Patents by Inventor Horst Eckert

Horst Eckert 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).

  • Publication number: 20180354478
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures at pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of a vehicle includes, after an external braking demand, continuously ascertaining, by a brake control unit, in a pressure control mode, at least one differential slip value from measuring signals supplied by speed sensors of the wheels, as the difference between the slip of two axles of the vehicle before releasing the control signals; evaluating the differential slip value with consideration for a predefined or adjustable setpoint differential slip value; and depending on the evaluation, bringing the differential slip value closer to the setpoint differential slip value by adapting at least one control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Publication number: 20180334151
    Abstract: An electro-pneumatic tractor protection valve assembly (8) including a trailer supply input (84) for receiving a supply pressure, a trailer service output (87) for delivering a trailer supply pressure, a first supply input (81) for receiving a primary driver brake pressure, a second supply input (82) for receiving a secondary driver brake pressure, a dual brake valve (14) actuated by a brake pedal (10) and supplying the brake control pressures, a vent opening (86) for venting an internal conduit, a first electrically controlled pneumatic valve (92) to receive a first electric control signal for trailer assistance braking, and a trailer control output (85) for delivering a trailer brake control pressure. The valve assembly includes one single casing (8a) accommodating the first supply input (81), the second supply input (82), the trailer supply input (84), the trailer control output (85), the vent opening (86) and the trailer service output (87).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Publication number: 20180304871
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures on pneumatically actuated wheel brakes of a vehicle includes, in a normal braking mode, continuously determining, by the brake control unit, at least one differential slip value as a difference between slip values of two wheels or axles of the vehicle, and determining, by the brake control unit, an interaxle braking distribution index for a relevant pair of axles by an assessment of a change in the at least one differential slip value within an evaluation interval. The method further includes, in a pressure control mode, using, by the brake control unit, the interaxle braking distribution index that is determined in the normal braking mode for the weighting of the control signals for the respective pair of axles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Publication number: 20180215359
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures on pneumatically operated wheel brakes of a motor vehicle includes adjusting, in a normal braking mode, the brake pressures depending on a driver brake request; and adjusting, by a control unit in a pressure control mode, the brake pressures at the respective wheel brakes during reception of an external brake request, which is independent of the driver brake request and defined for the control unit as an external target deceleration value, as a function of a resulting target deceleration value of the vehicle deceleration. The control unit determines the resulting target deceleration value by linking the external target deceleration value according to the external brake request and a value corresponding to the driver brake request. A braking power index is determined which quantitatively represents the braking effect of the wheel brakes, and is provided to be taken into account in pressure control mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Publication number: 20180208166
    Abstract: A method for adjusting brake pressures on pneumatically operated wheel brakes of a motor vehicle includes setting, in a normal braking mode, a brake pressure depending on a driver brake request determined by the driver of the motor vehicle and a control unit, during reception of an external brake request which is independent of the driver brake request, in a pressure control mode, sets a resulting brake pressure at the respective wheel brakes taking into account the external brake request and the driver brake request. The method further includes terminating, after revocation of the external brake request, the pressure control mode depending on a comparison of a value representing the driver brake request and entered into the control unit with a predefined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventor: Horst Eckert
  • Patent number: 9994203
    Abstract: A method for the temperature-dependent control of a pressure control valve of a vehicle comprising an inlet valve and an outlet valve includes detecting a predefined pressure difference to be controlled by the pressure control valve, determining a present valve body temperature, wherein, for this purpose, a temperature change proceeding from a starting temperature is considered depending on at least one detected valve body influencing variable, determining, depending on the pressure difference to be controlled and on the determined present valve body temperature, at least one of a temperature-adjusted pulse duration for the inlet valve and a temperature-adjusted pulse duration for the outlet valve, and controlling at least one of the inlet valve and the outlet valve of the pressure control valve via the particular temperature-adjusted pulse duration in order to effectuate the detected pressure difference at the determined valve body temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Publication number: 20180126968
    Abstract: A method for electronically controlling a vehicle deceleration of a brake slip-controlled vehicle comprising a pneumatic braking system includes detecting that at least one wheel of the vehicle has a brake slip that exceeds a setpoint brake slip; in response to detecting that at least one of the wheels of the vehicle has a brake slip that exceeds the setpoint brake slip, brake slip-controlling the at least one wheel in order to prevent a lockup of the at least one wheel; determining a braking effect caused by wheel brakes on the wheels of the vehicle; and adjusting brake pressures output at the wheel brakes of one or more non-brake slip-controlled wheels in order to adjust the induced braking effect. The brake pressures at the wheel brakes of all non-brake slip-controlled wheels are adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Publication number: 20180072287
