signal sequence continuously comparing the recorded signal sequence with a group of possible signal sub sequences of a reference signal sequence encompassing a sequence of signal positions for at least one complete motion cycle each of the signal sub sequences being associated with one or more possible initial positions of the cyclic motion eliminating one or more signal sub sequences which do not coincide with the signal sequence or whose initial portions do not coincide with the signal sequence and determining as the initial position one of the initial positions that are associated with the possible remaining signal sub sequence application_number US 201214110560 A description fig1 is a schematic depiction of a v engine 10 having four camshafts 12 mounted on one camshaft 12 is a camshaft encoder wheel 14 that has a characteristic and unequivocal as a rule non regular pattern the pattern can be embodied by elevations in a radial direction having different tangential widths by marks on the camshaft encoder wheel 14 or in another manner likewise disposed on crankshaft 16 of engine 10 is a crankshaft encoder wheel 18 for detecting a relative change in location which wheel has at one circumferential position a mark for characterizing one complete revolution for example crankshaft encoder wheel 18 can have.