Patents by Inventor Dieter Sass

Dieter Sass 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: 20230219523
    Abstract: An access system includcomprises a control unit in a vehicle, and a portable electronic device comprising a battery and a switch or a button. The portable electronic device comprises a transponder unit wirelessly supplied with power by the control unit . The control unit transmits a request signal to the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device checks, upon receipt of the request signal, whether supplying power by the battery is possible, provides wireless power supply by the control unit to the transponder unit, transmits a response signal to the control unit when supplying power by the battery is not possible, and when supplying power by the battery is possible and the switch or button was actuated within a specific time period around the receipt of the request signal. The vehicle is unlocked if the portable electronic device is recognized as belonging to the vehicle based on the response signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Sass, Herbert Froitzheim
  • Patent number: 10192374
    Abstract: The present disclosure teaches a receiving circuit for use with a vehicle and serving for receiving a signal of a transponder. The receiving circuit may include a plurality of input paths each having an antenna and a multiplexer with a plurality of switches controlled by control signals and connecting at least one of the input paths to at least one further device in the form of a discharger and/or detuner and/or amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Dieter Sass, Herbert Froitzheim, Norbert van der Heyd
  • Patent number: 10181878
    Abstract: Driver circuit in which a capacitor (4), in a manner controlled by a switch control device (9) which is connected downstream of a current measuring device (8), is charged to a reference voltage (Ur) by means of a charging current (Ic2), and the charged capacitor is discharged in an oscillating manner via an inductor coil (1), wherein the discharging operation is terminated when the current (Ia) through the inductor coil has passed through an entire oscillation period or several oscillation periods, wherein a first controllable switch (5) is connected in series between a first non-reactive resistor (6) and the first capacitor (4) in one of two input paths. Furthermore, a second controllable switch (7) and a fourth controllable switch (14) are connected into two output paths, and a second non-reactive resistor (13) is connected between a second connection (X2) of the inductor coil (1) and a connection for a reference potential (Um).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Sass
  • Patent number: 10109911
    Abstract: The invention relates to a driver circuit and an active transmitter device, a series circuit consisting of a first capacitor (4) and a second capacitor (12) being charged to a reference voltage by way of a charging current and the charged capacitors being discharged via the inductor (1) by an oscillating discharge, the discharge being terminated when the current through the inductor has completed an entire oscillation period or a multiple thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Froitzheim, Dieter Sass, Norbert Van Der Heyd
  • Patent number: 10078928
    Abstract: A driver circuit, a method for operating an inductor coil and an active transmission system, wherein a capacitor is charged by means of a charging current to a reference voltage and the charged capacitor is discharged in an oscillating manner via the inductor coil. The inductor coil is short-circuited when the voltage on the capacitor or a current flowing in the inductor coil has passed through at least one complete oscillating period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Herbert Froitzheim, Dieter Sass, Norbert van der Heyd
  • Publication number: 20180204400
    Abstract: A driver circuit, a method for operating an inductor coil and an active transmission system, wherein a capacitor is charged by means of a charging current to a reference voltage and the charged capacitor is discharged in an oscillating manner via the inductor coil. The inductor coil is short-circuited when the voltage on the capacitor or a current flowing in the inductor coil has passed through at least one complete oscillating period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Froitzheim, Dieter Sass, Norbert van der Heyd
  • Patent number: 9912359
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an antenna driver circuit for an antenna associated with a motor vehicle. The antenna driver circuit may include at least one pair of output paths to at least one antenna for forming at least one oscillatory circuit composed of in each case an antenna and at least one capacitor, and a plurality of switches in the form of MOSFETs controlled by control signals in one respective oscillatory circuit with an antenna. In the respective oscillatory circuit, at least two controllable switches may be arranged in an anti-serial fashion with respect to one another in that their drain connections are connected together, and/or source connections of controllable switches are connected to one another via an antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Dieter Sass, Herbert Froitzheim, Norbert van der Heyd
  • Patent number: 9838050
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an antenna driver circuit for an antenna associated with a motor vehicle. The antenna driver circuit may include at least one pair of output paths to at least one antenna for forming at least one oscillatory circuit composed of in each case an antenna and at least one capacitor, and a plurality of switches in the form of MOSFETs controlled by control signals in one respective oscillatory circuit with an antenna. In the respective oscillatory circuit, at least two controllable switches may be arranged in an anti-serial fashion with respect to one another in that their drain connections are connected together, and/or source connections of controllable switches are connected to one another via an antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Dieter Sass, Herbert Froitzheim, Norbert van der Heyd
  • Publication number: 20170331179
    Abstract: The invention relates to a driver circuit and an active transmitter device, a series circuit consisting of a first capacitor (4) and a second capacitor (12) being charged to a reference voltage by way of a charging current and the charged capacitors being discharged via the inductor (1) by an oscillating discharge, the discharge being terminated when the current through the inductor has completed an entire oscillation period or a multiple thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Herbert FROITZHEIM, Dieter SASS, Norbert VAN DER HEYD
  • Publication number: 20170331525
    Abstract: Driver circuit in which a capacitor (4), in a manner controlled by a switch control device (9) which is connected downstream of a current measuring device (8), is charged to a reference voltage (Ur) by means of a charging current (Ic2), and the charged capacitor is discharged in an oscillating manner via an inductor coil (1), wherein the discharging operation is terminated when the current (Ia) through the inductor coil has passed through an entire oscillation period or several oscillation periods, wherein a first controllable switch (5) is connected in series between a first non-reactive resistor (6) and the first capacitor (4) in one of two input paths. Furthermore, a second controllable switch (7) and a fourth controllable switch (14) are connected into two output paths, and a second non-reactive resistor (13) is connected between a second connection (X2) of the inductor coil (1) and a connection for Na reference potential (Um).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Dieter SASS
