Ignition Control of Advanced Combustion Engines - A Patent Landscape

Global research and development on an innovative engine concept known as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) is being pursued aggressively and the gas engines employing this concept are expected to become commercially viable soon. The U.S. government is expected to institute the emission standard by 2009 and the same needs to be complied thereafter. Gas engines using HCCI will be gaining around 20 percent in fuel consumption. The present paper aims at mapping the patented technologies related to this engine concept. Global patent search retrieved a total of 171 patent families and an attempt is made in this paper to undertake mapping of these patents to get a clear idea about the major players in this area, technologies developed and country-wise patenting activity.