Patents by Inventor Horst Eckert

Horst Eckert 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).

  • Publication number: 20230166702
    Abstract: A method decelerates a vehicle combination of a tractor vehicle and a trailer vehicle that has a trailer braking system. A brake control unit of a tractor vehicle braking system monitors the braking behavior of the tractor vehicle or vehicle combination and adjusts the brake pressure at the wheel brakes of the corresponding wheels of the tractor vehicle and a trailer brake pressure. The brake control unit detects a driver deceleration request to a retarder system and, during activation of the retarder system, monitors whether a predefined safety criterion is met, on the basis of a continually determined braking state variable. After a request to the retarder system by the driver, the stability of the vehicle combination is ensured in that, when the safety criterion is met, a portion of the deceleration request to the retarder system yet to be effectuated is effectuated by the trailer braking system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 11634110
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures at pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of a vehicle includes receiving an external braking demand. The method further includes, in response to the received external braking demand, performing, during each of a plurality of computation cycles: (i) ascertaining control signals for pressure control valves of the pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of the vehicle, (ii) continuously ascertaining a differential slip value, wherein the differential slip value is a difference between a slip of two axles of the vehicle and is determined by measuring signals supplied by speed sensors of wheels of the vehicle, (iii) evaluating the differential slip value with respect to a predefined or adjustable setpoint differential slip value, (iv) based on the evaluation of the differential slip value, adapting the ascertained control signals, and (v) releasing the adapted control signals to the pressure control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Publication number: 20220055594
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures of a motor vehicle. The method includes actuating, by a control unit, while taking into account determined dynamic state variables of wheels that are to be braked, a pressure control valve with an inlet valve for ventilating and with an outlet valve for venting a brake pressure line that is controlled by the pressure control valve. The control times of the outlet valve are determined depending on control of the inlet valve. In an external braking mode provided for a case where an external braking demand is received that is independent of a driver's braking demand, the control unit adjusts the brake pressure in the brake pressure line according to the external braking demand by determining control times of the outlet valve depending on control of the inlet valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 11247649
    Abstract: A method for decelerating a vehicle combination including a towing vehicle having a towing vehicle brake system and at least one trailer vehicle having a trailer brake system with an anti-lock brake system includes applying, by the towing vehicle brake system, a brake pressure to pneumatically operable wheel brakes of the towing vehicle according to a desired deceleration specified by a driver, and providing, by the towing vehicle brake system, a trailer brake pressure for the trailer brake system of the at least one trailer vehicle. An electronic brake control unit of the towing vehicle brake system: detects a current actual vehicle deceleration value continuously compares the current actual vehicle deceleration actual value with a maximum deceleration, and, when the current actual vehicle deceleration value reaches or exceeds the maximum deceleration, limits the brake pressure and provides an information signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 11198421
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures of a motor vehicle includes actuating, by a control unit, while taking into account determined dynamic state variables of wheels that are to be braked, a pressure control valve with an inlet valve for ventilating and with an outlet valve for venting the brake pressure line that is controlled by the pressure control valve. The control times of the outlet valve are determined depending on control of the inlet valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Publication number: 20210370898
    Abstract: A method for decelerating a vehicle combination including a towing vehicle having a towing vehicle brake system and at least one trailer vehicle having a trailer brake system with an anti-lock brake system includes applying, by the towing vehicle brake system, a brake pressure to pneumatically operable wheel brakes of the towing vehicle according to a desired deceleration specified by a driver, and providing, by the towing vehicle brake system, a trailer brake pressure for the trailer brake system of the at least one trailer vehicle. An electronic brake control unit of the towing vehicle brake system: detects a current actual vehicle deceleration value continuously compares the current actual vehicle deceleration actual value with a maximum deceleration, and, when the current actual vehicle deceleration value reaches or exceeds the maximum deceleration, limits the brake pressure and provides an information signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 11084470
    Abstract: A method for regulating a vehicle-actual-deceleration in a vehicle with an ABS brake system includes detecting the vehicle-actual-deceleration; determining a target vehicle deceleration and detecting at least one actual wheel rotational behavior. The method further includes calculating actuation times for actuation of pressure control valves of the ABS brake system associated with the wheels of the first vehicle axle and the wheels of the further vehicle axle and determining correction actuation times if at least one of the respective calculated actuation times is less than a minimum actuation time associated with the respective pressure control valve. Calculation of each of the respective actuation times is carried out at least for all of a first number of pressure control valves with which wheels are associated whose rotational behavior follows the at least one actual wheel rotational behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS HANNOVER GMBH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Patent number: 10889274
