in fig1 components are shown that are used for controlling a camshaft control device . camshaft control device 10 is situated on a camshaft 12 . camshaft control device 10 is connected to a hydraulic valve 14 via two pressurized media lines 14 . hydraulic valve 14 is connected to a pressure medium pump 20 via a pressurized media line 18 . pressure medium pump 20 is connected to a storage container 22 via an additional pressure media line 15 . pressure medium pump 20 may , for example , be the oil pump of the internal combustion engine , and storage container 22 may be the crankcase sump of the internal combustion engine . hydraulic valve 14 is connected to a control unit pump 30 via a data line 25 . control unit 30 has a microprocessor 32 and a memory element 34 connected via a bus system 33 . if camshaft control device 10 is , for example , developed as an impeller advance device , it will have at least one so - called a pressure chamber and one b pressure chamber . the a and b pressure chambers are each connected to hydraulic valve 14 with the aid of pressure media lines 16 and 17 . in dependence upon the pressures prevailing in these pressure chambers , a radial rotation of camshaft 12 takes place , relative to a crankshaft ( not shown ), which causes a change in the so - called phase angle . a change in the phase angle , in turn , causes a change in the so - called control times , i . e . the points in time of the opening and / or closing of the intake valve and the exhaust valve , controlled by the camshaft . with that , accordingly , the gas exchange , i . e . the intake in a cylinder of the gas mixture destined for combustion , and the exhaust of the combustion gases from the cylinder generated by the combustion , is able to be influenced , and thus the operation of the internal combustion engine is able to be optimized . in order to change a phase angle , the pressures in the pressure chambers have to be changed . this takes place with the aid of hydraulic valve 14 , which is controlled in a suitable manner by control unit 30 . [ 0030 ] fig2 shows a simplified flow chart of an exemplary method according to the present invention for controlling camshaft control device 10 . the method begins , for example , with a start of the internal combustion engine in a step 100 . here it is assumed that camshaft control device 10 was locked at the end of a preceding driving cycle . in a step 101 it is tested first of all whether an adaptation of camshaft 12 to the crankshaft is present in such a way that an actual value of a phase angle of camshaft 12 with respect to the crankshaft may be ascertained . for this purpose , for example , rotational angle sensors which record the rotational angles of the crankshaft and the camshaft are evaluated in a suitable manner . if there is no adaptation , a release function ii is carried out in step 102 , which takes into consideration the non - adapted state . in this release function ii it is first checked whether camshaft control device 10 has already been released . camshaft control device 10 may , for example , be already released if it has released itself independently , was not locked in response to a preceding shutting down of the internal combustion engine or release function ii has already been run through . release function ii particularly provides a control of camshaft control device 10 in such a way that camshaft control device 10 assumes a so - called reference position and is held there . this reference position is selected , for example , in such a way that an operation of the internal combustion engine , that is as optimal as can be , is possible . for this , the release conditions may be taken into consideration . it is conceivable , for example , that the locking position is selected in such a way that a start optimized as to exhaust gas can take place as fast as possible , and operation of the internal combustion engine may take place in a satisfactory manner , while the reference position is selected in such a way that an operation of the internal combustion engine , that is as optimal as possible , can take place during idling . in this context , for the control of hydraulic valve 14 , the control unit may , for example , access characteristics maps stored in memory element 34 . thereupon it is checked once again in step 101 whether there is an adaptation . steps 101 and 102 are repeated until there is adaptation . if there is an adaptation , the system branches to a step 104 and it is checked whether a release condition of camshaft control device 10 is present . this is the case , for example , if a temperature of the internal combustion engine lies outside a predefinable temperature range , a predefinable time period has been exceeded , a demand for a camshaft control is present or a demand for a fine adaptation is present . if the internal combustion engine has more than only one camshaft 12 that is provided with a camshaft control device , then , for example , a release may occur even if one of camshaft control devices 10 has independently released itself by mistake , during the start of the internal combustion engine . in response to an independent