Patent ID: 6907862

Claim:
A combustion control apparatus for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust passage, the combustion control apparatus comprising: an exhaust gas purifier adapted to be disposed in the exhaust passage of the engine; and a control unit programmed to: selectively implement a first combustion mode and a second combustion mode, the second combustion mode providing main combustion to produce main torque and preliminary combustion at or near top dead center of a compression stroke prior to the main combustion, and starting the main combustion after the preliminary combustion is completed; determine whether or not a request to switch from the first combustion mode to the second combustion mode is made based on a condition of the exhaust gas purifier; and switch from the first combustion mode to the second combustion mode when the request to switch from the first combustion mode to the second combustion mode is made and the engine continues to operate for a predetermined time or longer under condition enabling the second combustion mode.