Engine Control Apparatus and Method
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To provide a control apparatus of an engine that improves vehicle drivability by controlling a variable valve mechanism. The control apparatus of an engine prohibits the changing of the valve duration of an intake valve during a stop of an engine.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1-17. -17. (canceled)
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18. A method of controlling a valve opening-closing characteristic in an engine, the method comprising:
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determining whether the engine is stopped, and prohibiting a variable valve mechanism from changing the valve opening-closing characteristic when it is determined that the engine is stopped.
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19. A method of controlling a valve opening-closing characteristic in an engine, the method comprising:
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determining whether the engine has stalled, and prohibiting a variable valve mechanism from changing the valve opening-closing characteristic from when it is determined that the engine is stalled until a restart of the engine is detected.
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20. A method of controlling a valve opening-closing characteristic in an engine, the method comprising:
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determining whether the engine is in a transitional operation state, and permitting changing the valve opening-closing characteristic of a variable valve mechanism from a first drive manner to a second drive manner when it is determined that the engine is in the transitional operation state, wherein, when an amount of intake air is adjusted by changing a degree of opening of a throttle valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to the first drive manner; and
when the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to the second drive manner.
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21. A method of controlling a valve opening-closing characteristic in an engine, the method comprising:
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determining whether an engine is not in a low-speed run state, and permitting changing the valve opening-closing characteristic of a variable valve mechanism from a first drive manner to a second drive manner when it is determined that the engine is not in the low-speed run state, wherein, when an amount of intake air is adjusted by changing a degree of opening of a throttle valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to the first drive manner; and
when the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to the second drive manner.
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22. A method of controlling a valve opening-closing characteristic in an engine, the method comprising:
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determining whether an engine is in a high-load operation state, and permitting changing the valve opening-closing characteristic of a variable valve mechanism from a first drive manner to a second drive manner when it is determined that the engine is in the high-load operation state, wherein, when an amount of intake air is adjusted by changing a degree of opening of a throttle valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to the first drive manner; and
when the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to the second drive manner.
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23. A method of controlling a valve opening-closing characteristic in an engine, the method comprising:
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determining whether an engine is not in a low-load operation state, and permitting changing the valve opening-closing characteristic of a variable valve mechanism from a first drive manner to a second drive manner when it is determined that the engine is not in the low-load operation state, wherein, when an amount of intake air is adjusted by changing a degree of opening of a throttle valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to the first drive manner; and
when the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to the second drive manner.
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24. A method of controlling a valve opening-closing characteristic in an engine, the method comprising:
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determining whether an ignition switch is switched to an off position, and changing the valve opening-closing characteristic of the intake valve toward an initial opening-closing characteristic, which is defined to be a largest or nearly largest open valve duration of the intake valve when it is determined that the ignition switch is switched to the off position. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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25. An engine control apparatus comprising:
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a control unit, and a variable valve mechanism, wherein the engine control apparatus changes an opening-closing characteristic of an engine valve by controlling the variable valve mechanism and the control unit prohibits the changing of the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve when the engine is stopped. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. An engine control apparatus comprising
a control unit, and a variable valve mechanism, wherein the engine control apparatus changes an opening-closing characteristic of an engine valve by controlling the variable valve mechanism and the control unit prohibits changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve from when an ignition switch is switched to an on position, when the engine is stopped, and ending when driving of a starter motor begins.
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28. An engine control apparatus comprising:
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a control unit, and a variable valve mechanism, wherein the engine control apparatus changes an opening-closing characteristic of an engine valve by controlling the variable valve mechanism and the control unit prohibits the changing of the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve from when an engine stall is detected until when a restart of the engine is detected. - View Dependent Claims (29, 44, 45)
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30. An engine control apparatus comprising:
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a control unit, and a variable valve mechanism, wherein the engine control apparatus changes an opening-closing characteristic of an engine valve by controlling the variable valve mechanism, when an amount of intake air is adjusted by changing a degree of opening of a throttle valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to a first drive manner; and
when the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to a second drive manner, andthe control unit permits switching from the first drive manner to the second drive manner when the engine is in a transitional operation state. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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31. An engine control apparatus comprising:
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a control unit, and a variable valve mechanism, wherein the engine control apparatus changes an opening-closing characteristic of an engine valve by controlling of the variable valve mechanism, when an amount of intake air is adjusted by changing a degree of opening of a throttle valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to a first drive manner; and
when the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to a second drive manner, andthe control unit permits switching from the first drive manner to the second drive manner when the engine is not in a low-speed run state. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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32. An engine control apparatus comprising:
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a control unit, and a variable valve mechanism, wherein the engine control apparatus changes an opening-closing characteristic of an engine valve by controlling the variable valve mechanism, when an amount of intake air is adjusted by changing a degree of opening of a throttle valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to a first drive manner; and
when the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to a second drive manner, andthe control unit permits switching from the first drive manner to the second drive manner when the engine is in a high-load operation state. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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33. An engine control apparatus comprising:
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a control unit, and a variable valve mechanism, wherein the engine control apparatus changes an opening-closing characteristic of an engine valve by controlling the variable valve mechanism, when an amount of intake air is adjusted by changing a degree of opening of a throttle valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to a first drive manner; and
when the amount of intake air is adjusted by changing the opening-closing characteristic of the engine valve, the variable valve mechanism is switched to a second drive manner, andthe control unit permits switching from the first drive manner to the second drive manner when the engine is not in a low-load operation state. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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34. An engine control apparatus comprising:
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a control unit, and a variable valve mechanism, wherein the engine control apparatus changes an opening-closing characteristic of an engine valve by controlling the variable valve mechanism and the control unit changes the opening-closing characteristic of the intake valve toward an initial opening-closing characteristic, which is defined to be a largest or nearly largest open valve duration of the intake valve when an ignition switch is switched to an off position. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 54, 55)
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Specification