protection and soft shut-down functionality to safely discharge the coil. The safe discharge of the coil is facilitated by a soft-start ramp signal that reduces the coil current gradually by controlling a switching device according. A profile of the soft-start ramp signal over time determines the gradual reduction. The profile of the soft-start ramp signal can be adjusted to set (i) an over-dwell period of the coil current, after which the coil current is shut down, and (ii) a soft shut-down period, over which the coil current is gradually reduced.

Circuits and methods to control a current in a coil are disclosed. The circuit and methods provide over-dwell protection and soft shut-down functionality to safely discharge the coil. The safe discharge of the coil is facilitated by a soft-start ramp signal that reduces the coil current gradually by controlling a switching device according. A profile of the soft-start ramp signal over time determines the gradual reduction. The profile of the soft-start ramp signal can be adjusted to set (i) an over-dwell period of the coil current, after which the coil current is shut down, and (ii) a soft shut-down period, over which the coil current is gradually reduced.

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine that utilizes a single primary coil and a single secondary coil to drive a pair of spark plugs. Current flowing in both a first direction and a second direction passes through the primary coil. The current flowing through the primary coil induces corresponding current in the secondary coil, which flows from the secondary coil to one of two spark plugs. Each spark plug is coupled to the secondary coil such that each of the two spark plugs receives current flowing only in a single direction. The current flowing through the ignition system can be from either a power source or created by the rotation of a flywheel having a series of magnet clusters.

Circuits and methods to control a current in a coil are disclosed. The circuit and methods provide over-dwell protection and soft shut-down functionality to safely discharge the coil. The safe discharge of the coil is facilitated by a soft-start ramp signal that reduces the coil current gradually by controlling a switching device according. A profile of the soft-start ramp signal over time determines the gradual reduction. The profile of the soft-start ramp signal can be adjusted to set (i) an over-dwell period of the coil current, after which the coil current is shut down, and (ii) a soft shut-down period, over which the coil current is gradually reduced.

An ignition system for automobile industry is disclosed. The system includes a high voltage source to initiate the spark and a low voltage source to add additional energy to the spark and the initiation of the spark and adding of the additional energy to the spark is carried out while the primary winding of the transformer is conducting. This high energy ignition system is carried out using the transformer with a secondary high voltage winding. The spark generation and adding additional energy is carried out using both capacitive and inductive transfer system using the transformer. Different ways of generating high voltage are also disclosed. Both single switch method and two switch method and multiple switch methods are also disclosed. Current controlled spark generation and multiple pulse method are also disclosed. The system delivers more energy efficiently while the primary is on and with smaller transformer and faster current rise.

An ignition system for a tandem-type hybrid vehicle. The tandem-type hybrid vehicle comprises a plurality of engines (100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150). The ignition system comprises: a plurality of ignition coils (101), each of the engines being configured to have at least one of the ignition coils, and each of the ignition coils comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding which are mutually matched; a single igniter (200) provided with a plurality of output ports (103) with the quantity corresponding to that of the plurality of ignition coils, each of the output ports being connected to the primary winding of one corresponding ignition coil so as to control the connection and disconnection of a current in the primary winding of the ignition coil; and an electronic control unit (300) for determining, according to a current power demand of the tandem-type hybrid vehicle, the engine to be started in the plurality of engines, determining the ignition coil to be boosted in the ignition coils in the engine to be started and issuing a corresponding ignition instruction, wherein the single igniter controls, according to the ignition instruction, the connection and disconnection of the current in the primary winding of the corresponding ignition coil to be boosted.

A semiconductor apparatus is provided, comprising: a power semiconductor element which is connected between a first terminal on a high-potential side and a second terminal on a low-potential side; a first gate control section which controls a gate potential of the power semiconductor element according to a control signal; a discharge circuit which is discharges charges that are charged by the gate of the power semiconductor element; a second gate control section which controls the gate potential of the power semiconductor element according to a collector current of the power semiconductor element; a feedback section which feedbacks the charges to the gate of the power semiconductor element according to the collector potential of the power semiconductor element; and a current cutting off section which cuts off currents flowing from the first terminal to the gate of the power semiconductor element according to the control signal.

An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine provided with an ignition coil and a spark plug. An ECU enables operation of a plurality of continuous discharges in the spark plug and also detects a flow speed of a combustible air/fuel mixture. In a first discharge, a supply of a primary current terminates the first discharge, with energy remaining in the ignition coil, from an initiation of the ignition to an initiation of the spark plug, when the detected flow speed exceeds a predetermined first threshold. Thereafter, a second discharge is performed by shutting off the primary current.

An ignition control system is applied to an internal combustion engine having an ignition coil, a switching element and a measurement detection part which detects at least one of a primary and a secondary voltages and a secondary current. The ignition coil has a primary coil and a secondary coil. The switching element performs conduction and interruption the primary current to the primary coil. The ignition control system has a primary current control unit generating a spark discharge at the ignition plug by passing the primary current through the primary coil, and perform interruption of the primary current, and a discharge short-circuiting determination part determining a generation of discharge short-circuiting based on a measured value. The primary current control unit generates the spark discharge again when discharge short-circuiting occurs.