Patents Assigned to Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
  • Publication number: 20210181150
    Abstract: A method for characterizing at least one joined connection between at least two components, whereby an eddy-current sensor is consecutively moved several times over the at least one weld, thereby generating a plurality of data sets of the detected measuring signals in various parallel sectional planes of the weld, and whereby, on the basis of the plurality of data sets, a projection data set is subsequently determined as the measure of the spatial distribution of the measuring signals along the at least one joined connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicants: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, PLR Prüftechnik Linke & Rühe GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis BÖHM, Alexander BREUER, Karsten DILZ, Mathias KRAKEN, Malte SCHÖNEMANN, Patrick ZIHRUL
  • Publication number: 20210179144
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a self-propelled motor vehicle having a plurality of control units and a plurality of program codes for controlling the function of autonomous driving and possibly other functions of the self-propelled vehicle, wherein a plurality of program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are redundantly applied to at least two different control units. In doing so, the self-propelled motor vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed to satisfy the passenger's wishes are ascertained and weighted corresponding to their relevance for satisfying the passenger's wishes. In so doing, the functions, or the scope of functions, are released depending on the achievement of a target achievement level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis
  • Patent number: 11038190
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell that includes a membrane electrode unit with a membrane and two electrodes which make surface contact with both faces of the membrane. The membrane electrode assembly has a seal support that surrounds the periphery of the membrane and that overlaps the latter. The membrane electrode also has a connecting layer which continuously overlaps the membrane and the seal support, an inner edge section of the connecting layer being bonded to the membrane electrode unit and an outer edge section of the connecting layer being bonded to the seal support on the same flat face of the connecting layer. A seal is connected outside the membrane to the seal support. A fuel cell is provided that includes a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies. A motor vehicle includes the fuel cell and a method is provided for producing the membrane electrode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Benno Andreas-Schott
  • Patent number: 11034102
    Abstract: A process arrangement and a process for the production of a fiber-reinforced plastics component made of at least one continuous-fiber-reinforced semifinished textile fiber product with reactive thermoplastic matrix material, where during the manufacture of the semifinished fiber product trimming residues (mR, mA) arise, composed of a composite made of fibers and of the reactive thermoplastic matrix material, and during finishing of the finished plastics component final-trimming residues (mE) arise, composed of a composite of fibers and of polymerized thermoplastic matrix material, and are further processed in a recycling unit to give a recyclate. The trimming residues arising during the manufacture of the semifinished fiber product are polymerized in a preparatory unit and then are delivered in the invention to the recycling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Mertens, Max Ehleben, Christine Kunze, Olaf Täger, Maurice Bitterlich, Katja Zeuner, Philippe Desbois, Andreas Wollny
  • Patent number: 11035285
    Abstract: An internal combustion machine includes a combustion engine and a cooling system with a coolant pump, a main cooler, a heating heat exchanger, a bypass bypassing the heating heat exchanger, coolant channels, and a regulating device with an actuator for distributing a coolant depending on at least one local coolant temperature. When the actuator is actuated in a given direction, the regulating device allows a coolant flow through the combustion engine and the heating heat exchanger and prevents a coolant flow through the bypass and the main cooler in a first position; additionally allows a coolant flow through the bypass in a second position; and additionally allows a coolant flow through the main cooler in a third position. In a zero position which lies before the first position, the regulating device prevents a coolant flow through the combustion engine and allows a coolant flow through the heating heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Kloft, Tobias Jaeckel, Ralf Lüders
  • Patent number: 11035270
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, the internal combustion engine being connected via the exhaust thereof with an exhaust system. Disposed in the exhaust system is a heat exchanger of an exhaust heat recovery system, which can be used to transfer the waste heat of the exhaust gas to an operating fluid of the exhaust heat recovery system. Furthermore, the internal combustion engine is couplable to an air-conditioning compressor of an air-conditioning circuit. The exhaust heat recovery system has a further heat exchanger, in which the waste heat of a compressed refrigerant of the air-conditioning circuit is transferred to the operating fluid of the exhaust heat recovery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Artur Semke, Asmus Carstensen, Hardy Naumann, André Horn, Thomas Schulenburg, Thomas Maischik
  • Publication number: 20210172762
    Abstract: A method for calibrating at least one position sensor in a vehicle is provided, comprising: saving a map in the vehicle with at least one item of virtual location information from the environment of a predefined calibration route, moving the vehicle on the predefined calibration route, detecting at least one item of actual location information via the at least one position sensor while the vehicle moves on the predefined calibration route, carrying out a comparison between the at least one item of virtual location information and the at least one item of actual location information, calculating a map-based movement of the vehicle within the saved map based on the comparison, calculating an odometry-based movement of the vehicle, and calibrating the at least one position sensor based on a comparison between the map-based movement and the odometry-based movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Michael Rohlfs
  • Publication number: 20210176631
    Abstract: Devices, methods, and a computer program for releasing transportation vehicle components and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication module. The device for releasing a vehicle component of a transportation vehicle includes at least one interface for communication with further vehicle components of the transportation vehicle and a control module for controlling the at least one interface to receive messages from the further vehicle components of the transportation vehicle and to verify the identity of the further vehicle components based on the received messages and the stored identification data of the further vehicle components. The messages on which the verification of the identity of the further vehicle components is based are messages used in regular operation of the vehicle component. The control module also releases the vehicle component in response to the identity of the further transportation vehicle components being consistent with the stored identification data of the further vehicle components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Timo WINKELVOS, Alexander TSCHACHE
