Patents by Inventor Martin Saeger

Martin Saeger 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: 11021189
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle having an active roll control and an active steering system designed to map a steering-wheel setting angle predetermined by a driver of the motor vehicle in accordance with a predetermined steer response onto a steer angle of the motor vehicle. The method includes operating the active steering system in a normal operating mode having a normal steer response and upon determining an active roll control fault operating the active steering system in a fallback operating mode in accordance with an fallback steer response, the fallback steer response different from the normal steer response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Simon Baales, Michael Seemann
  • Patent number: 10363790
    Abstract: A vehicle can have a vibration damping system, which has a characteristic curve that is adjustable. To control the characteristic curve of the vibration damping system, information regarding a profile of a road surface in front of the vehicle is detected. At least a portion of the road surface profile can be classified according to a change in height and a length of the portion. The classification can be based on the detected information. Based on the classification of the road surface profile, the characteristic curve of the vibration damping system of the vehicle can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Uwe Hoffmann, Martin Saeger, Toni Kymaelaeinen, Michael Seemann
  • Publication number: 20190217678
    Abstract: A compensating method is provided for avoiding a bouncing movement of a wheel of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle comprises an unsprung mass (m) that is attached in a movable manner to a sprung mass, wherein the unsprung mass (m) comprises the wheel, and an actuator that is embodied so as to apply a force (K) between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass (m). During a movement of the unsprung mass (m) relative to the sprung mass in an application of force by means of the open loop control of the actuator by the method, a force (K) is applied between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass (m) so as to damp the movement. A motor vehicle implementing the method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Marcus KALABIS, Martin SAEGER, Michael SEEMANN, Felix WEINREICH, Simon BAALES, Alex FISCHER, Matthias DEHMEL, Uwe HOFFMANN
  • Publication number: 20190118608
    Abstract: An adjustment system and method for adjusting a chassis property of a motor vehicle wherein an understeering sensitivity of the motor vehicle is increased upon detecting that a trailer has been coupled to the motor vehicle. A detection unit operates to detect when a trailer is attached or coupled to the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Simon Baales, Michael Seemann
  • Patent number: 10235817
    Abstract: A method for improving the accuracy with which a road profile ahead of a vehicle may be determined. The method may include receiving a plurality of inputs corresponding to a plurality of on-board sensors corresponding to a vehicle. An on-board computer system may estimate motion of the vehicle. The on-board computer system may correct data corresponding to a forward-looking sensor of the plurality of on-board sensors by accounting for the motion of the vehicle. Accordingly, the on-board computer system may use the corrected data to produce more accurate information characterizing the driving environment ahead of the vehicle. This more accurate information may be used to better estimate the motion of the vehicle in the future as the vehicle encounters that driving environment, which may improve the corrections that may be applied to the data corresponding to the forward-looking sensor at that time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Ashley Elizabeth Micks
  • Patent number: 10229231
    Abstract: A method for generating training data. The method may include executing a simulation process. The simulation process may include traversing one or more virtual sensors over a virtual road surface defining a plurality of virtual anomalies that are each sensible by the one or more virtual sensors. During the traversing, each of the one or more virtual sensors may be moved with respect to the virtual road surface as dictated by a vehicle-motion model modeling motion of a vehicle driving on the virtual road surface while carrying the one or more virtual sensors. Virtual sensor data characterizing the virtual road surface may be recorded. The virtual sensor data may correspond to what a real sensor would have output had it sensed the road surface in the real world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Venkatapathi Raju Nallapa, Martin Saeger, Ashley Elizabeth Micks, Douglas Blue
  • Patent number: 10179495
    Abstract: An adjustment system and method for adjusting a chassis property of a motor vehicle wherein an understeering sensitivity of the motor vehicle is increased upon detecting that a trailer has been coupled to the motor vehicle. A detection unit operates to detect when a trailer is attached or coupled to the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Simon Baales, Michael Seemann
  • Patent number: 10179493
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a motor vehicle having an active roll control system and an air suspension system including operating the air suspension system in a normal mode, according to a normal air spring setting. Upon determining a fault or malfunction of the active roll control system operating the air suspension in a fallback mode, according to a fallback air spring setting, wherein the fallback mode is different from the normal mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Simon Baales, Michael Seemann
  • Patent number: 10086673
    Abstract: A wheel suspension unit is disclosed. The wheel suspension unit includes a stabilizer having a first end and a second end, a wheel suspension element, and a piston-cylinder unit. The piston-cylinder unit connects an end of the stabilizer to the wheel suspension element. The piston-cylinder unit is a roll damper. The roll damper includes a plurality of roll damping valves arranged in a piston of the roll damper. Each of the plurality of roll damping valves has a non-return valve and an adjustable throttle valve. The non-return valve is arranged in series with the adjustable throttle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Simon Baales, Jens Dornhege, Michael Seemann, Martin Saeger
  • Patent number: 10023019
    Abstract: A suspension system for a laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle may include a balancer system extending between first and second trailing arms. The suspension system may further include a rotary device acting between the trailing arms. One of the balancer system and the rotary device may be configured to provide a torque to influence a leaning angle of the vehicle and the other of the balancer system and the rotary device may be configured to suppress resonant vertical motion of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Spahl, Marc Simon, Edmund Halfmann, Thomas Gerhards, Rainer Souschek, Ralf Hintzen, Daniel Mainz, Martin Saeger
  • Patent number: 9925843
