Continental Automotive Gmbh

Nicole Fuhrmann

Martin Jehle

Thomas Baumann

Michaela Schneider

Stefan Seyfferth

An internal combustion engine has an exhaust gas tract with a first and a second exhaust gas catalyst downstream of the first one, a first exhaust gas sensor, which is disposed upstream or in the first catalyst, and a second exhaust gas sensor, which is disposed downstream of the first catalyst and upstream of the second catalyst. During trailing throttle operation, the measurement signal of the second sensor is monitored for a signal characteristic that is typical of a maximum possible saturation state with oxygen that the first catalyst can achieve, upon which a characteristic variable is determined for a saturation state of the second catalyst with oxygen as a function of an engine operating variable. Outside the trailing throttle operation, an enrichment mode is controlled by enriching the air/fuel mixture, specifically as a function of the characteristic variable for the saturation state of the second catalyst with oxygen.

Method and device for operating an internal combustion engine

An engine-controlling unit/method for an internal-combustion engine with first and second combustion-chamber groups having a first and second catalytic exhaust-gas converter, respectively, having (a) a master control device that controls a combustion-air ratio for the first combustion-chamber group by forcibly exciting the first combustion-chamber group, further having (b) a slave control device that controls a combustion-air ratio for the second combustion-chamber group by forcibly exciting the second combustion-chamber group, and further having (c) a data link between the master and slave for control through the master. It is proposed (d) for the master to transmit a synchronizing signal to the slave over the data link during changeover between the rich and lean combustion-air ratio within the scope of forced excitation, and (e) on receipt of the synchronizing signal from the master for the slave to change over within the scope of forced excitation between the rich and lean combustion-air ratio.

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Lappersdorf, Germany

Nicole Fuhrmann