Patent ID: 8763380

Claim:
A catalyst temperature control device controlling a temperature of a catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a data storage that stores a plurality of temperature measurement points which are disposed continuously or dispersedly at least in a flow path direction inside the catalyst, and include actual measurements points where temperature sensors are disposed, and virtual measurement points where temperature sensors are not disposed; a calculator that is programmed to: select a control point from the plurality of temperature measurement points in accordance with operation conditions of the internal combustion engine; set a target value of the temperature of the catalyst in accordance with the operation conditions of the internal combustion engine; actually measure the temperature at the control point by the temperature sensor, when the control point is the actual measurement point; estimate the temperature at the control point by interpolation calculation using temperatures at a plurality of actual measurement points near the control point, when the control point is the virtual measurement point; and determine a manipulated variable of the internal combustion engine based on a difference between the measured or estimated temperature at the control point and the target value; and an operating device that operates the internal combustion engine in accordance with the manipulated variable, wherein the temperature measurement points are also continuously or dispersedly disposed in a diameter direction of the catalyst.