An internal combustion engine has one or more combustion chambers defined by one of more cylinders, corresponding pistons, and a cylinder head. A crankshaft is operatively connected to the pistons and to an electric turning machine. To start the engine, the electric turning machine rotates the crankshaft in a first direction toward a reversal point corresponding to a local maximum drag torque of the internal combustion engine, this rotation being made without rotating the crankshaft beyond the reversal point. The electric turning machine then rotates the crankshaft in a second direction opposite from the first direction, a momentum impressed on the crankshaft by compression obtained when rotating in the first direction increasing a speed of the crankshaft in the second direction. Thereafter, fuel is injected in one of the combustion chambers in which the corresponding piston first reaches a top dead center position and the fuel is ignited.

A method and system for controlling a stop rotation position of an engine is described. In one example, the system includes an integrated starter/generator that may be selectively coupled to the engine. The integrated starter/generator may rotate the engine in a first direction (e.g., reverse direction) or a second direction (e.g., a forward direction) in response to a position at which the engine stops rotating following cessation of combustion in the engine.

A system for starting an engine of a vehicle has a fuel injector injecting fuel into a closed intake port to form an air fuel mixture. The system also includes an actuator rotating a crankshaft in a first direction to open the intake port by moving a piston within a cylinder coupled to the crankshaft. A combustion chamber defines between the cylinder and the port receiving the air fuel mixture through the intake port. The actuator rotates the crankshaft in a second direction to close the intake port. A spark plug ignites the air fuel mixture to start the engine. The engine also includes many other disclosed features.

A method for starting an internal combustion engine has the steps of: oscillating a crankshaft of the engine using the electrical actuator; then injecting fuel in a combustion chamber and igniting the fuel in this combustion chamber to cause the crankshaft to turn in a reverse direction; then injecting fuel in another combustion chamber and igniting the fuel in the other combustion chamber to cause the crankshaft to turn in a forward direction; and then injecting fuel in the other combustion chamber and igniting fuel in the other combustion chamber to cause the crankshaft to turn in the forward direction.

An internal combustion engine includes cylinders that are divided into a first cylinder group and a second cylinder group, a cylinder reduction mechanism that holds intake valves and exhaust valves of the first cylinder group in closed states so as to establish a reduced-cylinder state. When the engine is stopped in the reduced-cylinder state, the electronic control unit provided in the engine starts the engine by ignition, by executing fuel injection and ignition in an expansion-stroke cylinder. When the first cylinder group includes an exhaust-stroke cylinder, the engine is started by ignition through fuel injection and ignition in the expansion-stroke cylinder, after a piston is moved in a reverse direction through fuel injection and ignition in the exhaust-stroke cylinder. When the first cylinder group does not include the exhaust-stroke cylinder, the engine is started by ignition, through fuel injection and ignition in the expansion-stroke cylinder and an intake-stroke cylinder.

Systems and methods for positioning an engine during engine stopping and during vehicle activation are described. In one example, a belt integrated starter/generator rotates an engine before the engine is started to reduce engine starting time and determine engine position before the engine is started. The engine may be rotated to a first or second position based on a destination of the vehicle.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a controller for a starter motor operable to receive a first input indicative of an engine shutdown being required, a second input indicative of a change-of-mind event having occurred after initiation of engine shutdown and a third input indicative of the engine position. After receipt of the first input the controller is operable to monitor the third input and to determine an expected engine rotation direction indicative of the expected rotation direction of the engine after a predetermined delay. If the expected engine rotation direction is positive and the second input is received then the controller is configured to control the output means to cause the starter motor of the engine to be actuated upon receipt of the second input. If the expected engine rotation direction is negative and the second input is received then the controller is configured to delay controlling the output means to cause the starter motor of the engine to be actuated until a determination is made that the expected rotation direction is positive. Advantageously, the controller calculates the expected engine rotation direction before receipt of the input indicative of the change-of-mind event having occurred, thereby reducing the time required to determine whether or not the starter motor can be actuated.

Systems and methods for stopping and starting a direct injection engine are described. In one example, the air is injected into one or more pre-chambers of engine cylinders to adjust engine pumping torque during an engine stop so that the engine may stop at a crankshaft position that facilitates direct engine starting.

A control device according to the present invention performs an automatic stop control in which an injection of fuel from a fuel injection valve is stopped and a rotation of an engine is stopped when an automatic stop condition is satisfied. Furthermore, the control device controls an injection operation of fuel and an ignition operation to the fuel in consideration of compression when the fuel is actually ignited in an expansion stroke cylinder, when a re-start demand occurs after an initiation of the automatic stop control and the engine is to be re-started by an ignition start-up. Specifically, the control device predicts a crank angle at an actual ignition time point in a case where processing for performing the ignition start-up at the present time whenever a predetermined time period has passed. Then, the control device initiates the ignition start-up when the crank angle falls within a predetermined range in which a sufficient compression can be attained. Thereby, the engine is more certainly re-started by the ignition start-up.

Systems and methods for stopping and starting a direct injection engine are described. In one example, the air is injected into one or more pre-chambers of engine cylinders to adjust engine pumping torque during an engine stop so that the engine may stop at a crankshaft position that facilitates direct engine starting.