Patents by Inventor Franz-Josef Schmidt

Franz-Josef Schmidt 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: 9481330
    Abstract: A method for reducing signal distortion in the transmission of binary coded signals in a motor vehicle, preferably in a power interface, is characterized in that an edge of the binary coded signal is formed in the transmitter by adapting the frequency and phase response of a harmonic such that the signal distortion to be expected on the entire transmission line can be compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: HELLA KGAA HUECK & CO.
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Schmidt, Andreas Stumpf, Volker Wöβmann
  • Patent number: 8810180
    Abstract: A method for operating an electric motor with primary and secondary sections, wherein the primary section has a multi-phase exciter winding, each of the phase connections of said exciter winding being connected to an output connection of an end stage, which has controllable semi-conductor switches for applying phase voltages to the output connections, includes the following steps: a) introducing an operating phase by applying the phase voltages to the output connections such that a moving magnetic field is induced in the exciter winding, the moving field effecting a relative motion between the primary and secondary sections, b) hinting off the phase voltage at least one of the output connections to introduce a measurement phase, and c) measuring the electrical back emf induced in the winding strand in order to determine the angular difference between the phase position of the exciter current and that of the back emf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Zentrum Mikroelektronik Dresden AG
    Inventor: Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20140203635
    Abstract: A method for reducing signal distortion in the transmission of binary coded signals in a motor vehicle, preferably in a power interface, is characterized in that an edge of the binary coded signal is formed in the transmitter by adapting the frequency and phase response of a harmonic such that the signal distortion to be expected on the entire transmission line can be compensated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Schmidt, Andreas Stumpf, Volker Wössemann
  • Publication number: 20120086376
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an electric motor with a primary section and a secondary section, wherein the primary section has a multi-phase exciter winding comprising winding strands, each of the phase connections of said exciter winding being connected to an output connection of an end stage, wherein the end stage has controllable semi-conductor switches for applying phase voltages to the output connections, said method comprising the following steps: a) introducing an operating phase by applying the phase voltages to the output connections of the end stage such that a moving magnetic field is induced in the exciter winding, said moving field effecting a relative motion between the primary section and the secondary section, b) hinting off the phase voltage at at least one of the output connections in order to introduce a measurement phase, c) measuring the electrical back emf induced in the winding strand connected to said at least one of the output connections by virtue of the relative m
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: HELLA KGAA HUECK & CO.
    Inventor: Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7813461
    Abstract: The invention presented herein describes a sensor, more specifically a position sensor for a vehicle, featuring several measuring systems that work independently of one another, where each of the measuring systems generates a pulse width-modulated signal becoming available at an output of the sensor one by one, where each of the sensor values is coded according to the duty factor of a pulse compared with the period of the signals, and where the sensor has means of synchronizing the sensor with a receiving station, wherein the means of synchronization is used to modify the amplitude and/or the period of one or several pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Hella KGaA
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20090071234
    Abstract: Installation for moisture detection for motor vehicles comprised of an oscillator, a resonant circuit (1) and a measuring and analysis circuit, where the resonant circuit (1) contains an inductance (12) and a capacitance (11) and where the inductance (12) and the capacitance (11) are separate components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: HELLA KGAA HUECK & CO.
    Inventors: Andreas Blaut, Heiko Schafer, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20080273587
    Abstract: The invention presented herein describes a sensor, more specifically a position sensor for a vehicle, featuring several measuring systems that work independently of one another, where each of the measuring systems generates a pulse width-modulated signal becoming available at an output of the sensor one by one, where each of the sensor values is coded according to the duty factor of a pulse compared with the period of the signals, and where the sensor has means of synchronizing the sensor with a receiving station, wherein the means of synchronization is used to modify the amplitude and/or the period of one or several pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Hella KGaA
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6584428
    Abstract: A position sensor for motor vehicle is described that generates a varying pulse-width-modulated, position-dependent signal as a sensor signal, wherein an overall measuring range of the position sensor is divided into several similar,sequential measuring ranges. The position sensor according to the invention makes it possible to transfer sensor alignment to a receiver(s), so that alignment in or on the position sensor can be inexpensively replaced, without negatively influencing the resolution of the position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6483295
    Abstract: An inductive linear position sensor, particularly for use with motor vehicles has an oscillator circuit for creating a periodic alternating voltage signal, an exciting coil coupled to the oscillator circuit, a plurality of receiving coils with the exciting and receiving coils being structured as leads on a circuit board, evaluation circuitry for evaluating signals induced in the receiving coils and a movable inductive coupling element for influencing the strength of inductive coupling between the exciting coil and the receiving coils. The evaluation circuitry is arranged within the geometry of at least one of the sending (exciting) and receiving coils. Effective surface areas of the receiving coils are structured at beginning and end areas of the sensor such that, when there is no movable element present, a zero voltage results at the output taps of the receiving coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6480805
