Method for recognizing a sensor type

1. A method for recognizing a sensor type, the method performed by a program of computer instructions embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media and executable by a processing unit and comprising the following steps:

Checking, by the processing unit, a first condition that will have been met if a measuring signal of a sensor exceeds a first threshold,

Checking, by the processing unit, a second condition if the first condition has been met, with the second condition having been met if a gradient of the measuring signal is greater in amount than a predefined second threshold,

Determining, by the processing unit, whether or not the sensor is a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor, wherein a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor comprises a type of sensor that measures at least two different parameters having non-overlapping ranges of signal values and outputs the measurements of the at least two different parameters in a multiplexed manner, including:

recognizing the sensor as a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor if the first and second conditions have been met, and

recognizing the sensor as not a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor if at least one of the first and second conditions has not been met.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second conditions are in each case checked close in time to a start of operation of the sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor having the signal-value-range multiplex output for the measuring signal will be recognized if the first and second conditions have been met a predefined number of times, and otherwise the sensor not having a signal-value-range multiplex output for the measuring signal will be recognized.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in case of a recognized sensor having a signal-value-range multiplex output:

a measurement value of the measuring signal, which value was registered a predefinable period of time before the first and second condition were met, will be assigned to either a fuel temperature or a fuel quantity depending on the sign of the gradient of the measuring signal or depending on the measurement value's absolute value.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein a fault will be recognized if the first and second conditions are not met during a predefinable period of time.

6. A method for determining whether or not a sensor is a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor, defined as a sensor that measures at least two different parameters having non-overlapping ranges of signal values and outputs the measurements of the at least two different parameters in a multiplexed manner, the method performed by a program of computer instructions embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media and executable by a processing unit and comprising:

Determining, by the processing unit, whether a measuring signal of the sensor exceeds a first threshold and if so, determining whether a gradient of the measuring signal is greater in amount than a predefined second threshold, and if so, identifying the sensor as a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor,

and if either step of determining fails, then identifying the sensor as not being a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the steps of determining are in each case checked close in time to a start of operation of the sensor.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the sensor having the signal-value-range multiplex output for the measuring signal will be recognized if the steps of determining have been met a predefined number of times, and otherwise the sensor not having a signal-value-range multiplex output for the measuring signal will be recognized.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the following steps are carried out in the case of a recognized sensor having a signal-value-range multiplex output:

assigning a measurement value of the measuring signal, which value was registered a predefinable period of time before the steps of determining were met, to either a fuel temperature or a fuel quantity depending on the sign of the gradient of the measuring signal or depending on the measurement value's absolute value.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein a fault will be recognized if the steps of determining are not met during a predefinable period of time.

11. An arrangement for recognizing whether or not a sensor is a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor, defined as a sensor that measures at least two different parameters having non-overlapping ranges of signal values and outputs the measurements of the at least two different parameters in a multiplexed manner, the arrangement comprising:

means for determining whether a measuring signal of the sensor exceeds a first threshold and

means for determining whether a gradient of the measuring signal is greater in amount than a predefined second threshold,

wherein the sensor is recognized as a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor if both determinations are met, and if either determination fails, then the sensor is not recognized as a signal-value-range multiplex output type sensor.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein the determinations are performed close in time to a start of operation of the sensor.

13. The arrangement according to claim 11 ,

wherein the sensor having the signal-value-range multiplex output for the measuring signal will be recognized if the determinations have been met a predefined number of times, and otherwise the sensor not having a signal-value-range multiplex output for the measuring signal will be recognized.

14. The arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein in the case of a recognized sensor having the signal-value-range multiplex output a measurement value of the measuring signal, which value was registered a predefinable period of time before the determinations were met, is assigned to either a fuel temperature or a fuel quantity depending on the sign of the gradient of the measuring signal or depending on the measurement value's absolute value.

15. The arrangement according to claim 14 , wherein a fault will be recognized if the determinations are not met during a predefinable period of time.