Device and method for controlling internal combustion engine
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorDaigo Ando
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a hybrid vehicle including an engine provided with a plurality of VVTs (variable valve timing mechanisms) as one motive power source, an ECU increments a time lapse counter when a sensor detects the fact that a greatest-retard command has been output to all VVTs and an operation position of each VVT has actually returned to a greatest-retard position in response to the greatest-retard command. The ECU determines whether count by the time lapse counter has exceeded a predetermined defined time or not, and it does not permit engine stop until count by the time lapse counter reaches the predetermined defined time and permits engine stop when count by the time lapse counter has exceeded the predetermined defined time.
Claims5
A device for controlling an internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine including a plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms and a plurality of sensors for detecting respective operation positions of said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms, comprising:
- a command portion for outputting a command signal for returning an operation position of each of said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms to a corresponding initial position when a request for stopping said internal combustion engine is issued;
- a permission portion for determining whether the operation positions of all of said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms have actually returned to said corresponding initial positions in response to said command signal based on outputs from said plurality of sensors and permitting stop of said internal combustion engine when determination that the operation positions of all of said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms have actually returned to said corresponding initial positions has continued for a first time period;
- and
- a stop portion for causing said internal combustion engine to stop when the request for stopping said internal combustion engine is issued and when stop of said internal combustion engine is permitted.
A control method performed by a device for controlling an internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine including a plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms and a plurality of sensors for detecting respective operation positions of said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms, comprising the steps of:
- outputting to said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms, a command signal for returning an operation position of each of said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms to a corresponding initial position when a request for stopping said internal combustion engine is issued;
- determining whether the operation positions of all of said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms have actually returned to said corresponding initial positions in response to said command signal based on outputs from said plurality of sensors;
- permitting stop of said internal combustion engine when determination that the operation positions of all of said plurality of variable valve timing mechanisms have actually returned to said corresponding initial positions has continued for a predetermined time period;
- and
- causing said internal combustion engine to stop when the request for stopping said internal combustion engine is issued and when stop of said internal combustion engine is permitted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.