Abstract: An apparatus for minimizing the total quantity of hydrocarbon emissions from a catalytic converter in the exhaust path of an internal combustion engine includes a temperature sensor coupled to the catalytic converter for continuously generating an output signal representative of the catalyst temperature, and a controller for receiving the output signal from the temperature sensor and for enhancing the output signal to have a response time of less than one second. The controller adjusts one or more operating parameters of the engine to cause the catalyst temperature to rapidly rise when the catalyst temperature is less than the catalytic converter light-off temperature and adjusts one or more operating parameters of the engine to minimize the rate of hydrocarbon emissions output from the catalytic converter when the catalyst temperature is greater than the catalytic converter light-off temperature.