US 6,981,481 B2
Starting device for internal combustion engine
Susumu Kojima, Shizuoka-ken (Japan); and Kei Masuda, Shizuoka-ken (Japan)
Assigned to Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota (Japan)
Filed on Mar. 02, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/790,084.
Claims priority of application No. 2003-107961 (JP), filed on Apr. 11, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2004/0200448 A1, Oct. 14, 2004
Int. Cl. F02N 11/08 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 123—179.3 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A starting device for an internal combustion engine that ignites fuel in an expansion-stroke-cylinder that is a cylinder in an expansion stroke from among a plurality of cylinders of the internal combustion engine to start the internal combustion engine, comprising:
a predicting unit that predicts a state of a crank of the cylinders if the fuel in the expansion-stroke-cylinder is ignited; and
a determining unit that determines whether to start a starter to assist movement of the crank based on the state predicted.