Patent ID: 7085647

Claim:
A method for estimating an output torque generated by a multi-displacement internal combustion engine operating in a partial-displacement mode, the engine including an intake manifold and an engine speed sensor generating engine speed data, the method comprising: providing a first measure representing a mass air flow through the intake manifold; determining a mass-air-flow-to-torque conversion factor and a mass-air-flow-to-torque offset based on the engine speed data; multiplying the first measure by the conversion factor to obtain a second measure representing a pre-offset base indicated torque; summing the second measure with the torque offset to obtain a third measure representing a base indicated potential torque; and multiplying the base indicated potential torque measure with a torque-based efficiency conversion factor representing at least one of a spark efficiency measure, a fuel-air-ratio efficiency measure, and an exhaust gas recirculation efficiency measure, to obtain a third measure representing an efficiency-corrected indicated potential torque measure.