Patents by Inventor Hans Spies
Hans Spies 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: 6902025Abstract: An accident sensor for a motor vehicle for triggering a safety system is provided. A deformable and radiation transparent synthetic material part is penetrated by a defined quantity of light traveling in a beam path. A radiation sensitive detector optically detects the deformation of the material part by detecting a change in the beam path to determine a position of impact on the motor vehicle based on a signal waveform and a determination of the transit time between the impact and the detection of the signal. The material part is arranged externally on the motor vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2004Date of Patent: June 7, 2005Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbHInventor: Hans Spies
-
Publication number: 20040144587Abstract: An accident sensor for a motor vehicle for triggering a safety system is provided. A deformable and radiation transparent synthetic material part is penetrated by a defined quantity of light traveling in a beam path. A radiation sensitive detector optically detects the deformation of the material part by detecting a change in the beam path to determine a position of impact on the motor vehicle based a signal waveform and a determination of the transit time between the impact and the detection of the signal. The material part is arranged externally on the motor vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2004Publication date: July 29, 2004Applicant: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbHInventor: Hans Spies
-
Patent number: 6456915Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an occupant safety device and a control unit for performing the method. To limit the power supplied to a triggering means from a storage element, the electrical power supplied after operating each triggering means is measured and after a definable power limiting value has been reached the power supplied to the triggering means is interrupted. The known methods based on the voltage at the storage element being the measure of the power supplied prove to be highly prone to error because these depend firstly on the charged state of the storage element and secondly very much on the conductor resistance so that incorrect control action can result.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2000Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AGInventors: Günter Fendt, Jörg Flerlage, Manfred Herz, Norbert Müller, Wolfgang Peter, Hans Spies, Jani Skedelj
-
Publication number: 20020063008Abstract: An accident sensor for triggering a motor-vehicle safety system. A deformable, first part and a second part that acoustically detects a deformation at the first part is provided. The deformable, first part includes a plastic part or is integrated with a plastic part disposed around the exterior of the motor vehicle and includes a continuous medium for transmitting a signal. The first part generates an acoustical structure-borne signal when it is deformed. The second part includes a structure-borne signal sensor that receives the acoustical signal and conducts said signal further to an evaluation unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2001Publication date: May 30, 2002Inventor: Hans Spies
-
Patent number: 6140821Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the recognition of insulation defects in a circuit adapted for connection to a low-ohmic current source or sink having off-load voltage U.sub.n0, Towards this end the circuit is initially subjected, in a separated state, to a diagnostic voltage from a current limited current source or sink whose off-load voltage U.sub.h0 corresponds to exceeds or, respectively, is less than the voltage U.sub.n0. A decision is made as to the presence or absence of an insulation defect based on the current and/or voltage dependence during application of the diagnostic voltage. Finally, in the event that a defect is present, an error message is issued and the low-ohmic current source or sink is not connected to the circuit for self-diagnosis. Otherwise, the low-ohmic current source is connected to the circuit, or the sink, in sequential fashion for self-diagnosis testing. In this fashion even hidden insulation defects are recognized.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 1998Date of Patent: October 31, 2000Assignee: Temic Telefunken Microelectronics GmbHInventors: Gunter Fendt, Hans Spies, Peter Hora, Guido Wetzel
-
Patent number: 6015162Abstract: A vehicle's restraint system for passengers such as airbags, belt tighteners or similar devices to protect the passengers in case of a crash against injury includes a gas generator having a normally closed first housing including a solid fuel as a charge to generate gas. A closed second housing is provided, accommodating each of an evaluating circuit or sensor, triggering element and ignition structure. The closed second housing includes a portion which makes an active contact between the ignition structure in the second housing and the charge in the first housing. The two closed housings facilitate storage, assembly and environmentally safe disposal.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 1993Date of Patent: January 18, 2000Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AGInventors: Hans Spies, Horst Daxer
-
