Patents by Inventor Falk Hecker

Falk Hecker 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: 11332158
    Abstract: A system for controlling at least partially autonomous operation of a motor-vehicle, including: a sensor-device with which environment-data characterizing the environment of the motor vehicle is generated; an electronic-main-control-unit, which receives the environment-data from the sensor-device, and, depending on the data, inputs adjusting-commands into at least one device/actuator, which device/actuator is used in the at least partially autonomous operation of the motor-vehicle; a first electronic-backup-control-unit, which, for a fault/failure of the electronic-main-control-unit, receives the data from the sensor-device, and, depending on the data, inputs adjusting-commands into the at least one device/actuator, which device/actuator is used in the at least partially autonomous operation of the motor-vehicle; and a second electronic-backup-control-unit, which, for a fault/failure of the electronic-main-control-unit and the first electronic-backup-control-unit, receives the data from the sensor-device, and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Adnan Mustapha, Oliver Jundt, Ulrich Guecker
  • Publication number: 20220063578
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a rotational speed of at least one wheel of a vehicle, including: a detection device for detecting an angular velocity of the wheel that is correlated to the rotational speed, wherein the detection device is configured to provide an electrical detection signal depending on the angular velocity detected; a first control unit with a first measurement device for measuring the detection signal, wherein the first control unit is electrically joined to the detection device; and a second control unit with a second measurement device for measuring the detection signal, wherein the second control unit is electrically joined to the detection device, wherein the detection device can be electrically switched or is electrically switched between the first measurement device and the second measurement device. Also described is a related method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Christian Kaufmann, Falk Hecker
  • Publication number: 20220024397
    Abstract: A supplementary power supply for a vehicle that includes a main power supply is disclosed. The supplementary power supply includes at least one supplementary power unit dedicated as backup power supply for safety relevant components such as controllers and/or actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Tamas RAPP, Falk HECKER, Huba NEMETH, Benedek POUR
  • Publication number: 20210394721
    Abstract: A brake system for a vehicle for acquiring at least one status variable for controlling the brake system, including: a primary control unit for controlling the brake system by at least one actuator and taking into account the at least one status variable; and a redundancy control unit for controlling the brake system by part of the at least one actuator and taking into account part of the at least one status variable, in which the brake system is configured such that, when at least one switch-over condition is satisfied, the brake system is no longer controlled exclusively by the primary control unit and is at least partially controlled by the redundancy control unit. Also described are a related method and a computer readable medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Oliver Jundt, Adnan Mustapha
  • Publication number: 20210347370
    Abstract: A vehicle control system has a first communication network, a first operation component, a first vehicle control unit connected to the communication network and to the first operation component, wherein the first vehicle control unit is configured to control a first data connection between the first operation component and the first vehicle control unit by a first signal to the first operation component, and a second vehicle control unit connected to the first operation component, wherein the second vehicle control unit is configured to control a second data connection between the first operation component and the second vehicle control unit by a second signal to the first operation component. The first data connection and the second data connection can be controlled so that at least one of the first data connection and the second data connection is enabled or disabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Huba NEMETH, Falk HECKER, Tamas RAPP
  • Publication number: 20210269048
    Abstract: A device for decoupling and/or protecting against compensation currents when at least one electropneumatic actuator is used jointly by a plurality of independently voltage-supplied control unit devices in redundant systems for autonomous driving. The electropneumatic actuator has, in each case, a common connection, via which the electropneumatic actuator can be coupled and switched to a common connection of other electropneumatic actuators, and has at least one dedicated connection via which the at least one electropneumatic actuator can be individually supplied with current. Switching devices, corresponding to the common connection and the number of dedicated connections of all the electropneumatic actuators, are arranged to apply or not apply a switched current in the at least one electropneumatic actuator. Provided is at least one current flow blocking device to prevent an unwanted current flow to a non-active electronic control unit of the first and second control unit devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Herges, Dieter Woerner, Falk Hecker
  • Patent number: 11077809
    Abstract: A power supply unit for a utility vehicle, including: an electrical energy store; a generator; an interface to at least one electrical load of the utility vehicle; a power line unit to connect the energy store and the generator to the interface, wherein the power line unit includes a switch for electrically isolating the generator from the interface; and a sensor unit to detect a fault in the electrical energy store and/or in at least one line of the power line unit and/or in the generator and to respond to the detected fault by actuating the switch to isolate the generator from the interface, in particular wherein the electrical energy store remains electrically connected to the interface. Also described are a related method, controller, utility vehicle and computer readable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Bernhard Miller, Falk Hecker
