Abstract: A valve control unit includes a housing and an electronic circuit disposed therein for controlling valve coils mountable on valves, the housing being formed as a conductor track carrier for carrying the electronic circuit, and conductor tracks carried by the housing, the conductor tracks having contacts for making electrical contact with corresponding opposing contacts of the valve coils.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method detect the current thickness and thus the wear of a brake lining of a motor-vehicle brake system, which has a wheel-brake actuator at each wheel that actuates the wheel brake and is individually electrically controlled. The wheel-brake actuator contains a hydraulic piston which is moved by an electric motor and is provided with a sensor that detects the brake pressure or brake force as well as with a further sensor that detects the travel of the hydraulic piston. The thickness of the brake lining is determined from signals of the two sensors. To that end, a measurement is made of the travel performed by the hydraulic piston until a predetermined brake pressure is reached.

Abstract: Process-computer-controlled, active rear axle kinematics of a motor vehicle also steered at the rear wheels with an electronically controlled control element, provides that the process computer considers the respective steering angle of the front axle and/or values that can be derived therefrom, a potentially speed-dependent derivative action time constant, a potentially speed-dependent delayed time constant, and a potentially speed-dependent co-steering factor for the automatic control of the rear wheels, and the process computer processes parameters acquired from samples, these parameters correlating at least with those angles, only according to a difference equation--i.e., not according to a differential equation to be iteratively solved--and outputs the rated values acquired as a result thereof for the rear axle or, respectively, rear wheel steering angle and/or rated values derived therefrom to the control element.

Abstract: An electronic control unit for steering the back wheels of a road vehicle. The unit has a steering device that controls the steering angle of the back wheels in response to an emergency steering signal, has sensors for at least steering angle, traveling speed and degree of steering wheel lock, and has a calculating unit having two computers. Control signals derived from sensor signals are supplied to each of the computers. Each of the computers independently evaluates the control signals and independently outputs an emergency steering signal to the steering device in an emergency.

Abstract: In a process for controlling an actuator which can be adjusted by means of a proportional valve, the proportional valve is controllable by means of two control magnets with control pulses acting in opposite directions. A phase angle between the control pulses is varied as a function of at least one control variable (command variable, correction variable or difference between the amplitudes or pulse durations of the control pulses), i.e. it is reduced as the control variable increases. This measure prevents undesired vibrations of the actuator and resulting noises.

Abstract: A method for identifying a measured value of a velocity or speed of an object where a measured value call-in can occur at any time. A chronological spacing of measuring pulses of a speed sensor is measured and a measured value is formed therefrom. The measurement is carried out until either a measured value call-in occurs, a maximum number of measuring pulses is registered, or a maximum measuring duration is exceeded. When no measuring pulse or only one measuring pulse is registered, a distinction is made in the formation of the measured value as to whether a measuring duration corresponding to a minimum velocity or minimum speed is upwardly or downwardly crossed. An initial counter reading is stored at every measuring start and at every first registered measured pulse. A final counter reading is stored at every further registered measuring pulse until either a measured value call-in occurs or the maximum measuring duration is exceeded.