Method and device for determining an oxygen storage capacity of a catalytic converter of an internal combustion engine and method and device for determining a dynamic time duration for exhaust probes of an internal combustion engine

1. A method for determining an oxygen storage capacity of a catalytic converter of an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, an exhaust tract and an exhaust probe, comprising:

oxygenating a first time the part of the catalytic converter upstream of the exhaust probe until it is saturated;

setting a predefined first rich air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the cylinder;

determining a first oxygen storage capacity value based on a measurement signal of the exhaust probe and the predefined first rich air/fuel ratio;

oxygenating a second time the part of the catalytic converter upstream of the exhaust probe until it is saturated;

setting a predefined second rich air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the cylinder;

determining a second oxygen storage capacity value based on the measurement signal of the exhaust probe and the predefined second rich air/fuel ratio; and

determining a corrected oxygen storage capacity value based on the first and second oxygen storage capacity values.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the exhaust tract has the catalytic converter and the exhaust probe, wherein the exhaust probe is downstream of at least part of the catalytic converter.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a correction value is determined based on the difference between the first and second oxygen storage capacity value, and wherein a corrected oxygen storage capacity value is determined as a function of the second oxygen storage capacity value and the correction value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the correction value is determined from an engine map based on the difference between the first and second oxygen storage capacity value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the correction value is determined based on the difference between the first and second oxygen storage capacity value based on a piecewise linear function.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the correction value is determined based on the first, second and a third rich or lean air/fuel ratio, wherein the third rich or lean air/fuel ratio is less rich or less lean than the first or second air/fuel ratio.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the correction value is determined based on the difference between the third and second air/fuel ratio divided by the difference between the first and second air/fuel ratio.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a dynamic time duration is determined based on the difference between the first and second oxygen storage capacity value and based on the first and second air/fuel ratio, and wherein the corrected oxygen storage capacity value is determined based on the dynamic time duration.

9. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein catalytic converter diagnostics are performed based on the corrected oxygen storage capacity value.

10. A method for determining an oxygen storage capacity of a catalytic converter of an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, an exhaust tract and an exhaust probe, comprising:

discharging completely oxygen stored in a part of the catalytic converter upstream of the exhaust probe;

setting a predefined first lean air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the cylinder;

determining a first oxygen storage capacity value as a function of the measurement signal of the exhaust probe and the predefined first lean air/fuel ratio;

discharging completely the oxygen stored in the part of the catalytic converter upstream of the exhaust probe;

setting a predefined second lean air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the cylinder;

determining a second oxygen storage capacity value as a function of the measurement signal of the exhaust probe and the predefined second lean air/fuel ratio; and

determining a corrected oxygen storage capacity value as a function of the first and second oxygen storage capacity values.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the exhaust tract has the catalytic converter and the exhaust probe, wherein the exhaust probe is downstream of at least part of the catalytic converter.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a correction value is determined based on the difference between the first and second oxygen storage capacity value, and wherein a corrected oxygen storage capacity value is determined as a function of the second oxygen storage capacity value and the correction value.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the correction value is determined from an engine map based on the difference between the first and second oxygen storage capacity value.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the correction value is determined based on the difference between the first and second oxygen storage capacity value based on a piecewise linear function.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the correction value is determined based on the first, second and a third rich or lean air/fuel ratio, wherein the third rich or lean air/fuel ratio is less rich or less lean than the first or second air/fuel ratio.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the correction value is determined based on the difference between the third and second air/fuel ratio divided by the difference between the first and second air/fuel ratio.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein a dynamic time duration is determined based on the difference between the first and second oxygen storage capacity value and based on the first and second air/fuel ratio, and wherein the corrected oxygen storage capacity value is determined based on the dynamic time duration.

18. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the exhaust tract has the catalytic converter and the exhaust probe, wherein the exhaust probe is downstream of at least part of the catalytic converter.

19. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein diagnostics of the exhaust probe are performed based upon the dynamic time duration.