Patent number: 5982048Abstract: The invention concerns a procedure for selectively connecting a status detection device--from a group of such devices based on different physical action principles, in particular belt buckle status detection, and seat occupation detection, within a passive safety system for motor vehicles, in particular an airbag system, and/or a belt pretensioning system,--to the signal input of a control unit, using a single wire connection, by causing the control unit to activate an appropriate current/voltage supply in accordance with the physical action principle, and by appropriately processing the signals generated by the status detection device, which signals will then be fed to the control unit for evaluation. Furthermore, an interface circuit is specified for implementing the procedure according to the invention.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1997Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignees: Temic Telefunken microelectronic GmbH, Bayerische MotorenwerkeInventors: Gunter Fendt, Peter Hora, Hans Spies, Helmut Rauh
-
Patent number: 5812565Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the automatic recognition and correction of an invalid data set stored in a programmable circuit memory which is part of a group of at least three identical stored data sets, wherein the data sets of the group are compared to each other, and in the event that one data set of the group does not agree with the remaining data sets of the group same is recognized as being invalid and the remaining agreeing data sets are recognized as being valid, and the invalid data set is corrected through replacement with a valid data set. The invention is also directed to a system adapted to carry out this method.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Temic Telefunken Micro-Electric GmbHInventors: Gunter Fendt, Peter Hora, Hans Spies, Guido Wetzel, Derrick Zechmair
-
Patent number: 5726887Abstract: This invention concerns a test procedure for a safety system in motor vehicles, in particular occupant protection devices such as airbag, belt tightener, or roll bar sensors. As a rule, the associated safety-critical circuit components of such safety systems will be monitored by additional and separate monitoring processors. According to this invention, a test procedure for these safety-critical circuit components requires little expense and which, using a simple-to-implement monitoring unit, will allow the same test quality to be achieved as with an independent monitoring computer.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 1995Date of Patent: March 10, 1998Assignee: Temic Telefunken Microelectronic GmbHInventors: Hans Spies, Gunter Fendt
-
Patent number: 5712784Abstract: A trigger circuit for occupant protection systems in motor vehicles comprises a control unit which will effect the triggering of a means of restraint such as an airbag, depending on sensor signals generated by one or more external sensor units. To achieve a degree of triggering certainty, data interrogation must take place in very short time intervals. A safe transmission of data between the control unit and the sensor units will be ensured if, in accordance with this invention, the information units to be transmitted will each be encoded by means of a PWM signal with a certain period duration. The control unit will check the period duration of the PWM signal received, and, in the event of this actual period duration not matching the specified nominal value, it will not accept the relevant unit of information.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 1995Date of Patent: January 27, 1998Assignee: Temic Telefunken microelectronic GmbHInventors: Gunter Fendt, Hans Spies, Peter Hora, Derrick Zechmair
-
Patent number: 5696776Abstract: A data transmission method in a real-time data processing system, comprising a control unit and at least one function unit linked to this control unit through a data line, is described that permits noise-free and noise-insensitive transmission of data. In accordance with the invention, the data is stored in a buffer memory made up of a shift register and an intermediate storage, before being loaded into a main memory of the function unit. Transfer to the intermediate storage takes place only if certain conditions are satisfied that identify transmission faults. Before the data is stored in the main memory, the data is read-back into the control unit memory for the purposes of checking and there it is compared with the original data. If there is no correspondence, data transmission is performed again.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1995Date of Patent: December 9, 1997Assignee: Temic Telefunken microelectronic GmbHInventors: Hans Spies, Peter Hora, Gunter Fendt, Derrik Zechmair
-
Patent number: 5608628Abstract: A method and apparatus for recognizing a crash, in a vehicle by measuring vehicle speed change continuously within a limited time periods and comparing the measured values with those determined in prior time periods. Acceleration can be differentiated out by means of the above-mentioned process/arrangement and can be evaluated if, in the case of a high-speed and low-speed crash, it should not be possible to differentiate sufficiently by means of the partial speed difference. Different partial speed differences (by means of observation periods of different durations) can be measured and compared in order to permit ignition in the case of slower (oblique) crashes only within a limited time window in the initial phase of the crash.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 1994Date of Patent: March 4, 1997Assignee: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbHInventors: Johannes Drexler, Alfons Wohrl, Heinz Bader, Andreas Bernitt, Hans Spies, Gunter Fendt, Peter Hora
-
