Due to changes in a flow of an air-fuel mixture in a cylinder, reliable ignition due to spark discharge may not be possible. Therefore, an ignition control unit 24 includes a secondary voltage calculation unit 31 that calculates an average value of a secondary voltage generated on a secondary side of an ignition coil, an irregular flow ratio calculation unit 32 that calculates a ratio of cycles in which the average value of the secondary voltage is equal to or less than a set average value with respect to a cycle of the internal combustion engine in a predetermined period as an irregular flow ratio indicating that the flow of the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder is irregular, and an ignition operation amount correction unit 37 that corrects an ignition operation amount so that the irregular flow ratio is equal to or less than the set ratio value that is the target to be reached of the irregular flow ratio.

A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is configured to perform an all-cylinder operation and a partial-cylinder operation. The ignition timing controller executes a process that sets a knock control amount and a knock learning value, a process that determines whether knocking is occurring, a process that updates a value of the knock control amount in accordance with whether knocking is occurring, a process that updates the knock learning value such that the knock learning value gradually approaches a knock control operated amount, a process that operates ignition timing of each cylinder based on the knock control amount and the knock learning value, and a process that limits update of the knock learning value such that a followability of the knock learning value to the knock control operated amount is lower during the partial-cylinder operation than during the all-cylinder operation.

Due to changes in a flow of an air-fuel mixture in a cylinder, reliable ignition due to spark discharge may not be possible. Therefore, an ignition control unit 24 includes a secondary voltage calculation unit 31 that calculates an average value of a secondary voltage generated on a secondary side of an ignition coil, an irregular flow ratio calculation unit 32 that calculates a ratio of cycles in which the average value of the secondary voltage is equal to or less than a set average value with respect to a cycle of the internal combustion engine in a predetermined period as an irregular flow ratio indicating that the flow of the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder is irregular, and an ignition operation amount correction unit 37 that corrects an ignition operation amount so that the irregular flow ratio is equal to or less than the set ratio value that is the target to be reached of the irregular flow ratio.

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 multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is configured to perform an all-cylinder operation and a partial-cylinder operation. The ignition timing controller executes a process that sets a knock control amount and a knock learning value, a process that determines whether knocking is occurring, a process that updates a value of the knock control amount in accordance with whether knocking is occurring, a process that updates the knock learning value such that the knock learning value gradually approaches a knock control operated amount, a process that operates ignition timing of each cylinder based on the knock control amount and the knock learning value, and a process that limits update of the knock learning value such that a followability of the knock learning value to the knock control operated amount is lower during the partial-cylinder operation than during the all-cylinder operation.

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 engine controller includes an ignition timing control unit and a rich imbalance determining unit. The rich imbalance determining unit designates one of multiple cylinders as a subject cylinder for determination and executes lean active control that commands a smaller amount of fuel injection for the subject cylinder than for the other cylinders. The rich imbalance determining unit determines whether an air-fuel ratio of the subject cylinder deviates to be richer based on a rotational fluctuation amount of a crankshaft during the execution of the lean active control. The ignition timing control unit executes an advancement limiting process that limits advancement of the ignition timing by the knock control during the execution of the lean active control.

An engine control system comprises a balancing arrangement together with a knock mitigation controller configured to implement a knock mitigation procedure wherein an offset input value (V.sub.I) is applied to the balancing algorithm. The offset input value (V.sub.I) may cause the balancing algorithm to adjust the control output (O.sub.1) for the respective one of the combustion chambers to progressively vary the fuel supply or ignition timing for the affected cylinder to mitigate the knock condition. Alternatively, the controller may generate an offset output value (V.sub.O) to more rapidly vary the fuel supply or ignition timing, with the offset input value (V.sub.I) being selected for example to compensate for the resulting change in the control input (I.sub.1) from the cylinder to the balancing algorithm, or to provide additional, more gradual adjustment to further mitigate the knock condition.

An engine controller includes an ignition timing control unit and a rich imbalance determining unit. The rich imbalance determining unit designates one of multiple cylinders as a subject cylinder for determination and executes lean active control that commands a smaller amount of fuel injection for the subject cylinder than for the other cylinders. The rich imbalance determining unit determines whether an air-fuel ratio of the subject cylinder deviates to be richer based on a rotational fluctuation amount of a crankshaft during the execution of the lean active control. The ignition timing control unit executes an advancement limiting process that limits advancement of the ignition timing by the knock control during the execution of the lean active control.

A control device for an engine is provided, which includes a knock intensity sensor configured to detect a knock intensity, an output adjustment mechanism configured to adjust an engine output torque, and a controller configured to control the output adjustment mechanism based on the knock intensity. The controller executes a first control in which the output adjustment mechanism is controlled to reduce the knock intensity when the number of strong knocks that is the number of times the knock intensity becomes a second determination intensity or greater is a given determination number or less and when the knock intensity is greater than a first determination intensity, and executes a second control in which the output adjustment mechanism is controlled to reduce the maximum torque more than when the number of strong knocks is the determination number or less, when the number of strong knocks is greater than the determination number.