Method for determining the state of a piezoelectric element and sensor apparatus with a piezoelectric element

Abstract

A method for determining the state of a piezoelectric element, in particular the piezoelectric element of a sensor apparatus, it is provided. The piezoelectric element is a component of a resonant circuit. The resonant circuit is excited to natural vibrations. The period durations of the natural vibrations of the resonant circuit are captured, and conclusions are drawn regarding the state of the piezoelectric element base on the period durations of the natural vibrations. A sensor apparatus with at least one piezoelectric element is provided. The sensor apparatus has at least one resonant circuit and that the piezoelectric element is a component of the resonant circuit. The sensor apparatus includes at least one evaluator for capturing and evaluating the natural vibrations of the resonant circuit. The evaluator includes at least one storage device for storing reference resonance frequencies that have been determined in advance.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.