Device for pressure-based load detection

A device for determining the air mass flowing into the cylinder combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine cylinder in a motor vehicle, the device comprising:

• a sensor device that directly detects the intake manifold pressure, the sensor device having a measurement range that measures the intake manifold pressure only in a lower partial range of the intake manifold pressure in the internal combustion engine;
• a first calculation model that indirectly detects the intake manifold pressure, the first calculation model determines the intake manifold pressure in an upper partial range of the intake manifold pressure in the internal combustion engine;
• and
• a second calculation model that determines the inflowing air mass for load detection as a function of the intake manifold pressure, wherein the second calculation model determines the inflowing air mass determined as a function of the intake manifold pressure measured by the sensor device when within the lower partial range of the intake manifold pressure, and the second calculation model determines the inflowing air mass on the basis of the intake manifold pressure determined by use of the first calculation model when within the upper partial range of the intake manifold pressure.