release of a camshaft control device 10 , this camshaft control device 10 takes on an undefined condition because of mechanical friction effects , whereby no optimal combustion is possible any longer , and , in the worst case , damage may occur to camshaft control device 10 . this undefined condition also has the effect of deteriorating the exhaust gas , and is noticeable , for example , by a lacking torque right up to noticeable “ irregular ” running of the internal combustion engine . if such an independent release appears , it is therefore expedient to put camshaft control device 10 into a defined position by control and / or regulation . if there is a release condition present , a release function i is carried out in a step 107 . release function i differs from release function ii , first of all , in that release function ii is carried out when an adaptation is not yet present , whereas in release function i the assumption is made that an adjusted system is present . if an adaptation is present , a current actual value of the phase angle is always able to be evaluated by control unit 30 . in the case of a locked camshaft control device 10 , this actual value must be located in the region of the locking position . it is conceivable that this may be checked off using an error recognition routine . if one may conclude from the ascertained actual value of the phase angle in step 107 that camshaft control device 10 is locked , a suitable release algorithm is started , and thereby hydraulic valve 14 is controlled in such a way that the release of camshaft control device 10 is possible . since camshaft control device 10 is typically locked mechanically using a retaining pin , one has to be particularly careful that no skewing of the retaining pin occurs during the release . for this purpose , for example , the pressure chambers of camshaft control device 10 alternately have pressure applied to them . in a step 109 , it is checked whether release function i was able to be successfully carried out and camshaft control device 10 is released . this may be recognized , for example , in that the actual value moves out of the locking region . if camshaft control device 10 has not yet been released , in a step 111 it is checked whether release function i has already been run through a predefinable number of times and whether a predefinable time period has been exceeded . if this is not the case , the method is continued in step 107 , and an attempt at release is made once more . it is conceivable that , before carrying out a renewed release attempt using release function i , one may wait for a predefined time span . however , if it is detected in step 111 that release function i was run through the predefinable number of times or that the predefinable time period has been exceeded , an error is diagnosed in a step 113 , and a corresponding error routine is processed by control unit 30 . this error routine may provide , in the simplest case , that an error message shall be issued . however , if it is recognized in step 109 that camshaft control device 10 has been released , in step 110 the regular operation of camshaft control device 10 is continued . in this context , in particular , a monitoring of the phase angle takes place in that the actual value is repeatedly ascertained and compared to a predefined setpoint value . if the actual value deviates from the setpoint value , hydraulic valve 14 is controlled in such a way that camshaft control device 10 effects a change in the phase angle of camshaft 12 with respect to the crankshaft with the objective that the actual value of the phase angle corresponds to the predefined setpoint value . a deviation of the actual value from the setpoint value of the phase angle is always determined when the predefinable setpoint value is deliberately changed , in order , for example , to react to a change of certain operating conditions , such as a current rotary speed or a torque demand on the part of the driver . the actual value is also able to deviate from the setpoint value if , during the operation of the internal combustion engine , the pressure of the hydraulic fluid , and consequently the pressure in the pressure chambers of camshaft control device 10 , changes . in particular , in the case of an independently released camshaft control device 10 , the actual value may deviate from the setpoint value of the phase angle . then the activation of hydraulic valve 14 remains ineffective to the extent that the camshaft control device can no longer follow the setpoint value because of the mechanical locking . this case of the independent locking is checked in a step 118 . independent locking may occur , for example , in that camshaft control device 10 is operated in the locking position , and the retaining pin engages with the bore provided for the locking , because of a pressure drop of the hydraulic fluid , such as of the engine oil . a camshaft control device 10 locked by mistake may then , as already described , be recognized by the comparison of the actual value to the setpoint value . if camshaft control device 10 has erroneously locked itself , the method is continued in step 