Patents by Inventor Dirk Etzler
Dirk Etzler 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: 10900391Abstract: A valve controller and method for controlling a valve having a solenoid are disclosed, including receiving a least one input signal, detecting a first edge of the at least one signal and in response to the detection activating the valve. Activating the valve includes activating the valve in a rise-to-peak phase during which the valve is opened, a hold phase following the rise-to-peak phase during which the valve remains open and a current level of the valve is less than a current level of the valve during the rise-to-peak phase, and an ending-of-activation phase following the hold phase during which current ripple in the valve is less than the current ripple in the valve during the hold phase.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2018Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: Vitesco Technologies USA, LLC.Inventor: Dirk Etzler
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Publication number: 20200025122Abstract: A valve controller and method for controlling a valve having a solenoid are disclosed, including receiving a least one input signal, detecting a first edge of the at least one signal and in response to the detection activating the valve. Activating the valve includes activating the valve in a rise-to-peak phase during which the valve is opened, a hold phase following the rise-to-peak phase during which the valve remains open and a current level of the valve is less than a current level of the valve during the rise-to-peak phase, and an ending-of-activation phase following the hold phase during which current ripple in the valve is less than the current ripple in the valve during the hold phase.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2018Publication date: January 23, 2020Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventor: Dirk Etzler
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Publication number: 20190383179Abstract: A valve controller and method for controlling a valve having a solenoid are disclosed, including receiving a least one input signal, detecting a first edge of the at least one signal and in response to the detection activating the valve. Activating the valve includes activating the valve in a rise-to-peak phase during which the valve is opened, a hold phase following the rise-to-peak phase during which the valve remains open and a current level of the valve is less than a current level of the valve during the rise-to-peak phase, and an ending-of-activation phase following the hold phase during which current ripple in the valve is less than the current ripple in the valve during the hold phase.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2018Publication date: December 19, 2019Applicant: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventor: Dirk Etzler
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Patent number: 10229778Abstract: An engine control system and method utilizes a processor and a valve controller in communication with the processor. A valve having a solenoid is in communication with the valve controller. The valve controller is configured to receive a combined selection and control signal from the processor, decode a desired electric current profile encoded in the signal, sense a control code encoded in the signal, and operate the solenoid in accordance with the decoded desired electric current profile in response to sensing the control code.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventor: Dirk Etzler
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Publication number: 20170358387Abstract: An engine control system and method utilizes a processor and a valve controller in communication with the processor. A valve having a solenoid is in communication with the valve controller. The valve controller is configured to receive a combined selection and control signal from the processor, decode a desired electric current profile encoded in the signal, sense a control code encoded in the signal, and operate the solenoid in accordance with the decoded desired electric current profile in response to sensing the control code.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2016Publication date: December 14, 2017Inventor: Dirk Etzler
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Patent number: 9777864Abstract: A solenoid actuator for an injection valve or an intake valve is driven with current control during closed-loop control phases. In between the closed-loop current control, the actuator must be clamped to an opposite voltage so as to quickly decrease the current through the solenoid. The current is measured immediately following the clamping phase so as to determine whether or not the clamping phase resulted in the correct current level. If the measured current indicates an extraneous reduction in the current, the clamping phase duration is shortened for the next activation of this clamping phase. If the measured current indicates an insufficient decrease, the clamping phase duration is lengthened for the next following activation cycle.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2015Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventor: Dirk Etzler
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Patent number: 9761783Abstract: A capacitive actuator is connected to an output of an apparatus which is formed with a capacitor connected between an input and a reference potential, with a full bridge with four power switching elements connected in parallel with the capacitor. To charge the capacitive actuator, a control circuit first turns on the first and third power switching elements. Current then flows from the first capacitor via a coil connected between the bridge paths and energy is stored in the coil. When a maximum current value is reached, the first and third power switching elements are switched off and magnetic energy stored in the coil decays due to current flow via the diodes of the second and fourth power switching elements. This charges the capacitive actuator. The capacitive actuator is charged to a predefined voltage by possible repeated switching of the first and third power switching elements.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2013Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbHInventors: Dirk Etzler, Walter Schrod
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Publication number: 20160069466Abstract: A solenoid actuator for an injection valve or an intake valve is driven with current control during closed-loop control phases. In between the closed-loop current control, the actuator must be clamped to an opposite voltage so as to quickly decrease the current through the solenoid. The current is measured immediately following the clamping phase so as to determine whether or not the clamping phase resulted in the correct current level. If the measured current indicates an extraneous reduction in the current, the clamping phase duration is shortened for the next activation of this clamping phase. If the measured current indicates an insufficient decrease, the clamping phase duration is lengthened for the next following activation cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2015Publication date: March 10, 2016Inventor: Dirk Etzler
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Patent number: 9103295Abstract: A current-control profile may be built from a sequence of phases in which the current is controlled in a defined manner. The electrical behavior of these phases may be configured within a list, which contains one entry, or slot, for each phase and which may be stored in a memory device. The order for stepping through the list is not hard-wired into the control circuit. Instead, such an order is part of the configuration for each entry, or slot, itself. Each entry/slot contains the information about the next phase, or the next possible phases depending upon the occurrence of any trigger events. In this way, the list of entries/slots is linked dynamically by the configuration thereby allowing for generation, in a flexible way, of current profiles with different characteristics and different numbers of phases and sequences.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2012Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.Inventors: Bernard J. Bojarski, Dirk Etzler
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Publication number: 20150048718Abstract: A capacitive actuator is connected to an output of an apparatus which is formed with a capacitor connected between an input and a reference potential, with a full bridge with four power switching elements connected in parallel with the capacitor. To charge the capacitive actuator, a control circuit first turns on the first and third power switching elements. Current then flows from the first capacitor via a coil connected between the bridge paths and energy is stored in the coil. When a maximum current value is reached, the first and third power switching elements are switched off and magnetic energy stored in the coil decays due to current flow via the diodes of the second and fourth power switching elements. This charges the capacitive actuator. The capacitive actuator is charged to a predefined voltage by possible repeated switching of the first and third power switching elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2013Publication date: February 19, 2015Applicant: Continental Automotive GMBHInventors: Dirk Etzler, Walter Schrod
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Publication number: 20140043000Abstract: A current-control profile may be built from a sequence of phases in which the current is controlled in a defined manner. The electrical behavior of these phases may be configured within a list, which contains one entry, or slot, for each phase and which may be stored in a memory device. The order for stepping through the list is not hard-wired into the control circuit. Instead, such an order is part of the configuration for each entry, or slot, itself. Each entry/slot contains the information about the next phase, or the next possible phases depending upon the occurrence of any trigger events. In this way, the list of entries/slots is linked dynamically by the configuration thereby allowing for generation, in a flexible way, of current profiles with different characteristics and different numbers of phases and sequences.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Bernard J. Bojarski, Dirk Etzler