Method and apparatus for detecting ageing of a power electronic apparatus comprising a semiconductor component, and power electronic system

A device for detecting an aging of a power electronic device comprising at least one semiconductor component, the device comprising:

• a provision unit for providing an excitation signal, which is designed to trigger a flow of an at least approximately semi-sinusoidal excitation current through the semiconductor component in order to introduce a power loss into the semiconductor component;
• an uploading unit for uploading a temperature signal which represents a temporal course of the temperature of the semiconductor component;
• and
• an evaluation unit for determining an aging value that represents the aging of the power electronic device by using the temperature signal.

A power electronic system comprising:

• a power electronic device comprising at least one semiconductor component;
• and
• a device for detecting an aging of the power electronic device, the device comprising:
• a provision unit for providing an excitation signal, which is designed to trigger a flow of an at least approximately semi-sinusoidal excitation current through the semiconductor component in order to introduce a power loss into the semiconductor component;
• an uploading unit for uploading a temperature signal which represents a temporal course of the temperature of the semiconductor component;
• and
• an evaluation unit for determining an aging value that represents the aging of the power electronic device by using the temperature signal.