Abstract: The invention relates to a switch controller system which furnishes a constant output, voltage over a broad input voltage range. The input voltage may here be lower as well as higher than the output voltage. The large control range is realized by a combination of a down converter and an up converter in a power output stage and a common storage choke. The storage choke is advantageously configured as a flat coil in multi-layer technology and includes a coil core. A novel switch controller system is disclosed which links two known converter concepts having different characteristics with one another.

Abstract: A procedure to control the drive unit in motor vehicles wherein: the maximum engine performance characteristic is determined; as a minimum engine performance characteristic, a reference performance characteristic is specified by how drive resistance depends on vehicle speed at a medium payload of the motor vehicle; above the reference performance characteristic, a first performance characteristic which is dependent on actual driving speed is defined and allocated a minimum assessment value; between this first performance characteristic and the maximum engine performance characteristic, a second performance characteristic which is also dependent on actual driving speed is defined and allocated a maximum assessment value; the current engine performance is determined; current assessment values are determined by comparing current engine performance to the first performance characteristic and the second performance characteristic; the current assessment values, as continuously determined, are filtered over time in

Abstract: A sensor system for the measurement of the optical conditions at a boundary surface between a first medium that is a solid body and a second medium whose refracting indices are different. The sensor system has an optical unit comprising at least one sending unit with at least one sending element, at least one receiving unit with at least one receiving element, and an optical path connecting the send unit(s) to the receiving unit(s). A light-conducting body with a base surface and two optically active end surfaces is arranged in the optical path, where the base surface of the light-conducting body is attached to the surface side of the first medium between the sending unit(s) and the boundary surface. The first end surface of the light-conducting body is directed towards the sending unit(s) and the second end surface of the light-conducting body is directed towards the receiving unit(s).

Abstract: A switch is described with a bipolar transistor as first switching element having a high breakdown voltage when operated in the reverse direction. This can be accomplished by a second switching element provided in the switch, a switching transistor, e.g. an MOS transistor, through which the base and the collector of the bipolar transistor are joined together, is activated in the reverse mode of the switch, i.e. when the bipolar transistor is in inverse mode, in such a way that the second switching element becomes conductive. The collector-emitter breakdown voltage of the bipolar transistor, i.e. its maximum permissible collector-emitter voltage, is thus brought closer to its higher base-emitter breakdown voltage.

Abstract: For automatic population of printed circuit boards, automatic populating machines frequently need to be able to detect different population variants. This invention describes a simple and reliable process for identifying printed circuit boards to clearly distinguish between population variants within a production run comprising several population processes. According to this invention, a printed circuit board features termination nests for at least one encoding component, and with an encoding aperture being provided in these termination nest areas that can be closed by the aforementioned encoding component. Thus two population variants can be encoded, that is, a first variant where the printed circuit board will be part-populated without such an encoding component in its first population run, and a second variant where the printed circuit board will be part-populated with this encoding component in its first population run.

Abstract: For triggering analog actuators with pulse-width modulation, a pulse duty factor (TV) is specified as relative ratio of pulse time (t.sub.PU) to period duration (T) of a triggering period. An add value (AW) is defined as product of the specified pulse duty factor (TV) and a maximum add value (AMW). Adding steps with specific cycle time (t.sub.z) and specified add value (AW) in each case follow one another successively. In an adding step, the add value (AW) is added, using an adding element with memory function and overflow detection, to the value stored in the adding element. The result of the adding operation is stored as a new memory value in the adding element. The logic state at the output of the adding element is defined by the overflow that occurs in the adding step, and the actuator is triggered according to the respective logic state at the output of the adding element.

Abstract: A process to adjust the pretensioning force for the transmission element of a continuously variable transmission, complete with two disc assemblies comprising two discs each, will be described. For optimized specification of the pretensioning force, the following process steps will be provided:a) determining transmission element length,b) specifying a start value for the pretensioning force,c) reducing the pretensioning force and determining transmission element virtual length,d) determining transmission element slip status by comparing actual length and virtual length of the transmission element,e) changing pretensioning force in relation to slip status, whereby, if actual length and virtual length of the transmission element correspond, the pretensioning force will be decreased, and, if actual length and virtual length of the transmission element differ, the pretensioning force will be increased.

Abstract: A device for reading and transmitting control parameter selections to a control system for an HVAC system is disclosed. The device is activated by the control system which receives the encoded control parameter selections. The activation is preferably accomplished by switching a power supply on and off that is associated with the reading and transmitting device.

