Method for simplified real-time diagnoses using adaptive modeling

1. A method for on-board real-time diagnostics of a system, said method comprising the steps:

providing a reference model containing predefined operating conditions and predefined confounding variables of said system and outputting a reference characteristic;

measuring real-world operating conditions and real-world confounding variables of said system and outputting a plurality of system output variables;

providing an adaptive model input with said real-world operating conditions and said real-world confounding variables in a first phase and inputting said predefined operating conditions and said predefined confounding variables in a second phase;

providing a first comparator for comparing said plurality of system output variables with an output of said adaptive model;

feedback means for feeding the output of said first comparative to an input of said adaptive model during said first phase;

providing a second comparator to compare the output of said adaptive model during the second phase with said reference characteristic output of said reference model;

providing a diagnostics module receiving the output of said second comparator during said second phase in order to output a diagnosis of said system.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further including the step of switching between said first phase and said second phase wherein said first phase is a training phase and said second phase is a diagnostics phase.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said reference characteristic is a series of measured response functions generated by a stationary test of said system.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said measured response function provides a polarization curve generated by a stationary test of a fuel cell powertrain.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said measured response function provide a speed/torque curve generated by a stationary test of an internal combustion engine.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said system is a fuel cell powertrain.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said real-world operating conditions and said real-world confounding variables are generated when a vehicle containing said system is being driven during normal operation.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said system is a mobile technical system of a vehicle.

9. An arrangement for real time diagnostics of a system, comprising:

a reference model receiving predefined operating conditions and predefined confounding variables of said system and outputting a reference characteristic;

means for inputting to said system real-world operating conditions and real-world confounding variables of said system wherein the output of said system provides system output variables;

an adaptive model receiving, in a first phase, said real-world operating conditions and said real-world confounding variables and, in a second phase said predefined operating conditions and said predefined confounding variables to provide a first output during said first phase and a second output during said second phase;

first comparator means for comparing said system output variables with said first output of said adaptive model;

feedback means receiving an output of said first comparator means and feeding said output to said adaptive model during said first phase;

second comparator means for comparing an output of said reference model with the second output of said adaptive model during said second phase;

a diagnostics module receiving an output of said second comparator during said second phase;

switching means for switching between said first and second phase.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein said first phase is a training phase and said second phase is a diagnostics phase.

11. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein said reference characteristics are a series of measured response functions generated by a stationary test of said system.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein said measured response functions provide a polarization curve generated by a stationary test of a fuel cell powertrain.

13. The arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein said measured response functions provide speed/torque curve generated by a stationary test of an internal combustion engine.

14. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein said system is a fuel cell powertrain.

15. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein said real-world operation conditions and said real-world confounding variables are generated from a measuring means during the normal driving operation of a vehicle containing said system.