Patent ID: 8918267

Claim:
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a valve stop mechanism which is capable of changing an operational state of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve between a valve operating state and a valve closed/stopped state by displacing at least one member in a direction substantially parallel to a camshaft; fuel cut execution request detecting means which detects a presence or absence of an execution request for fuel cut during operation of an internal combustion engine; catalyst temperature acquisition means which acquires a temperature of a catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine; valve stop execution means which changes an operational state of at least one of the valves into a valve closed/stopped state, after an engine rotational speed decreases to or below a predetermined rotational speed, in a case where the execution request for fuel cut is detected, the temperature of the catalyst is not lower than a predetermined temperature and the internal combustion engine is in a rotational speed range higher than the predetermined rotational speed range; and fuel cut delaying means which delays the execution of fuel cut at the same timing when the changing of the operational state of the at least one of the valves into the valve closed/stopped state is delayed until the engine rotational speed decreases to or below the predetermined rotational speed, in a case where the execution request for fuel cut is detected, wherein the predetermined rotational speed is an engine rotational speed at which it is possible to obtain a response performance of the valve stop mechanism which is needed to complete the changing of the operational state of the at least one of the valves by displacing the at least one member and the execution of fuel cut in a same cycle, in a case where the changing of the operational state of the at least one of the valves into the valve closed/stopped state and the execution of fuel cut are commanded at the same time.