  • Patent number: 11059462
    Abstract: A method, device and control system for controlling vehicle movement, including: reading-in the specification data from an interface with a generating apparatus, the vehicle having a vehicle movement control system having the generating apparatus for generating specification data for the vehicle movement, at least one providing apparatus for providing vehicle property(s) and an actuator element for influencing the vehicle movement, the specification data representing a driving corridor/speed profile for a route section, and the at least one vehicle property from an interface with the at least one providing apparatus; determining vehicle guide data using the specification data and the vehicle property(s), the guide data being for controlling the vehicle movement while complying with the specification data; acquiring at least one manipulated variable for the at least one actuator element using the guide data; and outputting the at least one manipulated variable to an interface with the actuator element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Jan Mayer, Oliver Jundt, Ulrich Guecker, Adnan Mustapha, Juergen Steinberger
  • Publication number: 20210206374
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating non-electric control signals for a brake system, which has a first supply source, including: at least one interface configured to be connected to a pressure accumulator; and at least one interface to output the control signals; in which the apparatus is configured to be supplied via a second supply source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Adnan Mustapha, Oliver Jundt, Rüdiger Weis, Jürgen Steinberger
  • Patent number: 11037380
    Abstract: A method and related apparatus for determining an orientation of a sensor unit in a vehicle, the sensor unit having at least one acceleration sensor, including: capturing a first sensor signal from the acceleration sensor in an acceleration-free state of the vehicle; capturing a second sensor signal from the acceleration sensor in response to a linear acceleration of the vehicle; and ascertaining the orientation of the sensor unit relative to the vehicle based on the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Oliver Jundt, Michael Herges, Falk Hecker, Martin Vorreiter
  • Publication number: 20210171062
    Abstract: A system for controlling at least partially autonomous operation of a motor-vehicle, including: a sensor-device with which environment-data characterizing the environment of the motor vehicle is generated; an electronic-main-control-unit, which receives the environment-data from the sensor-device, and, depending on the data, inputs adjusting-commands into at least one device/actuator, which device/actuator is used in the at least partially autonomous operation of the motor-vehicle; a first electronic-backup-control-unit, which, for a fault/failure of the electronic-main-control-unit, receives the data from the sensor-device, and, depending on the data, inputs adjusting-commands into the at least one device/actuator, which device/actuator is used in the at least partially autonomous operation of the motor-vehicle; and a second electronic-backup-control-unit, which, for a fault/failure of the electronic-main-control-unit and the first electronic-backup-control-unit, receives the data from the sensor-device, and
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Adnan Mustapha, Oliver Jundt, Ulrich Guecker
  • Patent number: 11029404
    Abstract: A method is described for identifying and classifying objects, detected by a sensor apparatus which actively emits radiation, in terms of the relevance thereof to a driving situation of a moving vehicle, wherein radiation is emitted by the sensor apparatus and the echo radiation reflected at objects is received as measurement values, including: detecting measurement values in relation to the driving situation of the vehicle, performing an analysis of the driving situation represented by the measurement values and identifying at least one possible object, classifying the at least one identified object in an object class of a plurality of object classes, in which performing the analysis of the measurement values includes: transforming the detected measurement values from a coordinate system fixed in terms of the vehicle into a coordinate system fixed in terms of space for generating measurement values fixed in terms of spatial coordinates, wherein this transformation is based on the vehicle speed and the yaw ra
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Ulrich Guecker, Falk Hecker, Jan Mayer, Munir Kayalar
  • Publication number: 20210129831
    Abstract: An electric equipment component of a vehicle having an electric braking/steering device, including: a) an electric steering device with/without a continuous mechanical connection between a steering wheel and a steering gear mechanism, and an electronic steering control device and an electric steering actuator; an electropneumatic service brake device having an electropneumatic service brake valve device, an electronic brake control device, electropneumatic modulators and pneumatic wheel brake actuators; and a device having the electronic evaluation device of the electropneumatic service brake valve device and generating a second activation force independently of a driver's braking request, the further device acting on the control piston in the same or opposite direction to the first activation force when a braking request, independent of the driver's request, is present; the electronic evaluation device being integrated into the electronic steering control device, or the electronic steering control device bei
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Juergen Steinberger
  • Publication number: 20210070265
