Patent ID: 11859574
Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A method of controlling an engine by using a controller, the engine including a cylinder with a pentroof ceiling, air being introduced into the cylinder through an intake valve provided to the ceiling; an ignition device including a spark plug provided at or near the center axis of the cylinder; and a fuel injector provided at or near the center axis of the cylinder, the method comprising the steps of:
injecting main fuel by the fuel injector during one of an intake stroke and a compression stroke, and providing a mixture gas containing fuel and air inside the cylinder;
applying by the ignition device a high voltage between electrodes of the spark plug at a timing when the mixture gas is not ignited, and detecting a parameter related to a current value of an electric-discharge channel generated between the electrodes;
determining by the controller whether the detected parameter is within a range between a first threshold and a second threshold to determine a flowing state of a vortex inside the cylinder;
when the parameter is determined to be outside the range, operating the spark plug to perform a supplemental ignition to generate hot plasma prior to a main ignition, and to perform the main ignition to ignite the mixture gas after the supplemental ignition; and
when the parameter is determined to be within the range, operating the spark plug to perform only the main ignition to ignite the mixture gas.