Patents by Inventor Christoph Henel

Christoph Henel 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: 10940836
    Abstract: A method is provided to adjust an activating braking pressure threshold value of an automatic vehicle brake holding system of a vehicle. If a braking pressure that is generated through actuation of a vehicle brake of the vehicle exceeds an activating braking pressure threshold value while the vehicle is at a standstill, a brake holding state of the vehicle brake holding system is activated and a procedure for ascertaining time is started. A vehicle movement is ascertained during an activated brake holding state within a monitoring procedure period of time since starting the procedure to ascertain time. If a movement occurs within the monitoring procedure period of time, a value of a number of ascertained movements is increased. If this value exceeds a movement threshold value, the activating braking pressure threshold value is increased and the value of the number of ascertained movements is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christoph Henel, Tom Ramakers, Tadeusz Bularz
  • Patent number: 10407067
    Abstract: A hill start assist system for a motor vehicle including a control system using sensor data from at least one sensor to provide the hill start assist with improved response behavior. The control system activating the hill start assist automatically and independently of whether the motor vehicle is on an upward incline depending on sensor data from the sensor indicating a local upward gradient in a driving surface in a region of a vehicle axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christoph Henel, Sebastian Leitermann, Tadeusz Bularz, Marc Suermann
  • Publication number: 20180362002
    Abstract: A method is provided to adjust an activating braking pressure threshold value of an automatic vehicle brake holding system of a vehicle. If a braking pressure that is generated through actuation of a vehicle brake of the vehicle exceeds an activating braking pressure threshold value while the vehicle is at a standstill, a brake holding state of the vehicle brake holding system is activated and a procedure for ascertaining time is started. A vehicle movement is ascertained during an activated brake holding state within a monitoring procedure period of time since starting the procedure to ascertain time. If a movement occurs within the monitoring procedure period of time, a value of a number of ascertained movements is increased. If this value exceeds a movement threshold value, the activating braking pressure threshold value is increased and the value of the number of ascertained movements is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christoph HENEL, Tom RAMAKERS, Tadeusz BULARZ
  • Patent number: 9944288
    Abstract: A transmission controller implements a neutral idle feature to reduce fuel consumption. A brake controller implements a Hill Start Assist feature to prevent roll-back when a vehicle is launching on an uphill grade. The transmission controller and the brake controller communicate to implement these features in a synergistic manner. Within certain road grade ranges, the transmission requests Hill Start Assist before activating neutral idle and does not activate neutral idle until it receives confirmation that Hill Start Assist is active. The transmission controller provides a powertrain torque estimate to the brake controller which the brake controller uses to determine when to release the brakes during an assisted start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Guopeng Hu, Zhengyu Dai, Christoph Henel, Sathish Atluri, Yang Xu
  • Publication number: 20170015327
    Abstract: A hill start assist system for a motor vehicle including a control system using sensor data from at least one sensor to provide the hill start assist with improved response behavior. The control system activating the hill start assist automatically and independently of whether the motor vehicle is on an upward incline depending on sensor data from the sensor indicating a local upward gradient in a driving surface in a region of a vehicle axle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christoph Henel, Sebastian Leitermann, Tadeusz Bularz, Marc Suermann