Patent ID: 8872378

Claim:
A method for operating a control circuit for use in a motor vehicle, the control circuit having a first output and a second output and having an allocated first switching arrangement and an allocated second switching arrangement, in which a control voltage present between the first output and the second output for operating a load is formed in that the first output is optionally connected by the first switching arrangement to a first potential or to a second potential, and the second output is optionally connected by the second switching arrangement to the first potential or to the second potential, a state in which the control voltage is intended to be at least briefly and at least approximately zero being brought about, in a first case, in that the first output and the second output are simultaneously connected by the first switching arrangement and the second switching arrangement, respectively, to the first potential, and being brought about in a second case in that the first output and the second output are simultaneously connected by the first switching arrangement and the second switching arrangement, respectively, to the second potential, the method comprising: bringing about at least once, both the first case and the second case during operation of the control circuit; and acquiring and subjecting to a comparison in both the first and second case at least one of a quantity that characterizes the control voltage present at the first output and the second output, a quantity that characterizes a current flowing through at least one shunt resistor situated in series to the first output and the second output, and a quantity that characterizes a current flowing through at least one shunt resistor in series to switches.