Patent ID: 7906974

Claim:
A method for checking an inductive load on an electromechanical transducer in a full-bridge circuit which comprises first, second, third and fourth switching elements, the third and second switching elements forming a first series circuit and the first and fourth switching elements forming a second series circuit, the first and second series circuit being arranged electrically in parallel with one another between a supply potential and a reference ground potential, the first and third switching elements being coupled to the supply potential, and the second and fourth switching elements being coupled to the reference ground potential, and the inductive load being electrically coupled at a first connection through a measurement resistor to a first center tap of the first series circuit, and being electrically coupled at a second connection to a second center tap of the second series circuit, the method of checking comprising the steps of: performing at least one measurement process by setting the first through fourth switching elements to effect one switching arrangement from the set of switching arrangements consisting of either only the second or only the third switching element is switched on, only the first and the second switching element are switched on, or only the third and the fourth switching element are switched on, detecting a variable representative of an electric current which is flowing through the measurement resistor, identifying a fault or soundness of the inductive load in the full-bridge circuit depending on the detected variable and the one switching arrangement, and predetermining a time period for the steps of performing the at least one measurement process such that the time period is less than a minimum time period for which a minimum current level must flow through the inductive load for causing a deflection of the electromechanical transducer from its rest position, such that the electromechanical transducer remains in the rest position throughout the time period.