Abstract: An overvoltage protection circuit is galvanically, directly connected across at least part of the secondary winding in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine. The input portion of the overvoltage protection circuit is a voltage divider preferably constituted by RC elements. The voltage at the tap of the voltage divider is applied to a Schmitt trigger. When the voltage across the secondary winding becomes excessively high, the Schmitt trigger output pulse triggers a monostable multivibrator whose output pulse in turn increases the conductivity of a transistor switch located in series with the primary. The increase in primary current tends to oppose further increases in primary and secondary voltages. Alternatively, the output from the multivibrator could be used to shorten the time of current flow in the primary winding in subsequent ignition time intervals or to completely block any subsequent ignition process.

Abstract: In order to control the spark advance of an internal combustion engine in the idling domain, the invention provides circuitry for increasing the spark advance below an upper rpm limit and returning the ignition timing to normal when the engine speed drops below a second lower limit. The continuous temporal shift of an output signal which may be used for engaging the ignition control system of the engine is provided by a very small number of elements, in particular only two timing elements, a flip-flop and a number of logical gates. The two flip-flops are triggered by the respective leading and trailing edges of the engine speed transducer signal. One of the flip-flops defines the upper engine speed limit while the second timing element defines the lower engine speed limit. Two embodiments of the invention are described.

Abstract: To prevent excessive current flow through the control transistor of a solid-state ignition system in which the control transistor is serially connected with an ignition coil, if the power supply voltage should exceed rated value, the voltage monitoring circuit, including a Zener diode, is connected across the power supply source. The solid-state ignition system includes a control transistor which controls the conduction state of the final or output transistor. The over-voltage circuit additionally controls the conduction state of this control transistor to conductive condition if over-voltage is sensed, thereby causing changeover of the final or output transistor to blocked state. A timing circuit including a capacitor is preferably included in the monitoring circuit so that application of control voltage to the control transistor is gradual, causing changeover of the main or output transistor likewise to be gradual and preventing generation of an undesired ignition event.

Abstract: In order to prevent engine misfires and irregular engine performance when an engine is accelerated from very low speeds, for example starting speeds, due to the engagement of an automatic spark advance feature, the apparatus of the invention provides that the automatic spark advance for low and decreasing engine speeds is operative only when the engine is decelerated from higher engine speeds through an upper threshold level but remains inoperative when the engine is accelerated from low speeds through a lower threshold level. The apparatus includes a number of timing members which define a hysteresis characteristc which shifts the occurrence of an ignition control signal only when the upper speed level is crossed from above. A number of embodiments is presented.

Abstract: To provide for gradual decay of current flow through the primary of an ignition coil, and hence suppression of spurious sparks at spark plugs, a main switching transistor has its conductivity controlled by the conductivity of the emitter-collector path of a control transistor, the base-emitter path of which forms part of a discharge circuit of a control capacitor, which discharge circuit has a sufficiently high resistance to provide for gradual discharge of the capacitor and hence gradual transition of the conductivity of the control transistor.