Patent ID: 7640729

Claim:
A method for regenerating a particulate filter situated in an exhaust gas area of an internal combustion engine during the engine's operation, comprising: detecting a measure of a particulate matter burn-off rate for at least one of: at least one of influencing and monitoring a particulate matter burn-off rate, and at least one of influencing and monitoring a particulate filter temperature; controlling the operation of the internal combustion engine in a targeted manner for at least one of: at least one of influencing and monitoring the particulate matter burn-off rate, and at least one of influencing and monitoring the particulate filter temperature; wherein the controlling includes changing the oxygen content of the exhaust gas flow; and blowing a secondary air flow into the exhaust gas area upstream from the particulate filter, wherein the secondary air flow is influenced as a function of a detected measure of the particulate matter burn-off rate.