CPC F02P 19/02 (2013.01) [F02C 7/266 (2013.01); G05D 23/2401 (2013.01); H05B 1/023 (2013.01); F05D 2220/32 (2013.01); F05D 2260/99 (2013.01); F23Q 7/001 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
1. A method for operating a glow plug, the method comprising:
controlling a temperature of the glow plug by switching between applying a voltage VH and applying a voltage VN<VH to the glow plug, the applying the voltage VH and the applying the voltage VN causing a glow plug current to oscillate about a glow plug current threshold, the glow plug current threshold associated with one of the voltage VH and the voltage VN;
when the glow plug current threshold is associated with the voltage VH, monitoring the glow plug current at the voltage VH;
when the glow plug current threshold is associated with the voltage VN monitoring the glow plug current at the voltage VN;
applying the voltage VH when the glow plug current is greater than the glow plug current threshold;
applying the voltage VN when the glow plug current is less than the glow plug current threshold;
determining a time parameter that the glow plug current is above the glow plug current threshold; and
determining a time parameter that the glow plug current is below the glow plug current threshold.
|