Patent ID: 8627804

Claim:
Method for controlling a multi-cylinder direct-injection internal combustion engine comprises: in response to an injected fuel mass transient from a first injected fuel mass to a second injected fuel mass: establishing an external exhaust gas recirculation valve from a present position to a target position to achieve a target exhaust gas recirculation, the target exhaust gas recirculation corresponding to the second injected fuel mass; and when a magnitude of the second injected fuel mass is greater than a magnitude of the first injected fuel mass, decreasing the external exhaust gas recirculation by adjusting the valve from the present position to the target position to achieve the target exhaust gas recirculation, and decreasing combustion initiation timing at a rate based only upon external exhaust gas recirculation emptying dynamics during the decreased external exhaust gas recirculation, the combustion initiation timing decreased through retarding at least one of fuel injection timing and spark ignition timing at the rate synchronized with the external exhaust gas recirculation emptying dynamics; when the magnitude of the second injected fuel mass is less than the magnitude of the first injected fuel mass, increasing the external exhaust gas recirculation by adjusting the valve from the present position to the target position to achieve the target exhaust gas recirculation, and increasing combustion initiation timing at a rate based only upon external exhaust gas recirculation filling dynamics during the increased external exhaust gas recirculation, the combustion initiation timing increased through advancing at least one of fuel injection timing and spark ignition timing at the rate synchronized with the external exhaust gas recirculation filling dynamics.