Patents by Inventor Brad G. Hochrein

Brad G. Hochrein 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: 8504246
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle steering system, comprising receiving at least one signal corresponding to one or more of a lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration, a vertical acceleration, a suspension travel, and a vehicle speed, calculating or determining an optimum steering rack travel from the at least one signal, and limiting travel of a steering rack of the vehicle based on the optimum steering rack travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jens F. Christiansen, Michael J. Kipley, Brad G. Hochrein
  • Publication number: 20120221206
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle steering system, comprising receiving at least one signal corresponding to one or more of a lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration, a vertical acceleration, a suspension travel, and a vehicle speed, calculating or determining an optimum steering rack travel from the at least one signal, and limiting travel of a steering rack of the vehicle based on the optimum steering rack travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jens F. CHRISTIANSEN, Michael J. KIPLEY, Brad G. HOCHREIN
  • Patent number: 8155836
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle steering system, comprising receiving at least one signal corresponding to one or more of a lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration, a vertical acceleration, a suspension travel, and a vehicle speed, calculating or determining an optimum steering rack travel from the at least one signal, and limiting travel of a steering rack of the vehicle based on the optimum steering rack travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jens F. Christiansen, Michael J. Kipley, Brad G. Hochrein
  • Patent number: 7954593
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for compensating for drive influences of a drive train of a motor vehicle on its steering system, said motor vehicle having an electric power steering system. A drive train simulation model which is integrated into the motor vehicle and permanently activated is used to determine disturbance variables from a driven behavior so that a compensation torque which counteracts the disturbance variables is generated for the power steering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventors: Jens Dornhege, Torsten Wey, Timothy Gerard Offerle, Brad G. Hochrein, Rakan C. Chabaan, Kirt L. Eschtruth
  • Publication number: 20090187311
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle steering system, comprising receiving at least one signal corresponding to one or more of a lateral acceleration, a longitudinal acceleration, a vertical acceleration, a suspension travel, and a vehicle speed, calculating or determining an optimum steering rack travel from the at least one signal, and limiting travel of a steering rack of the vehicle based on the optimum steering rack travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Jens F. Christiansen, Michael J. Kipley, Brad G. Hochrein
  • Publication number: 20090150018
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting and identifying friction in a vehicle having an electric power steering system comprising the steps of measuring predetermined vehicle states, estimating vehicle states using predetermined signals to define idealized vehicle states, calculating a confidence factor to be applied to the idealized vehicle states to determine valid idealized vehicle states, comparing the measured predetermined vehicle states to the valid idealized vehicle states to isolate signal data of interest and define an estimate of friction present in the steering system, applying friction boundaries to the estimate of friction present in the steering system, qualifying the estimate of friction, and setting an internal software flag for the purpose of acknowledging the presence of high friction in the event the estimate of friction exceeds the friction threshold boundaries for a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Andrew Brown, Darrel Recker, Brad G. Hochrein, William J. Bouse
  • Publication number: 20090078494
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for compensating for drive influences of a drive train of a motor vehicle on its steering system, said motor vehicle having an electric power steering system. A drive train simulation model which is integrated into the motor vehicle and permanently activated is used to determine disturbance variables from a driven behavior so that a compensation torque which counteracts the disturbance variables is generated for the power steering system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Jens Dornhege, Torsten Wey, Timothy Gerard Offerle, Brad G. Hochrein, Rakan C. Chabaan, Kirt L. Eschtruth