Dual injection during intake stroke for improved catalyst light off

1. A method for operating a spark-ignition direct-injection internal combustion engine coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system including a catalytic converter, the method comprising:

monitoring an operating state of the catalytic converter;

determining the temperature of the catalytic converter;

determining if a piston of the engine is entering an intake stroke;

injecting a first quantity of fuel into a cylinder in which the piston of the engine is entering the intake stroke; and

injecting a second quantity of fuel into the cylinder in which the piston of the engine is entering the intake stroke.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring an operating state of the catalytic converter further comprises predicting the temperature of the catalytic converter.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining if a piston of the engine is entering an intake stroke further comprises monitoring a crank shaft position of the engine.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein injecting a first quantity of fuel into a cylinder further comprises injecting the first quantity of fuel into the cylinder when a first threshold crank position has been reached.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising waiting a predetermined interval of time after injecting the first quantity of fuel into the cylinder.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein injecting a second quantity of fuel into a cylinder further comprises injecting the second quantity of fuel into the cylinder when the predetermined interval of time has lapsed.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein injecting a first quantity of fuel into a cylinder further comprises injecting the first quantity of fuel into the cylinder when a first threshold crank position of 300 degrees of crank shaft rotation has been reached.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein injecting a second quantity of fuel into a cylinder further comprises injecting the second quantity of fuel into the cylinder before a crank position of 200 degrees of crank shaft rotation has been reached.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprises retarding an initiation of a spark in the cylinder.

10. A method for operating a spark-ignition direct-injection internal combustion engine coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system including a catalytic converter, the method comprising:

determining an operating temperature of the catalytic converter;

monitoring a crank shaft position of the engine;

determining if a piston within a cylinder of the engine is entering an intake stroke from the crank shaft position;

selectively injecting a volume of fuel into the cylinder in which the piston of the engine is entering the intake stroke; and

igniting the volume of fuel.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining an operating temperature of the catalytic converter further comprises predicting the temperature of the catalytic converter.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein selectively injecting a volume of fuel further comprises injecting a first quantity of fuel during the intake stroke, and injecting a second quantity of fuel during the intake stroke.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first quantity of fuel is substantially equal to the second quantity of fuel.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising waiting a predetermined interval of time after injecting the first quantity of fuel before injecting the second quantity of fuel.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the injecting a first quantity of fuel during the intake stroke, and injecting a second quantity of fuel during the intake stroke further comprises:

injecting the first quantity of fuel starting at approximately 300° before top-dead center during the intake stroke; and

injecting the second quantity of fuel before approximately 200° before top-dead center during the intake stroke.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the igniting the volume of fuel further includes retarding an initiation of a spark within the cylinder to approximately 30° after top-dead-center of an expansion stroke subsequent to the intake stroke.

17. A method for operating a spark-ignition direct-injection internal combustion engine coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system including a three-way catalytic converter upstream of an NH3-SCR catalyst, comprising:

upon detecting a temperature of a three-way catalytic converter that is below a predetermined threshold temperature, operating the engine in a catalyst light-off mode;

executing a split pulse fuel injection in the intake stroke; and

retarding a spark ignition event.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein executing the split pulse fuel injection further comprises:

executing a first fuel pulse having a first volume and a first time duration early in an intake stroke of a cylinder of the engine;

waiting a predetermined time period during the intake stroke; and

executing a second fuel pulse late in the intake stroke and after the predetermined time period has elapsed; and

wherein the second fuel pulse has a second volume and a second time duration substantially equal to the first volume and the first time duration late in the intake stroke and after the predetermined time period has elapsed.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the retarding a spark ignition event further comprises executing a spark ignition event during the expansion stroke of the cylinder of the engine at approximately 30° after top-dead-center during the expansion stroke of the piston.