Patents by Inventor Frank Schou

Frank Schou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11549822
    Abstract: A method monitors a sensor clock signal in a sensor unit, which is generated and output for a data transfer between the sensor unit and a control unit with a predefined period duration. A reference clock signal having a predefined reference period duration is received. The sensor clock signal is compared to the reference clock signal. Based on the comparison, a deviation of the current period duration of the sensor clock signal from a target period duration is detected. Based on the detected deviation, a counting pulse or a reset pulse is emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Haug, Guenter Weiss, Michel Walz, Daniela Bommer, Frank Schou, Rainer Gschwind-Schilling, Darko Rozic, Mustafa Ajanovic, Joerg Conradt, Marlon Ramon Ewert, Kevin Haist
  • Patent number: 10972250
    Abstract: A method corrects at least one transmission parameter for data transmission between a sensor unit and a control unit. A sensor timing signal is generated by a sensor oscillator with a predetermined period. The at least one transmission parameter is determined on the basis of the sensor timing signal. A reference timing signal is generated by a reference oscillator with a predefined reference period. The sensor timing signal is compared with the reference timing signal. A deviation of a current period of the sensor timing signal from a reference period is determined on the basis of the comparison. The at least one transmission parameter is corrected on the basis of the determined deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michel Walz, Frank Schou, Joerg Conradt, Marlon Ramon Ewert, Rainer Gschwind-Schilling, Mustafa Ajanovic, Kevin Haist, Michael Haug, Guenter Weiss, Daniela Bommer, Darko Rozic
  • Publication number: 20200295916
    Abstract: A method corrects at least one transmission parameter for data transmission between a sensor unit and a control unit. A sensor timing signal is generated by a sensor oscillator with a predetermined period. The at least one transmission parameter is determined on the basis of the sensor timing signal. A reference timing signal is generated by a reference oscillator with a predefined reference period. The sensor timing signal is compared with the reference timing signal. A deviation of a current period of the sensor timing signal from a reference period is determined on the basis of the comparison. The at least one transmission parameter is corrected on the basis of the determined deviation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Michel Walz, Frank Schou, Joerg Conradt, Marlon Ramon Ewert, Rainer Gschwind-Schilling, Mustafa Ajanovic, Kevin Haist, Michael Haug, Guenter Weiss, Daniela Bommer, Darko Rozic
  • Publication number: 20200264012
    Abstract: A method monitors a sensor clock signal in a sensor unit, which is generated and output for a data transfer between the sensor unit and a control unit with a predefined period duration. A reference clock signal having a predefined reference period duration is received. The sensor clock signal is compared to the reference clock signal. Based on the comparison, a deviation of the current period duration of the sensor clock signal from a target period duration is detected. Based on the detected deviation, a counting pulse or a reset pulse is emitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Haug, Guenter Weiss, Michel Walz, Daniela Bommer, Frank Schou, Rainer Gschwind-Schilling, Darko Rozic, Mustafa Ajanovic, Joerg Conradt, Marlon Ramon Ewert, Kevin Haist
  • Publication number: 20180242460
    Abstract: A connector module for connecting an energy store to a printed circuit board, wherein the connector module is designed in such a way as to receive at least two electrolytic capacitors as energy stores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Eszter Varga, Frank Schou, Jian Zhu, Peter Gyimesi, Timea Sesztak, Jesus Omar Murillo Murguia
  • Patent number: 7496437
    Abstract: A protective device for a vehicle is described which is deactivatable by a switch, the state of the switch being analyzable by a processor in a control unit and by an independent hardware path. The independent hardware path has at least one logic module which makes the setting of delay times highly flexible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Ringger, Frank Schou
  • Patent number: 7342326
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement, to which the vehicle electric system supply voltage is applied and which for briefly maintaining at least one internal normal d.c. voltage in the event of failure of the vehicle electric system supply voltage, includes a reserve energy accumulator, to which a charging voltage higher than the at least one internal normal d.c. voltage is applied in regular operation, and which, in the event of failure of the vehicle electric system supply voltage, delivers a reserve voltage with which operation of at least some electronic circuits may be maintained for a limited period of time, and it includes at least one step-down regulator which steps down the applied input direct voltage to the at least one internal normal d.c. voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Schou
  • Patent number: 7301246
    Abstract: A switch for switching off at least one airbag having two identical sensors for detecting a switching state of the switch is provided, the two identical sensors being connected up in such a way that the electrical characteristic-quantity ranges to be evaluated for detecting the switching state differ from each other. This is achieved with the aid of different resistor networks between the two sensors and a signal evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Schou
  • Patent number: 7263421
    Abstract: A control unit for a restraint system fires all connected pyrotechnic firing elements. The control unit receives for that purpose, via an interface, a software element that configures all the firing circuits and the triggering algorithm for firing all the firing circuits, and that emulates for a safety module sensor values such that the safety module enables all the firing circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Schou, Klaus Ringger
  • Publication number: 20060202453
    Abstract: A switch for switching off at least one airbag having two identical sensors for detecting a switching state of the switch is provided, the two identical sensors being connected up in such a way that the electrical characteristic-quantity ranges to be evaluated for detecting the switching state differ from each other. This is achieved with the aid of different resistor networks between the two sensors and the signal evaluation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventor: Frank Schou
  • Publication number: 20060113840
    Abstract: A control unit for a restraint system fires all connected pyrotechnic firing elements. The control unit receives for that purpose, via an interface, a software element that configures all the firing circuits and the triggering algorithm for firing all the firing circuits, and that emulates for a safety module sensor values such that the safety module enables all the firing circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2004
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Inventors: Frank Schou, Klaus Ringger
  • Publication number: 20050231386
    Abstract: A protective device for a vehicle is described which is deactivatable by a switch, the state of the switch being analyzable by a processor in a control unit and by an independent hardware path. The independent hardware path has at least one logic module which makes the setting of delay times highly flexible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Klaus Ringger, Frank Schou
  • Publication number: 20050111152
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement is described, to which the vehicle electric system supply voltage is applied and which for briefly maintaining at least one internal normal d.c. voltage in the event of failure of the vehicle electric system supply voltage includes an reserve energy accumulator to which a charging voltage higher than the at least one internal normal d.c. voltage is applied in regular operation and which in the event of failure of the vehicle electric system supply voltage delivers a reserve voltage with which operation of at least some electronic circuits may be maintained for a limited period of time, and it includes at least one step-down regulator which steps down the applied input direct voltage to the at least one internal normal d.c. voltage. In regular operation the supply direct voltage is applied directly as a charging voltage to the reserve energy accumulator and is also applied as the input direct voltage to the step-down regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventor: Frank Schou