An ignition control device includes a main ignition circuit to generate a spark discharge to a spark plug by controlling energization of a primary coil of an ignition coil for an internal combustion engine, an energy supply circuit that supplies energy based on a discharge continuation signal by controlling the energization of the primary coil during the spark discharge started by the operation of the main ignition circuit to supply a secondary current in the same direction as a main ignition continuously in a secondary coil of the ignition coil, a secondary current command circuit for outputting a command value of the secondary current based on the secondary current command signal, and an ignition control unit for setting signal values of the secondary current command signal and the discharge continuation signal.

An ignition apparatus includes a blow-off determining unit. The blow-off determining unit determines, when a secondary electric current drops below a predetermined threshold value Ia during a determination period, that blow-off has occurred; the determination period is a predetermined time period T from the start of a spark discharge by a main ignition circuit. Further, when it is determined that blow-off has occurred during a main ignition (full-transistor ignition), it is controlled to perform a continuing spark discharge after the main ignition in a next cycle. Moreover, a secondary electric current command value I2a in performing the continuing spark discharge is set to an electric current value that is obtained by adding a predetermined electric current value to the predetermined threshold value Ia used in the blow-off determination. Consequently, in the next cycle, it is possible to reliably prevent blow-off, thereby reliably preventing a misfire.

Disclosed is a complementary analog and digital method for controlling ignition of a gasoline engine. First, analog ignition is performed by means of an analog trigger circuit. After power has been steadily supplied to a microcontroller, the microcontroller disconnects the analog trigger circuit, starts to collect a digital trigger reference signal and turn on a digital trigger circuit, and switches to a digital signal to trigger ignition. Also disclosed is a complementary analog and digital system for controlling ignition of a gasoline engine.

An ignition device includes a secondary current control circuit that receives a secondary current control signal IGa from an ECU, and a feedback circuit outputs a control signal for controlling energization of an primary coil to an energy supply circuit according to a result of comparison of a control value of the secondary current outputted from the secondary current control circuit and a detected value of the secondary current. Further, the ECU outputs a secondary current control signal IGa in accordance with engine parameters. Thereby, the secondary current substantially indicating the amount of energy that is supplied into the ignition coil from the energy supply circuit can be controlled in accordance with the operating condition of the engine. Therefore, it is possible to suppress excess or shortage of energy supplied from the energy supply circuit to an ignition coil from occurring.

An internal combustion engine according to the present invention has an ignition control device. When a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine increases beyond a predetermined rotational over speed, the ignition control device advances an ignition timing of the ignition plug to a first BTDC angle where proper combustion is performed. Further, the ignition control device performs a misfire stroke or strokes of the ignition plug in one rotation or rotations of the crankshaft after the proper combustion is performed by activating the ignition plug at the first BTDC angle.

An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: a spark plug; a first ignition coil and a second ignition coil; a battery; a booster circuit that boosts a voltage supplied from the battery; a power transistor that conducts and interrupts a primary current flowing to a primary coil included in the first ignition coil; a MOSFET that applies and interrupts the voltage boosted by the booster circuit to a primary coil included in the second ignition coil; and an ECU that starts electric discharge by the spark plug by controlling the power transistor, and repeatedly applies and interrupts the voltage boosted by the booster circuit by the MOSFET so that the electric discharge that is started is maintained.

An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes: a spark plug; a first ignition coil and a second ignition coil; a battery; a booster circuit that boosts a voltage supplied from the battery; a power transistor that conducts and interrupts a primary current flowing to a primary coil included in the first ignition coil; a MOSFET that applies and interrupts the voltage boosted by the booster circuit to a primary coil included in the second ignition coil; and an ECU that starts electric discharge by the spark plug by controlling the power transistor, and repeatedly applies and interrupts the voltage boosted by the booster circuit by the MOSFET so that the electric discharge that is started is maintained.

An internal combustion engine according to the present invention has an ignition control device. When a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine increases beyond a predetermined rotational over speed, the ignition control device advances an ignition timing of the ignition plug to a first BTDC angle where proper combustion is performed. Further, the ignition control device performs a misfire stroke or strokes of the ignition plug in one rotation or rotations of the crankshaft after the proper combustion is performed by activating the ignition plug at the first BTDC angle.

An ignition apparatus includes a blow-off determining unit. The blow-off determining unit determines, when a secondary electric current drops below a predetermined threshold value Ia during a determination period, that blow-off has occurred; the determination period is a predetermined time period T from the start of a spark discharge by a main ignition circuit. Further, when it is determined that blow-off has occurred during a main ignition (full-transistor ignition), it is controlled to perform a continuing spark discharge after the main ignition in a next cycle. Moreover, a secondary electric current command value I2a in performing the continuing spark discharge is set to an electric current value that is obtained by adding a predetermined electric current value to the predetermined threshold value Ia used in the blow-off determination. Consequently, in the next cycle, it is possible to reliably prevent blow-off, thereby reliably preventing a misfire.

A method for controlling the operation of an ignition exciter with a rechargeable energy source supplying electricity to a solid-state switch is disclosed. The method includes charging the energy source at a first rate when the voltage of the energy source is less than a first voltage reference value.