The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 22, 1996
Gunter Schmitz, Aachen, DE;
FEV Motorentechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Aachen, DE;
Abstract
A method of operating an internal-combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders; cylinder valves for admitting gases into and removing gases from the cylinders; and actuators connected to the valves for reciprocating the valves between open and closed positions. The method includes the following steps: controlling the actuators of the plurality of cylinders with a first control process as a function of load requirements arising during engine run, as long as the load requirements remain at or above a minimum value; controlling the actuators of at least one first cylinder of the plurality of cylinders with a second control process when the load requirement falls below the minimum value; and simultaneously with controlling the actuators of the first cylinder with the second control process, controlling the actuators of at least one second cylinder of the plurality of cylinders with a third control process. The second and third control processes each may operate in a normal operational mode, a free-flying operational mode or zero-load operational mode or a combination thereof. The operational modes for the second and third control processes are so selected that the second and third control processes are different from one another.