Method and device for estimating an emission of at least one exhaust gas component

1. A method of estimating an emission of at least one exhaust gas component, comprising the steps of:

acquiring an exhaust-gas sensor signal of an exhaust-gas sensor that is disposed in an exhaust gas train downstream of at least one first catalytic converter volume and upstream of at least one second catalytic converter volume,

determining an estimated value of an intermediate emission for a position of the exhaust-gas sensor in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal, and

acquiring or determining at least one of an oxygen storage capacity of the at least one first catalytic converter volume and a temperature of the at least one second catalytic converter volume, and

determining an estimated value of the emission downstream of the at least one second catalytic converter volume in dependence upon the estimated value of the intermediate emission and in dependence upon a correction factor determined from at least one predefined correction characteristic or at least one predefined correction characteristics map for correcting the estimated value of the intermediate emission with regard to an influence of the at least one second catalytic converter volume upon the emission of the at least one exhaust gas component,

wherein the at least one predefined correction characteristic or at least one predefined correction characteristics map include predefined relationships for correcting the estimated value of the intermediate emission, and

wherein the correction factor is determined from the at least one predefined correction characteristic or at least one predefined correction characteristics map based on the acquired or determined oxygen storage capacity of the at least one first catalytic converter volume or temperature of the at least one second catalytic converter.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a respective predefined correction factor is determined in dependence upon at least one of the oxygen storage capacity of the at least one first catalytic converter volume and the temperature of the at least one second catalytic converter volume and wherein the estimated value of the emission is determined by multiplying the estimated value of the intermediate emission by the predefined correction factor determined in each case.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor that is representative of signal properties of the exhaust-gas sensor signal is determined in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal and at least one reference signal and

the estimated value of the emission is determined in dependence upon the at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor that is determined.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor comprises at least one of a range of values, a delay time, a rise time, and a fall time of the exhaust-gas sensor signal.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one reference signal is formed by a lambda setpoint value signal of a lambda closed-loop control operation.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein in dependence upon the at least one characteristic quantity at least one characteristic-quantity correction characteristic or at least one characteristic-quantity correction characteristics map is adapted and wherein the estimated value of the emission is determined in dependence upon the at least one characteristic-quantity correction characteristic or the at least one characteristic-quantity correction characteristics map.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein in dependence upon an emission model the estimated value of the emission of the at least one exhaust gas component is estimated in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal, a gradient signal that is determined as a time derivative of the exhaust-gas sensor signal, and an air-mass flow signal and wherein the correction characteristics or correction characteristics maps form a part of the emission model.

8. A method of estimating an emission of at least one exhaust gas component, comprising the steps of:

acquiring an exhaust-gas sensor signal of an exhaust-gas sensor that is disposed in an exhaust gas train downstream of at least one first catalytic converter volume,

determining at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor that is representative of signal properties of the exhaust-gas sensor signal in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal and at least one reference signal and

determining an estimated value of the emission in dependence upon the at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor that is determined,

wherein the at least one reference signal is formed by a lambda setpoint value signal of a lambda closed-loop control operation.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor comprises at least one of a range of values, a delay time, a rise time, and a fall time of the exhaust-gas sensor signal.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein in dependence upon the at least one characteristic quantity at least one characteristic-quantity correction characteristic or at least one characteristic-quantity correction characteristics map is adapted and wherein the estimated value of the emission is determined in dependence upon the at least one characteristic-quantity correction characteristic or the at least one characteristic-quantity correction characteristics map.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein in dependence upon an emission model the estimated value of the emission of the at least one exhaust gas component is estimated in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal, a gradient signal that is determined as a time derivative of the exhaust-gas sensor signal, and an air-mass flow signal and wherein the correction characteristics or correction characteristics maps form apart of the emission model.

12. A device for estimating an emission of at least one exhaust gas component, the device being operable

to acquire an exhaust-gas sensor signal of an exhaust-gas sensor that is disposed in an exhaust gas train downstream of at least one first catalytic converter volume and upstream of at least one second catalytic converter volume,

to determine an estimated value of an intermediate emission for a position of the exhaust-gas sensor in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal and

to acquire or determine at least one of an oxygen storage capacity of the at least one first catalytic converter volume and a temperature of the at least one second catalytic converter volume, and

to determine an estimated value of the emission downstream of the at least one second catalytic converter volume in dependence upon the estimated value of the intermediate emission and in dependence upon a correction factor determined from at least one predefined correction characteristic or at least one predefined correction characteristics map for correcting the estimated value the estimated value of the intermediate emission with regard to an influence of the at least one second catalytic converter volume upon the emission of the at least one exhaust gas component,

wherein the at least one predefined correction characteristic or at least one predefined correction characteristics map include predefined relationships for correcting the estimated value of the intermediate emission, and

wherein the correction factor is determined from the at least one predefined correction characteristic or at least one predefined correction characteristics map based on the acquired or determined oxygen storage capacity of the at least one first catalytic converter volume or temperature of the at least one second catalytic converter.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein a respective predefined correction factor is determined in dependence upon at least one of the oxygen storage capacity of the at least one first catalytic converter volume and the temperature of the at least one second catalytic converter volume and wherein the estimated value of the emission is determined by multiplying the estimated value of the intermediate emission by the predefined correction factor determined in each case.

14. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the device is further operable

to determine at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor that is representative of signal properties of the exhaust-gas sensor signal in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal and at least one reference signal and

to determine the estimated value of the emission in dependence upon the at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor that is determined.

15. A device for estimating an emission of at least one exhaust gas component, the device being operable

to acquire an exhaust-gas sensor signal of an exhaust-gas sensor that is disposed in an exhaust gas train downstream of at least one first catalytic converter volume,

to determine at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor that is representative of signal properties of the exhaust-gas sensor signal in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal and at least one reference signal and

to determine an estimated value of the emission in dependence upon the at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor that is determined,

wherein the at least one reference signal is formed by a lambda setpoint value signal of a lambda closed-loop control operation.

16. The device according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one characteristic quantity of the exhaust-gas sensor comprises at least one of a range of values, a delay time, a rise time, and a fall time of the exhaust-gas sensor signal.

17. A method of estimating an emission of at least one exhaust gas component, comprising:

acquiring an exhaust-gas sensor signal of an exhaust-gas sensor that is disposed in an exhaust gas train downstream of at least one first catalytic converter volume but upstream of at least one second catalytic converter volume,

acquire or determine at least one of an oxygen storage capacity of the at least one first catalytic converter volume and a temperature of the at least one second catalytic converter volume, and

using an emission model to determine an estimated value of the emission from the at least one second catalytic converter volume based at least on (a) the exhaust-gas sensor signal, (b) a gradient signal determined as a time derivative of the exhaust-gas sensor signal, (c) an air-mass flow signal, and (d) a correction factor based at least on the acquired or determined oxygen storage capacity of the at least one first catalytic converter volume or temperature of the at least one second catalytic converter volume.