Valve controller and method for operating a valve controller

A valve controller for electrically actuating at least one valve drive, with a control circuit, which is designed to influence an electric energy flow between an electric source and the valve drive, and which comprises a bus interface for communication with a superordinate control arrangement and further comprises a sensor means, which is designed to determine a physical variable changeable by electrically actuating the valve drive and designed for providing a sensor signal dependent upon the determined physical variable to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is designed to determine a status value for the valve drive based on the sensor signal and based on at least one characteristic value of a physical variable from the group:

• energy flow duration, energy flow voltage, energy flow current, fluid pressure, fluid volume current and is designed to provide the status value to the bus interface, and
• wherein the control circuit is designed to determine the status value by assessing an extreme value or a gradient of a time course of the sensor signal and/or by assessing an extreme value or a gradient of a time course of the at least one characteristic value.