Patents by Inventor Bernd Pfaffeneder
Bernd Pfaffeneder 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).
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Patent number: 9709044Abstract: A method for supplying vacuum for a pneumatic brake booster for a motor vehicle braking system, using an electromotively-driven displacement type pump assembly. At least one pressure sensor for monitoring a pneumatic pressure is associated with the pump assembly, and electric signals of the pressure sensor are fed to an electronic unit, analyzed, and processed in order to regulate the pressure. A plausibility check of the pressure sensor signal is carried out by a pressure value amplitude being determined, by signal analysis, in the form of a difference between a maximum pressure value and a minimum pressure value within a stroke of the displacement element, and this being compared to a stored comparison value wherein if the pressure value amplitude deviates from the comparison value by a defined amount, the signal of the pressure sensor is then defined as implausible.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2013Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHGInventors: Alexander Kalbeck, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Jürgen Stürzer
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Publication number: 20150322930Abstract: A method for supplying vacuum for a pneumatic brake booster for a motor vehicle braking system, using an electromotively-driven displacement type pump assembly. At least one pressure sensor for monitoring a pneumatic pressure is associated with the pump assembly, and electric signals of the pressure sensor are fed to an electronic unit, analysed, and processed in order to regulate the pressure. A plausibility check of the pressure sensor signal is carried out by a pressure value amplitude being determined, by signal analysis, in the form of a difference between a maximum pressure value and a minimum pressure value within a stroke of the displacement element, and this being compared to a stored comparison value wherein if the pressure value amplitude deviates from the comparison value by a defined amount, the signal of the pressure sensor is then defined as implausible.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2013Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: Alexander Kalbeck, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Jürgen Stürzer
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Patent number: 9020684Abstract: A computer-implemented method for monitoring the function of a safety monitoring system of a control unit of an actuator system of a motor vehicle, wherein it is checked by the function monitoring whether the safety monitoring is performed faultlessly, wherein the safety monitoring is carried out by a first monitoring entity and the function monitoring is carried out by a second monitoring entity, wherein the first monitoring entity sends a result of the safety monitoring as an information item to the second monitoring entity at defined time intervals, wherein the first monitoring entity and the second monitoring entity are free of a common interface, wherein the information item is received by the second monitoring entity by utilizing an interface between the second monitoring entity and the control unit, and wherein the information item is coded in a format which cannot be interpreted by the control unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2012Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbHInventors: Bernd Pfaffeneder, Alexander Kalbeck, Stefan Goss
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Publication number: 20140168826Abstract: An electric vacuum pump actuating module for boosting the braking force of a motor vehicle, including a main controller and a driver circuit for operating the electric vacuum pump. The driver circuit includes a first and a second switch. The first switch switches a supply voltage above a predefined voltage level of an operating voltage of the vacuum pump. The second switch switches a supply voltage below the voltage level of the vacuum pump. The main controller controls the first switch by first control signals and the second switch by second control signals. The actuating module determines a state of the electric vacuum pump as a first piece of information based on a first response of the electric vacuum pump resulting from the first or second control signals. The actuating module assesses the state of the electric vacuum pump as error-free or erroneous operation of the electric vacuum pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2012Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: Continental Automotive GmBHInventors: Alexander Kalbeck, Jürgen Schicke, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Michael Irsigler
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Publication number: 20140012463Abstract: A computer-implemented method for monitoring the function of a safety monitoring system of a control unit of an actuator system of a motor vehicle, wherein it is checked by the function monitoring whether the safety monitoring is performed faultlessly, wherein the safety monitoring is carried out by a first monitoring entity and the function monitoring is carried out by a second monitoring entity, wherein the first monitoring entity sends a result of the safety monitoring as an information item to the second monitoring entity at defined time intervals, wherein the first monitoring entity and the second monitoring entity are free of a common interface, wherein the information item is received by the second monitoring entity by utilizing an interface between the second monitoring entity and the control unit, and wherein the information item is coded in a format which cannot be interpreted by the control unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2012Publication date: January 9, 2014Inventors: Bernd Pfaffeneder, Alexander Kalbeck, Stefan Goss
