A compression-ignition type internal combustion engine that burns a gaseous fuel, improves an ignition performance not only at a center part of the combustion chamber but also at an outer edge part. The compression-ignition engine comprises an electromagnetic wave generator configured to generate an electromagnetic wave, a controller configured to control the electromagnetic wave generator, and a plasma generator comprising a boosting circuit that constitutes a resonator configured to boost the electromagnetic wave, a first electrode configured to receive an output from the boosting circuit, and a second electrode provided to a vicinity of the first electrode, and the plasma generator is configured such that the first electrode is extruded and exposed toward a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and a plurality of plasma generators are provided.

An apparatus of controlling a vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The operating region of an engine is operated with theoretical air-fuel ratio. The apparatus includes a supercharger that supplies compressed air to a the combustion chamber of the engine and a spark plug that ignites mixed air supplied to the combustion chamber. An intake valve selectively opens and closes the combustion chamber for inflowing the mixed air therein. A variable valve apparatus adjusts an opening timing and closing timing of the intake valve and a controller adjusts an ignition timing of the spark plug and the closing timing of the intake valve through the variable valve apparatus based on the operating region of the engine.

An apparatus of controlling a vehicle and a method thereof are provided. The operating region of an engine is operated with theoretical air-fuel ratio. The apparatus includes a supercharger that supplies compressed air to a the combustion chamber of the engine and a spark plug that ignites mixed air supplied to the combustion chamber. An intake valve selectively opens and closes the combustion chamber for inflowing the mixed air therein. A variable valve apparatus adjusts an opening timing and closing timing of the intake valve and a controller adjusts an ignition timing of the spark plug and the closing timing of the intake valve through the variable valve apparatus based on the operating region of the engine.

A method for operating an internal combustion engine includes operating at least one cylinder pre-chamber in a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion mode by providing an air/fuel mixture in the pre-chamber that is fluidly connected to the at least one engine cylinder, creating H and OH radicals in the pre-chamber to achieve an ignition in the at least one pre-chamber, determining whether an ignition timing is advanced or delayed relative to a desired timing, and delaying the ignition when the ignition is advanced relative to the desired timing by cooling the pre-chamber and the at least one engine cylinder.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting spark and/or fuel injection to a cylinder based on late combustion, partial burn, or misfire in a neighboring cylinder. In one example, a method may include deactivating spark and fuel injection to a second cylinder receiving exhaust residuals from combustion in a first cylinder, the first cylinder experiencing a misfire or late combustion event. Mitigating actions are performed in the second cylinder before the occurrence of a pre-ignition event.

The present invention relates to a control device and a control method for an internal combustion engine equipped with a variable compression ratio mechanism. The control device sets an air charging efficiency as an engine load equivalent value and performs setting of a determination value used for misfire diagnosis, setting of an ignition timing, an estimation of a catalyst temperature, or the like. In the control device, when a compression ratio is higher than the basic compression ratio, and the theoretical thermal efficiency is high, the air charging efficiency is corrected to be increased, to perform the control on the basis of the corrected air charging efficiency. Furthermore, in a torque control that sets a target air charging efficiency on the basis of a torque command value, when the compression ratio is higher than the basic compression ratio, the target air charging efficiency is reduced.

The present invention relates to a control device and a control method for an internal combustion engine equipped with a variable compression ratio mechanism. The control device sets an air charging efficiency as an engine load equivalent value and performs setting of a determination value used for misfire diagnosis, setting of an ignition timing, an estimation of a catalyst temperature, or the like. In the control device, when a compression ratio is higher than the basic compression ratio, and the theoretical thermal efficiency is high, the air charging efficiency is corrected to be increased, to perform the control on the basis of the corrected air charging efficiency. Furthermore, in a torque control that sets a target air charging efficiency on the basis of a torque command value, when the compression ratio is higher than the basic compression ratio, the target air charging efficiency is reduced.

Methods and systems are provided for operating a variable displacement engine that includes a knock control system. Engine knock background noise levels determined during all cylinders operating mode may be determined via two filters that are constructed in parallel. Output of the two filters may be the basis for determining the presence or absence of engine knock.

Methods and systems are provided for operating a variable displacement engine that includes a knock control system. Engine knock background noise levels determined during all cylinders operating mode may be determined via two filters that are constructed in parallel. Output of the two filters may be the basis for determining the presence or absence of engine knock.

Method to detect and control detonation phenomena in an internal combustion engine provided with a number of cylinders and with at least two detonation sensors. For each combustion cycle as a function of the cylinder and of the engine point that is being explored, the method comprises the steps of processing the signal coming from each detonation sensor so as to determine a detonation energy for each detonation sensor; calculating a detonation index for each detonation sensor and controlling the internal combustion engine as a function of a total detonation index through the algebraic sum of the detonation indexes for each detonation sensor.