Patents by Inventor Holger Niemann

Holger Niemann 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: 9815448
    Abstract: In a method for controlling a vehicle drive unit having at least two individual drives and a vehicle control unit, a continuous torque comparison between a permissible torque MZul and a further torque is performed by the control unit. The permissible torque MZul is continuously compared to setpoint torques Msetpoint,V and Msetpoint,E for the least two individual drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Seel, Holger Niemann, Oliver Kaefer, Per Hagman
  • Patent number: 9815485
    Abstract: A method for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle, includes reading in a piece of signal information detected by an image sensor of the rail vehicle, comparing the piece of signal information to at least one stored piece of reference signal information to classify the piece of signal information as a warning sign requiring an output of an acoustic warning signal, and providing a trigger signal to an output unit of the rail vehicle for outputting an acoustic warning signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Toni Scheschko, Holger Niemann, Henning Voelz, Florian Feile
  • Patent number: 9649953
    Abstract: A method for operating an electrical machine, in particular for making available drive power for a drive train of a motor vehicle, the electrical machine being controlled by several phase currents, the method including sensing an electrical variable that represents the torque delivered by the electrical machine; and monitoring the torque. A degradation of the electrical machine is taken into consideration in the monitoring of the torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Schleser, Daniel Kanth, Holger Niemann, Andreas Heyl
  • Patent number: 9233687
    Abstract: A method for initiating an operation under emergency conditions of a motor vehicle, the method including detecting a malfunction of a component of the motor vehicle; checking whether an operation under emergency conditions is possible; reporting the malfunction to the driver; initiating the operation under emergency conditions under predefined conditions, the operation under emergency conditions being initiated following an active confirmation by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Holger Niemann, Roland Schleser, Daniel Kanth, Andreas Heyl
  • Publication number: 20150367871
    Abstract: A method for outputting a trigger signal for an acoustic warning signal of a rail vehicle, includes reading in a piece of signal information detected by an image sensor of the rail vehicle, comparing the piece of signal information to at least one stored piece of reference signal information to classify the piece of signal information as a warning sign requiring an output of an acoustic warning signal, and providing a trigger signal to an output unit of the rail vehicle for outputting an acoustic warning signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Toni SCHESCHKO, Holger Niemann, Henning Voelz, Florian Feile
  • Patent number: 9124104
    Abstract: An electrical connecting device having an output connection, which is designed to be detachably connected to a charging connection of an accumulator device of a vehicle operated using current, the electrical connecting device also including a supply connection that is designed to be detachably connected to a network connection of an alternating current low-voltage interconnected network. The connecting device is characterized in that the electrical connecting device includes an alternating current/direct current converter, which is suitable for converting the alternating voltage of the supply connection to an electric DC voltage suitable for the accumulator device. A method is also described for charging an accumulator device of a vehicle operated by current using an electrical connecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Holger Niemann, Ines Wuensch, Sebastian Wuensch, Franziska Wuensch
  • Patent number: 9065366
    Abstract: In a method for operating an at least three-phase electric machine used as a drive assembly in a motor vehicle, which is actuated via an inverter, the inverter including switching elements in the form of half bridges which are in each case electrically connected to a respective phase of the electric machine, when a first switching element of a first half bridge connected to a first phase is permanently closed/opened on account of failure, a second switching element of the first half bridge is permanently opened/closed and, in a first angular range of an electrical rotation, which is uninfluenced by the first phase, all switching elements of the additional half bridges are actuated in the usual manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Holger Niemann, Roland Schleser, Daniel Kanth, Andreas Heyl
  • Patent number: 8855841
    Abstract: A method for operating an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle having an electric motor and a brake device, and the electric motor and the brake device being capable of being influenced by a control device. When the electric vehicle is at a standstill, when there is an error of the control device, the brake device is actuated so that the electric vehicle cannot move, or at least can move only to a very limited extent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Doerr, Roland Schleser, Holger Niemann, Markus Kretschmer, Oliver Kaefer, Daniel Damm, Dirk Gollub, Andreas Heyl
  • Publication number: 20130338872
    Abstract: A method for initiating an operation under emergency conditions of a motor vehicle, the method including detecting a malfunction of a component of the motor vehicle; checking whether an operation under emergency conditions is possible; reporting the malfunction to the driver; initiating the operation under emergency conditions under predefined conditions, the operation under emergency conditions being initiated following an active confirmation by the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Holger Niemann, Roland Schleser, Daniel Kanth, Andreas Heyl
  • Publication number: 20130317686
    Abstract: A method for operating an electrical machine, in particular for making available drive power for a drive train of a motor vehicle, the electrical machine being controlled by several phase currents, the method including sensing an electrical variable that represents the torque delivered by the electrical machine; and monitoring the torque. A degradation of the electrical machine is taken into consideration in the monitoring of the torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Roland Schleser, Daniel Kanth, Holger Niemann, Andreas Heyl
  • Patent number: 8589017
    Abstract: In a method for determining the torque of an internal combustion engine of a motor-vehicle hybrid drive device which further includes a secondary electric motor coupled to the internal combustion engine, the torque of the internal combustion engine is determined at at least one operating point by comparison to the known torque of the secondary motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Doerr, Roland Schleser, Holger Niemann, Daniel Damm, Andreas Heyl
  • Publication number: 20130187585
