Patent ID: 7254473

Claim:
An engine control apparatus for a multi-cylinder compression ignition internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion status sensor installed in a selected one of cylinders of a compression ignition internal combustion engine equipped with injectors each of which works to inject fuel into a corresponding one of the cylinders, said combustion status sensor working to output a signal as indicating a state of combustion in fuel in the one of the cylinders; and a controller working to sample the output from said combustion status sensor to determine a combustion status parameter representing one of a time of ignition of the fuel and a time of a preselected status of combustion of the fuel, said controller determining injection timings at which the injectors commence injection of the fuel into the cylinders so as to bring the combustion status parameter into agreement with a target value, said controller also correcting the injection timing for at least one of the cylinders that is other than the cylinder in which said combustion status sensor is installed so that a combustion status parameter representing one of a time of ignition of fuel in the at least one of the cylinders lies on an advanced side of that of the one of the cylinders in which said combustion status sensor is installed, said controller controlling the injectors to initiate injection of the fuel into the cylinders at the injection timings.