Patent ID: 7194998

Claim:
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which includes a variable valve-characteristic mechanism that changes a valve characteristic that includes at least one of a duration and a maximum lift of an intake valve, comprising: a controller that detects an operating position of the variable valve-characteristic mechanism, and controls the variable valve-characteristic mechanism so that a value of the valve characteristic corresponding to the operating position is equal to a target value of the valve characteristic corresponding to an engine operating state, wherein the controller changes the target value of the valve characteristic so that the intake valve opens and closes in accordance with a specific value of the valve characteristic, and learns, as a reference position for a control of the valve characteristic, the operating position of the variable valve-characteristic mechanism after the target value of the valve characteristic is changed; and the controller controls an intake-air-amount adjustment device provided upstream of the intake valve so that the intake-air-amount adjustment device offsets a change in an amount of intake air caused by changing the target value of the valve characteristic when the reference position is learned.