Patent ID: 7347193

Claim:
A device for determining a mass flow via a tank venting valve for an internal combustion engine including an intake manifold and a throttle valve, the intake manifold being connected to the tank venting valve and an exhaust gas recirculation system, the device comprising: a first measuring transducer assigned to the throttle valve; a second measuring transducer assigned to the tank venting valve; a sensor for the mass flow via the exhaust gas recirculation system being assigned to the exhaust gas recirculation system; a mass flow normalizer assigned to the first measuring transducer, to the second measuring transducer, and to the sensor, wherein: the mass flow normalizer picks up, sums, and normalizes a first signal of the first measuring transducer, a second signal of the second measuring transducer, and a third signal of the sensor via the throttle valve, via the tank venting valve, and via the exhaust gas recirculation system; an allocator; and a convertor assigned to the mass flow normalizer and for calculating a virtual throttle valve angle from which the allocator determines the mass flow via the tank venting valve.