    Abstract: A method for electronically controlling a vehicle deceleration of a brake slip-controlled vehicle comprising a pneumatic braking system includes detecting that at least one wheel of the vehicle has a brake slip that exceeds a setpoint brake slip; in response to detecting that at least one of the wheels of the vehicle has a brake slip that exceeds the setpoint brake slip, brake slip-controlling the at least one wheel in order to prevent a lockup of the at least one wheel; determining a braking effect caused by wheel brakes on the wheels of the vehicle; and adjusting brake pressures output at the wheel brakes of one or more non-brake slip-controlled wheels in order to adjust the induced braking effect. The brake pressures at the wheel brakes of all non-brake slip-controlled wheels are adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Patent number: 10688978
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures on pneumatically operated wheel brakes of a motor vehicle includes setting, in a normal braking mode, a brake pressure depending on a driver brake request determined by the driver of the motor vehicle and a control unit, during reception of an external brake request which is independent of the driver brake request, in a pressure control mode, sets a resulting brake pressure at the respective wheel brakes taking into account the external brake request and the driver brake request. The method further includes terminating, after revocation of the external brake request, the pressure control mode depending on a comparison of a value representing the driver brake request and entered into the control unit with a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 10625719
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures on pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of a vehicle includes, in a normal braking mode, continuously determining, by the brake control unit, at least one differential slip value as a difference between slip values of two wheels or axles of the vehicle, and determining, by the brake control unit, an interaxle braking distribution index for a relevant pair of axles by an assessment of a change in the at least one differential slip value within an evaluation interval. The method further includes, in a pressure control mode, using, by the brake control unit, the interaxle braking distribution index that is determined in the normal braking mode for the weighting of the control signals for the respective pair of axles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Patent number: 10576949
    Abstract: An electro-pneumatic tractor protection valve assembly (8) including a trailer supply input (84) for receiving a supply pressure, a trailer service output (87) for delivering a trailer supply pressure, a first supply input (81) for receiving a primary driver brake pressure, a second supply input (82) for receiving a secondary driver brake pressure, a dual brake valve (14) actuated by a brake pedal (10) and supplying the brake control pressures, a vent opening (86) for venting an internal conduit, a first electrically controlled pneumatic valve (92) to receive a first electric control signal for trailer assistance braking, and a trailer control output (85) for delivering a trailer brake control pressure. The valve assembly includes one single casing (8a) accommodating the first supply input (81), the second supply input (82), the trailer supply input (84), the trailer control output (85), the vent opening (86) and the trailer service output (87).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: WABCO Europe BVBA
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Patent number: 10538227
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle deceleration depending on a differential slip between two vehicle axles in a vehicle with an ABS brake system includes detecting at least one of a target vehicle deceleration specified by the driver and an actual vehicle deceleration; and controlling a braking pressure on wheel brakes of a vehicle axle to be controlled by actuation of ABS brake valves in such a way that the braking pressure on the wheel brakes of the vehicle axle to be controlled is controlled depending on a detected actual differential slip, so that the actual differential slip corresponds to a target differential slip. The actual differential slip indicates a difference in a rotational behavior of the vehicle axle to be controlled relative to a further vehicle axle. The target differential slip is dependent on at least one of the detected actual vehicle deceleration and the detected target vehicle deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Boethel, Horst Eckert, Torsten Wallbaum
  • Publication number: 20190315324
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures at pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of a vehicle includes receiving an external braking demand. The method further includes, in response to the received external braking demand, performing, during each of a plurality of computation cycles: (i) ascertaining control signals for pressure control valves of the pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of the vehicle, (ii) continuously ascertaining a differential slip value, wherein the differential slip value is a difference between a slip of two axles of the vehicle and is determined by measuring signals supplied by speed sensors of wheels of the vehicle, (iii) evaluating the differential slip value with respect to a predefined or adjustable setpoint differential slip value, (iv) based on the evaluation of the differential slip value, adapting the ascertained control signals, and (v) releasing the adapted control signals to the pressure control valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 10414387
