To suppress a failure of ignition of a fuel caused by a spark plug while suppressing wear of an electrode of the spark plug in an internal combustion engine. A control device 1 for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition control unit that controls energization of an ignition coil 300 that applies electric energy to a spark plug 200 that discharges in a cylinder 150 of an internal combustion engine 100 to ignite a fuel. The ignition control unit continuously transmits a first pulse signal (pulse signal for corona discharge) to an igniter connected to the ignition coil 300 before dielectric breakdown between electrodes of the spark plug 200, and continuously transmits a second pulse signal (pulse signal for arc discharge) to the igniter after the dielectric breakdown between the electrodes of the spark plug 200 to control the energization of the ignition coil 300. At this time, a period of the pulse signal for corona discharge is shorter than a period of the pulse signal for arc discharge.

Failure in ignition of a fuel by an ignition plug is reduced, and, at the same time, wearing of electrodes of the ignition plug in an internal combustion engine is suppressed. A control device 1 for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition control unit that controls energization of an ignition coil 300 that supplies electric energy to an ignition plug 200 that discharges in a cylinder 150 of the internal combustion engine 100 to ignite fuel. The ignition control unit controls the energization of the ignition coil 300 such that first electric energy is released from the ignition coil 300 and second electric energy is released in superposition with the first electric energy. At this time, the energization of the ignition coil 300 is controlled such that releasing of the second electric energy is stopped at a timing that depends on a state of gas around the ignition plug 200 so that the discharge of the ignition plug 200 is stopped.

A system and method for dynamically varying an amount slippage of a Torque Converter Clutch (TCC) provided between an engine and a transmission of a vehicle in response to non-powertrain factors. By varying a slippage output signal, the amount of TCC slippage between the engine and the transmission can be adjusted. Small amounts of slippage, relative to large amounts of slippage, provide (a) improved vehicle fuel economy, but (b) induce more powertrain noise and vibration in the vehicle cabin. By dynamically adjusting the slippage, a tradeoff between improved fuel economy vs. a satisfying driver experience can be realized.

A method for controlling an internal combustion engine operating on at least partly gaseous fuel is disclosed. The method may include providing a desired burn rate profile corresponding to a desired operation of the internal combustion engine. The method may further include selecting first operating parameters such that an operation of the internal combustion engine with a first gas composition produces a first burn rate profile that corresponds to the desired burn rate profile. The method may also include operating the internal combustion engine with the first operating parameters using a second gas composition. The method may include determining that the second burn rate profile differs from the desired burn rate profile. In addition, the method may include adjusting an operating parameter from among the first operating parameters of the internal combustion engine to approach the desired burn rate profile.

When an operating condition including load and speed of an internal combustion engine is in a prescribed low-speed high-load region, i.e., an energy suppression region, having a possibility causing pre-ignition, energization time TDWLMIN for the energy suppression region is selected as a primary coil energization time. In other normal regions, normal energization time TDWL is selected. Normal energization time TDWL has a characteristic such that the normal energization time shortens, as the engine speed increases. In a low speed region, a given energization time that can fulfill a discharge energy required in a high exhaust gas recirculation region is provided. Energization time TDWLMIN for the energy suppression region is constant regardless of engine speeds and relatively short, and is set to a level such that a coil generated maximum voltage does not exceed a withstand voltage of a spark plug even when no-discharge occurs due to pre-ignition.

An ignition system (10) comprises a high voltage transformer (12) comprising a primary winding (12.1) and a secondary winding (12.2). A primary resonant circuit (26) is formed by the primary winding (12.1) and a primary circuit capacitance (24). A secondary resonant circuit (16) is formed by an ignition plug (14), as a load, the secondary winding (12.2); the ignition plug (14) being represented by a secondary circuit capacitance (18) and a secondary circuit load resistance (Rp) put in parallel. Said load resistance value varies during an ignition cycle. The primary resonant circuit (26) and the secondary resonant circuit (16) have a common mode resonance frequency (f.sub.c) and a differential mode resonance frequency (f.sub.d). A controller (28) is configured to cause a drive circuit (22) to drive the primary winding at a frequency, which is either the common-mode resonance frequency (f.sub.c) or the differential mode resonance frequency (f.sub.d) and is connected to a feed-back circuit (50) to adapt the frequency of the primary winding to the variable load resistance.

A control system of an internal combustion engine which performs diffusion combustion by compression autoignition on fuel injected in a main injection in at least a partial operating range and which performs stratified combustion by spark ignition using a spark plug on fuel injected prior to the main injection. The control system determines whether or not the diffusion combustion occurs and performs combustion by spark ignition using the spark plug on the fuel injected in the main injection when it is determined that the diffusion combustion does not occur.

An outboard motor is provided with: an encoder which detects the rotational speed of an engine; a position sensor which detects an operating position of a shift lever; and a state quantity detection unit which detects a state quantity of a shift actuator. A control device of the outboard motor determines whether the state quantity is more than or equal to a stop-initiating threshold value when the operating position has been switched. If the state quantity is more than or equal to the stop-initiating threshold value, the control device implements a stop control to stop ignition and/or fuel injection in the engine.

An outboard motor is provided with: an encoder which detects the rotational speed of an engine; a position sensor which detects an operating position of a shift lever; and a state quantity detection unit which detects a state quantity of a shift actuator. A control device of the outboard motor determines whether the state quantity is more than or equal to a stop-initiating threshold value when the operating position has been switched. If the state quantity is more than or equal to the stop-initiating threshold value, the control device implements a stop control to stop ignition and/or fuel injection in the engine.

A handheld work apparatus has a combustion engine (4) for driving a tool. The combustion engine (4) has an ignition device, a device for metering fuel and a control device (31). The control device (31) engages when an engagement speed (n.sub.E1, n.sub.E2) is reached, in order to limit the speed (n) of the combustion engine (4). In order to allow the speed (n) to be set in an easy manner at full throttle, the work apparatus has a device for setting the engagement speed (n.sub.E2) by the user.