Abstract: Method for operating a DC motor where the DC motor is supplied with a variable DC voltage via a bridge circuit from a supply voltage and formed by a first, a second, a third and a fourth controllable switch, wherein the DC voltage is varied by pulse width modulation of the control signals driving the controllable switches of the bridge circuit. A control arrangement drives the bridge circuit by pulse width modulation, after the first switch connecting the DC motor to the supply voltage has been switched off, switches on the second switch connected to a ground terminal, or vice versa. The control arrangement automatically inserts a drive pause between the first or second switch being switched off and the second or first switch being switched on, whereby a bridge circuit voltage present at the DC motor is limited by a resultant maximum settable duty cycle to a maximum value.

Abstract: A trunk cover for a vehicle includes an upper panel covering one portion of a loading space part formed in a vehicle, a lower panel disposed continuously with the upper panel and covering the other portion of the loading space part; a main body connection part connecting the upper panel to a main body of the vehicle, and a panel connection part connecting the upper panel and the lower panel so that a length formed by the upper panel and the lower panel is variable when opening the loading space part.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and method for measuring an electric current flowing through an inductive load energized by a half-bridge circuit with at least two semiconductor switches. The semiconductor switches are switched on and off in a complementary manner according to PWM.

Abstract: A method for charging a starter battery of a vehicle is disclosed, wherein the vehicle has at least one movable opening element and a motor unit, which is coupled to the opening element and is operable in a motor-powered drive mode to drive the opening element and in a generator mode to generate an electrical voltage, said method comprising: detecting the generator mode of the motor unit using the electrical voltage generated by the motor unit, comparing the generated electrical voltage with a specified voltage value, and establishing an electrical connection from the motor unit to the starter battery to charge the starter battery, if the generated electrical voltage is greater than the voltage value.

Abstract: Provided is a decelerator-equipped motor unit which can achieve cost reductions in the control board and improvement of both mechanical and electrical reliability through a particular arrangement of elements on the board, thereby achieving a smaller size by realizing an appropriate board shape without increasing the size of the unit.

Abstract: A method for controlling a liftgate of a motor vehicle in order to automatically move the liftgate from a closed position into an open position or from the open position into the closed position, wherein to move the liftgate a first and a second drive unit are activated, which each couple the liftgate to a motor vehicle component relative to which the liftgate is moved, wherein in the case that a drive force necessary to move the liftgate is below a predefined limit value, a braking operation is started in which the first and second drive units are activated such that the first drive unit exerts on the liftgate a force directed in a first direction in order to move the liftgate, and the second drive unit exerts on the liftgate a braking force at least partially opposite the first direction.

Abstract: A method for identifying correct operation of an electrical switching unit, having a full bridge circuit and inductive load operated by the full bridge circuit. The full bridge circuit includes a first semiconductor switching element supplying the inductive load with a first supply voltage potential and a second semiconductor switching element supplying the inductive load with a second supply voltage potential, having a smaller value than the first supply voltage potential. The first and second semiconductor switching element each have a diode.

Abstract: Provided is a decelerator-equipped motor unit which can achieve cost reductions in the control board and improvement of both mechanical and electrical reliability through a particular arrangement of elements on the board, thereby achieving a smaller size by realizing an appropriate board shape without increasing the size of the unit.

Abstract: A method for identifying correct operation of an electrical switching unit, having a full bridge circuit and inductive load operated by the full bridge circuit. The full bridge circuit includes a first semiconductor switching element supplying the inductive load with a first supply voltage potential and a second semiconductor switching element supplying the inductive load with a second supply voltage potential, having a smaller value than the first supply voltage potential. The first and second semiconductor switching element each have a diode.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for identifying an electrical line interruption during operation of a drive system (20), which comprises two parallel-connected DC motors (21, 41), which are mechanically coupled to one another by means of a part that is to be driven, a driver for driving the two parallel-connected DC motors (21, 41) and a measuring device for detecting different electrical variables of the drive system (20). The measuring device comprises a rotational speed determination apparatus (32) for determining the rotational speed of the two DC motors (21, 41) and for supplying a piece of rotational speed information representing the rotational speed.

Abstract: A method for charging a starter battery of a vehicle is disclosed, wherein the vehicle has at least one movable opening element and a motor unit, which is coupled to the opening element and is operable in a motor-powered drive mode to drive the opening element and in a generator mode to generate an electrical voltage, said method comprising: detecting the generator mode of the motor unit using the electrical voltage generated by the motor unit, comparing the generated electrical voltage with a specified voltage value, and establishing an electrical connection from the motor unit to the starter battery to charge the starter battery, if the generated electrical voltage is greater than the voltage value.