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle deceleration in a vehicle comprising an ABS braking system includes detecting a setpoint vehicle deceleration predetermined by a driver; establishing a maximum deceleration and a minimum deceleration, in each case as a function of the detected setpoint vehicle deceleration; detecting an actual vehicle deceleration; and controlling a brake pressure at wheel brakes of a vehicle axle to be controlled as a function of the detected actual vehicle deceleration by controlling ABS brake valves. Controlling the brake pressure at the wheel brakes of the vehicle axle as a function of the detected actual vehicle deceleration comprises: increasing the brake pressure at the wheel brakes when the actual vehicle deceleration is less than the minimum deceleration, and limiting the brake pressure at the wheel brakes when the actual vehicle deceleration is greater than the maximum deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Boethel, Horst Eckert, Torsten Wallbaum
  • Patent number: 10377356
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures at pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of a vehicle includes, after an external braking demand, continuously ascertaining, by a brake control unit, in a pressure control mode, at least one differential slip value from measuring signals supplied by speed sensors of the wheels, as the difference between the slip of two axles of the vehicle before releasing the control signals; evaluating the differential slip value with consideration for a predefined or adjustable setpoint differential slip value; and depending on the evaluation, bringing the differential slip value closer to the setpoint differential slip value by adapting at least one control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 10293801
    Abstract: A method for the adaptive control of a driver operation-dependent actual vehicle deceleration in a commercial vehicle includes determining an operating variable that indicates a displacement of a brake pedal of a brake valve demanded by the driver as well as an assistance deceleration demand, providing a mass-dependent feeling curve that associates a driver's deceleration demand with the operating variable, adapting the mass-dependent feeling curve if there is no assistance deceleration demand so that the determined operating variable is associated with an actually prevailing actual vehicle deceleration, specifying a target vehicle deceleration depending on a driver operation-dependent driver's deceleration demand determined from the corresponding feeling curve and the assistance deceleration demand if there is an assistance deceleration demand, and actuating a brake pressure corresponding to the target vehicle deceleration for adaptively adjusted, driver operation-dependent control of the actual vehicle dece
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Patent number: 10279788
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures on pneumatically operated wheel brakes of a motor vehicle includes adjusting, in a normal braking mode, the brake pressures depending on a driver brake request; and adjusting, by a control unit in a pressure control mode, the brake pressures at the respective wheel brakes during reception of an external brake request, which is independent of the driver brake request and defined for the control unit as an external target deceleration value, as a function of a resulting target deceleration value of the vehicle deceleration. The control unit determines the resulting target deceleration value by linking the external target deceleration value according to the external brake request and a value corresponding to the driver brake request. A braking power index is determined which quantitatively represents the braking effect of the wheel brakes, and is provided to be taken into account in pressure control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 10239505
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle deceleration in a vehicle with an ABS brake system. The method includes detecting a target vehicle deceleration specified by a driver; defining a maximum deceleration and a minimum deceleration, each depending on the detected target vehicle deceleration; detecting an actual vehicle deceleration; and controlling a braking pressure on wheel brakes of a first vehicle axle and a second vehicle axle depending on the detected actual vehicle deceleration by actuation of ABS brake valves. Controlling the braking pressure by the actuation of the ABS brake valves comprises controlling the braking pressure on the wheel brakes of the second vehicle axle depending on a detected actual differential slip if the actual vehicle deceleration is less than the maximum deceleration and greater than the minimum deceleration, wherein the actual differential slip indicates the difference in a rotational behavior of the first vehicle axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: WABCO GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Boethel, Horst Eckert, Torsten Wallbaum
  • Publication number: 20190084542
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures of a motor vehicle includes actuating, by a control unit, while taking into account determined dynamic state variables of wheels that are to be braked, a pressure control valve with an inlet valve for ventilating and with an outlet valve for venting the brake pressure line that is controlled by the pressure control valve. The control times of the outlet valve are determined depending on control of the inlet valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Publication number: 20180370507
    Abstract: A method for regulating a vehicle-actual-deceleration in a vehicle with an ABS brake system includes detecting the vehicle-actual-deceleration; determining a target vehicle deceleration and detecting at least one actual wheel rotational behavior. The method further includes calculating actuation times for actuation of pressure control valves of the ABS brake system associated with the wheels of the first vehicle axle and the wheels of the further vehicle axle and determining correction actuation times if at least one of the respective calculated actuation times is less than a minimum actuation time associated with the respective pressure control valve. Calculation of each of the respective actuation times is carried out at least for all of a first number of pressure control valves with which wheels are associated whose rotational behavior follows the at least one actual wheel rotational behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer