Patent ID: 8019569

Claim:
A method for checking a magnetically bistable solenoid valve having two defined ends of movement and a valve piston moved in dependence on valve activation to open and close the valve, the method comprising the steps of: providing a magnetically bistable solenoid valve including at least a first coil and a second coil and at least one magnetized component; inducing an induction voltage in one of the first coil or the second coil of the valve upon a movement of the valve piston through a magnetic field produced by the magnetized component while the other one of the first coil and the second coil is energized; acquiring a reference point representing a point in time at which the energization of said other one of the first coil and the second coil starts; while said other one of the first coil and the second coil is energized during the current activation cycle, determining a point in time at which a particular characteristic pattern occurs in the induction voltage induced in said one of the first coil and the second coil by movement of the valve piston in the valve towards a one of the two defined ends of movement proximal to the energized said other one of the first coil and the second coil, the point representing an end of a movement process of the valve piston in the valve; determining a current response time as a function of the point and the reference point; determining at least one error condition as a function of the current response time; and identifying an error, when the at least one error condition is satisfied.