Patent ID: 9500173
Filing Date: 2016-11-22
CPC Classification: F02D,F02N

Claim Text:
1. A method for monitoring an engagement process of an engaging pinion of a starter motor for a vehicle drive, in which an armature of the starter motor is moved by a solenoid having a magnet having a magnetic coil, the method comprising: starting the engagement process by setting the armature of the starter motor in motion via the solenoid, wherein the magnetic coil of the solenoid is supplied with current; detecting a magnetic coil signal of the magnetic coil when current is applied to the magnetic coil of the magnet, to obtain a signal profile; generating a frequency profile by transforming the signal profile using a time-frequency transform; comparing the frequency profile to at least two reference frequency profiles, wherein one of the reference frequency profiles is associated with a successfully carried out engagement process, and another of the reference frequency profiles is associated with an unsuccessfully carried out engagement process; and monitoring the engagement process based on the comparison by ascertaining a quality of the engagement process.