Patent ID: 7318421

Claim:
A startup controller for an in-cylinder injection internal combustion engine having a high-pressure pump for pressurizing fuel to high pressure and for supplying the fuel to a fuel injection valve that injects the fuel directly into a cylinder, the startup controller comprising: an injection setting device that makes an injection setting for setting injection start timing and an injection duration prior to a start of injection; an injection controlling device that drives the fuel injection valve to perform the injection at the injection start timing for the injection duration set by the injection setting device; a fuel pressure sensing device that senses a pressure of the fuel to be supplied to the fuel injection valve; and a startup controlling device that, when the injection setting is made at a startup of the engine, estimates a fuel pressure at a subsequent injection start based on the fuel pressure sensed by the fuel pressure sensing device and determines whether the injection by the injection controlling device should be performed or prohibited based on the estimated fuel pressure.