Abstract: An information device, e.g., inside a motor vehicle, includes at least one output device and a processing device, to which a memory device is assigned in which all types of vehicle data, in particular data of vehicle functions and/or vehicle elements, their operation, display or manipulation, and/or data of vehicle states, are stored, and a method is for supplying information about the mentioned vehicle data. The corresponding vehicle data, in particular vehicle functions and their operation or manipulation, and/or vehicle elements and/or their function and/or manipulation, and/or vehicle states and/or their change are displayed in animated fashion on the at least one output device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 8, 2006
Date of Patent:
June 28, 2011
Assignee:
Volkswagen AG
Inventors:
Christoph Waeller, Yongmei Wu, Thorsten Bohnenberger
Abstract: A method for information exchange, comprises the steps of producing information transmissions in a broadcast standard; sending the information live from a studio; digitizing the sent data and then transmitting the digitized data via satellite as IP multicast packets; receiving the data by a TV decoder and feeding them into a data and/or communications network; installing software on a data processing equipment, like PCs or workplace computers, in which the software, after the data processing device has been connected to the data and/or communications network, permits receiving of information transmissions and use of at least part of the functions furnished by the information transmission; dialing via a portal to access an information transmission; and using the functions furnished by the information transmission via communications connections between the data processing equipment and studio for an interactive information exchange.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 27, 2003
Date of Patent:
June 21, 2011
Assignee:
Volkswagen AG
Inventors:
Edgar Hoppe, Henning Bloch, Melanie Knoop, Jürgen Briam, Carsten Janz, Peter Bobrowski, Clemens Goeke, Kerstin Nowak, Sandra Schurz, Heiko Thoms
Abstract: An apparatus for displaying ambient information in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a dial including a first dial hand, an ambient light source with a variable light intensity and a variable light color, a first data source and a second data source, a mode selector for selecting between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, and a controller coupled to the mode selector, the ambient light source, and the first dial hand. The controller is configured to, in the first mode of operation, control the position of the first dial hand according to the first data source; and, in the second mode of operation, control at least one of the variable light intensity or the variable light color of the ambient light source according to the second data source.
Abstract: The invention relates to an arm rest, particularly for a center console of a motor vehicle, comprising a carrier element (1) having a support element (11) moveably arranged on the carrier element (1), wherein the carrier element (1) and the support element (11) can be pivoted about a first pivoting axis (y) by means (3, 5, 7A, 7B or 3, 7A, 8) arranged in or on the carrier element (1). The support element (11) can be displaced with respect to the carrier element (1) by a connection to one of the arranged means (3, 5, 7A, 7B or 3, 7A, 8). According to the invention, pivoting of the carrier element (1) together with the support element (11) and displacing the support element (11) with respect to the carrier element (1) can be released or blocked by actuating a single control element (6) that acts upon the arranged means (3, 5, 7A, 7B or 3, 7A, 8).
Abstract: A telescopable shaft assembly has at least two shaft elements capable of sliding in one another as an internal shaft element and an outer shaft element connected to one another in torque transmitting manner via at least one sliding splined portion. An axial fixation defines predetermined breaking point between the shaft elements. The axial fixation becomes ineffective once a predetermined impact force acting in a telescoping direction is reached. The shaft elements are movable relative to one another, once the axial fixation has become ineffective, in low-friction manner along the sliding splined portion under the action of the impact force. When the axial fixation is effective, an annular gap is formed between a splined portion runout on a free end of the outer shaft element and an unsplined portion of the inner shaft element. The annular gap, at least in the area of the free end of the outer shaft element, is at least partially filled with a sealant.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 25, 2009
Date of Patent:
May 24, 2011
Assignee:
Volkswagen AG
Inventors:
Lüder Neugebauer, Jürgen Maretzke, Jürgen Linzmeier, Matthias Voigt
Abstract: An electric steering lock for a drive authorization system in a motor vehicle, including a movable locking element which, according to a first position, can be brought into locking engagement with a latched-in position on the steering shaft in the steering wheel column and, according to a second position, can be brought out of locking engagement with said position. The steering lock also has a drive for moving the locking element between the two positions, and electronics for controlling the drive. The system may have an associated second device in the form of an electronic key, an identification (ID) transmitter, a chip card or the like, with the result that, when the second device is authorized, the drive can be controlled into the respective position by the electronics. The electronics generate those signals which are used to trigger functions which can otherwise be effected by an electric ignition lock.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 16, 2008
Date of Patent:
April 26, 2011
Assignees:
Marquardt GmbH, Volkswagen AG
Inventors:
Karl Mueller, Gerd Stauss, Ralf Maier, Andreas Titze, Ralf Borngräber, Dietmar Grave, Andreas Thiele, Klaus Revermann
Abstract: A gas intake device for letting gases into an inlet volume of a cylinder head of a motor vehicle combustion engine includes a valve (10) for supplying the cylinder head with gas, this valve communicating with the inlet volume of the cylinder head directly and indirectly via a heat exchanger (14). The valve (10) and the heat exchanger (14) are mounted on a plate (21) intended to be mounted directly on the cylinder head. The device is compact and relatively insensitive to vibration.
