Method for operating an internal combustion engine, especially of an automobile

A control element including a read-only-memory for a control apparatus of an internal combustion engine including an engine of a motor vehicle, the control element comprising:

• a program stored on the control which can be run on a computing apparatus including a microprocessor;
• and, the program being suitable for carrying out a method for starting said engine from a cold start state and the method including the steps of:
• injecting fuel for a combustion directly into a combustion chamber of said engine during an induction phase and during a compression phase;
• determining the pressure (pr) with which the fuel is injected into said combustion chamber;
• building up said pressure (pr) when starting said engine;
• injecting the fuel during the induction phase when the pressure (pr) is less than a pregiven minimum pressure (prmin);
• and,
• injecting the fuel during the compression phase when the pressure (pr) is greater than the pregiven minimum pressure (prmin).

An internal combustion engine including an engine for a motor vehicle, the engine comprising:

• an injection valve with which the fuel, which is to be injected for a combustion, can be injected directly into a combustion chamber during an induction phase and during a compression phase;
• a control apparatus for controlling (open loop and/or closed loop) the start of said engine;
• a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure (pr) with which the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber;
• means for building up said pressure (pr) when starting said engine from a cold start state;
• means for injecting the fuel during the induction phase via the control apparatus when the pressure (pr) is less than a pregivable minimum pressure (prmin);
• and
• means for injecting the fuel during the compression phase via said control apparatus when the pressure (pr) is greater than the pregivable minimum pressure (prmin).

A method for starting an internal combustion engine including an engine of a motor vehicle from a cold start state, the method comprising the steps of:

• building up said pressure (pr) when starting said engine from said cold start state and injecting fuel for a combustion directly into a combustion chamber of said engine during an induction phase whereby said engine operates in a homogeneous mode of operation;
• measuring the pressure (pr) at which the fuel is injected into said combustion chamber;
• continuing to inject the fuel during the induction phase when the pressure (pr) is less than a pregivable minimum pressure (prmin);
• and,
• injecting the fuel during the compression phase when the pressure (pr) becomes greater than the pregivable minimum pressure (prmin) so that said engine operates in a stratified mode of operation.