In an engine ignition method according to the present invention, an ignition coil and an exciter coil are provided in a magneto generator driven by an engine. After charging an ignition capacitor using an output voltage of the exciter coil, the ignition capacitor is discharged through a primary coil of the ignition coil at an ignition timing of the engine, whereby a high voltage induced in a secondary coil of the ignition coil is applied to an ignition plug and a first spark discharge is generated in the ignition plug, and a voltage induced in the secondary coil of the ignition coil accompanied with rotation of the magneto rotor is applied to the ignition plug in a state that insulation across discharge gaps of the ignition plug is broken down due to the first spark discharge, whereby a second spark discharge is produced in the ignition plug.

A powertrain engine control method may include: acquiring period information based on tooth information of an engine crank target wheel by using a timer (T); subdividing the period information by a division rate value (R) by using a timer (D) so as to enable the timer (D) to operate R times; carrying out synchronization with the timer (D) and carrying out counting by using a timer (A) from a zero (0) to 720 degrees for a four-stroke engine operation cycle; and correcting, by using a timer (V), an angle counter which is not generated at the time of deceleration of a vehicle.

Provided is a stroke determination device which detects a secondary output from an ignition coil without using a high breakdown voltage element, and is capable of accurately establishing the stroke being carried out during an ignition operation of a four-stroke engine from the waveform of the detected secondary output. In the present invention, a secondary coil of an ignition coil is constituted from a first coil portion, and a second coil portion wound so as to have fewer windings than does the first coil portion and connected in series to the first coil portion. A tap is drawn out from a boundary part between both coil portions, the voltage at both ends of the second coil portion or the current flowing through the second coil portion is detected through the tap, and a parameter to be used in stroke determination is detected from the waveform of the detected voltage or current.

An engine operation detection system includes an engine including a spark plug and a spark plug wire, and an engine run sensor including a signal wire including an antenna, the antenna configured to receive a spark plug signal from the spark plug wire, a data acquisition output wire outputting an engine on/off condition signal, a power supply providing power to the engine run sensing circuit, and an engine run sensing circuit configured to transform the spark plug signal into the engine on/off condition signal output via the data acquisition output wire.

In an engine ignition method according to the present invention, an ignition coil and an exciter coil are provided in a magneto generator driven by an engine. After charging an ignition capacitor using an output voltage of the exciter coil, the ignition capacitor is discharged through a primary coil of the ignition coil at an ignition timing of the engine, whereby a high voltage induced in a secondary coil of the ignition coil is applied to an ignition plug and a first spark discharge is generated in the ignition plug, and a voltage induced in the secondary coil of the ignition coil accompanied with rotation of the magneto rotor is applied to the ignition plug in a state that insulation across discharge gaps of the ignition plug is broken down due to the first spark discharge, whereby a second spark discharge is produced in the ignition plug.

A method for safely capturing an engine RPM threshold in a spark-ignition internal combustion engine which may exceed the maximum safe unloaded RPM for that engine. Typical engines having a safe RPM high speed redline when coupled to a load, and a reduced RPM redline when decoupled and unloaded, can be set to activate ancillary equipment at a high redline, engine loaded RPM by deriving and processing data from the engine at a low, unloaded reduced RPM speed. The method requires operator reference to an existing OEM or after-market tachometer which enables the user to set a low RPM reference point while the engine is unloaded and running at a slow RPM. Raw data from the latter low RPM reference point selected by a user is safely captured to form a raw threshold while the engine is operating unloaded, and a higher RPM operating threshold is calculated and set from the raw threshold. The higher RPM operating threshold may exceed the maximum safe unloaded RPM for said engine.

A powertrain engine control method may include: acquiring period information based on tooth information of an engine crank target wheel by using a timer (T); subdividing the period information by a division rate value (R) by using a timer (D) so as to enable the timer (D) to operate R times; carrying out synchronization with the timer (D) and carrying out counting by using a timer (A) from a zero (0) to 720 degrees for a four-stroke engine operation cycle; and correcting, by using a timer (V), an angle counter which is not generated at the time of deceleration of a vehicle.

An engine operation detection system includes an engine including a spark plug and a spark plug wire, and an engine run sensor including a signal wire including an antenna, the antenna configured to receive a spark plug signal from the spark plug wire, a data acquisition output wire outputting an engine on/off condition signal, a power supply providing power to the engine run sensing circuit, and an engine run sensing circuit configured to transform the spark plug signal into the engine on/off condition signal output via the data acquisition output wire.

Provided is a stroke determination device which detects a secondary output from an ignition coil without using a high breakdown voltage element, and is capable of accurately establishing the stroke being carried out during an ignition operation of a four-stroke engine from the waveform of the detected secondary output. In the present invention, a secondary coil of an ignition coil is constituted from a first coil portion, and a second coil portion wound so as to have fewer windings than does the first coil portion and connected in series to the first coil portion. A tap is drawn out from a boundary part between both coil portions, the voltage at both ends of the second coil portion or the current flowing through the second coil portion is detected through the tap, and a parameter to be used in stroke determination is detected from the waveform of the detected voltage or current.

A method of determining a sliding camshaft actuator pin position based on engine crankshaft angle includes commanding a sliding camshaft actuator to perform a valve step shift, and monitoring an actuator's pin position during the valve step shift command. At least one crank angle is measured when the actuator pin position reaches or exceeds at least one predetermined pin position threshold and at least one remedial action is performed when the actuator pin position does not correlate to the at least one measured crank angle.