Patent ID: 7930088

Claim:
A method for controlling an internal combustion engine having an injection valve that meters fuel directly into a combustion chamber of a cylinder having a variable stroke injection needle whose stroke is variably determined for a given injection process, and during homogenous operation of the internal combustion engine achieves a desired homogenous distribution of the fuel in the combustion chamber, comprising: predefining a desired value of a fuel pressure; assigning a predefined minimum stroke value to a desired value for the stroke of the injection needle; determining a desired value for an injection duration based at least on the desired value for the stroke of the injection needle; comparing the determined desired value for the injection duration to a predefined maximum value for the injection duration; if the desired value for the injection duration is less than or equal to the predefined maximum injection duration value, controlling the injection valve in accordance with the determined desired value for the stroke of the injection needle and the determined desired value for the injection duration; and if the desired value for the injection duration is greater than the predefined maximum injection duration value, varying the desired value for the stroke of the injection needle until a resulting desired value for the injection duration is less than or equal to the predefined maximum injection duration value, and controlling the injection valve in accordance with the varied value for the stroke of the injection needle and the resulting desired value for the injection duration.