Method for operating a shutoff device for a device, in particular an internal combustion engine and/or an electric machine, as well as a shutoff device

• US 20080154483A1
• Filed: 12/03/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schwertfuehrer, Gerit Von, Greskamp, Siegfried, Damm, Daniel, Dubs, Alexander, Gloeckler, Michael, Rall, Astrid, Niemann, Holger, Hagman, Per, Heyl, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/112
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0291 Switching into safety or degraded mode, e.g. protection and supervision after failure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric

Abstract

A method for operating a shutoff device for a device, in particular an internal combustion engine and/or an electric machine, in which an operating element for initiating a shutoff operation is provided, and in which a transmission path is provided via which a shutoff signal is transmitted from the operating element to the device in order to deactivate the device. The shutoff device is checked for proper functioning at least in part automatically, by automatically transmitting a shutoff signal, in particular from the operating element via the transmission path to the device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a shutoff device for a device, the method comprising:

using an operating element to initiate a shutoff operation with a shutoff signal, wherein the shutoff signal is transmitted via a transmission path from the operating element to the shutoff device to deactivate the device; and

checking the shutoff device for proper functioning at least in part automatically, wherein the shutoff signal is transmitted automatically from the operating element via the transmission path to the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shutoff device is checked periodically at least once per operating cycle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the checking includes:

actuating the operating element to initiate the shutoff operation,

detecting a state of at least one of the transmission path and the device,

evaluating the detected state by comparing it with a specifiable expected state, and

resetting at least one of the shutoff device and its components, and the device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the checking is implemented automatically under control of a control unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a fault response is initiated if an improper operating state is detected during the checking.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuating of the operating element is simulated by actuating an automatically actuable auxiliary element situated in or upstream from the transmission path.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is an internal combustion engine, wherein the transmission path includes power-controlling actuators of the internal combustion engine.

8. A computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:

program code for operating a shutoff device for a device by performing the following;

initiating an operating element to initiate a shutoff operation with a shutoff signal;

transmitting the shutoff signal via the transmission path from the operating element to the shutoff device to deactivate the device; and

checking the shutoff device for proper functioning at least in part automatically, wherein the shutoff signal is transmitted automatically from the operating element via the transmission path to the device.

9. A control unit for a shutoff device for a device, comprising:

a control arrangement to at least partially automatically check for proper functioning, by which a shutoff signal is automatically transmittable from an operating element via a transmission path to the device;

wherein the shutoff device includes the operating element for initiating a shutoff operation, and wherein the transmission path, via which the shutoff signal is transmittable from the operating element to the device to deactivate the device.

10. A shutoff device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

an operating element for initiating a shutoff operation; and

a transmission path, via which a shutoff signal is transmittable from the operating element to the device to deactivate the device;

wherein the shutoff device includes a control unit to at least partially automatically check for proper functioning, by which a shutoff signal is automatically transmittable from the operating element via the transmission path to the device.

11. The shutoff device of claim 10, wherein at least one of an operating element and an auxiliary operating element is actuatable automatically by the control unit.