Patent ID: 8061311

Claim:
A variable valve actuating apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an intake valve operating angle varying mechanism arranged to vary an intake valve operating angle of the internal combustion engine, and to hold an intake valve closing timing of the internal combustion engine at or near bottom dead center, before startup of the internal combustion engine; an exhaust valve timing varying mechanism arranged to vary an exhaust valve opening timing and an exhaust valve closing timing of the internal combustion engine, while holding constant an exhaust valve operating angle of the internal combustion engine, and to hold the exhaust valve opening timing and the exhaust valve closing timing retarded by a predetermined amount from respective predetermined most advanced timings such that a predetermined valve overlap between intake valve and exhaust valve is produced before the startup of the internal combustion engine; and a controller comprising a section configured to: perform a first operation before the startup of the internal combustion engine after a stop of the internal combustion engine, wherein the first operation comprises: setting the intake valve operating angle varying mechanism in a default position to hold the intake valve closing timing of the internal combustion engine at or near bottom dead center; and setting the exhaust valve timing varying mechanism in a default position to hold the exhaust valve opening timing and the exhaust valve closing timing retarded by the predetermined amount from the respective predetermined most advanced timings such that the predetermined valve overlap between the intake valve and the exhaust valve is produced; and perform a second operation at the startup of the internal combustion engine, wherein the second operation comprises: determining whether or not the intake valve operating angle varying mechanism and the exhaust valve timing varying mechanism are in their respective default positions; outputting a control signal such that the intake valve operating angle varying mechanism and the exhaust valve timing varying mechanism move to their respective default positions, in response to a determination that the intake valve operating angle varying mechanism and the exhaust valve timing varying mechanism are not in their respective default positions; and outputting a control signal such that the internal combustion engine starts combustion by a fuel injector and an ignition device, in response to a determination that the intake valve operating angle varying mechanism and the exhaust valve timing varying mechanism are in their respective default positions.