Patent ID: 7614217

Claim:
A method of activating regeneration of a nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ) for treating exhaust gas produced by an internal combustion engine ( 1 ) of a vehicle comprising the steps of: determining a quantity indicating the fill level (FILL) of said nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ); monitoring at least one of the running conditions of the vehicle and operating conditions of the engine ( 1 ); activating regeneration of said nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ) as a function of the fill level (FILL) of said nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ) and as a function of at least one of the running conditions of the vehicle and the operating conditions of the engine ( 1 ); deactivating regeneration of said nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ) as a function of the fill level (FILL) of said nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ) and of the operating conditions of the engine ( 1 ), and wherein deactivating regeneration of said nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ) includes: generating an interrupt request (INT_RQST) as a function of the fill level (FILL) of the nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ); generating an interrupt authorization (INT_AUTH) in the presence of said interrupt request (INT_RQST) and of given operating conditions of the engine; and generating a deactivation request (DEACT_RQST) to deactivate regeneration of the nitric oxide adsorber ( 8 ) in the presence of said interrupt authorization (INT_AUTH).