Patents by Inventor Ralph Gronau

Ralph Gronau 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: 20030018425
    Abstract: In a method for controlling an anti-lock braking system, intended for motor vehicles having all-wheel drive, electric signals representative of the rotational behavior of the vehicle wheels are produced and logically combined. When a locking tendency occurs, the braking pressure is controlled, and the instantaneous wheel slip, the wheel acceleration, and the wheel deceleration are evaluated as control criteria, and wherein the individual wheel speed (vR) is compared to a vehicle reference speed (vREF) which is used as a reference quantity for controlling the braking pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Ralph Gronau, Dieter Burkhard
  • Patent number: 6499812
    Abstract: A method of brake pressure adjustment in a vehicle brake system equipped with an electric hydraulic pump comprises the following steps: detecting a prevailing brake pressure or determining a nominal pressure, and actuating the pump by degrees according to the detected brake pressure or the nominal pressure. In a method of opening an inlet valve of a hydraulic vehicle brake system, a pressure rise on the inlet side of the inlet valve is generated when the difference between the outlet-side and the inlet-side pressure on the inlet valve exceeds a positive threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Ralph Gronau, Tobias Scheller, Jürgen Woywod
  • Patent number: 6438464
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting the roll angle of a cornering vehicle which comprises at least one axle and at least two wheels, the vehicle being equipped with a transverse acceleration sensor means which senses the transverse acceleration that acts on the center of gravity of the automotive vehicle generally in the horizontal plane of the vehicle. To provide a method which does not require an additional sensor means and is virtually independent of given vehicle characteristics or dimensions, the component of the transverse acceleration which essentially acts in the horizontal plane of the vehicle is detected by the transverse acceleration sensor means during cornering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., oHG
    Inventors: Jürgen Woywod, Ralph Gronau, Dieter Burkhard, Hans Georg Ihrig, Lothar Kienle
  • Patent number: 6419329
    Abstract: To improve the control behavior of an automotive vehicle control system, such as an anti-lock system (ABS), a driving stability control system (ESP, ASMS, DDC), etc., in a brake system which includes a master cylinder, inlet and outlet valves for pressure modulation, a low-pressure accumulator, and a hydraulic pump for returning the pressure fluid discharged, when a wheel becomes unstable and upon commencement of the ABS control, that branch of the control system to which the unstable wheel is connected is temporarily uncoupled from the master cylinder pressure (pHZ) or initial pressure by closing the pressure fluid conduit in the direction from the wheel brakes to-the master cylinder, and a relatively quick rise of the braking pressure and a quick approach of the wheel braking pressure to the master cylinder pressure (pHZ) and, thus, the wheel lock pressure level is caused by returning pressure fluid from the low-pressure accumulator into this branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Gunther Buschmann, Jürgen Woywod, Ralph Gronau
  • Patent number: 6364435
    Abstract: A device for controlling the driving stability of a vehicle includes a detection device for detecting an operating condition of the vehicle, a device for building up braking pressure for at least one of the wheels, and an influencing device which influences the braking pressure of one or more wheels in dependence on the detected operating condition of the vehicle. The above device also comprises a starting device which activates the device for building up braking pressure in idle mode before the commencement of an operating condition which initiates influencing of the braking pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Ralph Gronau, Jürgen Woywod, Gunther Buschmann, Thomas Kranz
  • Patent number: 6366844
    Abstract: A method for limiting the transverse acceleration of a traveling vehicle consisting of the steps: detection of a driving condition with a critical transverse acceleration, influencing the braking pressure on at least one wheel, and/or influencing the driving torque when the driving condition having a critical transverse acceleration has been detected. A device for limiting the transverse acceleration of a traveling vehicle has a detection device for detecting a driving condition with a critical transverse acceleration, and an influencing device for influencing the braking pressure on at least one wheel and/or for influencing the driving torque when the detection device has detected a driving condition with a critical transverse acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Jürgen Woywod, Ralph Gronau, Dieter Burkhard, Hans-Georg Ihrig, Lothar Kienle
  • Patent number: 6312066
    Abstract: To improve the control behavior of an ABS system in an off-road travel situation, a special control mode is activated as soon as such an off-road travel situation is identified. To this end, braking pressure reduction on the wheel of a vehicle axle which is the first to exceed the normal control thresholds is prevented, different from the normal control mode, and the braking pressure on this wheel is maintained constant until reacceleration of this wheel commences. Starting from this time, braking pressure increase is allowed in the wheel brake of this wheel until the normal control thresholds are reached and the special control mode is terminated. The normal control mode applies to the second wheel of the axle concerned as long as the special control mode applies to the first wheel. Subsequently, the special control mode can pass on to the second wheel of the axle, and the first wheel will then ensure that steerability and/or driving stability is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Gronau, Gunther Buschmann
  • Patent number: 6238020
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for use in automotive vehicles with an electronically controlled brake system (for example, ABS), wherein for controlling the braking pressure (re)increase during a control operation the rotational behavior of the individual wheels is measured and evaluated to determine braking pressure control signals, and wherein during a braking pressure control operation the braking pressure reduction in the previous cycle (26) is taken into account for the control of the braking pressure reincrease (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Ralph Gronau, Utz Lambert, Gunther Buschmann, Norbert Ehmer
  • Patent number: 6003960
    Abstract: A brake system with electronic braking pressure control, including a braking pressure generator, electrically operable hydraulic valves, and an electronic analyzing, is provided with an acoustic sensor which is used to determine the change-over behavior of the hydraulic valves for the approximate determination of the braking pressure prevailing in the braking pressure generator and/or in the wheel brakes. The measured pressure values, in the capacity of control quantities, are taken into account for braking pressure control or analyzed for monitoring purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Gronau, Gunther Buschmann
  • Patent number: 5494344
    Abstract: In a cornering identification method which, in particular, is provided for automotive vehicles with anti-lock control or traction slip control, the rotating velocities of the two wheels of the one (non-driven) axle are measured and a correction value is continuously determined for the difference in the rolling circumferences of the tires of the two wheels. A reference value (THR) is developed which is representative of a straight-line course and, in accordance with a predetermined time pattern, this reference value is continuously corrected in dependence on the velocity difference of the two wheels. For cornering identification, a velocity difference value (DIF) is compared with the reference value (THR). At the beginning, i.e., after the start of cornering identification, the reference value (THR) will be corrected in relatively short periods which will be prolonged as the ride goes on. The rate of change (.DELTA. THR) of the reference value (THR) is likewise high at the beginning, decreasing thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Heyn, Ralph Gronau, Gunther Buschmann, Thomas Striegel