# US 11,028,745 B2 · Method for regenerating a particle filter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,028,745 B2 - Document ID: US11028745B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/322,221 - Filed: 2017-08-02 - Published: 2019-10-10 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-04 - Assignees: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Florian Zink - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028745B2 ## CPC - F01N 3/023: using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles - F01N 9/002: {of filter regeneration} - F01N 2430/06: by varying fuel-air ratio, e.g. by enriching fuel-air mixture - F01N 2900/08: said parameters being related to the engine - F01N 2900/1404: Exhaust gas temperature - F01N 2900/1606: Particle filter loading or soot amount - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The invention relates to a method for regenerating a particle filter in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, comprising at least the following steps: a) performing a first regeneration of the particle filter until a lower threshold value of a particle load of the particle filter is reached; b) performing a verification measurement, wherein the internal combustion engine is operated at a first operating point such that an exhaust gas having at least—an excess of oxygen or—an elevated first temperature is provided upstream of the particle filter; wherein, if an increase of a second temperature is detected downstream of the particle filter during or after step b), c) a second regeneration of the particle filter is initiated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for regenerating a particle filter, which is located in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, comprising at least the following steps: a) performing a first regeneration of the particle filter until a lower limit value of a particle loading of the particle filter is reached; b) operating the combustion engine at a first operating point that is freely selectable by a user; c) performing a verification measurement, the combustion engine being operated at a second operating point, so that an exhaust gas having at least an oxygen excess or an increased first temperature is provided upstream of the particle filter; wherein step c) is initiated at a time interval after the end of the first regeneration in accordance with step a); and when an increase in a second temperature of the exhaust gas is ascertained during or after step c) downstream of the particle filter, the following step being performed: d) initiating a second regeneration of the particle filter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, in step c), the combustion engine is operated at the second operating point without fuel injection. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the time interval is at least one second. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the time interval is at most five seconds. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first regeneration in accordance with step a) is performed exclusively on the basis of a computation model. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, at least during steps a) and d), the combustion engine is operated in a way that at least limits the oxygen excess in the exhaust gas or a first temperature of the exhaust gas upstream of the particle filter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein: at least one temperature sensor for measuring a second temperature of the exhaust gas is configured downstream of the particle filter; and the combustion engine is operated at least during step c) in such a way that, upstream of the particle filter, the at least an oxygen excess in the exhaust gas or the first temperature increase of the exhaust gas is set as a function of the measured second temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A motor vehicle comprising a combustion engine; an exhaust system, a particle filter, downstream of the particle filter, at least a temperature sensor in the exhaust system; a control unit for operating the combustion engine, the control unit being suited for implementing the method according to claim 1, so that, upstream of the particle filter, at least an oxygen excess in the exhaust gas or a first temperature of the exhaust gas is settable by the control unit as a function of the measured second temperature.