107 , where a release of camshaft control device 10 is initiated . however , if , in step 118 , there was not present an independent locking of camshaft control device 10 , it is checked in step 120 whether a demand to shut off the internal combustion engine is present . if this is not the case , the method continues the monitoring in step 110 . if in step 120 a demand to shut off is present , then in step 122 , camshaft control device 10 is activated by control unit 30 , with the aid of hydraulic valve 14 , in such a way that locking of camshaft control device 10 takes place . in a step 124 the method ends in shutting off the internal combustion engine . [ 0042 ] fig3 shows a schematic representation of a finite state machine implemented by the exemplary method according to the present invention . this finite state machine may be implemented , for example in software and used in control unit 30 . at a start of the internal combustion machine , the finite state machine is in a starting state 0 , in which it is assumed that camshaft control device 10 is locked . in state 0 , the system waits for a release condition for release . if a release condition appears because of an adaptation demand of camshaft 12 to the crankshaft , the finite state machine changes into state 4 and it there begins a release attempt , for instance , using release function ii . if there is no longer present an adaptation demand , the finite state machine changes back to state 0 . however , if the release procedure in state 4 and the subsequent adaptation procedure are successful , the infinite state machine changes into state 3 and monitors the released system . if in state 0 there is present a release condition at an adaptation that has already taken place , the finite state machine changes into state 1 and begins a release procedure , for instance , by using release function i , taking into consideration present actual values and setpoint values of the phase angle . if camshaft control device 10 was not able to be released in state 1 , after a predefinable number of attempts , the finite state machine changes into state 2 . there it waits a predefinable time , until it changes into state 1 again and begins once more a release attempt . however , if in state 2 a maximum waiting time has been exceeded , or if a predefinable maximum number of release attempts has already been carried out , the finite state machine changes to state 0 . if in state 1 the release attempt was successful , the finite state machine changes to state 3 and monitors the released system . in particular , it is checked in state 3 whether released camshaft control device 10 locks itself again by mistake . if such an erroneous locking is detected , the finite state machine reverts to state 1 . if in state 1 , 2 or 3 the adaptation is lost , the finite state machine reverts to state 0 . of course , in the finite state machine shown in fig3 a broadening by additional states and state transitions is conceivable . for example , in an additional state , a change might occur when a turn - off command is present , and camshaft control device 10 is locked . in the flow chart shown in fig2 steps may be added , steps that are present now may be removed , or one may fit in or change sudden changes between individual steps . as an example , in the case of an adaptation that may not be possible , a diagnostic function may be started , or , during the monitoring beginning at step 110 it may also be checked to see how fast camshaft control device 10 assumes a position specified by a predefined setpoint value . from this , one may derive , for example , the wear ( deterioration ) of the pressure medium or of camshaft control device 10 . in the flow chart shown in fig2 during the monitoring in step 110 , it may be checked whether an adaptation is still present . an adaptation may be lost , for instance , if a rotational angle sensor temporarily becomes incapacitated . if the values recorded by a rotational angle sensor are transmitted to control unit 30 via a bus system or a network , such as a can ( controller area network ), even the incapacitation of the network may lead to the loss of the adaptation . if it was detected in step 110 that no adaptation is still present , the following steps may be carried out or performed : in a step 201 ( not shown in fig2 ) the attempt is made to obtain a new adaptation of camshaft 12 to the crankshaft , and thereby an ascertainment of the phase angle . in this context , it would be advantageous if , during this adaptation phase , control unit 30 causes camshaft control device 10 to be operated in the reference position by an activation of hydraulic valve 14 . if the adaptation in step 201 cannot take place within a specified time period , this is detected in a step 202 ( also not shown in fig2 ), and the system branches to step 113 , in which an appropriate error treatment is carried out . if the adaptation in step 201 is successfully carried out , the system branches to step 118 , in which , as was described above , the method is continued in that it is checked whether camshaft control device 10 has independently locked itself by mistake .