Method and device for the calibration of an exhaust gas probe, and method and device for the operation of an internal combustion engine

A method for operating an internal combustion engine with at least one cylinder with a combustion chamber, an injection valve which is provided for dosing in the fuel, an exhaust system in which an exhaust gas probe is arranged in an exhaust catalytic converter, the measured signal from said probe representing an air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the respective cylinder, wherein a binary lambda control system is provided, the method comprising the steps of:

• following a jump from a preset rich air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the respective cylinder to a preset lean air/fuel ratio, a plateau phase which occurs thereafter in the measured signal is detected and the duration of the plateau phase is determined as a storage period,
• following a jump from a preset lean air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the respective cylinder to a preset rich air/fuel ratio, a plateau phase which occurs thereafter in the measured signal is detected and the duration of the plateau phase is determined as an evacuation period and
• depending on the storage period and the evacuation period, a control parameter of the binary lambda control system is adjusted.

A device for operating an internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder comprising a combustion chamber, an injection valve which is provided for dosing in the fuel, and an exhaust system in which an exhaust gas probe is arranged in an exhaust catalytic converter, the measured signal from said probe representing an air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the respective cylinder, wherein a binary lambda control system is provided, wherein the device is operable:

• following a jump from a preset rich air/fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the respective cylinder to a preset lean air/fuel ratio, to detect a plateau phase which occurs thereafter in the measured signal and to determine the duration of the plateau phase as a storage period,
• following a jump from a preset lean air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of the respective cylinder to a preset rich air/fuel ratio, to detect a plateau phase which occurs thereafter in the measured signal and to determine the duration of the plateau phase as an evacuation period and
• to adjust a control parameter of the binary lambda control system, depending on the storage period and the evacuation period.