Patent ID: 8275535

Claim:
A method for operating an internal combustion engine, in which at least one first influence variable influences a state variable of air in an intake manifold, wherein the state variable is a mass flow across a throttle valve, the method comprising: ascertaining the state variable of the air in the intake manifold while taking into account a plurality of influence variables which influence the state variable of the air in the intake manifold, while using a first physical relationship between the state variable of the air and the influence variables; ascertaining the state variable while taking into account a plurality of influence variables which influence the state variable of the air in the intake manifold, while using a second physical relationship between the state variable of the air and the influence variables; linking to each of the influence variables a specific adjusting parameter which represents a degree of error in the respective influence variable; monitoring the adjusting parameters during operation of the internal combustion engine; and monitoring a certain use of the adjusting parameters in an operating range of the internal combustion engine in which the other adjusting parameters have a lesser influence on the state variable than that the certain adjusting parameter, and in this context, the certain adjusting parameter being adjusted in such a way that the state variable ascertained while using the first physical relationship is at least approximately equal to the state variable ascertained while using the second physical relationship.