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Publication number: 20130342147Abstract: An assembly for controlling an electric vacuum pump for a vehicle, which is connectable by at least one switch, which can be controlled by an electronic control unit, to a supply voltage, wherein the electronic control unit in a start-up phase connects the vacuum pump to an additional electrical resistor between the supply voltage and the vacuum pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2012Publication date: December 26, 2013Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Dieter Bidlingmeyer, Alexander Kalbeck, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Michael Irsigler, Christian Märkl
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Patent number: 7421366Abstract: A bus station for connection to a bus system for a restraining device and/or sensor is used for muting a defective bus station or to have automatic error management carried out in the bus station, to enable the bus station to transmit properly again. For this purpose, the transmitting current and/or the power consumption of the bus station is monitored. The transmitting stage is triggered and, if appropriate, isolated from the bus station as a function of this monitoring. In a refinement a backup transmitting stage may be connected as a replacement for the defective transmitting stage.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2002Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Werner Nitschke, Klaus-Dieter Meier, Knut Balzer, Ewald Mauritz, Heiko Buehring, Hans Bogenrieder, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Holger Wulff
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Patent number: 7400641Abstract: A bus master for a bus for connection of sensors and/or an ignition means device, which has at least two bus driver arrangements allowing data to be received independently of one another. For this purpose a polling operation, specifically using a multiplexer or a demodulator associated through one of the particular bus driver arrangements, is used. Furthermore, a state machine is provided, which also alternatingly determines the system status on the basis of the measured quantities determined on the bus conductor for the particular bus driver arrangement. In a refinement, a particular bus driver may have a dedicated processor for system status determination.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2002Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Conti Temic Microelectronics GmbH, Siemens AGInventors: Werner Nitschke, Klaus-Dieter Meier, Knut Balzer, Ewald Mauritz, Heiko Buehring, Hans Bogenrieder, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Hölger Wulff
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Patent number: 7197667Abstract: The error-free function of modules in a bus system with a central unit is tested. First, all (error-free) modules are set into a silent operating mode in response to an agreed silence-command, and then in this silent operating mode it is tested whether all modules still remain silent, i.e. do not transmit data, in response to an agreed data request allocated to these modules. A module that nonetheless transmits data is recognized as faulty and is deactivated. Subsequently, all modules except for a module to be tested are set into the silent operating mode, and then it is tested whether this test module transmits its data in response to the agreed data requests allocated to it and remains silent in response to the data requests not allocated to it. Additionally, the position of the return-transmitted data can be determined and compared with a nominal position.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2002Date of Patent: March 27, 2007Assignees: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH, Robert Bosch GmbH, Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Hans-Georg Bogenrieder, Holger Wulff, Heiko Buehring, Ewald Mauritz, Klaus-Dieter Meier, Bernd Pfaffeneder
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Sensor adapted for connection to a bus and method for supplying power to a sensor connected to a bus
Patent number: 7176587Abstract: A sensor adapted for connection to a bus and a method for supplying power to a sensor connected to a bus are described, which serve to minimize the power consumption of a sensor connected to the bus. To this end, power for a sensor is stored in an energy storage device in a first time period and is discharged in a second time period, that is, the measurement time, in order to supply the sensor element with power. A capacitor is used as the energy storage device, and the charging of the capacitor is monitored by a voltage monitoring device.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2002Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Werner Nitschke, Klaus-Dieter Meier, Knut Balzer, Ewald Mauritz, Heiko Buehring, Hans Bogenrieder, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Holger Wulff -
Patent number: 7016770Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a first coding or decoding rule for a normal operation and of a second coding or decoding rule for a particular operation. Said invention provides the opportunity for speedily transmitting data between different satellite devices arranged in a motor vehicle and an evaluation unit arranged, for example in the central part thereof, even when the data bus (31, 32) of a transmission channel CAN (3) is externally short circuited, for example by a traffic accident, i.e. the data bus BUS L (32) and the data bus BUS H (31) are connected to earth (GND) or to a battery (Vbat). The invention can be used, in particular for protecting passengers.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2003Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Bernd Pfaffeneder