Patent number: 5608269Abstract: Increasingly, motor vehicles are being equipped with safety systems for vehicle occupants and where these safety systems are controlled by electrically actuated triggering means such as ignition pills for airbags that in turn are controlled from an output stage. The invention demonstrates a method that ensures safe and uninterrupted operation of these triggering means and which protects the output stage from being destroyed should a fault occur as a result of, for example, an ignition pill by-pass.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 1995Date of Patent: March 4, 1997Assignee: Temic Telefunken microelectronic GmbHInventors: Gunter Fendt, Peter Hora, Hans Spies
-
Patent number: 5544915Abstract: To trigger driver and passenger airbags as well as side airbags, the sensor signals generated by collision sensors will be fed into a central control unit for processing.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 1995Date of Patent: August 13, 1996Assignee: Temic Telefunken microelectronic GmbHInventors: Gunter Fendt, Peter Hora, Hans Spies, Helmut Steurer, Willibald Watzka, Guido Wetzel
-
Patent number: 5457982Abstract: Acceleration sensors in a vehicular safety system with at least two acceleration sensors are stimulated by an electrical or sound excitation so that one of the sensors functions as a body sound transmitter, while the other(s) receive(s) these signals and vice versa. The performance which includes a calibration check, and the coupling to the housing structure are evaluated through a signal processing circuit. The safety system including its output trigger stage, remains switched-on during testing.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 1994Date of Patent: October 17, 1995Assignee: TEMIC Telefunken Microelectronic GmbHInventors: Hans Spies, Horst Laucht, Peter Hora, Alfons Woehrl
-
Patent number: 5431440Abstract: A vehicle's restraint system for passengers such as airbags, belt tighteners or similar devices to protect the passengers in case of a crash against injury including an electronic sensor circuit for the release of the restraint system, only upon the occurrence of predetermined conditions. An energy supply is provided for supply of the electronic sensor circuit with a proper and set voltage value to be monitored at least from time to time and compared with a reference voltage wherein at least an emergency voltage supply is to be held in a steady state such as at the set voltage value to provide power to electrically ignite a pyrotechnic or propellant charge if triggered by said electronic sensor circuit, in the case that one or more of said predetermined conditions evaluated in said electronic sensor circuit by comparing it with chosen threshold values are fulfilled, indicating that a crash event is detected by an acceleration responsive signal generator in said electronic sensor circuit.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 1993Date of Patent: July 11, 1995Assignee: Deutsche Aerospace AGInventors: Hans Spies, Horst Daxer
-
Patent number: 5424583Abstract: A device for triggering a passive safety system in a vehicle upon detection of an impact. At least two acceleration sensors, the sensitivity axes of which are aligned for detecting an angle of a frontal impact, are each assigned to a signal channel which, in series with the respective impact sensor, comprises an evaluation circuit, particularly an integrator circuit for its output signals, and a threshold value circuit. During the formation of the speed integral, the physical signal course and the course of the signal edges is evaluated by several logic units in a logical unit (LOG) in order to obtain factors which influence the integration constant of integrators (by multiplication and reduction) to enlarge the area that can be evaluated.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1992Date of Patent: June 13, 1995Assignee: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Bolohm GmbHInventors: Hans Spies, Peter Hora, Gunter Fendt, Kenneth Francis, Helmut Steurer
-
Patent number: 5373722Abstract: Acceleration sensors in a vehicular safety system with at least two acceleration sensors are stimulated by an electrical or sound excitation so that one of the sensors functions as a body sound transmitter, while the other(s) receive(s) these signals and vice versa. The performance which includes a calibration check, and the coupling to the housing structure are evaluated through a signal processing circuit. The safety system including its output trigger stage, remains switched-on during testing.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 1992Date of Patent: December 20, 1994Assignee: Temic Telefunken Microelectronic GmbHInventors: Hans Spies, Horst Laucht, Peter Hora, Alfons Woehrl
-
Patent number: 5247296Abstract: Device for determining distances in the close range (under 100 m), hereby characterized in that both light pulses and high-frequency pulses are transmitted and received and the correct distance is determined in an evaluating device in a simple way and with reliability under nearly all atmospheric conditions.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 1992Date of Patent: September 21, 1993Assignee: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbHInventor: Hans Spies
-
Patent number: 5163319Abstract: A device for detecting the condition of the surface and adjacent edges of a road by means of electromagnetic radiation. A transmitter emits measuring beam pulses of electromagnetic radiation directed in a linear area of the road. Back scattered radiation from reflection of the measuring beam pulses by features of the road surface and adjacent areas are received and transformed into a time sequence signal. A signal processing and analysis unit analyzes the time sequence signal to identify features and surfaces of the road and their distance from the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1990Date of Patent: November 17, 1992Assignees: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH, Bayerische Motoren Werke AGInventors: Hans Spies, Walter Weishaupt