Abstract: An original coil having a single primary winding is replaced with a replacement ignition coil having a first primary winding and a second primary winding. The replacement coil is coupled to the existing controller of the ignition system and to a spark plug. The controller is operated within predefined operating limits so as to optimize at least one predetermined ignition spark characteristic of the spark plug.

Abstract: A first current is supplied to a first primary winding of an ignition coil and a second current is supplied to a second primary winding of the ignition coil. A voltage is generated across a secondary winding of the ignition coil and an ignition spark current is generated at a spark plug coupled to the secondary winding. The ignition spark current is based upon the generated voltage and the sum of the first current and the second current.

Abstract: A first current is supplied to a first primary winding of an ignition coil and a second current is supplied to a second primary winding of the ignition coil. A voltage is generated across a secondary winding of the ignition coil and an ignition spark current is generated at a spark plug coupled to the secondary winding. The ignition spark current is based upon the generated voltage and the sum of the first current and the second current.

Abstract: A system and method of managing the energy stored in a single ignition coil of a distributor inductive ignition for an engine. The engine comprises a plurality of cylinders and the ignition coil has a primary coil current. The ignition coil has a stored energy and a released energy during an ignition period. A pre-dwell time period and a pre-dwell current level is determined. The stored energy of the ignition coil and the released energy of the ignition coil are balanced during the ignition period at least in part by dwelling the primary coil current in the ignition coil at substantially the pre-dwell current level.

Abstract: An electronic driver and method for producing an output waveform for use by a tachometer comprises an input line that is connected in series with at least one ignition coil. The at least one ignition coil is driven during at least one current dwell period per an ignition cycle. A signal representative of at least one spark is caused to be generated on the input line by the at least one ignition coil during the at least one current dwell period of the ignition cycle. A controller is coupled to the input line. The controller discriminates between single and multiple sparks over consecutive ignition cycles. The signal is representative of at least one spark received on the input line from the at least one ignition coil. The controller responsively forms an output waveform having substantially equally spaced pulses aligned with the first spark and the output waveform corresponds to the ignition cycle received on the input line.

Abstract: A measuring gauge includes a rotatable LED pointer having a light output. As the pointer is rotated about a lens at a constant rate, the output of the LED pointer appears as an arc of light to a user. The arc of light represents a quantity of a desired display unit. A brushless motor and a rotary transformer are magnetically coupled to the LED pointer. A high speed controller is coupled to the motor and the rotary transformer. The controller receives an indication of the quantity and is responsively programmed to actuate the rotary transformer in order to illuminate the LED pointer as it rotates radially about a face of a graduated lens at a substantially constant speed and to activate and deactivate the LED pointer so as to adjust the length of the arc of light and thereby to indicate the quantity of the desired display unit to the user.

Abstract: A system and method of adjusting the rate of supplementary fuel flow to an engine while monitoring the operating characteristics of an engine. The amount of pressure to apply to a regulator valve is determined based at least in part upon the operating conditions of the engine and information included in a stored fuel grid.

Abstract: A engine control device is disclosed for monitoring and controlling the RPM of an engine. The device restricts the over-revving of an engine due to a lack of resistance by monitoring the RPM and determining whether measured RPM indicate a likely lack of resistance causing over-revving of an engine, such as would occur if the tires are slipping relative to the road. The revlimiter may monitor the revolutions per minute of a crankshaft of an engine and, upon certain conditions, may slow the engine when the RPM exceed certain parameters. The revlimiter may slow the engine if the RPM of the crankshaft exceed a target RPM value. The programming of the device may be gear specific. In this manner, the revlimiter serves to prevent engine over-revving and serves as a form of traction control.

Abstract: A system and method of managing the energy stored in a single ignition coil of a distributor inductive ignition for an engine is described. The engine comprises a plurality of cylinders and the ignition coil having dwell control parameters. The engine is operated at different operating speeds. At least one engine performance parameter is determined. At least one dwell control parameter of the ignition coil in all of the different speeds is adjusted, the adjustment based at least in part upon an evaluation of the at least one engine performance parameter. The cylinders of the engine are fired. The stored energy of the ignition coil is altered to an optimum value between the firings of the engine cylinders, the altering being effected for each of the different speeds and as a result of the adjusting of the dwell control parameters.

Abstract: A programmable electronic ignition system is provided including a hand-held programmer, or in the alternative a computer, for controlling engine control parameters including revolutions per minutes limiters, ignition timing retards, gear shift controls and revolutions per minute switching. The hand-held programmer or computer provides a menu driven interface which directs the user through the engine control parameters using easy to recognize terms. The programmable electronic ignition system can employ a cylinder location sensor to identify a predetermined cylinder for controlling individual cylinder ignition timing retards.

