Patents by Inventor Carl-Eike Hofmeister

Carl-Eike Hofmeister 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: 9181891
    Abstract: A method and a device for identifying errors in emission-relevant control devices of a vehicle, such as the injection of fuel into a cylinder, allows error identification even if none of the sub-systems exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The method has the following steps: determining whether at least one parameter, which permits conclusions to be drawn about the emission behavior of the respective control device, lies in a desired range; if the parameter lies outside said desired range, an error value that correlates to an increase in emissions is stored; if the parameter is in the desired range, an error value of zero is stored; a total error value is formed from all error values of the control device and an error message is output if the total error value exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer
  • Patent number: 9068524
    Abstract: In a fault analysis method for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an angular speed of the internal combustion engine is determined, and one parameter of the combustion process of one of the plurality of cylinders (6) is adapted in order to equalize the times taken by the internal combustion engine to cover in each case one angle interval. To provide a fault analysis method which makes it possible to detect a defective cylinder (6), it is determined that one of the plurality of cylinders (6) is defective on the basis of the value of the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Shahid Afsar Malik, Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Matthias Stampfer
  • Patent number: 8806927
    Abstract: In a method for testing a pressure sensor of a fuel accumulator device in an internal combustion engine, the pressure in the fuel accumulator device is altered using a first actuating variable. The influence of that alteration on the torque generated by the internal combustion engine is determined by a closed loop control system adjusting a second actuating variable to counteract the effect of the first on the torque output by the internal combustion engine. A deviation of the measured alteration from the expected alteration is then calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer, Matthias Stampfer
  • Patent number: 8725391
    Abstract: In order to locate errors of the rail pressure sensor (38) when starting problems occur, the following method steps are proposed: determination of whether starting problems occur in the engine and if this is the case, an engine state is induced, in which the engine controller is already active but the starting phase of the engine has not yet commenced; substitution of the measured rail pressure sensor value used by the engine controller with a substitute value; start attempt of the engine and determination whether the engine has achieved an independent operation; and identification of an error function of the rail pressure sensor if the starting problems only occur when the measured rail pressure sensor value is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer, Matthias Stampfer
  • Patent number: 8408054
    Abstract: A method and system for adapting the operation of emission-relevant control devices of a vehicle in a predetermined driving mode having a shorter expected duration that a duration of a preferred test cycle may include several steps. A first step may include determining whether the vehicle has reached the predetermined driving mode. A second step may include diagnosing at least one parameter associated with operation of at least one of the emission-relevant control devices. A third step may include comparing the at least one parameter with a setpoint range or a setpoint value. A fourth step may include carrying out at least a first section of an adaptation for the operation of the at least one emission-relevant control devices. The first section of the adaptation may include optimizing at least one of a plurality of operating points of the at least one emission-relevant control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer
  • Publication number: 20110295485
    Abstract: in a fault analysis method for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an angular speed of the internal combustion engine is determined, and one parameter of the combustion process of one of the plurality of cylinders (6) is adapted in order to equalize the times taken by the internal combustion engine to cover in each case one angle interval. To provide a fault analysis method which makes it possible to detect a defective cylinder (6), it is determined that one of the plurality of cylinders (6) is defective on the basis of the value of the parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Shahid Afsar Malik, Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Matthias Stampfer
  • Patent number: 7962277
    Abstract: During the operation of an internal combustion engine, a check is made whether the engine functions in an error-free manner in relation to the engine noise. If not, a current value of a cylinder-specific fuel quantity in a cylinder is determined. A check is made whether a current injected cylinder-specific fuel quantity in one of the cylinders is too low or high to check with respect to a cylinder-specific motor speed N_CYL, by comparing a current value of the cylinder-specific injection quantity in the relevant cylinder with a stored reference value of the cylinder-specific injection quantity of the relevant cylinder at the current operating point. A check with respect to the cylinder-specific motor speeds of one of the cylinders is deactivated, if the current injected cylinder-specific fuel quantity in the relevant cylinder is too low or high to check the relevant cylinder with respect to the cylinder-specific motor speed N_CYL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer
  • Publication number: 20110098976
    Abstract: In order to locate errors of the rail pressure sensor (38) when starting problems occur, the following method steps are proposed: determination of whether starting problems occur in the engine and if this is the case, an engine state is induced, in which the engine controller is already active but the starting phase of the engine has not yet commenced; substitution of the measured rail pressure sensor value used by the engine controller with a substitute value; start attempt of the engine and determination whether the engine has achieved an independent operation; and identification of an error function of the rail pressure sensor if the starting problems only occur when the measured rail pressure sensor value is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer, Matthias Stampfer
  • Publication number: 20110077842
