Abstract: A method of estimating a variation of a quantity of soot accumulated in a diesel particulate filter coupled to an internal combustion engine is provided. The method includes a passive-regeneration check for checking whether a passive regeneration of the diesel particulate filter is occurring and, if this check yields that a passive regeneration is actually occurring, the method includes determining an initial quantity of soot that was accumulated in the diesel particulate filter when the passive regeneration began and determining a rough variation of the quantity of soot accumulated in the diesel particulate filter. An engine speed and an engine load are determined and, using the engine speed, the engine load, and the initial quantity of soot, a correction is determined. The variation of the quantity of soot accumulated in the diesel particulate filter is calculated as a function of the rough variation and the correction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a diesel particulate filter is disclosed. The control is carried out with the aid of a soot loading model selected from a plurality of available soot loading models including at least one soot loading physical model which makes use of signals from an exhaust gas pressure sensor. A reliability score is allocated to each soot loading model such that the soot loading model with the best reliability score is used for the diesel particulate filter control. If a DPF parking effect is identified based on an engine shut-off time a DPF inlet temperature either the reliability score of the soot loading physical model or the reliability scores of all remaining (non-physical) soot loading models are changed, and use of the soot loading physical model is avoided or disabled to help the control of the diesel particulate filter.

Abstract: A method of estimating a variation of a quantity of soot accumulated in a diesel particulate filter coupled to an internal combustion engine is provided. The method includes a passive-regeneration check for checking whether a passive regeneration of the diesel particulate filter is occurring and, if this check yields that a passive regeneration is actually occurring, the method includes determining an initial quantity of soot that was accumulated in the diesel particulate filter when the passive regeneration began and determining a rough variation of the quantity of soot accumulated in the diesel particulate filter. An engine speed and an engine load are determined and, using the engine speed, the engine load, and the initial quantity of soot, a correction is determined. The variation of the quantity of soot accumulated in the diesel particulate filter is calculated as a function of the rough variation and the correction.