Control method for an electromagnetic actuator for the control of a valve of an engine from a rest condition

A method for controlling an electromagnetic actuator for actuating an engine valve from a rest position to an abutment position, the electromagnetic actuator including an actuator body actuating the valve and two electromagnets, the valve held in the rest position by the actuator body being held by at least one elastic body in an intermediate position between the two de-excited electromagnets, the valve held in the abutment position by the actuator body being in a position of abutment against a first one of the electromagnets, the method comprising:

• alternately exciting the two electromagnets in order to generate a progressively amplified oscillating movement of the actuator body about the intermediate position;
• estimating a mechanical energy dynamically stored in the mechanical system formed by the actuator body and the elastic body before exciting each electromagnet;
• and
• calculating excitation parameters for each electromagnet as a function of the difference between an elastic energy statically stored by the elastic body upon the valve being in the abutment position and the mechanical energy dynamically stored in the mechanical system.