  • Patent number: 9802572
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for operating an inductor coil may include: charging a capacitor by means of a charging current at a reference voltage; and discharging the charged capacitor in an oscillating manner via the inductor coil. The discharging is ended when a current passing through the inductor coil has passed through an entire oscillation period or a multiple thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Herbert Froitzheim, Dieter Sass
  • Publication number: 20170282858
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an arrangement and a method for detecting the approach of an object and the teachings thereof may be embodied in a system for providing passive keyless vehicle access. A device may include: a communication device with an antenna to generate an electromagnetic field at regular intervals in a polling mode; and a processor to determine at least one operating parameter of the antenna whenever an electromagnetic field is generated, to compare the at least one determined operating parameter with a corresponding previously determined operating parameter, wherein a change in the at least one operating parameter indicates that an object is approaching the device, and to emit a signal if the comparison reveals that an operating parameter has changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Sass
  • Publication number: 20170272110
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an antenna driver circuit for an antenna associated with a motor vehicle. The antenna driver circuit may include at least one pair of output paths to at least one antenna for forming at least one oscillatory circuit composed of in each case an antenna and at least one capacitor, and a plurality of switches in the form of MOSFETs controlled by control signals in one respective oscillatory circuit with an antenna. In the respective oscillatory circuit, at least two controllable switches may be arranged in an anti-serial fashion with respect to one another in that their drain connections are connected together, and/or source connections of controllable switches are connected to one another via an antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Sass, Herbert Froitzheim, Norbert van der Heyd
  • Publication number: 20160277085
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an antenna driver circuit for an antenna associated with a motor vehicle. The antenna driver circuit may include at least one pair of output paths to at least one antenna for forming at least one oscillatory circuit composed of in each case an antenna and at least one capacitor, and a plurality of switches in the form of MOSFETs controlled by control signals in one respective oscillatory circuit with an antenna. In the respective oscillatory circuit, at least two controllable switches may be arranged in an anti-serial fashion with respect to one another in that their drain connections are connected together, and/or source connections of controllable switches are connected to one another via an antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Sass, Herbert Froitzheim, Norbert van der Heyd
  • Publication number: 20160275736
    Abstract: The present disclosure teaches a receiving circuit for use with a vehicle and serving for receiving a signal of a transponder. The receiving circuit may include a plurality of input paths each having an antenna and a multiplexer with a plurality of switches controlled by control signals and connecting at least one of the input paths to at least one further device in the form of a discharger and/or detuner and/or amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Sass, Herbert Froitzheim, Norbert van der Heyd
  • Publication number: 20160250995
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for operating an inductor coil may include: charging a capacitor by means of a charging current at a reference voltage; and discharging the charged capacitor in an oscillating manner via the inductor coil. The discharging is ended when a current passing through the inductor coil has passed through an entire oscillation period or a multiple thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Froitzheim, Dieter Sass
  • Publication number: 20090066355
    Abstract: A circuit with switchable functionality has a first integrated circuit, which has, in a first operating mode, full functionality and which has, in at least one other operating mode, a functionality which is reduced in comparison with the full functionality. The circuit further has an output terminal to which a coupling element can be coupled, an identification device which identifies whether a first supply potential has been applied to the output terminal via the coupling element and in this case produces a status signal with a first value and otherwise produces a status signal with a second value, a setting device, which sets the full or reduced functionality as a function of the value of the status signal in the first integrated circuit. The invention also relates to an electronic component having such a circuit arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Frohnhofer, Ralf Forster, Dieter Sass
  • Patent number: 7233242
    Abstract: A transmit antenna (3) is supplied with energy by a power supply unit (2). An electrical value characteristic for the transmit power is compared to a comparison value and the length of a time interval is measured in which the characteristic value at least reaches or exceeds the comparison value. Depending on the length of this time interval the transmit power is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Mark Elliott, Matthias Münch, Wolfgang Reiml, Dieter Sass
  • Publication number: 20050068157
    Abstract: A transmit antenna (3) is supplied with energy by a power supply unit (2). An electrical value characteristic for the transmit power is compared to a comparison value and the length of a time interval is measured in which the characteristic value at least reaches or exceeds the comparison value. Depending on the length of this time interval the transmit power is set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventors: Mark Elliott, Matthias Munch, Wolfgang Reiml, Dieter Sass
  • Publication number: 20050012393
    Abstract: The transceiver features a fast de-excitation circuit, by means of which the transceiver can be very quickly de-energized or de-excited after sending of signals. The fast de-excitation circuit can be realized in the simplest case as a controllable switch with series-connected resistor. The transceiver is thus ready to receive signals again very fast, i.e. in the range of a few oscillation periods. With bidirectional data communication between transceiver and transponder the danger of malfunctions is avoided or at least reduced to a minimum level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Mark Elliott, Christoph Kleiner, Wolfgang Reiml, Dieter Sass, Peter Turban, Herbert Zimmer