    Abstract: In a method for testing a pressure sensor of a fuel accumulator device in an internal combustion engine, the pressure in the fuel accumulator device is altered and the influence of said alteration on the torque generated by the internal combustion engine is determined. A deviation of the measured alteration from the expected alteration is then calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer, Matthias Stampfer
  • Publication number: 20100305811
    Abstract: A method and a device for identifying errors in emission-relevant control devices of a vehicle, such as the injection of fuel into a cylinder, allows error identification even if none of the sub-systems exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The method has the following steps: determining whether at least one parameter, which permits conclusions to be drawn about the emission behaviour of the respective control device, lies in a desired range; if the parameter lies outside said desired range, an error value that correlates to an increase in emissions is stored; if the parameter is in the desired range, an error value of zero is stored; a total error value is formed from all error values of the control device and an error message is output if the total error value exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer
  • Publication number: 20100292866
    Abstract: To operate a motor vehicle (2) when at least one predefined event (EVE1) of a motor vehicle (2) occurs (ACT), at least one vehicle function (FCT) assigned to the predefined event (EVE1) is determined by assignment (LINK) via at least one first adjaceny list (AD_LIST1). Then, the determined vehicle function (FCT) is started or blocked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer, Ulrich Voll
  • Publication number: 20100275680
    Abstract: In a method and a device which allow carrying out of at least part of the adaptation and the diagnosis of a defined driving mode, the following steps are performed: determining whether the vehicle has reached a defined driving mode, carrying out a diagnosis of at least one of the emission-relevant control devices once it is detected that the vehicle has reached the defined driving mode, the diagnosis determining and optimizing at least one parameter of an operating point of at least one emission-relevant control device if said parameter deviates from a set range or a set value; and carrying out at least one adaptation step of the adaptation of at least one emission-relevant control device, at least one parameter of a plurality of operating points of the emission-relevant control devices being determined and optimized during said adaptation if said parameter deviates from a set range or a set value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer
  • Publication number: 20090326787
    Abstract: During the operation of an internal combustion engine, a check is made whether the engine functions in an error-free manner in relation to the engine noise. If not, a current value of a cylinder-specific fuel quantity in a cylinder is determined. A check is made whether a current injected cylinder-specific fuel quantity in one of the cylinders is too low or high to check with respect to a cylinder-specific motor speed N_CYL, by comparing a current value of the cylinder-specific injection quantity in the relevant cylinder with a stored reference value of the cylinder-specific injection quantity of the relevant cylinder at the current operating point. A check with respect to the cylinder-specific motor speeds of one of the cylinders is deactivated, if the current injected cylinder-specific fuel quantity in the relevant cylinder is too low or high to check the relevant cylinder with respect to the cylinder-specific motor speed N_CYL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer
  • Patent number: 7444993
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the operability of injection system of an internal combustion engine is described whereby, if the quantity of fuel injected changes, a malfunction source is detected according to the behavior of the pressure obtaining in the high-pressure accumulator. An appropriate emergency control program is executed by the control unit depending on the malfunction source detected. The method describes enables a malfunction source to be simply and accurately analyzed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Carl-Eike Hofmeister
  • Publication number: 20080109144
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the operability of injection system of an internal combustion engine is described whereby, if the quantity of fuel injected changes, a malfunction source is detected according to the behavior of the pressure obtaining in the high-pressure accumulator. An appropriate emergency control program is executed by the control unit depending on the malfunction source detected. The method describes enables a malfunction source to be simply and accurately analyzed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: Carl-Eike Hofmeister
  • Patent number: 7130768
    Abstract: In control systems (5) for internal combustion engines (14) in motor vehicles it is known that fault diagnoses are carried out to ensure the functional reliability of the internal combustion engine (14) or the motor vehicle even in the event of a fault. If a fault symptom (1) occurs, the cause of the fault is determined and a diagnosis manager (3) is used as a rule to deactivate the defective control system (5) completely or to initiate an emergency operation function. It is proposed that all information relating to fault symptoms should be listed, the actual cause should be determined by comparison with stored fault profiles and as a result only the smallest possible restriction of the functions of the relevant control systems (5) should be initiated. This has the advantage that the control system (5) can as a rule continue to be operated despite their restricted functional scope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Käsbauer, Martin Prenninger
  • Publication number: 20050114087
    Abstract: In control systems (5) for internal combustion engines (14) in motor vehicles it is known that fault diagnoses are carried out to ensure the functional reliability of the internal combustion engine (14) or the motor vehicle even in the event of a fault. If a fault symptom (1) occurs, the cause of the fault is determined and a diagnosis manager (3) is used as a rule to deactivate the defective control system (5) completely or to initiate an emergency operation function. It is proposed that all information relating to fault symptoms should be listed, the actual cause should be determined by comparison with stored fault profiles and as a result only the smallest possible restriction of the functions of the relevant control systems (5) should be initiated. This has the advantage that the control system (5) can as a rule continue to be operated despite their restricted functional scope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: Carl-Eike Hofmeister, Michael Kasbauer, Martin Prenninger