Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for detecting and documenting damage to a catalytic converter in a motor vehicle having a fuel tank and an internal combustion engine wherein combustion misfires can occur when the level of fuel in the tank drops below a critical level.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for detecting and documenting exhaust-gas relevant malfunctions of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a fuel tank utilizing on-board diagnosis. In the method, malfunctions are detected utilizing a sensor device and the malfunctions are evaluated in a circuit unit with the malfunctions including those malfunctions which are based on an empty tank. The fault announcements of the malfunctions are stored in a memory in dependence upon a pregiven number of drive cycles. A fill-level value indicative of the level of fuel in the fuel tank is determined and stored in the memory. Fault announcements of the malfunctions are outputted and stored in the memory in dependence upon the fill-level value thereby eliminating fault announcements of the malfunctions based on an empty tank.

Abstract: In a process for controlling the warm-up in an internal combustion engine, the combustion chamber pressure is evaluated, so that the warm-up period is divided into first and second phases that are controlled differently.

Abstract: In a cylinder-selective injection system for an internal combustion engine, there are cylinder-selective injection suppressions. Subsequent to the suppressions, restoring added quantities specific to an individual cylinder are generated, whose initial value is dependent upon the number of suppressed injections for the cylinder in question, and whose notching-down to zero is dependent upon the number of injections of the cylinder that have taken place after completion of the suppression.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for checking the tightness of a tank-venting system used with an internal combustion engine having an intake pipe. The tank-venting system includes a fuel tank wherein fuel vapor forms, a storage device connected to the fuel tank, the storage device having a vent opening and a device for closing the vent opening, and a tank-venting valve interconnecting the intake pipe and the storage device whereby the fuel vapor is conducted from the tank to the intake pipe via the storage device and the tank-venting valve.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for diagnosing the function of an adjusting device and includes the steps of: driving the adjusting device, detecting the effect of driving the adjusting device on a predetermined variable operatively coupled to the adjusting device; determining the adjusting device to be operable when the effect lies in a first range of possible values; and, determining the adjusting device to be inoperable when the effect lies in a second range of possible values. A third range is defined which separates the first and second ranges from each other. The method is interrupted or repeated when the effect lies in the third range.

Abstract: In the venting apparatus (1) according to the invention, a first, small-volume adsorption filter (4) is accommodated in the front area of a motor vehicle, in the region of the internal combustion engine and a second, large-volume adsorption filter (5) is accommodated in the region of a fuel tank (2). The fuel vapors evolved in the fuel tank (2) are introduced into the second adsorption filter (5) via a tank conduit (10) and into the first adsorption filter (4) via a connecting conduit (11) and, after flowing through the latter, into an intake pipe (20) of the internal combustion engine. The large-volume embodiment of the second adsorption filter (5) ensures that the fuel vapors evolved are reliably retained, and heating of the first adsorption filter (4) ensures that abrupt changes in the fuel/air mixture fed to the internal combustion engine are avoided.

Abstract: A vehicle security system with an anti-theft controller which conducts a data exchange with at least one function controller, particularly an engine controller, in order to control its operational readiness, wherein the data exchange is conducted via a data line connecting at least the anti-theft controller and the function controller. Alternatively, an external device (4) can be connected to the data line (1), with the device being configured for the exchange of data with at least one of the controllers (2, 3, 3', 3") The data line is a line which is already in existence in the vehicle, particularly a K-diagnostics line and/or an L-diagnostics line in accordance with ISO standard 9141. For the control of the data exchange, one of the controllers (2, 3) connected via the data line (1) exercises the functions of the control unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for checking a tank venting system for leaks that serves to vent a fuel tank of a motor vehicle whose engine has a intake tube. The apparatus has an absorption filter connected to a ventilation line, which can be closed by means of a shutoff valve, and pressure producing devices for the production of an overpressure in the fuel tank. The pressure producing devices are embodied as actuatable by means of the vacuum in the intake tube in order to be able to forego the separate electromechanical drive devices for the pressure producing devices which have been necessary in the prior art.

Abstract: A control system and method for an internal-combustion engine with which the torque output of the internal-combustion engine can be reduced by suppressing the injection of fuel in individual cylinders in accordance with specifiable suppression patterns or by shifting the ignition firing point or the ignition angle. The suppression pattern is selected in dependence upon the desired torque reduction. The suppression of cylinders is allowed, however, only when in the case of the selected suppression pattern the number of cylinders to be suppressed per working cycle lies above a threshold value. The threshold value is selected in dependence upon the operating state of the internal-combustion engine, in particular on at least one of the following operating parameters: temperature of the internal-combustion engine, exhaust gas temperature, catalytic-converter temperature, load, rotational frequency, and a variable indicating whether a warm-up function of the internal-combustion engine has been activated.

Abstract: In a system and a method for determining the speed gradient dn/dt of a shaft of an internal combustion engine, the speed gradient dn/dt is determined as a function of the third power of the speed and the difference between two segment times in the control device. The speed gradient is only determined in phases which are not time-critical, while segment times are read in or stored only in time-critical phases so that the data required for controlling and regulating the internal combustion engine can be calculated in these time-critical phases independently from the determination of the speed gradient.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tank-venting apparatus for a motor vehicle as well as a method for operating the apparatus. The tank-venting apparatus is for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine equipped with a charger having an output line. The tank-venting apparatus includes: a tank; an adsorption filter having a venting line extending therefrom; a tank supply line connecting the tank to the adsorption filter; a tank-venting valve connected to the engine; a valve line connecting the tank-venting valve to the adsorption filter; and, control valve means for connecting the output line of the charger to the venting line. In contrast to conventional tank venting apparatus on motor vehicles having an internal combustion engine equipped with a charger, no pump is required which pumps the vapor from the tank-venting apparatus into the intake pipe against the overpressure.

