An electronic circuit (101) for controlling a spark of a spark plug (SP1) in a capacitor discharge ignition system (100) for a combustion engine. The electronic circuit (101) comprises an ignition coil (110) dimensioned and configured to provide current to the spark plug (SP1), an ignition capacitor (C1) dimensioned and configured to supply energy to the primary winding (L1), an voltage source (130) dimensioned and configured to supply energy to at least one of the ignition capacitor (C1) and the primary winding (L1), a first switch (SW1) connected to the first primary terminal (TL1) and the first source terminal (TS1), a second switch (SW2) connected to the second capacitor terminal (TC2) and the second source terminal (TS2), and a third switch (SW3) connected to the second capacitor terminal (TC2) and the first source terminal (TS1). A capacitor discharge ignition system (100) including the electronic circuit (101) and a combustion engine including the capacitor discharge ignition system (100).

In at least some implementations, a method of operating an ignition system for a combustion engine includes charging an energy storage device during at least a portion of the time when the engine is operating, permitting the level of energy stored on the charge storage device to decrease over time after the engine ceases to operate, determining the energy level on the energy storage device when the engine is restarted after having ceased operating, and setting at least one engine operational parameter as a function of the determined energy level. In at least some implementations, the at least one engine operational parameter may include one or more of: richness of a fuel and air mixture to be delivered to the engine, ignition timing, desired engine idle speed.

An electronic circuit (101) for controlling a spark of a spark plug (SP1) in a capacitor discharge ignition system (100) for a combustion engine. The electronic circuit (101) comprises an ignition coil (110) dimensioned and configured to provide current to the spark plug (SP1), an ignition capacitor (C1) dimensioned and configured to supply energy to the primary winding (L1), an voltage source (130) dimensioned and configured to supply energy to at least one of the ignition capacitor (C1) and the primary winding (L1), a first switch (SW1) connected to the first primary terminal (TL1) and the first source terminal (TS1), a second switch (SW2) connected to the second capacitor terminal (TC2) and the second source terminal (TS2), and a third switch (SW3) connected to the second capacitor terminal (TC2) and the first source terminal (TS1). A capacitor discharge ignition system (100) including the electronic circuit (101) and a combustion engine including the capacitor discharge ignition system (100).

In at least some implementations, a method of operating an ignition system for a combustion engine includes charging an energy storage device during at least a portion of the time when the engine is operating, permitting the level of energy stored on the charge storage device to decrease over time after the engine ceases to operate, determining the energy level on the energy storage device when the engine is restarted after having ceased operating, and setting at least one engine operational parameter as a function of the determined energy level. In at least some implementations, the at least one engine operational parameter may include one or more of: richness of a fuel and air mixture to be delivered to the engine, ignition timing, desired engine idle speed.

In at least some implementations, a control and communication system for a light-duty combustion engine includes a circuit card, an ignition circuit carried by the circuit card and configured to control an ignition timing of the engine, and a short range wireless communication circuit carried by the circuit card. The communication circuit may include a Bluetooth Low Energy antenna. The ignition circuit may include an ignition capacitor that when drained induces an ignition pulse adapted to fire a spark plug. The system may further include a microprocessor that is coupled to and controls the ignition and communication circuits, and/or a clocking circuit adapted to provide a clocking frequency associated with the timing of the ignition circuit and associated with the communication circuit via a short range wireless communication protocol. The clocking circuit may include a crystal oscillator.

A gas turbine engine comprises an electronic control unit adapted to control functions of the gas turbine engine and having a DC power input unit coupled to receive DC supply power and an ignition igniter coupled thereto. The ignition exciter includes an AC power input unit adapted to receive AC power from an AC power source within the gas turbine engine, a power rectification unit coupled to receive the AC power from the AC power source and configured, upon receipt thereof, to rectify the AC power into DC power, and a DC power output unit coupled to receive the DC power from the power rectification unit and configured to supply the DC power to the DC power input unit of the electronic control unit as DC supply power and/or the ignition igniter.

In at least some implementations, a control and communication system for a light-duty combustion engine includes a circuit card, an ignition circuit carried by the circuit card and configured to control an ignition timing of the engine, and a short range wireless communication circuit carried by the circuit card. The communication circuit may include a Bluetooth Low Energy antenna. The ignition circuit may include an ignition capacitor that when drained induces an ignition pulse adapted to fire a spark plug. The system may further include a microprocessor that is coupled to and controls the ignition and communication circuits, and/or a clocking circuit adapted to provide a clocking frequency associated with the timing of the ignition circuit and associated with the communication circuit via a short range wireless communication protocol. The clocking circuit may include a crystal oscillator.

A method for the start-up and/or the maintenance of a supply voltage for a driver circuit for a solid state light source is described. The driver circuit comprises a switched-mode power converter with a switch and a transformer. The switched-mode power converter converts an input voltage into an output voltage. The driver circuit has a controller which generates a gate control signal for putting the power converter switch into an on-state or an off-state. The driver circuit comprises a supply voltage capacitor to provide a voltage to the controller. A primary coil of the transformer is arranged in series with the power converter switch. A secondary coil arrangement of the transformer provides the output voltage. and is coupled to the supply voltage capacitor via a supply voltage transistor which is controlled such that the supply voltage provided by the supply voltage capacitor lies within a pre-determined voltage interval.

A gas turbine engine comprises an electronic control unit adapted to control functions of the gas turbine engine and having a DC power input unit coupled to receive DC supply power and an ignition igniter coupled thereto. The ignition exciter includes an AC power input unit adapted to receive AC power from an AC power source within the gas turbine engine, a power rectification unit coupled to receive the AC power from the AC power source and configured, upon receipt thereof, to rectify the AC power into DC power, and a DC power output unit coupled to receive the DC power from the power rectification unit and configured to supply the DC power to the DC power input unit of the electronic control unit as DC supply power and/or the ignition igniter.

The present invention provides an ignition timing control device and an ignition system which are capable of performing ignition timing control that easily suppresses occurrence of knocking for internal combustion engine. An ignition timing control device has a knocking detection device 41 detecting knocking of internal combustion engine; and an ignition timing adjustment device 43 adjusting ignition timing of internal combustion engine according to a knocking signal obtained from knocking detection device 41 and indicating knocking state and an externally-obtained signal concerning the ignition timing of the internal combustion engine. Knocking detection device 41 and ignition timing adjustment device 43 are electrically connected and formed integrally with each other. Ignition timing adjustment device 43 is provided with a first connecting portion 101 inputting the signal concerning the ignition timing and a second connecting portion 103 outputting the signal concerning the ignition timing that undergoes adjustment to a switching element 376.