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Publication number: 20050273210Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a first coding or decoding rule for a normal operation and of a second coding or decoding rule for a particular operation. Said invention provides the opportunity for speedily transmitting data between different satellite devices arranged in a motor vehicle and an evaluation unit arranged, for example in the central part thereof, even when the data bus (31, 32) of a transmission channel CAN (3) is externally short circuited, for example by a traffic accident, i.e. the data bus BUS L (32) and the data bus BUS H (31) are connected to earth (GND) or to a battery (Vbat). The invention can be used, in particular for protecting passengers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2003Publication date: December 8, 2005Inventor: Bernd Pfaffeneder
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Publication number: 20050076270Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the testing of the error-free function of modules in a bus system with a central unit as well as suitable modules, a corresponding central unit and a corresponding bus system. For this purpose, an especially agreed-upon silence-command is provided, in response to which the modules in the error-free condition switch into a silent operating mode, and also expressly transmit no data particularly in response to the data requests allocated to the modules. By means of this silence-command, at first all modules can be set into the silent operating mode, and then by means of the agreed data request it can be tested whether all modules still switch into the silent operating mode. A module that nonetheless still transmits is recognized as faulty and is, for example, deactivated.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2002Publication date: April 7, 2005Inventors: Hans-Geroge Bogenrieder, Holger Wulff, Heiko Buehring, Ewald Mauritz, Klaus-Dieter Meier, Bernd Pfaffeneder
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Publication number: 20040172205Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor for connection to a bus and to a method for supplying energy to a sensor that is connected to a bus, which is designed to minimize energy consumption of a sensor connected to a bus. To this end, energy for a sensor is charged in an energy accumulator during a first period and discharged during a second period, that is, during the measuring time, with the purpose of supplying energy to the sensor element. A capacitor is used as energy accumulator and charging of the capacitor is monitored by the voltage monitoring device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2004Publication date: September 2, 2004Inventors: Werner Nitschke, Klaus-Dieter Meier, Knut Balzer, Ewald Mauritz, Heiko Buehring, Hans Bogenrieder, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Holger Wulff
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Publication number: 20040148124Abstract: A bus station for connection to a bus system for restraining means and/or sensor is used for muting a defective bus station or to have automatic error management carried out in the bus station, to enable the bus station to transmit properly again. For this purpose, the transmitting current and/or the power consumption of the bus station is monitored. The transmitting stage is triggered and, if appropriate, isolated from the bus station as a function of this monitoring. In a refinement a backup transmitting stage may be connected as a replacement for the defective transmitting stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2004Publication date: July 29, 2004Inventors: Werner Nitschke, Klaus-Dieter Meier, Knut Balzer, Ewald Mauritz, Heiko Buehring, Hans Bogenrieder, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Holger Wulff
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Publication number: 20040148081Abstract: A bus master for a bus for connection of sensors and/or ignition means is described, which has at least two bus drivers allowing data to be received independently of one another. For this purpose a polling operation, specifically using a multiplexer or a demodulator associated through one of the particular bus drivers, is used. Furthermore, a state machine is provided, which also alternatingly determines the system status on the basis of the measured quantities determined on the bus conductor for the particular bus driver. In a refinement, a particular bus driver may have a dedicated processor for system status determination.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2004Publication date: July 29, 2004Inventors: Werner Nitschke, Klaus-Dieter Meier, Knut Balzer, Ewald Mauritz, Heiko Buehring, Hans Bogenrieder, Bernd Pfaffeneder, Holger Wulff
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Patent number: 6157217Abstract: Computing units that are connected to one another via a bus system are synchronized in that two master units each cyclically output a time signal onto a data line of the bus system. The time signals are received by the computing unit to be synchronized. The unit checks the time signals with reference to its own time base. Particularly reliable synchronization of the computing units is ensured by this means.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 1999Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Dirk Zittlau, Bernd Pfaffeneder