Patents by Inventor Benjamin SPRENGART

Benjamin SPRENGART 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).

  • Patent number: 11867284
    Abstract: A gearbox system for a vehicle includes an automated manual gearbox; a gearbox control device which controls the gearbox; a monostable toggle switch which is movable by a user in two deflection directions to select a plurality of driving ranges of the gearbox control device, and a visual device which displays graphically a gearshift diagram with driving ranges selectable by the monostable toggle switch. The gearbox control device has a further driving range which cannot be selected by the monostable toggle switch but can be exited by moving the monostable toggle switch. The visual device has at least one display to display a symbol indicating at least one deflection direction by which the further driving range can be exited. The gearbox control device may control the at least one display such that the symbol is only displayed when the further driving range is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Peters, Benjamin Sprengart, Gregor Walla
  • Patent number: 11859710
    Abstract: A control unit for an automatic transmission of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a gear selection operating element which allows a user of the vehicle to set different drive positions of the transmission, but not individual gears, by actuating the gear selection operating element. The control unit is configured to determine that a drive position ā€œLā€ has been set using the gear selection operating element, and in response thereto, the control unit is also configured to provide a graphical user interface on a screen of the vehicle. The user interface allows a manual gear shift of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Peters, Benjamin Sprengart
  • Publication number: 20230349461
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gearbox system for a vehicle having: an automated manual gearbox; a gearbox control device designed to control the automated manual gearbox; a monostable toggle switch which can be operated by a user, in particular a driver, and is movable in at least, in particular exactly, two deflection directions and by means of which a plurality of driving ranges of the gearbox control device can be selected by the user; and a visual device which displays or can display graphically a gearshift diagram with driving ranges selectable by the toggle switch. The gearbox control device has a further driving range which cannot be selected by means of the toggle switch but can be exited by moving the toggle switch in at least one of the two deflection directions. The visual device has at least one display designed to display a symbol which indicates the at least one deflection direction of the toggle switch by means of which the further driving range can be exited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Stephan Peters, Benjamin Sprengart, Gregor Walla
  • Publication number: 20220282785
    Abstract: A control unit for an automatic transmission of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a gear selection operating element which allows a user of the vehicle to set different drive positions of the transmission, but not individual gears, by actuating the gear selection operating element. The control unit is configured to determine that a drive position ā€œLā€ has been set using the gear selection operating element, and in response thereto, the control unit is also configured to provide a graphical user interface on a screen of the vehicle. The user interface allows a manual gear shift of the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Stephan PETERS, Benjamin SPRENGART
  • Publication number: 20220243804
    Abstract: A gearbox system for a vehicle includes an automated manual gearbox; a gearbox control device which controls the gearbox; a monostable toggle switch which is movable by a user in two deflection directions to select a plurality of driving ranges of the gearbox control device, and a visual device which displays graphically a gearshift diagram with driving ranges selectable by the monostable toggle switch. The gearbox control device has a further driving range which cannot be selected by the monostable toggle switch but can be exited by moving the monostable toggle switch. The visual device has at least one display to display a symbol indicating at least one deflection direction by which the further driving range can be exited. The gearbox control device may control the at least one display such that the symbol is only displayed when the further driving range is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Stephan PETERS, Benjamin Sprengart, Gregor WALLA
  • Patent number: 11358597
    Abstract: A drive control system for a motor vehicle operated by electric motor has a drive position selector device and an electronic control unit which is connected to the drive position selector. The drive control system is configured in such a way that when a first alternative automatic drive position is selected a comparatively high, not freely selectable recuperation level can be predefined and crawl mode is deactivated, and when a second alternative automatic drive position is selected at least one constant recuperation level or a sailing mode can be predefined and crawl mode is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Elflein, Werner Foag, Andreas Rank, Florian Schnappauf, Benjamin Sprengart, Philipp Wojta
  • Publication number: 20200355265
    Abstract: A drive control system for a motor vehicle operated by electric motor has a drive position selector device and an electronic control unit which is connected to the drive position selector. The drive control system is configured in such a way that when a first alternative automatic drive position is selected a comparatively high, not freely selectable recuperation level can be predefined and crawl mode is deactivated, and when a second alternative automatic drive position is selected at least one constant recuperation level or a sailing mode can be predefined and crawl mode is activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Johannes ELFLEIN, Werner FOAG, Andreas RANK, Florian SCHNAPPAUF, Benjamin SPRENGART, Philipp WOJTA