Control apparatus for controlling fuel injection timing and variable valve timing in compression self-ignition internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine control apparatus comprising:

• a variable valve mechanism configured to vary a negative valve overlap period in which both an exhaust valve and an intake valve are closed in an interval from an exhaust stroke to an intake stroke of an internal combustion engine;
• a fuel injection valve configured to inject a fuel directly into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine even in the negative valve overlap period;
• and
• an electronic control unit configured to control respective operations of the variable valve mechanism and the fuel injection valve, wherein in the case where when it is assumed that a load condition of the internal combustion engine is constant, a negative valve overlap period that starts from the starting timing of a first negative valve overlap period is defined as the first negative valve overlap period, a negative valve overlap period that starts from the starting timing of a second negative valve overlap period existing at an advanced-angle side of the starting timing of the first negative valve overlap period is defined as the second negative valve overlap period, and a negative valve overlap period that starts from the starting timing of a third negative valve overlap period existing at the advanced-angle side of the starting timing of the second negative valve overlap period is defined as the third negative valve overlap period, the electronic control unit is configured to control fuel injection by means of the fuel injection valve in such a way
• that when the starting timing of the present negative valve overlap period exists at the delayed-angle side of the first negative valve overlap period, fuel injection into the cylinder is not started in the present negative valve overlap period,
• that when the starting timing of the present negative valve overlap period exists between the starting timing of the first negative valve overlap period and the starting timing of the second negative valve overlap period, fuel injection into the cylinder is started at a given timing in a first fuel injection starting period that is within the present negative valve overlap period and includes the exhaust top dead center of a piston of the internal combustion engine, and
• that when the starting timing of the present negative valve overlap period exists between the starting timing of the second negative valve overlap period and the starting timing of the third negative valve overlap period, fuel injection into the cylinder is started at a given timing in a second fuel injection starting period that is within the present negative valve overlap period, excludes the exhaust top dead center of the piston of the internal combustion engine, and exists at both the advanced-angle side and the delayed-angle side of the exhaust top dead center.