Multi-stroke cylinder operation in an internal combustion engine

A method for determining when to combust a mixture in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine with electrically actuated valves, the method comprising:

• determining an operating condition of at least one electrically actuated valve;
• operating at least an intake valve of a cylinder, inducting at least an air amount into said cylinder of said engine, mixing said air amount and an injected fuel amount producing a air-fuel mixture;
• combusting said air-fuel mixture;
• and
• adjusting a number of cylinder strokes after said combustion of said air-fuel mixture to delay a valve opening in said cylinder as said operating condition varies.

A method for determining when to combust a mixture in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine with electrically actuated valves, the method comprising:

• determining an operating condition of at least one of said electrically actuated valves;
• determining a number of cylinder strokes to delay combustion after opening an intake valve in a cylinder based on said operating condition;
• opening at least an intake valve of said cylinder inducting at least an air amount into said cylinder, mixing said air amount and an injected fuel amount producing a air-fuel mixture;
• and
• delaying combustion of said air-fuel mixture said number of cylinder strokes after said intake valve opening.

A method for determining when to combust a mixture in a cylinder of an internal combustion engine with electrically actuated valves, the method comprising:

• determining an operating condition of at least one of said electrically actuated valves;
• determining an operating condition of said internal combustion engine;
• opening at least an intake valve of said cylinder, inducting at least an air amount into said cylinder, mixing said air amount and an injected fuel amount producing a air-fuel mixture;
• combusting said air-fuel mixture;
• and
• adjusting a number of cylinder strokes after said combustion of said air-fuel mixture to delay a valve opening in said cylinder as said engine operating conditions and said valve operating conditions vary.

A method for determining when to combust mixtures in an internal combustion engine having at least a first and a second group of cylinders, at least one group of said first and second groups having electrically actuated valves, the method comprising:

• determining at least an operating condition of at least a electrically actuated valve;
• selecting at least one cylinder of said first cylinder group based on said electrically actuated valve operating condition and said engine operating condition;
• opening at least an intake valve of said selected cylinder in said first cylinder group, inducting at least an air amount into said cylinder, mixing said air amount and an injected fuel amount producing a air-fuel mixture;
• combusting said air-fuel mixture;
• and
• adjusting a number of cylinder strokes, different than a number of cylinder strokes of said second group, after said combustion in said selected cylinder to delay a valve opening as said electrically actuated valve operating conditions vary.