Abstract: A method for checking the operability of a tank-venting system for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine (10), the system including an adsorption filter (14) having a venting opening (17) at its venting end and having a connecting line (16) to a tank (15) as well as a tank-venting valve (13) which is connected into a connecting line (12) between the intake pipe (11) of the engine and the intake end of the adsorption filter, characterized in that:a difference pressure (Dp) is measured which is a measure for the pressure difference between the venting end and the intake end of the adsorption filter; and,a conclusion is drawn as to inadequate throughput capacity of the adsorption filter when the measured difference pressure exceeds a threshold value (Dp.sub.-- SW).With this method, as with similar methods provided in the disclosure, it is possible for the first time to check the throughput capacity of an adsorption filter in a tank-venting system.

Abstract: A method for checking the operability of a tank-venting system in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, which tank-venting system has a tank with a tank-pressure sensor, an adsorption filter connected to the tank via a tank-connecting line, and a tank-venting valve which is connected to the adsorption filter via a valve line, in which system the adsorption filter has a venting line which can be closed with the aid of a shut-off valve, has the following steps:closing the shut-off valve;opening the tank-venting valve;determining the build-up gradient (p+) of the underpressure building up in the tank;closing the tank-venting valve;determining the decay gradient (p-) of the decaying underpressure in the tank;mathematically combining the build-up and decay gradients in a manner such that the influence of the fill level has as little effect as possible on the evaluation variable (Q) formed by means of the combination; and,comparing the value of the evaluation variable with a threshold value (Q.sub.

Abstract: A transmitter arrangement for cylinder identification in an internal combustion engine having n cylinders, the arrangement comprises a transmitter disc driveable by a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine and having a plurality of angle marks and at least one distinguishable reference mark allocated to a fixed crankshaft angle, a transmitter disc driveable by a camshaft of the internal combustion engine and rotating half as quickly, the transmitter disc having a number of segments corresponding to the cylinder number n, the segments having two different lengths and two interspaces of different lengths between two segments each, two stationary pick-ups allocated to the transmitter discs and transmitting as a function of the marks passing by output signals having low phases and high phases, a control unit evaluating signals from the stationary pick-ups, the angle marks being arranged such that the output signal of each of the pick-ups contains during a first crankshaft revolution a sequence of low phases

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for venting a fuel tank for motor vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines. The tank-venting systems of these motor vehicles are equipped with a sensor for measuring tank pressure. The signal of the pressure sensor is utilized to control the tank-venting valve in such a manner that the flow resistance of the tank-venting valve is so adjusted via its opening condition in dependence upon the signal of the pressure sensor so that the scavenging rate is limited; that is, the flow volume through the tank-venting valve is limited. The scavenging rate is so limited that the tank pressure does not drop below a pregiven threshold. The tank-venting valve acts as a controllable flow throttle for preventing critical underpressures.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for checking the tightness of a tank-venting system when a pregiven test condition is satisfied. The method includes the steps of: (a) building up a difference pressure in the tank-venting system irrespective of whether the pregiven test condition is satisfied; (b) determining the presence of the test condition and then closing the tank-venting system; (c) determining the value of the decay gradient of the difference pressure when the pregiven test condition is satisfied thereby losing no time in starting the check of the tightness; and, (d) drawing a conclusion as to the tightness of the tank-venting system when the value of the decay gradient is less in magnitude than a threshold decay gradient. In this way, as soon as the test condition is satisfied, a determination of the value of the decay gradient of the difference pressure already built up can be started. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for suppressing a discontinuous motion of a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A breather valve for a gas tank of an internal combustion engine having an adsorption filter which is linked to the atmosphere by a breather line which is controlled by a shut-off valve. As air flows through the shut off valve, contaminations entrained in the shut off valve may deposit in the shut-off valve, so that it will no longer close tightly. For this reason, a particle filter has been arranged in front of the shut-off valve. The particle filter is of a large surface area which is integrated in the housing of the adsorption filter, thus contamination of the shut-off valve (51) and an excessive pressure drop of the air flowing through the particle filter (41) is avoided. The integrated construction facilitates a simple assembly of the adsorption filter (41) which is suitable for internal combustion engines in motor vehicles.

Abstract: A method for determining the operability of a tank-venting system on a motor vehicle subjects the signals for the volume flow through the tank-venting valve and the signals for the pressure difference between the tank interior and the ambient to a cross-covariance analysis. The above-mentioned signals are formed by a high pass in advance of forming the cross-covariance function and the maximum or the mean value of the cross-covariance function is formed with respect to the product of the two input variables. A variance measure is formed for the signal of the volume flow through the tank-venting valve and a transfer factor is computed from the variance measure and the mean value or maximum. The tank-venting system is deemed to be operational when the transfer range lies in a pregiven region. An advantage of the method is seen in the independence of the tank-pressure changes which are not caused by volume-flow changes through the tank-venting valve.