Abstract: The present invention relates to control of a fan during which the power of the fan is determined from the characteristic curves of the fan motor, the operating parameters of the cooling system and the reference variables which are predefined in the form of temperature levels. The various temperature levels which are to be set have different associated characteristic curves for actuating the fan motor. If the reference variable for the control changes, this also means a change in the characteristic curves for actuating the fan motor. In order to prevent the fan motor from whining, the operation of the fan motor is kept constant for a settable minimum waiting time when the reference variable for the control of the fan changes.

Abstract: Motor vehicle (2) and associated electronic control device (4) for controlling an internal combustion engine (6) and at least one electrical machine (8). Torque losses of the electrical machine (8) are taken into account with the aid of families of characteristics and algorithms, and torques are predetermined for the electrical machine (8) independently of the operating state of the entire drive train (10) of the motor vehicle (2).

Abstract: A control system for a motor vehicle has a manual actuator with degrees of freedom for selecting and/or activating entries in a menu structure with menu levels and a screen display having display areas for displaying the menu structure. Each of the display areas has at least field one for displaying one of the entries. In an active display area in at least one level of the menu structure, at least two entries are assigned to a settable parameter for setting with the manual actuator. A first entry is an analog display of the settable parameter, and a second entry is a digital display of the settable parameter.

Abstract: An armored vehicle having a floor, a roof above the floor, and a side wall extending vertically between the floor and the wall, is provided with a seat having a rigid frame, at least one ceiling mount suspending the frame from the roof, a cover on the frame forming surfaces adapted to hold a seated occupant, a harness on the frame retaining the occupant seated on the cover. The frame and cover is wholly disengaged and disconnected from the floor. The cover includes an upright back panel engaging a back of the occupant of the seat, a seat panel engaging underneath and supporting the occupant of the seat, and a pair of side panels flanking the occupant of the seat and connected to the back panel and seat panel.

Abstract: An electrical device having a generator, e.g., for use in the vehicle electrical system of a motor vehicle, includes a controller for controlling the generator voltage. In the device, an area is provided in which a voltage control is carried out, and other areas are provided in which a torque control is carried out.

Abstract: A power transmission unit with a hydraulic coupling dependent on a rotational-speed difference, in which, when a rotationalspeed difference occurs between the input member (1) and the output member (6), a hydrostatic displacement machine (20) produces in a pressure space (34) a pressure that acts on a piston (27) acting on a friction clutch (31), has a housing (4). To compensate for the centrifugal force acting on the working fluid in the pressure space (34), at least one centrifugalforce element (11, 12, 13) is provided in the housing, exerting on the piston (27) a force counter to the pressure produced by the centrifugal force in the pressure chamber (34).

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for monitoring the wheels of a motor vehicle, each of which comprises at least one tire, the wheels are each provided with a memory and transmitter device for tire-specific data. The data transmitter device interacts with a vehicle mounted receiver device for reading in the tire-specific data. The receiver device is connected to a memory and evaluation unit which makes available the tire-specific data to a further processing functionality of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method and a device for performing inter-vehicle distance control on a vehicle, an actual value (dact) of a distance variable which describes a distance between the vehicle and a vehicle traveling in front being determined, is provided. A plurality of weighting values (gi) for the distance variable are determined as a function of input variables (xi) which describe the driving situation of the vehicle and/or the ambient situation of the vehicle and/or the driving behavior of the driver. From the weighting values in turn a set point value (dsetp) for the distance variable is determined, a braking device and/or driving device of the vehicle being actuated in such a way that the determined actual value (dact) of the distance variable assumes the determined set point value (dsetp). In order to determine the set point value (dsetp) of the distance variable the weighting values (gi) are multiplied by one another.

Abstract: In an independent wheel suspension including a wheel-guiding strut which is mounted on a vehicle body, a wheel carrier is so supported on the strut by several elastic pivoting bearings, that a high degree of driving comfort is provided by a controlled accommodation of lateral, longitudinal and vertical forces.

Abstract: An inwardly bend bottom plate, having at least one bending line, is provided on the underside of an armored vehicle body as a protection against mine detonation and can be additionally armored by modular armor plates. Above the bottom plate is a floorboard so spaced therefrom that the dynamic inward buckling of the bottom plate can take place in a deformation space between the bottom plate and the floorboard without injury to an occupant of the vehicle.