Abstract: A digital ignition system tachometer driver connected to an ignition coil of the ignition of an automobile for converting the ignition coil signal from one or more ignition coils to a single tachometer output signal. The digital ignition system tachometer driver includes a current mirror for mirroring the coil current, a voltage comparator for comparing the mirrored current to a reference voltage, and a mode detector for determining whether the coils are operating in a multispark mode. A reverse-polarity and over-voltage protection circuit is provided to protect the current mirror. An input current and voltage limiting circuit is provided for protecting the tachometer driver circuit.

Abstract: A programmable electronic ignition system is provided including a hand-held programmer, or in the alternative a computer, for controlling engine control parameters including revolutions per minutes limiters, ignition timing retards, gear shift controls, revolutions per minute switching, and fuel addition. The hand-held programmer or computer provides a menu driven interface which directs the user through the engine control parameters using easy to recognize terms. The programmable electronic ignition system can employ a cylinder location sensor to identify a predetermined cylinder for controlling individual cylinder ignition timing retards.

Abstract: An ignition system including an improved power circuit and a timing circuit. The timing circuit includes a microprocessor or microcontroller to provide for engine control. The microcontroller supervises, for example, multispark, revlimit and retard controls. The power circuit includes a variety of overvoltage protection circuitry and employs a reduced size toroid flyback transformer and employs an IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) ignition coil switch.

Abstract: A programmable electronic ignition system is provided including a hand-held programmer, or in the alternative a computer, for controlling engine control parameters including revolutions per minutes limiters, ignition timing retards, gear shift controls, revolutions per minute switching, and fuel addition. The hand-held programmer or computer provides a menu driven interface which directs the user through the engine control parameters using easy to recognize terms. The programmable electronic ignition system can employ a cylinder location sensor to identify a predetermined cylinder for controlling individual cylinder ignition timing retards.

Abstract: A programmable electronic ignition system is provided including a hand-held programmer, or in the alternative a computer, for controlling engine control parameters including revolutions per minutes limiters, ignition timing retards, gear shift controls and revolutions per minute switching. The hand-held programmer or computer provides a menu driven interface which directs the user through the engine control parameters using easy to recognize terms. The programmable electronic ignition system can employ a cylinder location sensor to identify a predetermined cylinder for controlling individual cylinder ignition timing retards.

Abstract: A programmable electronic ignition system is provided including a hand-held programmer, or in the alternative a computer, for controlling engine control parameters including revolutions per minutes limiters, ignition timing retards, gear shift controls and revolutions per minute switching. The hand-held programmer or computer provides a menu driven interface which directs the user through the engine control parameters using easy to recognize terms. The programmable electronic ignition system can employ a cylinder location sensor to identify a predetermined cylinder for controlling individual cylinder ignition timing retards.

Abstract: An electronic ignition system includes a converter for receiving DC power from a source of DC power such as a battery. The convertor converts the DC power at low voltage to a high frequency signal which is stepped up to provide a higher voltage to a charge storage device such as a capacitor. The higher voltage on the capacitor is then made available to an ignition coil under the control of a microprocessor or a microcontroller for providing high voltage electrical energy to one or more spark plugs of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Ignition system componentry which may be coupled or stacked with a conventional high energy ignition system with an ignition storage capacitor coupled to the ignition coil including an electronic controller provided as responsive to the current flow through a transmission ignition coil. A discharge switch is connected in a circuity for discharging the storage capacitor into the ignition coil, the discharge switch being coupled to the electronic controller for controlling the charging and the discharging of the storage capacitor in cooperation with the conventional HEI ignition system using the interruption of the current to the ignition transformer in the conventional system for generating a trigger signal for the capacitive discharge assembly in cooperation with the HEI system upon which it is stacked for generating high energy spark producing potentials optimized for the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for small engines. A controller is provided to monitor manifold absolute pressure, engine RPM and engine oxygen levels. Fuel injector pulses are synchronized to minima in the manifold absolute pressure signal. The width of the pulses is varied depending upon the manifold absolute pressure, the engine RPM, and the oxygen level. In addition, a plurality of correction factors are available to adjust the pulse width depending on engine performance.

Abstract: An electronic ignition system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a Hall effect device for detecting crankshaft rotation. A circuit is provided to select first or second ignition timing responsive to the Hall effect device output based on the rate of crankshaft rotation.