Patent ID: 7848873

Claim:
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising: delay means for performing a delay control for extending the period from when an engine stop request is made to when the engine is actually stopped; changing means for actuating a variable valve actuation mechanism during the execution of the delay control, thereby changing the valve characteristics of an engine valve to valve characteristics for starting the engine; setting means for setting an engine control amount that corresponds to engine manipulation performed by a driver; and limiting means for causing the engine control amount set during the execution of the delay control to be less than the engine control amount during non-execution of the delay control, wherein the setting means sets an opening degree of a throttle valve according to a depression degree of an accelerator pedal, wherein the limiting means causes the throttle valve opening degree set during the execution of the delay control to be less than the throttle valve opening degree during non-execution of the delay control.