Patent ID: 6453733
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: G01M

Abstract:
A method for identifying a time during which a cylinder of an internal combustion engine is undergoing a compression stroke, said method comprising the steps of:(a) providing an electrode gap and disposing said electrode gap substantially within said cylinder of said internal combustion engine; (b) providing a power supply; (c) supplying said electrode gap with a voltage differential generated by said power supply through a circuit; said voltage differential supplied to said electrode gap being of a sufficient magnitude to: 1) create a breakdown onset condition across said electrode gap when said cylinder is not undergoing said compression stroke; 2) prevent a breakdown onset condition across said electrode gap when said cylinder is undergoing said compression stroke; and 3) prevent the generation of an actual spark condition across said electrode gap; (d) cranking said internal combustion engine; and (e) monitoring said electrode gap to determine the presence or absence of said breakdown onset condition across said electrode gap during said steps of a) supplying said electrode gap with said voltage differential and b) cranking said internal combustion engine; the absence of said breakdown onset condition across said electrode gap indicating that said cylinder is undergoing said compression stroke; and the presence of said breakdown onset condition across said electrode gap indicating that said cylinder is not undergoing said compression stroke.