Patent ID: 8183858

Claim:
A method for measuring a gap between a levitation magnet of a vehicle of a magnetic levitation railway and a fixed-position reaction rail of the magnetic levitation railway, the method which comprises: determining a magnetic field produced by the levitation magnet or a measurement variable related to the magnetic field; and evaluating the magnetic field or at least one measurement variable related to the magnetic field, and producing therefrom a gap measured value indicating the size of the gap; modulating a magnet current flowing through the levitation magnet by modulation of a magnet voltage applied to the levitation magnet; detecting a change in the magnet current resulting from the modulation of the magnet voltage and determining an inductance value based on the change in the magnet current, wherein the inductance value indicates an inductance of the magnetic system having the levitation magnet, the reaction rail, and the gap; and forming the gap measured value using the inductance value and the magnet current.