    Abstract: A vehicle-electrical-apparatus, including: a) a service-brake-device having an electropneumatic service-brake-device, which is an electronically-brake-pressure-regulated-brake-system, having an electropneumatic-service-brake-valve-device (ESBVD), a first-electronic-brake-control-device (EBCD), electropneumatic-modulators and pneumatic-wheel-brake actuators; b) a sensor-device to deliver sensor-signals, including: at least one wheel-rotational-speed-sensor, a longitudinal-acceleration-sensor, a transverse-acceleration-sensor, a yaw-rate-sensor, and/or a steering-wheel-angle-sensor, wherein: c) the first-EBCD electrically controls the electropneumatic-modulators, which generate pneumatic-brake-pressures or brake-control-pressures for the pneumatic-wheel-brake-actuators, and d) the ESBVD has a service-brake-actuation-member and, within at least one electrical-service-brake-circuit, at least one electrical-channel containing at least one electrical-brake-value-transmitter, actuate-able by the service-brake-actuat
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Friedbert Roether, Falk Hecker, Adnan Mustapha, Frank Schwab, Juergen Steinberger
  • Publication number: 20210039617
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a brake system for a vehicle, including: an actuable control valve for loading at least one brake device of the brake system with a brake pressure; a pressure container connector for connecting the control apparatus to a pressure container to provide a supply pressure; and a pressure limiting valve which is arranged or can be arranged between the control valve and the pressure container connector to limit the supply pressure to the brake pressure. Also described are a related brake system, a method for operating, a method for loading, a control unit, and a computer readable medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Friedbert Roether
  • Publication number: 20210009162
    Abstract: A steering method for an autonomously steered vehicle having a hybrid steering system, including: identifying a malfunction during an autonomous driving procedure, wherein the hybrid steering system includes a hydraulic steering assistance system, an electromechanical steering assistance system and a control unit for monitoring and controlling the autonomous driving procedure of the vehicle, and switching the steering task by the control unit to a steering braking procedure, by which the vehicle is steered by braking at least one wheel, wherein due to the braking force that is acting on the scrub radius, a steering torque is produced that causes the wheels to turn. Also described is a related a servo-assisted steering assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Jens-Hauke Mueller, Peter Heimbrock, Juergen Steinberger
  • Publication number: 20200406879
    Abstract: An electropneumatic-equipment of a vehicle, including: a) an electropneumatic-parking-brake-device (EPBD) having an electropneumatic-parking-brake-control-device (EPBCD), a compressed-air-supply and pneumatic-spring-type brake-cylinder, b) the EPBCD has an electronic-parking-brake-control-unit (EPBCU), a first valve-device including a first solenoid-valve and valve-pressure controlled thereby, the first solenoid-valve being controlled by the EPBCU, c) a pneumatic-control-input of the pressure-controlled valve is connected to the first solenoid-valve and a working-output of the pressure-controlled valve is connectable to the spring-type brake-cylinder, d) the first solenoid-valve is connected to the compressed-air-supply and pressure-sink, e) the first solenoid-valve is configured such that it connects the pneumatic-control-input of the pressure-controlled valve to the compressed-air-supply/pressure-sink, f) the pressure-controlled valve is configured such that for deaeration of its pneumatic-control-input, it
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Oliver Jundt, Michael Herges
  • Patent number: 10800393
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the condition of a service brake for a vehicle is provided. The service brake includes at least one linear path detection device for each service brake unit. The method includes reading a position signal of a service brake component from the path detection device over time or a time period, reading a pressure signal, a control signal and/or a lining wear signal, evaluating the position signal in order to determine at least one condition parameter of the service brake determined using the pressure signal, the control signal and/or the lining wear signal, and providing the condition parameter of the service brake to an interface for use in subsequent brake applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Robert Theil, Alexander Werth
  • Patent number: 10773647
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for triggering an automatic emergency braking process in a vehicle to avoid a tail-end collision with an obstacle, wherein a warning to the driver is triggered if at least one warning condition is satisfied, wherein the satisfaction of the warning condition specifies that owing to the instantaneous driving situation of the vehicle relative to the obstacle the automatic emergency braking process should be triggered, wherein the automatic emergency braking process is not triggered until after the warning to the driver is triggered and a warning time period has subsequently expired, wherein the warning time period is set as a function of the relative movement situation between the vehicle and the obstacle and/or is adapted as a function of a relative movement, which changes over time, between the vehicle and the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHRZEUGE GMBH
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Ulrich Gücker, Matyas Krabot, Markus Klein, Csaba Doczy, Gergely Jozsa, Tamas Rozsa
  • Publication number: 20200238961
    Abstract: A module for providing control signals for a brake system of a vehicle which has a supply source, including: at least one interface to be connected to a compressed-air source; at least one interface to transmit the control signals to at least one processing unit for the purposes of generating brake pressures; wherein the module is configured to be provided with a supply by a further supply source. Also described are a related redundancy system, an electronically controlled brake system, and a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Falk Hecker, Adnan Mustapha, Oliver Jundt