Patent ID: 8155863

Claim:
A method for controlling an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, in which a combustion chamber is embodied into which fuel is injected in at least two modes of operation, with the following steps: a) calculating an operating mode quality value for each of at least two modes of operation, wherein calculating an operating mode quality value for each mode of operation includes: determining a plurality of setpoint variables based on a plurality of operating variables, the operating variables comprising measured variable or variables derived therefrom, wherein, for the purposes of calculating the operating mode quality value, at least one of the setpoint variables is defined by a predetermined time-dependent function over time from an initial setpoint variable at a start time up to a final setpoint variable at an end time, calculating an operating point based on the determined setpoint variables, and calculating the operating mode quality value based on the calculated operating point, b) depending on the operating mode quality values determined for each of the at least two modes of operation, selecting a mode of operation from the at least two modes of operation, and c) determining and setting correcting variables depending on the at least one operating variable and the selected mode of operation, wherein the selection of the mode of operation occurs only if a minimum amount of a change in the operating mode quality value has occurred since a previous mode of operation selection.