Abstract: A data bus system including a serial data bus operated with complementary logic signals, several system users, communicating with each other via the bus lines of the data bus, and several output stages complete with a transmitter and a receiver, where each system user is assigned an output stage for coupling to the data bus. The output stage of each system user features a terminating network, with the determining network of at least on output stage being low impedance, active, switching, and internally switchable, with the terminating network of at least one more output stage being passive and low impedance, and with the terminating networks of all other output stages being passive and high impedance.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Conventional integrable differential amplifiers have implanted resistors as load resistors, the limited size of which represents a barrier for the minimization of current consumption. In accordance with the present invention, the load resistors are replaced by load elements that represent non-linear two-terminal elements such as diodes, the potential at these load elements is held constant via a control loop by a controlling element such as a control transistor. This allows the current consumption of differential amplifier stages to be reduced to the order of magnitude of the residual current without increasing the area required for integration of the circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charging method for storage batteries, in particular for NiCd and NiMH cells. According to the invention, the rise in the charging voltage during each of a number of consecutive charging cycles of a specified duration is measured in the form of a unit corresponding to a certain voltage. The number of these units is transmitted in the form of a counting pulse to two up-down counters during the period of the charging cycle, whereby one counter functions in the down mode and is set at the beginning of a charging cycle to a number corresponding to the number of units established in the preceding charging cycle. In the following charging cycle, the roles of the two counters are reversed, so that the up-counter is now set to the down mode and the other counter to the up mode, whereby the latter is set to a Certain starting counting status.

Abstract: A filter that has a resonator operated in series resonance and a two-pole terminal resonator circuit with a resonator whose electric conductance can be divided into a useful component and a parasitic component. A first differential stage actuated by a signal source and having two active elements whose ground connections are each linked to a respective current source and to a respective connection of the two-terminal resonator. A compensation circuit having two connections and which simulates the parasitic component of the resonator electric conductance is connected to a second differential stage which actuated by the signal source, is of the same type as the first differential stage, and has two active elements whose ground connections are each linked to a respective current source and to a respective connection of the compensation circuit. An evaluation circuit is linked to the two mutually reversed, i.e. connected in phase opposition, output connections of the two differential stages.

Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of monolithically integrated semiconductor arrays each having a number of prefabricated standard elements that can be connected together using one or more metalization layers to form different signal processing units. The standard elements prefabricated on the semiconductor array comprise a number of base cells, a number of capacitors, a number of output transistors and a number of photodiodes arranged in rows and columns. The base cells each contain a number of npn and pnp transistors and a number of resistors. The common arrangement of base cells for signal processing and a photodiode array arranged in rows and columns in addition to the capacitors and output transistors permit low cost manufacture at short notice and in small production quantities of a wide variety of different photodetectors with integrated electronic circuits.

Abstract: A speakerphone for a telephone circuit includes an output stage that comprises a loudspeaker amplifier coupled to a loudspeaker through a coupling capacitor. An auxiliary circuit includes a reference input element that provides first and second reference voltages which are used to charge the coupling capacitor to a given level prior to the input signal being coupled to the loudspeaker through the coupling capacitor to insure a click-free switch-on of the loudspeaker.

Abstract: A valve control device of the kind used in ABS or ASR systems as applied in motor vehicles. Such a valve control device comprises a valve block that accommodates the solenoid valves and where a solenoid is assigned to each solenoid valve. The side of a solenoid holder facing the valve block has compartments for accommodating the solenoids, there being an elastic spring element on its compartment base that presses the solenoid against the valve block. Furthermore, each solenoid has first media that, when the solenoid is introduced into this compartment, act together with second media, assigned to the compartment, as a snap latch in such a way as to prevent the solenoid from being pulled out from this compartment. The first and second media are sufficiently elastic that the solenoid can still be moved slightly in all directions in the plane perpendicular to its coil axis.

Abstract: A process for monitoring an opening of an enclosed space by an IR alarm system, wherein: a measuring process is generated whereby a modulated IR beam is emitted by at least one IR emitting element of an optoelectronic unit in the form of a pulse and the beam reflected from marginal areas of the opening is detected as a measurement signal by at least one IR receiving element of the optoelectronic unit, with the directional characteristic of th IR beam being matched, by optical components in the path of the beam, to the opening being monitored; the measurement signal detected by the receiving element is compared with a mean value of the previous measurement signals, and a normal operating mode of the alarm system is initiated if there is an approximate correlation between the measurement signal and the mean value, or an alarm operating mode of the alarm system is initiated if there is a significant deviation between the measurement signal and the mean value; in the normal operating mode, the next measuring proc

Abstract: A light fitting unit having a low current input for illuminated signs. The light fitting unit comprises a housing (1) for mounting a plurality of LEDs (4). The housing has four lateral surfaces (1.1-1.4) and two opposite main surfaces (1.5, 1.6). Furthermore, a mounting cap (2) is provided on a first lateral surface (1.1) of the housing. The further lateral surfaces (1.2, 1.3, 1.4) of the housing are enclosed by a groove (3), in the bottom (3.1) of which a plurality of apertures (5) are provided in which a plurality of LEDs (4) are disposed. The light fitting unit can be used as a light source in any illuminated signs instead of conventional bulbs. It is characterized by a low current input and long service life. Fitting in already existing illuminated signs simply by insertion into existing holders is achieved by screw caps or bayonet caps.

Abstract: A constant current source that has a band-gap reference voltage source with three transistors, where the third transistor is connected with the input of a current balancing circuit whose output controls current sources for the first and second transistors of the band-gap reference voltage source as well as a current source for generating a constant output current and which can be connected via a resistor both with the operating voltage source and with the reference potential by the use of a switch. This circuit results in a low power consumption because it is switched on by the use of a switch only when required and in the switched-off state draws a minimum amount of leakage current.