  • Patent number: 11027311
    Abstract: A flow aid for an infusion arrangement for infiltrating a resin into a fiber material, wherein at least two different resin-permeable plies, which lie atop one another and are joined to one another in the region of their faces lying atop one another, with one ply being a peel ply which on its exposed face is covered sectionally or over the full area with an adhesive agent, which is covered with a removable protective ply, or which can be activated after the mounting of the flow aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Eleftherios Gerolymos
  • Patent number: 11028766
    Abstract: A method of operating a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine has at least one combustion engine which is connected by a rotary drive via a transmission and optionally a clutch with powered wheels of the motor vehicle, and further comprises a fresh gas line, and wherein in the fresh gas line, a compressor is integrated, which is associated with a trim controller, by means of which an edge-side portion of the inlet cross section of a compressor impeller of the compressor is coverable to a variable extent. In this case, in a release position of the trim controller, the edge-side portion of the inlet cross section is covered relatively little, preferably the least possible, and in a covering position of the trim controller, is mostly covered, preferably as much as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Javier Bartolome, Manuel Vahldiek, Dirk Hagelstein, Arne Staats
  • Patent number: 11028745
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for regenerating a particle filter in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, comprising at least the following steps: a) performing a first regeneration of the particle filter until a lower threshold value of a particle load of the particle filter is reached; b) performing a verification measurement, wherein the internal combustion engine is operated at a first operating point such that an exhaust gas having at least—an excess of oxygen or—an elevated first temperature is provided upstream of the particle filter; wherein, if an increase of a second temperature is detected downstream of the particle filter during or after step b), c) a second regeneration of the particle filter is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Florian Zink
  • Publication number: 20210166085
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an object classification method, comprising: classifying an object based on sensor data from a sensor, wherein the classification is based on a training of an artificial intelligence, wherein the training comprises: obtaining first sensor data which are indicative of the object; obtaining second sensor data which are indicative of the object, wherein a partial symmetry exists between the first and second sensor data; detecting the partial symmetry; and creating an object class based on the detected partial symmetry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Schlicht, Nico Maurice Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20210166051
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for determining the articulation angle of a combination, consisting of a towing vehicle and a trailer attached using a tongue, by identifying the hitch tongue using a digital back-up camera with variable exposure times, the following steps being carried out: a) recording a first color image of the rear environment of the towing vehicle, the color image being based on the HSY color space, b) analyzing the hue values, saturation values and brightness values of adjacent surfaces of a vehicle-environment region that is to be evaluated, c) determining the tongue from the first color image using an edge detection method in order to determine the articulation angle if the hue values, saturation values and brightness values of adjacent surfaces in the region that is to be evaluated are substantially equal, “substantially equal” meaning that the values of hue, saturation and brightness of adjacent surfaces differ by at most a first threshold in percent, d) recording a
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marco Jähnisch, Oliver Berger, Christoph Erfurth
  • Patent number: 11022022
    Abstract: A cooling system for a motor vehicle, has a first cooling circuit arrangement with a first coolant cooler and a second coolant circuit arrangement with a second coolant cooler. A cooling air supply to the first coolant cooler can be varied by means of a first cover device, and a cooling air supply to the second coolant cooler can be varied by means of a second cover device. The first cover device and the second cover device can be moved by means of an interposed gear of a shared drive, whereby the gear is configured such that, when the drive is being operated for opening purposes, the second cover device is moved earlier and/or faster than the first cover device out of a closed position in the direction of an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Marc Braunhardt, Wido Stürwold
  • Patent number: 11021157
    Abstract: A controller for a motor vehicle (1) has an internal combustion engine (3), a transmission (4), and a cooling device (5) with a coolant (5b) for cooling the internal combustion engine (3), wherein the controller (2) is configured to determine a target minimum rotational speed for the internal combustion engine (3) on the basis of the temperature of the internal combustion engine (3) and/or the temperature of the coolant (5b) and to determine a target gear setting on the basis of the target minimum rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Christian Jungnickel, Jens Wodausch
  • Patent number: 11021131
    Abstract: A safety belt arrangement for a vehicle, with a belt force limiting unit which is constructed as a piston/cylinder assembly having a piston tube and a piston, which in the event of the belt force being limited is displaceable by a force limiting path in the piston tube, while expanding and plastically deforming the latter, whereby the belt force exerted on a vehicle occupant is limited to a predefined level of force. According to the invention, at least one tube element, which can be pushed telescopically onto the piston tube to form a double tube structure, is provided for setting the force level course over the force limiting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Carsten Moeker
  • Patent number: D920876
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Oscar Mendoza Jaime
  • Patent number: D920878
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Ranbir Kalha
  • Patent number: D921544
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Felipe Montoya Bueloni
  • Patent number: D922411
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Indra-Lena Kögler