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 |
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.
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