Abstract: An automatic system and method to provide the ignition and monitoring of a pilot flame for gas burners. The circuit includes a microcontroller that acts on at least one gas valve, a flame igniter, and a flame detector circuits. The valve driver is a switching circuit able to open the valve and keep it open with power saving. The flame detection uses the ionization principle with full use of the rectification property of a flame. Furthermore the flame detection is activated for reduced times to save power. The microcontroller governs the system according to the signals that it receives from points of the circuit. The system provides a circuit realizing advanced power saving techniques to provide also a long term operation on battery powered systems. In addition the automatic control can save gas resources versus traditional thermocouple based systems by applying the intermittent pilot ignition.

Abstract: Automatic device for the ignition and control of a gas apparatus comprising at least one burner for regulating the flow of gas from a main pipe towards a nozzle associated with the burner; a spark circuit suitable for generating a pilot flame upon receipt a electric start signal; electrically controlled valve means associated to said at least one burner; at least one supply voltage provided by the electricity main and/or by battery means, to supply said automatic device; an electrical microprocessor unit in said automatic device to drive and to control both said valve means and said spark circuit; at least one actuator circuit activated by said electrical microprocessor unit through an activation signal having a pulse train to dynamically bias said valve means and to regulate its charge state according to the duty cycle of the pulse train. The present invention also concerns a method for driving the automatic device for the ignition and control of a gas apparatus.