    Abstract: A rear suspension system for a laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle may include first and second trailing arms. The rear suspension system may further include first and second balancer systems acting between the first and second trailing arms. The first balancer system may create a torque to influence a leaning angle of the vehicle when the suspension system is in use. The second balancer system may suppress a resonant vertical motion of the vehicle when the suspension system is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Spahl, Marc Simon, Edmund Halfmann, Thomas Gerhards, Rainer Souschek, Ralf Hintzen, Daniel Mainz, Martin Saeger
  • Patent number: 9845129
    Abstract: A stabilizing arrangement for a tilting running gear of a non-rail-borne vehicle is disclosed. The stabilizing arrangement includes a balance beam configured to have each end coupled to a respective suspension side of a multi-track running gear axle of the tilting running gear. A pivot bearing is connected to a frame or body of the vehicle and defines a stationary axis of rotation. The pivot bearing rotatably supports the balance beam about the stationary axis of rotation. At least one stabilizing element is connected to the balance beam and is supported with respect to a frame or body of the vehicle. The at least one stabilizing element is configured to provide a reaction force to counteract a tilting moment of the vehicle. A non-rail-borne vehicle comprising the stabilizing arrangement also is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Marc Simon, Advait Valluri, Robert Spahl, Thomas Gerhards, Martin Saeger
  • Patent number: 9821620
    Abstract: A method of operating a tilting running gear for a non-rail-borne vehicle having at least one actuator is disclosed. The method includes calculating an angle of tilt of the vehicle around an axis of rotation based on prevailing values of centrifugal acceleration and gravitational acceleration as the vehicle enters a curve. Based on a comparison between an actual lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a desired lateral acceleration of the vehicle, the vehicle is accelerated or decelerated to achieve the calculated angle of tilt. When the calculated angle of tilt has been achieved, the actuator is deactivated. The actuator provides acceleration of the vehicle and a braking device provides deceleration of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: FORD TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Marc Simon, Advait Valluri
  • Publication number: 20170210193
    Abstract: An adjustment system and method for adjusting a chassis property of a motor vehicle wherein an understeering sensitivity of the motor vehicle is increased upon detecting that a trailer has been coupled to the motor vehicle. A detection unit operates to detect when a trailer is attached or coupled to the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Simon Baales, Michael Seemann
  • Publication number: 20170210191
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a motor vehicle having an active roll control system and an air suspension system including operating the air suspension system in a normal mode, according to a normal air spring setting. Upon determining a fault or malfunction of the active roll control system operating the air suspension in a fallback mode, according to a fallback air spring setting, wherein the fallback mode is different from the normal mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Simon Baales, Michael Seemann
  • Publication number: 20170210420
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle having an active roll control and an active steering system designed to map a steering-wheel setting angle predetermined by a driver of the motor vehicle in accordance with a predetermined steer response onto a steer angle of the motor vehicle. The method includes operating the active steering system in a normal operating mode having a normal steer response and upon determining an active roll control fault operating the active steering system in a fallback operating mode in accordance with an fallback steer response, the fallback steer response different from the normal steer response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Simon Baales, Michael Seemann
  • Patent number: 9663080
    Abstract: A method, carried out in a controller of a motor vehicle having a plurality of wheels, to counteract an undesired influence on the motor vehicle. The method comprises determining, during a braking recuperation process, the undesired influence that is caused by the braking recuperation process and counteracting the determined undesired influence using a vehicle system that affects torques present at one or more wheels of the plurality of vehicle wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventor: Martin Saeger
  • Publication number: 20170083794
    Abstract: A method for testing the performance of one or more anomaly-detection algorithms. The method may include obtaining sensor data output by a virtual sensor modeling the behavior of an image sensor. The sensor data may correspond to a time when the virtual sensor was sensing a virtual anomaly defined within a virtual road surface. One or more algorithms may be applied to the sensor data to produce at least one perceived dimension of the virtual anomaly. Thereafter, the performance of the one or more algorithms may be quantified by comparing the at least one perceived dimension to at least one actual dimension of the virtual anomaly as defined in the virtual road surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Venkatapathi Raju Nallapa, Martin Saeger, Ashley Elizabeth Micks, Douglas Blue
  • Publication number: 20170076019
    Abstract: A method for generating training data. The method may include executing a simulation process. The simulation process may include traversing one or more virtual sensors over a virtual road surface defining a plurality of virtual anomalies that are each sensible by the one or more virtual sensors. During the traversing, each of the one or more virtual sensors may be moved with respect to the virtual road surface as dictated by a vehicle-motion model modeling motion of a vehicle driving on the virtual road surface while carrying the one or more virtual sensors. Virtual sensor data characterizing the virtual road surface may be recorded. The virtual sensor data may correspond to what a real sensor would have output had it sensed the road surface in the real world.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Venkatapathi Raju Nallapa, Martin Saeger, Ashley Elizabeth Micks, Douglas Blue
  • Publication number: 20170061710
    Abstract: A method for improving the accuracy with which a road profile ahead of a vehicle may be determined. The method may include receiving a plurality of inputs corresponding to a plurality of on-board sensors corresponding to a vehicle. An on-board computer system may estimate motion of the vehicle. The on-board computer system may correct data corresponding to a forward-looking sensor of the plurality of on-board sensors by accounting for the motion of the vehicle. Accordingly, the on-board computer system may use the corrected data to produce more accurate information characterizing the driving environment ahead of the vehicle. This more accurate information may be used to better estimate the motion of the vehicle in the future as the vehicle encounters that driving environment, which may improve the corrections that may be applied to the data corresponding to the forward-looking sensor at that time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Ashley Elizabeth Micks