Method and Device for Detecting Entry of Liquid into a Housing of a Control Unit and a Vehicle comprising the Device

Abstract

A device and method for detecting entry of liquid, in particular liquid including water, for example water, into a housing of a control unit, in particular a control unit of a steer-by-wire steering system are disclosed. The method includes (i) measuring a first characteristic variable, which characterizes a temperature within the housing, (ii) measuring a second characteristic variable, which characterizes a relative humidity within the housing, (iii) storing in each case at least one value of the first characteristic variable and the second characteristic variable, which in each case characterizes a temperature and relative humidity present within the housing at at least one previous point in time, in particular at predetermined time intervals, (iv) determining an operating state of the control unit depending on a power consumption of the control unit and/or the first characteristic variable, wherein the control unit includes a first operating state and a second operating state, wherein the first operating state has a lower power consumption than the second operating state, and (v) detecting the entry of liquid depending on the determined operating state, the first characteristic variable, and the second characteristic variable.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.