    Abstract: In a method for operating an at least three-phase electric machine used as a drive assembly in a motor vehicle, which is actuated via an inverter, the inverter including switching elements in the form of half bridges which are in each case electrically connected to a respective phase of the electric machine, when a first switching element of a first half bridge connected to a first phase is permanently closed/opened on account of failure, a second switching element of the first half bridge is permanently opened/closed and, in a first angular range of an electrical rotation, which is uninfluenced by the first phase, all switching elements of the additional half bridges are actuated in the usual manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventors: Holger Niemann, Roland Schleser, Daniel Kanth, Andreas Heyl
  • Publication number: 20130190953
    Abstract: In a method for increasing the availability of a hybrid drive having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, the electric motor is operated as a starter of the internal combustion engine as well as a travel drive unit within the hybrid drive, and at least one operating parameter, corresponding to an operating parameter of the at least one electric motor, is ascertained. An error is identified if the at least one operating parameter value does not correspond to an operating parameter standard state, in which case the operation of the electric motor as the travel drive unit is at least partially limited. Lastly, a driving state-dependent error response is carried out depending on the instantaneous operating state of the hybrid drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventors: Holger Niemann, Andreas Heyl
  • Patent number: 8437897
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electrical machine of a hybrid drive includes: ascertaining at least one operating parameter value of the electrical machine; identifying an error, if the at least one operating parameter value does not correspond to the standard state of an operating parameter; and at least partially restricting the operation of the electrical machine as a propulsion unit if an identified error exists. The electrical machine is operated at least temporarily as a starter when an identified error exists, independently of the operation of the electrical machine as a propulsion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Blind, Alexey Yushin, Holger Niemann, Andreas Heyl
  • Patent number: 8433464
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring the torque distribution in multiple drive systems, e.g., in hybrid drives. The hybrid drive includes at least two individual drives which are controlled via an engine control unit, in which a torque distribution of a setpoint torque MSETPOINT to the at least two individual drives takes place. After the torque distribution, the formation of a resulting torque MRES takes place which is compared continuously with a torque before the torque distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Seel, Holger Niemann, Oliver Kaefer, Per Hagman
  • Publication number: 20130069590
    Abstract: An electrical connecting device having an output connection, which is designed to be detachably connected to a charging connection of an accumulator device of a vehicle operated using current, the electrical connecting device also including a supply connection that is designed to be detachably connected to a network connection of an alternating current low-voltage interconnected network. The connecting device is characterized in that the electrical connecting device includes an alternating current/direct current converter, which is suitable for converting the alternating voltage of the supply connection to an electric DC voltage suitable for the accumulator device. A method is also described for charging an accumulator device of a vehicle operated by current using an electrical connecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Holger Niemann, Ines Wuensch, Sebastian Wuensch, Franziska Wuensch
  • Patent number: 8219272
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle drive unit, which comprises at least two individual drives, at least one of which is able to provide a negative torque. A vehicle control unit is provided, within which a continuous torque comparison is performed within a monitoring level. A permissible torque is ascertained therein. Using a torque range checker it is established whether ascertained setpoint torques lie within torque ranges of the at least two individual drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Seel, Holger Niemann, Oliver Kaefer, Per Hagman
  • Patent number: 8169173
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle drive unit, the vehicle drive unit having at least two individual motors. A total actual torque is continuously compared with an allowable total torque, the total actual torque being calculated from individual actual torque values of the at least two individual motors, and the allowable total torque being calculated from the allowable individual torque values of the at least two individual motors, and an error response being initiated if the comparison establishes that the total actual torque is greater than the allowable total torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Doerr, Holger Niemann, Thorsten Juenemann, Per Hagman
  • Publication number: 20120081073
    Abstract: An electrical connecting device having an output connection, which is designed to be detachably connected to a charging connection of an accumulator device of a vehicle operated using current, the electrical connecting device also including a supply connection that is designed to be detachably connected to a network connection of an alternating current low-voltage interconnected network. The connecting device is characterized in that the electrical connecting device includes an alternating current/direct current converter, which is suitable for converting the alternating voltage of the supply connection to an electric DC voltage suitable for the accumulator device. A method is also described for charging an accumulator device of a vehicle operated by current using an electrical connecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Holger Niemann, Volkmar Wuensch
  • Publication number: 20120046813
    Abstract: An electrical machine in a motor vehicle is controlled by an inverter, which motor vehicle has an automatically or manually actuatable transmission. The electrical machine generates, in generator mode, electrical energy that is stored in an energy reservoir. In a fault situation, at least one variable characterizing the charge state of the energy reservoir is detected and compared with a predefined lower threshold value, and upon a shortfall below the lower threshold value, the electrical machine is switched into a freewheeling mode by opening the inverter's switching elements. For an automatic transmission, a higher transmission ratio than a present transmission ratio is additionally established; for a manual transmission, the driver is notified by a message that a lower gear needs to be engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Roland Schleser, Daniel Kanth, Holger Niemann, Andreas Heyl