Variable valve operating system of internal combustion engine enabling variation of valve-lift characteristic and phase

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a variable lift and working angle control mechanism that enables both a lift and a working angle of an engine valve to be continuously simultaneously varied depending on engine operating conditions including at least an engine speed;
• a variable phase control mechanism that enables a phase at a maximum valve lift point of the engine valve to be varied depending on the engine operating conditions;
• engine sensors that detect the engine operating conditions;
• a first sensor that detects an actual control state of the variable lift and working angle control mechanism every sampling time intervals TS1;
• a second sensor that detects an actual control state of the variable phase control mechanism every sampling time intervals TS2;
• a first actuator that provides a motive power to the variable lift and working angle control mechanism;
• a second actuator that provides a motive power to the variable phase control mechanism;
• a control unit configured to be electronically connected to the engine sensors, the first and second sensors, and the first and second actuators, for feedback-controlling all of the lift, the working angle, and the phase of the engine valve depending on the engine operating conditions;
• the control unit comprising a data processor programmed to perform the following,
• (a) calculating a desired control state of the variable lift and working angle control mechanism and a desired control state of the variable phase control mechanism based on the engine operating conditions;
• (b) calculating both a set value of a first sensor counter corresponding to the sampling time interval TS1 for the first sensor and a set value of a second sensor counter corresponding to the sampling time interval TS2 for the second sensor based on the engine speed;
• (c) sampling the actual control state of the variable lift and working angle control mechanism each time the set value of the first sensor counter has expired;
• (d) sampling the actual control state of the variable phase control mechanism each time the set value of the second sensor counter has expired;
• (e) applying an error signal corresponding to a deviation of the actual control state of the variable lift and working angle control mechanism from the desired control state to the first actuator;
• and
• (f) applying an error signal corresponding to a deviation of the actual control state of the variable phase control mechanism from the desired control state to the second actuator;
• a rate of change in the sampling time interval TS1 for the first sensor with respect to the engine speed being different from a rate of change in the sampling time interval TS2 for the second sensor with respect to the engine speed.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a variable lift and working angle control means for enabling both a lift and a working angle of an engine valve to be continuously simultaneously varied depending on engine operating conditions including at least an engine speed;
• a variable phase control means for enabling a phase at a maximum valve lift point of the engine valve to be varied depending on the engine operating conditions;
• engine sensors for detecting the engine operating conditions;
• a first sensor for detecting an actual control state of the variable lift and working angle control means every sampling time intervals TS1;
• a second sensor for detecting an actual control state of the variable phase control means every sampling time intervals TS2;
• a first actuator for providing a motive power to the variable lift and working angle control means;
• a second actuator for providing a motive power to the variable phase control means;
• a control unit configured to be electronically connected to the engine sensors, the first and second sensors, and the first and second actuators, for feedback-controlling all of the lift, the working angle, and the phase of the engine valve depending on the engine operating conditions;
• the control unit comprising a data processor programmed to perform the following,
• (a) calculating a desired control state of the variable lift and working angle control means and a desired control state of the variable phase control means based on the engine operating conditions;
• (b) calculating both a set value of a first sensor counter corresponding to the sampling time interval TS1 for the first sensor and a set value of a second sensor counter corresponding to the sampling time interval TS2 for the second sensor based on the engine speed;
• (c) sampling the actual control state of the variable lift and working angle control means each time a count value of the first sensor counter reaches the set value;
• (d) sampling the actual control state of the variable phase control means each time a count value of the second sensor counter reaches the set value;
• (e) applying an error signal corresponding to a deviation of the actual control state of the variable lift and working angle control means from the desired control state to the first actuator;
• (f) clearing the count value of the first sensor counter after application of the error signal to the first actuator;
• (g) applying an error signal corresponding to a deviation of the actual control state of the variable phase control mechanism from the desired control state to the second actuator;
• and
• (h) clearing the count value of the second sensor counter after application of the error signal to the second actuator;
• a rate of change in the sampling time interval TS1 for the first sensor with respect to the engine speed being different from a rate of change in the sampling time interval TS2 for the second sensor with respect to the engine speed.