Method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine

1. A method for operating a drive train including an electric motor, comprising:

selecting, by a controller including a processor, as a function of a state of charge of a power battery, the electric desired power level, wherein the electric desired power level is independent of the state of charge of the power battery when the state of charge of the power battery is in a plateau region;

determining by the controller, a non-limited mechanical target torque as the difference between a target coupling torque and an actual torque of the internal combustion engine of the drive train; and

producing by the electric motor, a mechanical target torque corresponding to the electric desired power level, wherein the mechanical target torque is determined from the non-limited mechanical target torque by limiting the non-limited mechanical target torque, in a step of limitation, to at least one of (i) a value greater than or equal to a lower mechanical limit, and (ii) a value less than or equal to an upper mechanical limit; wherein an internal combustion engine target torque is determined as the difference between the target coupling torque and a mechanical desired torque, wherein the mechanical desired torque is selected such that the electric motor is operated in generator mode when the state of charge of the power battery is smaller than a lower limit of the plateau region, and wherein the mechanical desired torque is selected such that the electric motor is operated in motor-driven mode when the state of charge of the power battery is greater than an upper limit of the plateau region.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is operated neither in generator mode nor in motoric mode if the state of charge of the power battery is in the plateau region and the target coupling torque is able to be provided by the internal combustion engine of the drive train.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least one of the lower mechanical limit and the upper mechanical limit is selected as a function of the state of charge of the power battery.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical target torque is selected such that the power battery is charged if the state of charge assumes values smaller than a first threshold value.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical desired torque is determined as a function of the state of charge of the power battery.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the mechanical desired torque is independent of the state of charge of the power battery when the state of charge of the power battery is in the plateau region.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the mechanical desired torque is selected to be equal to zero when the state of charge of the power battery is in the plateau region.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium storing a computer program having program codes which, when executed on a computer, performs a method for operating a drive train including an electric motor, the method comprising:

selecting, by a controller including a processor, as a function of a state of charge of a power battery, the electric desired power level, wherein the electric desired power level is independent of the state of charge of the power battery when the state of charge of the power battery is in a plateau region;

determining by the controller, a non-limited mechanical target torque as the difference between a target coupling torque and an actual torque of the internal combustion engine of the drive train; and

producing by the electric motor, a mechanical target torque corresponding to the electric desired power level, wherein the mechanical target torque is determined from the non-limited mechanical target torque by limiting the non-limited mechanical target torque, in a step of limitation, to at least one of (i) a value greater than or equal to a lower mechanical limit, and (ii) a value less than or equal to an upper mechanical limit; wherein an internal combustion engine target torque is determined as the difference between the target coupling torque and a mechanical desired torque, wherein the mechanical desired torque is selected such that the electric motor is operated in generator mode when the state of charge of the power battery is smaller than a lower limit of the plateau region, and wherein the mechanical desired torque is selected such that the electric motor is operated in motor-driven mode when the state of charge of the power battery is greater than an upper limit of the plateau region.

9. A regulating device of a drive train, comprising:

a control unit including a processor configured to:

select, as a function of a state of charge of a power battery, the electric desired power level, wherein the electric desired power level is independent of the state of charge of the power battery when the state of charge of the power battery is in a plateau region;

determine a non-limited mechanical target torque as the difference between a target coupling torque and an actual torque of the internal combustion engine of the drive train; and

produce a mechanical target torque corresponding to the electric desired power level, wherein the mechanical target torque is determined from the non-limited mechanical target torque by limiting the non-limited mechanical target torque, in a step of limitation, to at least one of (i) a value greater than or equal to a lower mechanical limit, and (ii) a value less than or equal to an upper mechanical limit; wherein an internal combustion engine target torque is determined as the difference between the target coupling torque and a mechanical desired torque, wherein the mechanical desired torque is selected such that the electric motor is operated in generator mode when the state of charge of the power battery is smaller than a lower limit of the plateau region, and wherein the mechanical desired torque is selected such that the electric motor is operated in motor-driven mode when the state of charge of the power battery is greater than an upper limit of the plateau region.