Control device for internal combustion engine

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to be able to execute motor assist only when it is necessary at a time of starting an engine, and drive a motor efficiently. An engineincludes a starter motorfor aiding in starting, and performs motor assist by the starter motorin accordance with necessity when the engine is to start independently by combustion. An ECUpredicts a torque Tthat is generated in an initial explosion cylinder at a time of starting before actual combustion, and performs independent starting without driving the motor, when the prediction torque Tis a starting request torque Tsor more. When the prediction torque Tis less than the starting request torque Ts, the ECUdrives the motorand performs starting by motor assist. Thereby, power consumption of a battery and the like can be suppressed by decreasing wasteful drive of the motor, and the starter motorcan be efficiently driven while startability is secured.