Method, system and computer program product for performing an on-board diagnostic function in a motor vehicle

A system for performing an on-board catalytic converter diagnostic function in a motor vehicle, the system comprising a control unit with a processor, a control module, an on-board catalytic converter diagnostic function module, a filtering module and an analysis module,

• wherein, during operation of the motor vehicle, the control unit is configured to (i) activate an on-board catalytic converter diagnostic function in the on-board catalytic converter diagnostic function module, and (ii) supply a first signal profile (S1) of an operating value (CV) of at least one operating element in the form of an accelerator pedal, knob or joystick of the motor vehicle to the analysis module, the operating value (CV) corresponding to a position of the accelerator pedal, knob or joystick;
• wherein, during operation of the motor vehicle, the analysis module is configured to (i) analyze the first signal profile (S1) of the operating value (CV) and (ii) either (a) activate the filtering module in the event of a positive analysis result associated with a temporal change of the first signal profile (S1) being less than a pre-determined value and representative of a normal driving situation or (b) deactivate the filtering module and the on-board diagnostic function in an event of a negative analysis result associated with a temporal change of the first signal profile (S1) being greater than a pre-determined value and representative of a critical driving situation and forward the first signal profile (CV) of the operating value (CV) to the control module;
• wherein, during operation of the motor vehicle, the filtering module, upon activation, is configured to (i) filter the first signal profile (S1) of the operating value (CV) with selected damping parameters (DP) associated with the catalytic converter diagnostic function in order to obtain a filtered second signal profile (S2) and (ii) forward the filtered second signal profile (S2) of the operating value (CV) to the control module;
• wherein, during operation of the motor vehicle, the control module is configured to (i) generate a drive torque control signal (ST) on a basis of the first signal profile (S1) or the filtered second signal profile (S2) and (ii) transmit the drive torque control signal (ST) to a drive system of the motor vehicle in the form of an internal combustion engine in order to cause movement of the motor vehicle,
• wherein, during operation of the motor vehicle, when the drive torque control signal (ST) is based on the signal profile (S1), a drive torque of the drive system is based solely on the signal profile (S1), and, wherein when the drive torque control signal (ST) is based on the filtered second signal profile (S2), the control module is additionally configured to perform the catalytic converter diagnostic function while the drive torque of the drive system is decoupled from the signal profile (S1) and remains substantially constant for purposes of performing the catalytic converter diagnostic function.