Abstract: A trunk cover for a vehicle includes an upper panel covering one portion of a loading space part formed in a vehicle, a lower panel disposed continuously with the upper panel and covering the other portion of the loading space part; a main body connection part connecting the upper panel to a main body of the vehicle, and a panel connection part connecting the upper panel and the lower panel so that a length formed by the upper panel and the lower panel is variable when opening the loading space part.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for identifying an electrical line interruption during operation of a drive system (20), which comprises two parallel-connected DC motors (21, 41), which are mechanically coupled to one another by means of a part that is to be driven, a driver for driving the two parallel-connected DC motors (21, 41) and a measuring device for detecting different electrical variables of the drive system (20). The measuring device comprises a rotational speed determination apparatus (32) for determining the rotational speed of the two DC motors (21, 41) and for supplying a piece of rotational speed information representing the rotational speed.

Abstract: A method for operating an electric motor is provided, wherein a motor actuating signal is generated and transmitted to the motor. In order to reduce the noise generated by operating the motor, a suitable additional signal is generated and overlaid on the motor actuating signal when the motor actuating signal is transmitted to the motor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a simple, economical and reliable method for providing anti-jamming protection. According to said method, the excess force—the difference between the driving force and the friction force—is compared with a trigger threshold. To this end, the curve of the friction force of the current actuation process, which is dependent on the actuation path of the electrical drive unit, is compared to the curve of the friction force of at least one previous actuation process and the trigger threshold value is modified according to how the friction force curves correspond. The invention also relates to a method for providing anti-jamming protection for an electrical drive unit for window lifting drives.

Abstract: The invention relates to a simple, economical and reliable method for providing anti-jamming protection. According to said method, the excess force—the difference between the driving force and the friction force—is compared with a trigger threshold. To this end, the curve of the friction force of the current actuation process, which is dependent on the actuation path of the electrical drive unit, is compared to the curve of the friction force of at least one previous actuation process and the trigger threshold value is modified according to how the friction force curves correspond. The invention also relates to a method for providing anti-jamming protection for an electrical drive unit for window lifting drives.

Abstract: An electric motor for driving a component, such as a vehicle window lifter or a machine tool, functions as a generator, when the motor drive voltage is switched off and the motor is short circuited. The motor keeps running due to inertia or other influences. During this period after switch-off a generator voltage and respective generator current are produced. The generator current is measured for various purposes, preferably in combination with a measured r.p.m. signal. The generator current signal alone, or in combination with the r.p.m. signal, is evaluated to provide information regarding the motion of the driven component including information regarding the motion direction and position of the component.

Abstract: An electric motor for driving a component, such as a vehicle window lifter or a machine tool, functions as a generator, when the motor drive voltage is switched off and the motor is short circuited. The motor keeps running due to inertia or other influences. During this period after switch-off a generator voltage and respective generator current are produced. The generator current is measured for various purposes, preferably in combination with a measured r.p.m. signal. The generator current signal alone, or in combination with the r.p.m. signal, is evaluated to provide information regarding the motion of the driven component including information regarding the motion direction and position of the component.

Abstract: In an integrated circuit arrangement with a plurality of signal connections linked to the inputs of a multiplexer, overmodulation of the signal connections can lead to crosstalk between multiplex channels. The new procedure should suppress such crosstalk. In order to avoid overmodulation, the voltages at the signal connections are limited to permissible input voltage values, while each overmodulated signal connection is configured as an output and, depending upon the overmodulation, set to a high or low level. Whereby, in order to test whether a signal connection is overmodulated, the input voltage value at this signal connection is converted to a digital data value which, because of its final bit width, lies within a data range limited by an upper and lower data limit value. If the data value equals the upper or lower data limit value, this is interpreted as overmodulation of the relevant signal connection.

Abstract: A method is presented for detecting the position and the direction of motion of a movably mounted part on an electric motor that makes provision not only for a single-channel sensor but also a measuring arrangement for the motor current and the rectified motor current by means of which the motor current is activated after operating switching devices to reverse the polarity of the voltage applied to the motor to cause a reversal of the direction of motion. The measuring arrangement establishes from the variation of the motor current over time the point of time of the motor current maximum and transmits this to the evaluation logic. The point of time of the actual reversal of the direction of motion is derived from the point of time of the motor current. Preferably, the current is measured as a reference current value even before falling through the zero crossing.