Patent ID: 8573173

Claim:
A four stroke single cylinder combustion engine starting system, comprising: an electrical machine operable as both a generator and a motor; a single cylinder four stroke combustion engine having a piston disposed in a chamber, wherein the piston is coupled to a shaft of the electrical machine; a motor driver having outputs coupled to the electrical machine; a controller coupled to the driver; an ignition switch coupled to the controller; and an engine stoke cycle sensor having an output coupled to the controller; wherein, in operation, in response to the controller receiving an ignition signal from the ignition switch, the motor driver controls the electrical machine to operate as a motor so that the electrical machine rotates in a reverse direction thereby moving the piston in a reverse stroke cycle, and wherein after the piston reverses to a power stroke position of the reverse stroke cycle, the engine stroke cycle sensor provides a stroke signal to the controller that is dependent on current flowing from the motor driver and into the electrical machine, and is indicative of the combustion engine being in the power stoke position, the motor driver controls electrical machine to rotate in a forward direction thereby moving the piston in a forward stroke cycle to start the combustion engine, wherein after starting the combustion engine, the electrical machine operates as a generator and is selectively coupled to a battery by way of a rectifier.