Patent ID: 7886712

Claim:
A method for operating an internal combustion engine, comprising: obtaining a predefined output variable of the internal combustion engine in at least one operating state of the internal combustion engine at least by a retardation of an ignition angle; checking whether, due to the retardation of the ignition angle, a variable characteristic for a combustibility of an air/fuel mixture in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine exceeds a predefined limiting value in terms of a deterioration of the combustibility, and if the predefined limiting value is exceeded, driving at least one actuator of the internal combustion engine, which is different from an actuator for setting the ignition angle, to improve the combustibility of the air/fuel mixture; and compensating for a jump in torque at an instant of a switchover between a first operation of the internal combustion engine with a first number of activated cylinders and a second operation of the internal combustion engine with a second number of activated cylinders, wherein the compensating is substantially based on the retardation of the ignition angle.