Patents by Inventor Harald Schöffler

Harald Schöffler 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: 11777436
    Abstract: A method for a safety concept for an AC battery, in which the AC battery includes a central controller, a plurality of battery modules which respectively have a power board with a plurality of switching states, a plurality of contactors, a plurality of current sensors, a fault loop and a high-speed bus and is connected to a traction machine. The central controller has a hardware-programmable processor unit with at least one microprocessor core on which a control program is configured to control the battery modules, the plurality of contactors and the fault loop. A state machine is implemented by the control program. The battery modules are connected, starting from the central controller, via the high-speed bus and the fault loop. If an abort fault occurs, the AC battery is changed to a safe operating state. The safe state is achieved at least by emergency disconnection of the central controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventors: Harald Schöffler, Sven Lill, Hermann Helmut Dibos, Daniel Simon, Eduard Specht, Christian Korte, Jan Kacetl, Tomas Kacetl
  • Patent number: 11656252
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus has a current sensor and at least one A/D converter, which current sensor has at least two channels (CH1, CH2), via which channels (CH1, CH2) the current sensor (30) respectively provides a measurement signal (CH1_SIG, CH2_SIG) characterizing the current. The at least two channels (CH1, CH2) include a first channel (CH1) and a second channel (CH2), which second channel (CH2) is designed to measure a greater maximum current than the first channel (CH1). Also described is a method for measuring a current flowing through a conductor by way of the measurement apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Inventors: Sven Lill, Harald Schöffler, Daniel Simon
  • Publication number: 20220140768
    Abstract: A method for a safety concept for an AC battery, in which the AC battery includes a central controller, a plurality of battery modules which respectively have a power board with a plurality of switching states, a plurality of contactors, a plurality of current sensors, a fault loop and a high-speed bus and is connected to a traction machine. The central controller has a hardware-programmable processor unit with at least one microprocessor core on which a control program is configured to control the battery modules, the plurality of contactors and the fault loop. A state machine is implemented by the control program. The battery modules are connected, starting from the central controller, via the high-speed bus and the fault loop. If an abort fault occurs, the AC battery is changed to a safe operating state. The safe state is achieved at least by emergency disconnection of the central controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harald Schöffler, Sven Lill, Hermann Helmut Dibos, Daniel Simon, Eduard Specht, Christian Korte, Jan Kacetl, Tomas Kacetl
  • Publication number: 20220137105
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus has a current sensor and at least one A/D converter, which current sensor has at least two channels (CH1, CH2), via which channels (CH1, CH2) the current sensor (30) respectively provides a measurement signal (CH1_SIG, CH2_SIG) characterizing the current. The at least two channels (CH1, CH2) include a first channel (CH1) and a second channel (CH2), which second channel (CH2) is designed to measure a greater maximum current than the first channel (CH1). Also described is a method for measuring a current flowing through a conductor by way of the measurement apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sven Lill, Harald Schöffler, Daniel Simon
  • Patent number: 10828994
    Abstract: A battery system (10) has at least one battery (9) with a plurality of battery elements (1, 2, 24, n), a regulating or control unit (12) and a switching unit (3) with at least one switching element (6). The regulating or control unit (12) is configured to instruct the switching unit (3) to dynamically switch the at least one switching element (6) over time such that battery elements (1, 2, 24, n) from at least one accordingly dynamically changing subset of the plurality of battery elements (1, 2, 24, n) are connected, and a respective voltage level to be provided is provided thereby for the plurality of load consumers. In addition to providing a plurality of voltage levels, the battery elements (1, 2, 24, n) are deliberately loaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Goetz, Ralf Bauer, Harald Schoeffler, Juergen Mittnacht
  • Patent number: 10211485
    Abstract: A battery system (10) has a battery (12) for providing a first voltage and has at least one tap (15, 19, 21) that divides the battery (12) into at least one first battery element (14) for providing a first partial voltage and at least one second battery element (16) for providing a second partial voltage. A power changeover switch (18) is arranged between the at least one first battery element (14) and the at least one second battery element (16) and is designed to change over between the at least one first battery element (14) and the at least one second battery element (16) at a changeover rate to be specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Goetz, Ralf Bauer, Harald Schoeffler, Juergen Mittnacht
  • Patent number: 10135266
    Abstract: A battery system having a battery having at least one first battery element, at least one second battery element and a center tap between the at least one first and the at least one second battery element, a power changeover switch having a plurality of switching elements for changing over between the at least one first battery element and the at least one second battery element, and at least one pair of output terminals that is electrically connected to the battery, wherein the center tap has a first capacitive store arranged on it that has a store voltage that appears over an appropriate period in accordance with a first and/or second battery element voltage provided by the first and/or second battery element, wherein during the period in which the store voltage appears, a store current decreases from a maximum value to a value of zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Götz, Ulf Schlieben, Sven Lill, Ralf Bauer, Harald Schöffler
  • Publication number: 20170110894
    Abstract: A battery system having a battery having at least one first battery element, at least one second battery element and a center tap between the at least one first and the at least one second battery element, a power changeover switch having a plurality of switching elements for changing over between the at least one first battery element and the at least one second battery element, and at least one pair of output terminals that is electrically connected to the battery, wherein the center tap has a first capacitive store arranged on it that has a store voltage that appears over an appropriate period in accordance with a first and/or second battery element voltage provided by the first and/or second battery element, wherein during the period in which the store voltage appears, a store current decreases from a maximum value to a value of zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Stefan Götz, Ulf Schlieben, Sven Lill, Ralf Bauer, Harald Schöffler
  • Publication number: 20160318411
    Abstract: A battery system (10) has at least one battery (9) with a plurality of battery elements (1, 2, 24, n), a regulating or control unit (12) and a switching unit (3) with at least one switching element (6). The regulating or control unit (12) is configured to instruct the switching unit (3) to dynamically switch the at least one switching element (6) over time such that battery elements (1, 2, 24, n) from at least one accordingly dynamically changing subset of the plurality of battery elements (1, 2, 24, n) are connected, and a respective voltage level to be provided is provided thereby for the plurality of load consumers. In addition to providing a plurality of voltage levels, the battery elements (1, 2, 24, n) are deliberately loaded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Stefan Goetz, Ralf Bauer, Harald Schoeffler, Juergen Mittnacht
  • Publication number: 20160322672
    Abstract: A battery system (10) has a battery (12) for providing a first voltage and has at least one tap (15, 19, 21) that divides the battery (12) into at least one first battery element (14) for providing a first partial voltage and at least one second battery element (16) for providing a second partial voltage. A power changeover switch (18) is arranged between the at least one first battery element (14) and the at least one second battery element (16) and is designed to change over between the at least one first battery element (14) and the at least one second battery element (16) at a changeover rate to be specified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Stefan Goetz, Ralf Bauer, Harald Schoeffler, Juergen Mittnacht
  • Patent number: 8008911
    Abstract: In a method for determining road clearance of a vehicle, the vehicle is moved relative to a measurement configuration with a reference surface. One or more magnets, which are disposed on the vehicle and assigned preferably each to a defined measurement point on the vehicle, is detected by at least one device for magnetic field measurement. With the help of at least one device for separation measurement, the separation between the measurement configuration and the bottom side of the vehicle is determined. In this way, a rapid, reliable, repeatable and flexibly usable method for the determination of the road clearance of a vehicle is provided. A corresponding device is provided for implementing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Norbert Melinat, Ralf Bauer, Thorsten Leschinski, Harald Schöffler