Patents by Inventor Bernd Heppner

Bernd Heppner 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).

  • Publication number: 20210111438
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery unit (10) for use on an on-board power system (50) of a motor vehicle, comprising a battery module (20) and a battery management system (40) for monitoring and regulating the battery module (20). In this context, a communication unit (30) is detachably connected to the battery management system (40), which communication unit (30) has a receiver unit for receiving data from the battery management system (40), a conversion unit for converting the data received by the battery management system (40), and a transmission unit for transmitting converted data to a control device of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Manuel Hohenauer, Andreas Lemke, Bernd Heppner, Frank Stiegler, Henryk Weihs, Jens Koerner, Karl Kloess, Klaus-Juergen Schuler, Matthias Gernsbeck, Michael Steil, Steffen Adolf
  • Publication number: 20190375353
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery unit for use on an electrical system of a motor vehicle, comprising a battery module and a coupling unit (30). The coupling unit has a first and a second connection (31 and 32), a first and a second DC converter (41 and 42). The first DC converter (41) allows a bidirectional current flow between the connections (31, 32), the second DC converter (42) allows a current flow from the first connection (31) to the second connection (32). The battery unit comprises a control system. The control system controls the DC converter. The invention also relates to a method for operating the battery unit on a motor vehicle's electrical system. A coupling current (1k) flowing through the coupling unit (30) is measured. When the coupling current (1k) flows from the first connection (31) to the second connection (32) and falls short of a first threshold value, the second DC converter (42) is connected and the first DC converter (41) is disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Manuel Hohenauer, Andreas Lemke, Bernd Heppner, Frank Stiegler, Henryk Weihs, Jens Koerner, Karl Kloess, Klaus-Juergen Schuler, Matthias Gernsbeck, Michael Steil, Steffen Adolf
  • Patent number: 10291415
    Abstract: A method of configuring a controller for communication with at least one instrument module includes electrically connecting an interface of the at least one instrument module to an interface of the controller, receiving with the controller an identification signal from the interface of the at least one instrument module through a portion of the interface of the controller, and executing with the controller a configuration program that corresponds to the identification signal to enable communication between the at least one instrument module and the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignees: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank E. Anderson, Bernd Heppner
  • Publication number: 20150339252
    Abstract: A method of configuring a controller for communication with at least one instrument module includes electrically connecting an interface of the at least one instrument module to an interface of the controller, receiving with the controller an identification signal from the interface of the at least one instrument module through a portion of the interface of the controller, and executing with the controller a configuration program that corresponds to the identification signal to enable communication between the at least one instrument module and the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Frank E. Anderson, Bernd Heppner
  • Patent number: 5715676
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the starting behavior of a catalytic conversion system by placing an apparatus in the exhaust-gas pipe of an internal combustion engine. The conversion power of the starting region can be determined from the temperature which results when an air/fuel mixture is fed to the catalytic conversion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Schnaibel, Erich Schneider, Wolfgang Richter, Axel Stuber, Bernd Heppner
  • Patent number: 5293740
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for controlling the fuel quantity for an internal combustion engine having a catalytic converter and includes the steps of: determining the air mass flow inducted by the engine; determining a precontrol variable for the quantity of fuel in dependence on current values of operating variables of the engine; presetting a desired lambda value for the air/fuel mixture to be supplied to the engine; checking the actual lambda value of the exhaust gas forward of the catalytic converter; comparing the desired lambda value to the actual lambda value to form a comparison; controlling the fuel quantity in dependence upon the comparison; determining the oxygen actual charge level of the catalytic converter; comparing the determined actual charge level to a desired charge level; and, then, when the actual charge level is greater than the desired charge level, lowering the desired lambda value to below the value one; otherwise, when the actual charge level is less than the desired charg
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Heppner, Wolfgang Richter, Axel Stuber