Direct injection pump control strategy for noise reduction

A method of controlling a pump, comprising:

• providing the pump with a casing that defines a first chamber, a second chamber, a third chamber and a fourth chamber;
• providing a fluid inlet in the first chamber and a fluid outlet in the fourth chamber;
• providing a first movable valve member in the first chamber and a second movable valve member in the second chamber;
• providing a third movable valve member in the fourth chamber;
• providing a solenoid coil;
• during a suction stroke of the pump, moving a plunger in the third chamber away from the third chamber so that a volume of the third chamber increases to move the second valve member towards a stop and to cause the second valve member to collide against the stop;
• moving the third valve member against a valve seat to prevent fuel from exiting through the fluid outlet;
• during a pumping stroke of the pump, energizing the solenoid coil, attracting the first movable valve member toward the solenoid coil, and moving the second movable valve member against a second valve seat;
• maintaining energizing of the solenoid coil before and after a top dead center position of the plunger;
• and
• decreasing an energy for energizing of the solenoid coil in at least one step prior to the top dead center position.