Dual mode internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine comprising

• a first cylinder having a first piston concentrically disposed within;
• a first combustion chamber connected to the first cylinder;
• a first intake channel to provide a fuel mixture into the first combustion chamber, the first intake channel having a first intake valve;
• a first exhaust channel to exhaust combusted gases from the first combustion chamber, the first exhaust valve having a first exhaust valve;
• a first connecting valve configured to selectively seal a path between the first combustion chamber and a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a second piston concentrically disposed within;
• a second connecting valve configured to selectively seal a path between the second cylinder and a second combustion chamber;
• a third cylinder connected to the second combustion chamber, the third cylinder having a third piston concentrically disposed within;
• a second intake channel to provide a fuel mixture into the second combustion chamber, the second intake channel having a second intake valve;
• and
• a second exhaust channel to exhaust combusted gases from the second combustion chamber, the second exhaust valve having a second exhaust valve,
• wherein the first piston, the second piston, and third piston of operate in phase with one another, and wherein the internal combustion engine is configured to operate both in a high efficiency mode and a high power mode, the high power mode being achieved in connection with compressing two of the cylinders selected from the first, second and third cylinders.

A method of operating a four stroke, dual-mode, three cylinder engine comprising the steps of:

• selecting a high efficiency operation mode;
• closing a first connecting valve to seal a path between a second cylinder and a first combustion chamber, closing a first exhaust channel, opening a second connecting valve to create a path between a second cylinder and a second combustion chamber, igniting a fuel mixture in the second combustion chamber, expanding volume of each cylinder, and intaking the fuel mixture into the first cylinder and the first combustion chamber via a first intake channel during a first stroke of the high efficiency operation mode;
• closing the first intake channel, opening a second exhaust channel, compressing the volume of each cylinder, and exhausting combusted gas through a second exhaust channel during a second stroke of the high efficiency operation mode;
• closing the second exhaust channel, closing the second connecting valve, opening the first connecting valve, igniting the fuel mixture in the first combustion, expanding volume of each cylinder, and intaking the fuel mixture into the second cylinder and the second combustion chamber via a second intake channel, during a third stroke of the high efficiency operation mode;
• closing the second intake channel, opening the first exhaust channel, compressing the volume of each cylinder, and exhausting the combusted gas through the first exhaust channel during a fourth stroke of the high efficiency operation mode;
• selecting a high power operation mode;
• opening the first intake channel, closing the first exhaust channel, closing, the second connecting valve, opening the first connecting valve, igniting the fuel mixture in the second combustion chamber, expanding the volume of each cylinder, and intaking the fuel mixture into the first cylinder, second cylinder, and first combustion chamber during a first stroke of the high power operation mode;
• closing the first intake channel, opening the second exhaust channel, compressing the volume of the first and the second cylinders, and exhausting the combusted gas through the second exhaust channel during a second stroke of the high power operation mode;
• closing the second exhaust channel, opening the second intake channel, closing the first connecting valve, opening the second connecting valve, igniting the fuel mixture in the first combustion chamber, expanding the volume of each cylinder, and intaking the fuel mixture into the second cylinder, third cylinder, and second combustion chamber during a third stroke of the high power operation mode;
• and
• closing the second intake channel, opening the first exhaust channel, compressing the volume of the second and third cylinders, and exhausting the combusted gas through the first exhaust channel during a fourth stroke of the high power operation mode,
• wherein compressing and expanding the volume of each cylinder is accomplished by in phase movement of three pistons, one piston concentrically disposed within each of the three cylinders.