Type:
Application
Filed:
May 19, 2009
Publication date:
April 21, 2011
Applicants:
VALEO SYSTEMES DE CONTROLE MOTEUR, VOLKSWAGEN AG
Inventors:
Samuel Leroux, Mathieu Lallelmant, Arnold Rimpau, Christian Westphal
Abstract: An input device, especially for a vehicle, comprises a touchscreen to enter commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen or by pressing on the operating surface, an actuator to move the touchscreen in at least one direction, and a control module to control the actuator as a function of the speed of a touching movement over the operating surface.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 29, 2005
Date of Patent:
April 5, 2011
Assignee:
Volkswagen AG
Inventors:
Michael Prados, Philippe Alessandrini, Wolfgang Bloehs
Abstract: In a method and equipment for operating a voice-supported system, such as a communications and/or intercom/two-way intercom device in a motor vehicle, using at least one microphone and at least one loudspeaker to reproduce a signal generated by the microphone, as well as a bandpass filter configured between the microphone and the loudspeaker, a power of the signal as a function of a frequency is determined, and the bandpass filter is adjusted as a function of at least one local maximum of the power of the signal as a function of the frequency.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 18, 2003
Date of Patent:
March 22, 2011
Assignees:
Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
Inventors:
Brian Michael Finn, Shawn K. Steenhagen
Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle includes a coolant circuit, through which it is possible to pump coolant with the aid of a compressor, the air-conditioning system having a torque-determining unit for determining a drive torque required for operating the compressor as a function of a temperature of air, which has flowed past an evaporator integrated into the coolant circuit for evaporating coolant, a pressure of the coolant prevailing in the coolant circuit in front of the compressor relative to a flow direction of the coolant or an actuating signal for setting a settable compressor stroke of the compressor.
Abstract: A head restraint is guided and at least indirectly held in a frame part of a seat, in particular of a backrest of a motor vehicle seat, via at least one holding element which can be positioned at various height levels relative to the frame part by way of an actuating element. The actuating element interacts with at least one locking element. The actuating element is operated with a first, second, and third operating action. A first operating action of the actuating element permits height adjustment of the head restraint and a second operating action permits removal thereof from the frame part of the seat. The second operating action, for removing the head restraint, can be carried out in parallel with or after a third operating action on at least one blocking member that is integrated in the actuating element.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 1, 2008
Date of Patent:
March 8, 2011
Assignee:
Volkswagen AG
Inventors:
Roberto Follesa, Peter Schmuda von Trzebiatowski
Abstract: A front hood safety closure system for motor vehicles includes a rotary latch disposed in a manner allowing it to swivel about an axis, a catch hook assigned to it, a striker as well as a retaining pawl likewise disposed in a manner allowing it to swivel about an axis, in the closed position of the front hood, the rotary latch being operatively connected to the striker located on the front hood in that the rotary latch receives the middle limb of the substantially U-shaped striker within a fork-shaped recess adapted to the shape of the striker, and when the locking of the front hood is released, the striker being operatively connected to the catch hook performing a safety function upon release of the retention by the rotary latch, both the rotary latch and the retaining pawl being assigned a stop, and the retaining pawl being operable by a Bowden cable or electromotive drive.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 22, 2008
Publication date:
February 3, 2011
Applicants:
Volkswagen AG, AUDI AG
Inventors:
Dieter Meyer, Alexander Schaaf, Florian Zysk, Michael Drescher, Bernd Krauter
Abstract: A built-in instrument cluster for a motor vehicle includes at least one display device, which emits image-forming light and is arranged in the direct field of view of an observer, and at least one illuminated and/or self-illuminating electromechanical indicator device, which is arranged in the observer's field of view, at an angle to the display device, and is moved into the observer's field of view together with the display device via an optical combiner, which is arranged to reflect the image-forming light of the electromechanical indicator device. In order to be able to integrate such an instrument cluster into the tight spatial conditions in the instrument panel in the steering-column region, it is provided that the electromechanical indicator device is at least partially provided by light guides and/or light projectors to save depth at abutting vehicle components.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 31, 2005
Date of Patent:
January 18, 2011
Assignee:
Volkswagen AG
Inventors:
Thomas Kiesewetter, Paolo Vaz, Niclas Meyer, Gustav Hofmann, Helge Neuner, Robert Hofmann, Ralf Wenzel
Abstract: A method for controlling a drivetrain of a motor vehicle is provided. The drivetrain includes, as components, at least an internal combustion engine, an electric drive machine, a clutch and a transmission that can be connected to drive wheels. A control device initiates gear shifts at the transmission based on a wide variety of sensor signals by using a characteristic diagram. In order to ensure an excellent shift quality over long operating periods, a drive torque value MV of the internal combustion engine, which is determined by the control device, can be checked and if necessary corrected in dependence of given conditions by determining the drive torque value ME of the electric drive machine.
Abstract: A radio for a motor vehicle includes a housing in which a radio module and a digital radio decoder are arranged. The radio module includes a radio-module low-frequency input and a radio-module low-frequency output for the emission of a low-frequency signal which is inputted via the radio-module low-frequency input. The digital radio decoder includes a decoder high-frequency input, a decoder high-frequency output which is connected to the radio-module low-frequency input and a digital radio receiver for converting a digital radio signal inputted into the decoder high-frequency input into a low-frequency signal and for emitting the low-frequency signal via the decoder low-frequency output.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 8, 2005
Date of Patent:
November 30, 2010
Assignee:
Volkswagen AG
Inventors:
Frank Nowack, Stephan Volker, Klaus-Gert Besel
Abstract: A wiper blade (10) comprising a wiper strip (24) that is provided with a folding wedge (38) and a wiper strip back (34) that are connected to each other via a tilting web (36). It is proposed that additional webs (42) be arranged lateral to the tilting web (36).