Controller and a method for controlling an internal combustion engine
AssigneeJaguar Land Rover Limited
InventorJames Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects of the present invention relate to a controller for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine, a control system, an internal combustion engine, a vehicle, a method and a non-transitory computer readable medium. The controller is configured to, during fuel cut, cause opening of an intake valve of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine to enable air having a mass to enter the cylinder. The mass is below a first range of masses which enable the internal combustion engine to provide combustion torque.
Claims16
A controller for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine, the controller being configured to:
- during fuel cut, cause opening of an intake valve of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine to enable air having a mass to enter the cylinder;
- wherein
- the mass is below a first range of masses which enable the internal combustion engine to provide combustion torque, wherein the controller, in dependence on a fuel cut request signal being received while the intake valve is open, or about to be opened having been scheduled, is configured to:
- cause air having a mass in the first range of masses to enter the cylinder;
- cause injection of fuel into the cylinder;
- cause closing of the intake valve;
- and
- subsequently cause opening of the intake valve to enable air having a mass below the first range of masses to enter the cylinder during the intake stroke of the cylinder next following said closing of the intake valve, and
- wherein the controller is configured to:
- cause ignition of fuel in the cylinder following said closing of the intake valve,
- enable combustion of the fuel in the cylinder during a next power stroke following the closing of the intake valve, and
- cause said ignition only after a piston in the cylinder has reached top dead center.
An internal combustion engine, comprising:
- at least one cylinder;
- an intake valve of the at least one cylinder;
- a least one exhaust valve mechanically actuated by cams fixed to a camshaft;
- and
- a controller configured to, during fuel cut, cause opening of the intake valve of the at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine to enable air having a mass to enter the at least one cylinder, wherein the mass is below a range of masses which enable the internal combustion engine to provide combustion torque
- wherein the controller, in dependence on a fuel cut request signal being received while the intake valve is open, or about to be opened having been scheduled, is configured to:
- cause air having a mass in the first range of masses to enter the cylinder;
- cause injection of fuel into the cylinder;
- cause closing of the intake valve;
- subsequently cause opening of the intake valve to enable air having a mass below the first range of masses to enter the cylinder during the intake stroke of the cylinder next following said closing of the intake valve;
- cause ignition of fuel in the cylinder following said closing of the intake valve;
- enable combustion of the fuel in the cylinder during a next power stroke following the closing of the intake valve;
- and
- cause said ignition only after a piston in the cylinder has reached top dead center.
A method of controlling an internal combustion engine comprising, during fuel cut, causing opening of an intake valve of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine to enable air having a mass to enter the cylinder, wherein the mass is below a range of masses which enable the internal combustion engine to provide combustion torque
- in dependence on a fuel cut request signal being received while the intake valve is open, or about to be opened having been scheduled:
- causing air having a mass in the first range of masses to enter the cylinder;
- causing injection of fuel into the cylinder;
- causing closing of the intake valve;
- subsequently causing opening of the intake valve to enable air having a mass below the first range of masses to enter the cylinder during the intake stroke of the cylinder next following said closing of the intake valve;
- causing ignition of fuel in the cylinder following said closing of the intake valve;
- enabling combustion of the fuel in the cylinder during a next power stroke following the closing of the intake valve;
- and
- causing said ignition only after a piston in the cylinder has reached top dead center.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.