Automotive igniton module diagnostic
First Claim
1. A diagnostic method for an automotive internal combustion engine ignition system in which spark means of at least two engine cylinders are energized by a control signal issued by a single ignition control module in accord with a generated spark timing command, comprising the steps of:
- generating a spark timing command;
sending a command to the single ignition control module to issue the control signal to the spark means of the at least two engine cylinders in accord with the generated spark timing command;
diagnosing misfire conditions in each of the at least two engine cylinders;
logging the diagnosed misfire conditions over a predetermined test period;
comparing the logged misfire conditions to a predetermined threshold value; and
indicating a failure condition in the single ignition control module when the number of logged diagnosed misfire conditions exceeds the predetermined threshold value.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Ignition modules for directly applying spark plug drive signals to spark plug pairs disposed in engine cylinders are diagnosed by issuing drive signals to the ignition modules and then monitoring the corresponding engine cylinders for misfire condition patterns. Consistent misfire activity in each cylinder controlled by an individual ignition module is interpreted as a fault condition in the ignition module or in its peripheral circuitry, facilitating fault condition identification and treatment.
26 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A diagnostic method for an automotive internal combustion engine ignition system in which spark means of at least two engine cylinders are energized by a control signal issued by a single ignition control module in accord with a generated spark timing command, comprising the steps of:
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generating a spark timing command; sending a command to the single ignition control module to issue the control signal to the spark means of the at least two engine cylinders in accord with the generated spark timing command; diagnosing misfire conditions in each of the at least two engine cylinders; logging the diagnosed misfire conditions over a predetermined test period; comparing the logged misfire conditions to a predetermined threshold value; and indicating a failure condition in the single ignition control module when the number of logged diagnosed misfire conditions exceeds the predetermined threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In an automotive internal combustion engine having at least a first and a second engine cylinder and having an ignition control system including an ignition control module for electrically energizing a first spark plug of the first engine cylinder and a second spark plug of the second engine cylinder for providing combustion control in the first and second engine cylinders, a method for diagnosing an ignition control system failure condition, comprising the steps of:
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generating a spark plug drive signal; outputting the spark plug drive signal to the ignition control module; detecting misfire conditions in the first engine cylinder; maintaining a first count in a memory device of the number of detected misfire conditions in the first engine cylinder over a predetermined test period; detecting misfire conditions in the second engine cylinder; maintaining a second count in the memory device of the number of detected misfire conditions in the second engine cylinder over the predetermined test period; comparing each of the first and second counts to a predetermined count threshold value; diagnosing a failure condition in the ignition control system when both of the first and second counts exceed the predetermined count threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A diagnostic method for an ignition system in an internal combustion engine having n cylinders and n/2 ignition control modules for providing electrical drive signals for electrically driving spark plugs of the cylinders in response to an issued spark timing command, the engine cylinders being grouped into n/2 cylinder pairs with each cylinder pair assigned to a corresponding one of the ignition control modules for receiving electrical drive signals therefrom, comprising the steps of:
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generating a spark timing command for timing the providing of the electrical drive signals; issuing the generated spark timing command; diagnosing misfire conditions in the engine cylinders over a predetermined test period; maintaining a count in a memory device of the diagnosed misfire conditions for each of the n engine cylinders; and for each of the n/2 cylinder pairs, (a) comparing the maintained count for each cylinder of a cylinder pair to a predetermined count threshold value, and (b) indicating a failure condition in the ignition control module corresponding to the cylinder pair when the maintained count for each cylinder of the cylinder pair exceeds the predetermined count threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification