Patent ID: 8826871

Claim:
Method to transition from a current combustion mode to a desired combustion mode in an internal combustion engine including selectable intake and exhaust valve lift profiles and phase controllable intake and exhaust valve cams, said current combustion mode comprising one of homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) with low lift intake and exhaust valve profiles and spark ignition (SI) with high lift intake and exhaust valve profile and said desired combustion mode comprising the other of homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) with low lift intake and exhaust valve profiles and spark ignition (SI) with high lift intake and exhaust valve profiles, the method comprising: phase adjusting a sensitive valve based upon a desired phasing for the desired combustion mode prior to lift adjusting the sensitive valve and adjusting an insensitive valve; wherein the sensitive valve comprises the one of the intake and exhaust valves exhibiting a greater effect upon an effective cylinder volume for a given phase adjustment in the desired combustion mode.