Control apparatus for internal combustion engine

A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising a microcomputer configured to:

• calculate a second timing further advanced in time from a first timing in an effective injection period of one combustion cycle, the second timing corresponding to an injection excess warning timing of the effective injection period in the one combustion cycle and the first timing corresponding to an end position of the effective injection period in the one combustion cycle, the end position preceding an ignition timing by a predetermined time period required for vaporization of fuel injected into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine;
• determine whether a present time is a prediction timing for predicting a final injection termination timing, indicative of a timing of termination of final fuel injection in the one combustion cycle, the prediction timing being prior to a timing at which an initial fuel injection starts in the one combustion cycle,
• predict, at the prediction timing, the final injection termination timing, and determine whether the final injection termination timing comes after the first timing or the second timing, wherein the prediction is made using injection control information as of the prediction timing, the injection control information including pulse width information, a fuel pressure, operating information of the internal combustion engine, and an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine;
• and
• control a fuel injector or an ignition device so as to secure time for vaporization of the fuel injected into the cylinder of the internal combustion engine while satisfying a fuel injection amount required in the one combustion cycle when it has been determined that the final injection termination timing comes after the first timing or the second timing.