Abstract: In a method for operating an internal combustion engine comprising at least one a cylinder with a combustion chamber, wherein by means of at least one detection device assigned to the combustion chamber a first value characterizing the pressure in the combustion chamber is detected, wherein on the basis of the first value at least a second value characterizing a progression of the energy released during a combustion in the combustion chamber is determined, on the basis of the second value at least a third value is determined, by means of which the progression of the combustion is subdivided into at least two sub-curves and one of the sub-curves is assigned to a normal combustion for operation of the internal combustion engine and the other of the sub-curves is assigned to a special combustion differing from the normal combustion.

Abstract: In a method for the operation of an internal combustion engine either on all cylinders (as full engine) or with only some cylinders in operation (cylinder cut-off), the cylinders are divided, in the firing order, into two groups of alternating cylinders which are selectively operative with an angular ignition spacing twice that of the cylinders of the engine when operating as full engine, the two groups of cylinders being activated alternately during engine operation with cylinder cut-off.