Abstract: This invention details a lubrication system for an automatic transmission, specifically the bearings of the planetary pinion gears. The planetary carriers have grooves formed in spider and flange sections thereof to carry the lubricating material from the inner diameter of the planetary carrier to the inner diameter of each pinion gear bearing mounted in the planetary carrier. The invention further includes two thrust washers that are assembled on opposing sides of each pinion gear that have axially and radially extending slots that further carry the oil between the inner diameter of the planetary carrier and the outer diameter of the planetary carrier. Lastly, the invention discloses a method for lubricating the pinion gears of the planetary carrier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining a vehicle state having the method steps: estimation of a first state in a vehicle (F) by means of a first vehicle model using predetermined parameters ({dot over (?)}, {umlaut over (?)}, ay, ax); estimation of a second state of the vehicle (F) by means of a second vehicle model using the predetermined parameters ({dot over (?)}, {umlaut over (?)}, ay, ax); weighted switching over from the first vehicle model to the second vehicle model at the transition of the vehicle (F) from the first state into the second state as a function of at least one estimated parameter (?). The present invention also makes available a device for determining a state of a vehicle (F).

Abstract: In a motor vehicle comprising a vehicle body having a support structure for supporting a main drive unit and at least one support block disposed on the support structure by which the main drive unit is supported in the vehicle body, each support block comprises bottom and top parts which are movable relative to each other and provided with an operating mechanism for causing such movement for lowering the drive unit when the motor vehicle is involved in a collision.

Abstract: 1. Multipole line interface, particularly for a motor vehicle. 2.1. The invention relates to a multipole line interface having a housing (1) and at least two lines which can be connected to the housing (1) by inserting a respective line contact into a respective pole chamber (2). 2.2. According to the invention, the housing (1) comprises a coding device (3) for at least one of the pole chambers (2), with the coding device (3) being designed specifically to hold an associated coding element which is connected to the associated line contact in a captive fashion. 2.3. Use, for example, for line interfaces of electrical components in a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A heat exchanger, with a core region having a plurality of tube bundles through which a fluid flows in series is provided with at least one specially designed header composed of two half shells. The specially designed header deflects the fluid stream between two successive tube bundles in opposite directions, with the supply and discharge of the fluid to and from the core region through the header. The resulting heat exchanger is structurally simple, having a minimum number of components to be mounted.

Abstract: In a method for operating a motor vehicle drive train during a shifting operation of a gearwheel change gearbox, the clutch is triggered for closing before the target gear is fully engaged. A control device determines a triggering moment for the clutch as a function of operational parameters and/or state variables of the drive train. The control device calculates a required interval which is necessary until complete engagement of the target gear and an interval which is necessary until a gripping point of the clutch is reached. An optimum triggering moment is determined from these intervals. The tractive force interruption during a shifting operation is thus very short. At the same time, the completion of the shifting operation is ensured.

Abstract: In a valve drive for a piston internal combustion engine with a first rocker lever which is in operative contact with at least a first cylinder valve, wherein a cam structure including a first cam and at least one additional cam is in active contact with a second rocker lever, which can be placed in force transmission contact with the first rocker lever by an actuator element for transferring the pivot motion generated by the first and second cams selectively from the second rocker lever to the first rocker lever and at a rate depending on an idling angle determined by the actuator element.

Abstract: A method for reconstructing the profile of strictures on surfaces. According to said method, at least two images of the same area of the surface that is to be analyzed are evaluated, said images being recorded from a nearly vertical perspective, for example, and the surface being illuminated from different directions at a flat angle thereto. Elevations or depressions on the surface thus cast a distinct shadow in the recorded images, the position of which varies according to the incident light. Inclined areas can be identified by means of a brighter reflection. The vertical profile of a structure on the surface can be determined, and the shape of a fin can hence be reconstructed, for example, by analyzing shadow contours and outlines of bright areas. Even flat inclination changes can be determined by integrating the shape-from-shading process so as to evaluate brightness patterns such that a 3D reconstruction of the surface can be obtained, which matches the original well.

Abstract: In an arrangement comprising at least one operating unit of a camshaft adjusting device for an internal combustion engine, the operating unit and at least one ventilation unit of a ventilation device are combined in an assembly module.

Abstract: A common problem faced by speech dialog systems is that they have to serve users with varying degrees of experience of such a system in an optimal manner. The invention relates to a speech dialog system that differentiates between inexperienced and experienced users and generates speech prompts that are adapted accordingly. The system is able to differentiate between inexperienced and experienced users, issuing a detailed speech prompt to the former and an abbreviated speech prompt to the latter. According to the invention, the speech dialog system initialises a dialog step using an abbreviated speech prompt. If the system user does not react to the abbreviated speech prompt after a specified time (recognition timeout), a detailed speech prompt is issued. Thus both types of speech prompts are issued for each dialog step and are available to the system user for selection. The user can therefore always select the type and manner of dialog he or she requires.