Systems and methods of controlling valve timing in an engine

A vehicle comprising:

• an engine including:
• a combustion chamber defining an inlet and an outlet;
• a first valve regulating one of the inlet and the outlet;
• a first valve actuator operatively connected to the first valve to actuate opening and closing of the first valve;
• a second valve regulating the other of the inlet and the outlet;
• a second valve actuator operatively connected to the second valve to actuate opening and closing of the second valve;
• a plasma ignition source for initiating ignition in the combustion chamber;
• a controller in communication with the first valve actuator and the second valve actuator and configured to:
• detect a transition from a first combustion mode of the engine to a second combustion mode of the engine;
• and
• change at least one of an opening time, a closing time, and an open duration of the first valve in response to detecting the transition;
• a fuel injector for supplying fuel to the combustion chamber, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a load of the engine based at least partially on the amount of fuel supplied by the fuel injector.

A vehicle comprising:

• an engine including:
• a combustion chamber defining an inlet and an outlet;
• a first valve regulating one of the inlet and the outlet;
• a first valve actuator operatively connected to the first valve to actuate opening and closing of the first valve;
• a second valve regulating the other of the inlet and the outlet;
• a second valve actuator operatively connected to the second valve to actuate opening and closing of the second valve;
• a low temperature plasma ignition source for initiating ignition in the combustion chamber;
• a controller in communication with the first valve actuator and the second valve actuator and configured to:
• detect a transition from a first combustion mode of the engine to a second combustion mode of the engine;
• and
• change at least one of an opening time, a closing time, and an open duration of the first valve in response to detecting the transition;
• wherein the first combustion mode is defined as the load on the engine being between a first load threshold and a second load threshold and the speed of the engine being between a minimum speed and a speed threshold;
• wherein the second combustion mode is defined as the load on the engine being between a third load threshold and a fourth load threshold and the speed of the engine being between the same minimum speed as the first combustion mode and the same speed threshold as the first combustion mode;
• and
• wherein the second load threshold is greater than the third load threshold.