    Abstract: A position sensor for a motor vehicle is described which, as its sensor signal, generates several pulse-width modulated signals that vary as a function of position. The position sensor transmits individual sensor signals in a defined sequence of consecutive individual pulses over the same output line to a receiver. The individual sensor signals are each encoded in the duty factor of a pulse. Therefore, the position sensor has a signal transmission system that is simple and inexpensive to implement. Particularly advantageous is the characteristic that it is possible to avoid an interconnection of the position sensor to a bus system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6467338
    Abstract: A position sensor for a motor vehicle, which generates, as a sensor signal, a pulse-width modulated signal that varies as a function of position, has a total measuring range which is subdivided into multiple, similar, sequentially-adjacent, measuring sections. The position sensor of the invention provides error-free transition between the sequentially-adjacent measuring sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6384597
    Abstract: Disclosed are inductive linear and angle sensors for motor vehicles, which include an oscillator circuit for generating a periodic alternating-voltage signal; an exciting coil coupled to the oscillator circuit; several receiving coils; an evaluating circuit for evaluating signals induced in the receiving coils; and one movable inductive coupling element which influences a strength of inductive coupling between the excitation coil and the receiving coils. The one movable inductive coupling element of each sensor is varied in form to reduce residual error, which occurs during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6384598
    Abstract: Described is an inductive position sensor, in particular for a motor vehicle, which has an oscillator circuit that generates a periodic alternating voltage signal and couples into an exciting coil, several receiving coils each of which forms a periodically repeating lap winding structure and whose overall arrangement forms a receiving geometry, an evaluation circuit for evaluating the signals induced in the receiving coils, and a movable inductive coupling element which influences the strength of the inductive coupling between the excitation coil and the receiving coils. The position sensor exhibits two receiving geometries and two coupling elements, the periodicity of the loop structures of the receiving coils is different in the two receiving coils, and over the total measuring range of the position sensor the numbers of periodic repetitions in the lap winding structures of the receiving coils of the two receiving geometries exhibit a non-integer ratio in relation to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Dirk Hobein, Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20020043972
    Abstract: An inductive linear position sensor, particularly for use with motor vehicles has an oscillator circuit for creating a periodic alternating voltage signal, an exciting coil coupled to the oscillator circuit, a plurality of receiving coils with the exciting and receiving coils being structured as leads on a circuit board, evaluation circuitry for evaluating signals induced in the receiving coils and a movable inductive coupling element for influencing the strength of inductive coupling between the exciting coil and the receiving coils. The evaluation circuitry is arranged within the geometry of at least one of the sending (exciting) and receiving coils. Effective surface areas of the receiving coils are structured at beginning and end areas of the sensor such that, when there is no movable element present, a zero voltage results at the output taps of the receiving coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6366078
    Abstract: An inductive angle sensor with an exciting coil and several receiving coils displaced with respect to each other by a predetermined angle. A rotor element, a position of which is to be determined by the angle sensor, has an inductive coupling element that couples signals into the receiving coils which are essentially sinusoidally affected by the position of the rotor element. Output signals of various receiving coils are phase-shifted with respect to each other. In order to establish a linear interrelationship between the position of the rotor element and the sensor output signals, on the one hand, and to achieve a greatest possible measurement accuracy, on the other hand, the angle sensor has a selection device that selects to evaluate a respective output signal whose nearly linear part of its sine function is in a vicinity of its zero crossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6255810
    Abstract: A redundant inductive angle sensor has two LC oscillators of at least approximately identical design. By inductively coupling the oscillators, the oscillators synchronize themselves with respect to frequency and phase relationship so that undesirable mutual interference is prevented. This provides an inductive angle sensor, which is able to function even if one of the LC oscillators becomes inoperative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6236199
    Abstract: An inductive angle sensor includes: a stator element having an exciting coil with a periodic AC voltage applied thereto and several receiving coils; a rotor element that affects a strength of inductive coupling between the exciting coil and receiving coils as a function of its angular position relative to the stator element; and an evaluation circuit for determining an angular position of the rotor element relative to the stator element from voltage signals induced in the receiving coils. The rotor element forms at least one closed-loop lead that, at least over a partial area, forms a periodic repeating bend structure in a direction of a circumference of the rotor element. The inductive angle sensor provides a compact structure, a high resolution, and a particularly high degree of insensitivity to production and installation tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6166535
    Abstract: An inductive angle sensor for a motor vehicle has an oscillator circuit that generates a periodic AC oscillator-frequency signal in an exciting coil, at least one receiving coil, an evaluation circuit for detecting the signal induced in the at least one receiving coil, and a movable inductive coupling element that influences a strength of inductive coupling between the exciting coil and the at least one receiving coil. The oscillator circuit is a "soft" or "flexible" oscillator circuit such that when an interference frequency close to the oscillator frequency is coupled into the coil system, the oscillator circuit adapts the oscillator frequency and phase relationship to that of the interference frequency. Undesired overlapping effects are thus efficaciously prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Henning Irle, Norbert Kost, Franz-Josef Schmidt