Device and method for controlling ignition timing of internal combustion engine

A method for controlling ignition timing of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

• detecting a crank angle of said internal combustion engine;
• detecting a waveform of vibration of said internal combustion engine in a predetermined range of the crank angle;
• calculating a first value representing a degree of agreement between said detected waveform and a waveform model set as a reference of the waveform of the vibration of said internal combustion engine;
• calculating a second value representing magnitude of the vibration generated in said internal combustion engine;
• determining whether or not knocking has occurred in said internal combustion engine based on a combination of said first value and said second value, in such a manner as to determine that knocking has not occurred in at least one of a case where said first value satisfies a first condition and a case where said second value satisfies a second condition;
• and
• controlling said internal combustion engine such that the ignition timing is retarded by an amount corresponding to the combination of said first value and said second value, if it is determined that knocking has occurred in said internal combustion engine.

A device for controlling ignition timing of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• means for detecting a crank angle of said internal combustion engine;
• means for detecting a waveform of vibration of said internal combustion engine in a predetermined range of the crank angle;
• means for calculating a first value representing a degree of agreement between said detected waveform and a waveform model set as a reference of the waveform of the vibration of said internal combustion engine;
• calculation means for calculating a second value representing magnitude of the vibration generated in said internal combustion engine;
• means for determining whether or not knocking has occurred in said internal combustion engine based on a combination of said first value and said second value, in such a manner as to determine that knocking has not occurred in at least one of a case where said first value satisfies a first condition and a case where said second value satisfies a second condition;
• and
• control means for controlling said internal combustion engine such that the ignition timing is retarded by an amount corresponding to the combination of said first value and said second value, if it is determined that knocking has occurred in said internal combustion engine.