Method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine

1. A method for controlling an internal combustion engine having an intake tract with a throttle valve, a camshaft that acts on a plurality of gas inlet valves associated with a cylinder, and a phase-adjustment device associated with the camshaft that adjusts a phase between the camshaft and a crankshaft, comprising:

determining an ambient pressure upstream of the throttle valve;

recording a measured inlet manifold pressure downstream of the throttle valve;

determining a desired air mass flow into a combustion chamber of the cylinder based on a charge requirement requested by a driver;

determining whether the phase between the camshaft and the crankshaft can be varied while maintaining an actual pressure difference upstream and downstream of the throttle valve;

adjusting the desired air mass flow by varying the phase between the camshaft and the crankshaft if it is determined that the phase between the camshaft and the crankshaft can be varied while maintaining an actual pressure difference upstream and downstream of the throttle valve; and

otherwise adjusting the desired air mass flow by varying the opening angle of the throttle valve if it is determined that the phase between the camshaft and the crankshaft cannot be varied while maintaining an actual pressure difference upstream and downstream of the throttle valve.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a setpoint pressure difference upstream and downstream of the throttle valve is preset to a value range approximating a full charge and is adjusted if an actual pressure difference matches the setpoint pressure difference, the desired air mass flow is adjusted by varying the phase.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein an adjustment of the valve lift of the gas inlet valve is effected by a valve-lift-adjustment device from a lower to a higher valve lift if the air mass flow, that is adjustable while maintaining the actual valve lift by varying the phase, is less than the desired air mass flow.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein an adjustment of the valve lift of the gas inlet valve from a higher to a lower valve lift is effected if the desired air mass flow is adjustable at the lower valve lift by varying the phase.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein an adjustment of the valve lift of the gas inlet valve from a higher to a lower valve lift is effected and at the same time the phase is varied such that at the lower valve lift the desired air mass flow flows into the combustion chamber of the cylinder.

6. A device for controlling an internal combustion engine, comprising:

an engine block having a crank shaft rotably mounted and a cylinder arranged opposite the crank shaft;

a cylinder head arranged on the block to form a combustion chamber within the cylinder;

a camshaft arranged in the cylinder head that acts on gas inlet valves associated with the cylinder;

means for determining an ambient pressure upstream of the throttle valve;

an inlet manifold pressure sensor arranged downstream of a throttle valve that records a measured inlet manifold pressure downstream of the throttle valve;

a phase-adjustment device operatively connected between the camshaft and the crank shaft that adjusts a phase relationship between the camshaft and the crankshaft;

a desired air mass flow determining device that determines a desired air mass flow into a combustion chamber of the cylinder depending on a charge requirement requested by a driver; and

an adjusting device that:

determines whether the phase between the camshaft and the crankshaft can be varied while maintaining an actual pressure difference upstream and downstream of the throttle valve;

adjusts the desired air mass flow by varying the phase between the camshaft and the crankshaft if it is determined that the phase between the camshaft and the crankshaft can be varied while maintaining an actual pressure difference upstream and downstream of the throttle valve; and

otherwise adjusts the desired air mass flow by varying the opening angle of the throttle valve.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a setpoint pressure difference upstream and downstream of the throttle valve is preset to a value range approximating a full charge and is adjusted if an actual pressure difference matches the setpoint pressure difference, the desired air mass flow is adjusted by varying the phase.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein an adjustment of the valve lift of the gas inlet valve is effected by a valve-lift-adjustment device from a lower to a higher valve lift if the air mass flow, that is adjustable while maintaining the actual valve lift by varying the phase, is less than the desired air mass flow.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein an adjustment of the valve lift of the gas inlet valve from a higher to a lower valve lift is effected if the desired air mass flow is adjustable at the lower valve lift by varying the phase.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein an adjustment of the valve lift of the gas inlet valve from a higher to a lower valve lift is effected and at the same time the phase is varied such that at the lower valve lift the desired air mass flow flows into the combustion chamber of the cylinder.