Patent ID: 7520261

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling an intake operation of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a fuel injection valve configured to directly inject fuel into a combustion chamber; a first variable valve mechanism configured to continuously vary an effective opening area of an intake valve; a second variable valve mechanism configured to vary a center phase of an operating angle of the intake valve; a variable valve mechanism controlling section that controls the first and second variable valve mechanisms for allowing the intake valve to have opening timing of a value within a predetermined range from 30° to 140° after top dead center of intake stroke during a period of time from starting of an engine operation to a time prior to completion of engine warming-up, and also, for allowing the intake valve to exhibit a predetermined effective opening area, which is smaller than the effective opening area thereof after the completion of engine warming-up, to thereby increase a flow velocity of intake air entering through the intake valve; and a fuel injection controlling section that controls the fuel injection valve to perform the fuel injection during at least one of a period of time in which the flow velocity of intake air is high immediately after the intake valve is opened and another period of time previous to the period of time in which the flow velocity of intake air is high, and during a further period of time starting immediately before ignition timing.