Patent ID: 7594497

Claim:
A control method for an internal combustion engine that suppresses knocking by retarding ignition timing and adjusts an intake air amount by controlling a variable valve operating mechanism, which changes a maximum lift and a duration of an intake valve, comprising: increasing a target value for the maximum lift and the duration of the intake valve, when increased an output request of the internal combustion engine, based on the amount of the required increased output and an actual air intake amount, controlling the variable valve operating mechanism to increase the maximum lift and the duration of the intake valve to the target value; and, changing the target value straight away, regardless of the actual air intake amount, to value which makes the valve closing timing of the intake valve become a timing which is after the bottom dead center and is spaced away from the bottom dead center, when the request output of the internal combustion engine is increased in a state in which the valve closing timing of the intake valve is before the intake bottom dead center.