Internal combustion engine control apparatus and internal combustion engine control method

An internal combustion engine control method configured to control an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine comprising a throttle valve and an ignition plug, the throttle valve being configured to adjust an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine, the ignition plug being configured to ignite an air-fuel mixture in a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine control method comprising:

• setting a target intake air amount for the throttle valve and a target ignition timing for the ignition plug, based on a target torque corresponding to a requested acceleration rate of a vehicle comprising the internal combustion engine;
• predicting an increase in a load of power generation by a generator that is coupled to a power transmission system and configured to generate electric power by being driven by an output torque outputted from the internal combustion engine, the power transmission system being configured to transmit motive power from the internal combustion engine to a drive wheel of the vehicle;
• when the load of the power generation by the generator is predicted to increase, setting an increase correction amount for an increase correction on the target intake air amount, based on a power generation torque to be used to drive the generator, and setting a retardation amount of the target ignition timing, based on a difference between the target torque and the output torque of the internal combustion engine that is achieved by the target intake air amount after the increase correction;
• determining whether a speed of the internal combustion engine is equal to or less than a predetermined stall threshold, the predetermined stall threshold indicating a possibility of an occurrence of a stall of the internal combustion engine;
• and
• returning the target ignition timing to an advance side in response to determining that the speed of the internal combustion engine is equal to or less than the predetermined stall threshold.

An internal combustion engine control apparatus configured to control an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine comprising a throttle valve and an ignition plug, the throttle valve being configured to adjust an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine, the ignition plug being configured to ignite an air-fuel mixture in a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine control apparatus comprising:

• a circuitry configured to:
• set a target intake air amount for the throttle valve and a target ignition timing for the ignition plug, based on a target torque corresponding to a requested acceleration rate of a vehicle comprising the internal combustion engine;
• predict an increase in a load of power generation by a generator that is coupled to a power transmission system and configured to generate electric power by being driven by an output torque outputted from the internal combustion engine, the power transmission system being configured to transmit motive power from the internal combustion engine to a drive wheel of the vehicle;
• when the load of the power generation by the generator is predicted to increase, set an increase correction amount for an increase correction on the target intake air amount, based on a power generation torque to be used to drive the generator, and set a retardation amount of the target ignition timing, based on a difference between the target torque and the output torque of the internal combustion engine that is achieved by the target intake air amount after the increase correction;
• determine whether a speed of the internal combustion engine is equal to or less than a predetermined stall threshold, the predetermined stall threshold indicating a possibility of an occurrence of a stall of the internal combustion engine;
• and
• return the target ignition timing to an advance side in response to determining that the speed of the internal combustion engine is equal to or less than the predetermined stall threshold.