Engine control device

An engine control device for controlling an engine comprising a throttle valve and an ignition system based on a driving state of a vehicle equipped with the engine, comprising:

• an accelerator position sensor for detecting a position of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle;
• a steering wheel angle sensor for detecting a turning angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle;
• a basic target torque-deciding part for deciding a basic target torque based on an output value of the accelerator position sensor;
• a torque reduction amount-deciding part for deciding a torque reduction amount based on an output value of the steering wheel angle sensor;
• a torque-down demand amount-deciding part for deciding whether or not there is a torque-down demand, based on a driving state of the vehicle other than the steering wheel operation state, and, when there is the torque-down demand, deciding a torque-down demand amount;
• a final target torque-deciding part for deciding a final target torque, based on the decided basic target torque, the decided torque reduction amount and the decided torque-down demand amount;
• and
• an engine output control part for controlling the throttle valve and an ignition timing of the ignition system to cause the engine to output the decided final target torque,
• wherein the final target torque-deciding part is operable, when there is the torque-down demand, to restrict a change in the final target torque corresponding to a change in the torque reduction amount.

An engine control device for controlling an engine based on a driving state of a vehicle equipped with the engine, comprising:

• a steering wheel angle sensor for detecting a turning angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle;
• a basic target torque-deciding part for deciding a basic target torque based on a driving state of the vehicle including an accelerator pedal operation state;
• a torque reduction amount-deciding part for deciding a target additional deceleration to be added to the vehicle according to a steering speed calculated from an output value of the steering wheel angle sensor, and decide a torque reduction amount required for realizing the target additional deceleration;
• a torque-down demand amount-deciding part for deciding whether or not there is a torque-down demand, based on a driving state of the vehicle other than the steering wheel operation state, and, when there is the torque-down demand, deciding a torque-down demand amount;
• a final target torque-deciding part for deciding a final target torque, based on the decided basic target torque, the decided torque reduction amount and the decided torque-down demand amount;
• and
• an engine output control part for controlling the engine to cause the engine to output the decided final target torque,
• wherein the final target torque-deciding part is operable, when there is the torque-down demand, to restrict a change in the final target torque corresponding to a change in the torque reduction amount, and
• the torque reduction amount-deciding part is operable to decide the target additional deceleration such that as the steering speed becomes larger, the target additional deceleration becomes larger, and a rate of increase of the target additional deceleration becomes smaller.