Method, processing unit, and computer program for operating an internal combustion engine having at least one catalytic converter

A processing unit for an exhaust system having at least one catalytic converter, wherein control interventions of a lambda control for controlling an exhaust gas composition of an internal combustion engine are deactivated, the processing unit configured to:

• ascertain a current exhaust gas composition upstream of the at least one catalytic converter,
• determine a current oxygen fill level of the at least one catalytic converter on the basis of the ascertained current exhaust gas composition,
• ascertain a planned control intervention on a composition of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the internal combustion engine on the basis of the determined current oxygen fill level of the at least one catalytic converter,
• ascertain a current exhaust gas composition downstream of the at least one catalytic converter,
• ascertain a future exhaust gas composition downstream of the at least one catalytic converter resulting on the basis of an air-fuel mixture already supplied to the internal combustion engine, and
• reactivate the lambda control and specifying a control intervention to be carried out as a function of the planned control intervention and the current exhaust gas composition downstream of the at least one catalytic converter, and/or as a function of the planned control intervention and the future exhaust gas composition.

A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that are executable by a computer of an exhaust system having at least one catalytic converter, wherein control interventions of a lambda control for controlling an exhaust gas composition of an internal combustion engine are deactivated, wherein the instructions are executable to cause the computer to

• ascertain a current exhaust gas composition upstream of the at least one catalytic converter,
• determine a current oxygen fill level of the at least one catalytic converter on the basis of the ascertained current exhaust gas composition,
• ascertain a planned control intervention on a composition of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the internal combustion engine on the basis of the determined current oxygen fill level of the at least one catalytic converter,
• ascertain a current exhaust gas composition downstream of the at least one catalytic converter,
• ascertain a future exhaust gas composition downstream of the at least one catalytic converter resulting on the basis of an air-fuel mixture already supplied to the internal combustion engine, and
• reactivate the lambda control and specifying a control intervention to be carried out as a function of the planned control intervention and the current exhaust gas composition downstream of the at least one catalytic converter, and/or as a function of the planned control intervention and the future exhaust gas composition.