Patent ID: 7128051

Claim:
A method for controlling an output torque of an internal combustion engine in accordance with the degree of opening of an accelerator pedal, comprising controlling at least one of opening/closing timing and stroke of at least one of intake and exhaust valves in an engine in accordance with a determined amount of air required for each cylinder of the internal combustion engine, controlling said output torque in accordance with the on-off condition of each intake valve provided in the engine, and operating a motor-driven throttle valve arranged in each branch passage of the internal combustion engine such that the required amount of intake air is controllable by each intake valve and said throttle valve, wherein in a low load region said throttle valve is fully opened irrespective of an operated quantity of the acceleration pedal, and at least one of the stroke and opening/closing time of each said intake valve is controllable as a function of the operated quantity of the accelerated pedal.