Method for operating a control unit of a motor vehicle

A method for operating a control unit of a motor vehicle including a function unit and a monitoring unit, which have a communication connection to one another, the method comprising:

• in a first check, checking the function unit for errors, an error of the function unit is inferred if an error counter reaches a threshold value, and in the first check, the monitoring unit and the function unit exchanging first data with one another, wherein in the event of a correct exchange of the first data, a positive change of the error counter is carried out, and in the event of an incorrect exchange of the first data, a negative change of the error counter is carried out;
• and
• in a second check, the monitoring unit and the function unit exchanging second data with one another, wherein in the event of an incorrect exchange of the second data, the negative change of the error counter and a negative change of the threshold value are carried out.

The method as recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of the error counter and the threshold value are incremented by one or multiple increments in the course of the negative change.

A processing unit, which is configured to operate a control unit of a motor vehicle including a function unit and a monitoring unit, which have a communication connection to one another, the processing unit configured to:

• in a first check, check the function unit for errors, an error of the function unit is inferred if an error counter reaches a threshold value, and in the first check, the monitoring unit and the function unit exchange first data with one another, wherein in the event of a correct exchange of the first data, a positive change of the error counter is carried out, and in the event of an incorrect exchange of the first data, a negative change of the error counter is carried out;
• and
• in a second check, the monitoring unit and the function unit exchange second data with one another, wherein in the event of an incorrect exchange of the second data, the negative change of the error counter and a negative change of the threshold value are carried out.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage on which is stored a computer program for operating a control unit of a motor vehicle including a function unit and a monitoring unit, which have a communication connection to one another, the computer program, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform:

• in a first check, checking the function unit for errors, an error of the function unit is inferred if an error counter reaches a threshold value, and in the first check, the monitoring unit and the function unit exchanging first data with one another, wherein in the event of a correct exchange of the first data, a positive change of the error counter is carried out, and in the event of an incorrect exchange of the first data, a negative change of the error counter is carried out;
• and
• in a second check, the monitoring unit and the function unit exchanging second data with one another, wherein in the event of an incorrect exchange of the second data, the negative change of the error counter and a negative change of the threshold value are carried out.