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle deceleration depending on a differential slip between two vehicle axles in a vehicle with an ABS brake system includes detecting at least one of a target vehicle deceleration specified by the driver and an actual vehicle deceleration; and controlling a braking pressure on wheel brakes of a vehicle axle to be controlled by actuation of ABS brake valves in such a way that the braking pressure on the wheel brakes of the vehicle axle to be controlled is controlled depending on a detected actual differential slip, so that the actual differential slip corresponds to a target differential slip. The actual differential slip indicates a difference in a rotational behavior of the vehicle axle to be controlled relative to a further vehicle axle. The target differential slip is dependent on at least one of the detected actual vehicle deceleration and the detected target vehicle deceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas Boethel, Horst Eckert, Torsten Wallbaum
  • Publication number: 20180072290
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle deceleration in a vehicle comprising an ABS braking system includes detecting a setpoint vehicle deceleration predetermined by a driver; establishing a maximum deceleration and a minimum deceleration, in each case as a function of the detected setpoint vehicle deceleration; detecting an actual vehicle deceleration; and controlling a brake pressure at wheel brakes of a vehicle axle to be controlled as a function of the detected actual vehicle deceleration by controlling ABS brake valves. Controlling the brake pressure at the wheel brakes of the vehicle axle as a function of the detected actual vehicle deceleration comprises: increasing the brake pressure at the wheel brakes when the actual vehicle deceleration is less than the minimum deceleration, and limiting the brake pressure at the wheel brakes when the actual vehicle deceleration is greater than the maximum deceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas Boethel, Horst Eckert, Torsten Wallbaum
  • Publication number: 20180072288
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle deceleration in a vehicle with an ABS brake system. The method includes detecting a target vehicle deceleration specified by a driver; defining a maximum deceleration and a minimum deceleration, each depending on the detected target vehicle deceleration; detecting an actual vehicle deceleration; and controlling a braking pressure on wheel brakes of a first vehicle axle and a second vehicle axle depending on the detected actual vehicle deceleration by actuation of ABS brake valves. Controlling the braking pressure by the actuation of the ABS brake valves comprises controlling the braking pressure on the wheel brakes of the second vehicle axle depending on a detected actual differential slip if the actual vehicle deceleration is less than the maximum deceleration and greater than the minimum deceleration, wherein the actual differential slip indicates the difference in a rotational behavior of the first vehicle axle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas Boethel, Horst Eckert, Torsten Wallbaum
  • Publication number: 20170174198
    Abstract: A method for the adaptive control of a driver operation-dependent actual vehicle deceleration in a commercial vehicle includes determining an operating variable that indicates a displacement of a brake pedal of a brake valve demanded by the driver as well as an assistance deceleration demand, providing a mass-dependent feeling curve that associates a driver's deceleration demand with the operating variable, adapting the mass-dependent feeling curve if there is no assistance deceleration demand so that the determined operating variable is associated with an actually prevailing actual vehicle deceleration, specifying a target vehicle deceleration depending on a driver operation-dependent driver's deceleration demand determined from the corresponding feeling curve and the assistance deceleration demand if there is an assistance deceleration demand, and actuating a brake pressure corresponding to the target vehicle deceleration for adaptively adjusted, driver operation-dependent control of the actual vehicle dece
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Publication number: 20170036655
    Abstract: A method for the temperature-dependent control of a pressure control valve of a vehicle comprising an inlet valve and an outlet valve includes detecting a predefined pressure difference to be controlled by the pressure control valve, determining a present valve body temperature, wherein, for this purpose, a temperature change proceeding from a starting temperature is considered depending on at least one detected valve body influencing variable, determining, depending on the pressure difference to be controlled and on the determined present valve body temperature, at least one of a temperature-adjusted pulse duration for the inlet valve and a temperature-adjusted pulse duration for the outlet valve, and controlling at least one of the inlet valve and the outlet valve of the pressure control valve via the particular temperature-adjusted pulse duration in order to effectuate the detected pressure difference at the determined valve body temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Florian Schwagmeyer
  • Patent number: 9216721
    Abstract: In a method for controlling the brakes of a vehicle combination having a tractor equipped with an electronically controlled brake system, at least one front axle and one rear axle, and a trailer having at least one trailer axle, in the event of a brake actuation, a deceleration setpoint value is ascertained and compared to a deceleration actual value, and a current brake-application energy reference value is ascertained therefrom. Brake-application energy setpoint values for the tractor and trailer are ascertained from the current brake-application energy reference value and brake-application energy levels for the tractor and trailer while using stored characteristic maps, which illustrate the dependencies of the brake-application energy levels on the brake-application energy reference value or on the axle load distribution of the tractor. The characteristic maps are obtained as a function of at least one pre-definable influencing factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Arnd Gaulke
  • Patent number: 9008937
    Abstract: A method for carrying out closed-loop or open-loop control of a vehicle brake system includes, when a braking request signal is present, setting brake pressures at brakes on axles and/or wheels of the vehicle by distributing brake pressure. Before braking is initiated on the basis of current, received or detected data relating to friction conditions or grip conditions between the roadway surface and tire surfaces of the vehicle, a determination is made as to whether, or to what extent, the distribution of brake pressure occurs in a brake wear pressure distribution or in a frictional engagement pressure distribution for the subsequent initiation of the braking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Arnd Gaulke
  • Patent number: 8897985
    Abstract: In a method for controlling the brake-application energy of a vehicle combination having a tractor vehicle equipped with an electronically controlled brake system, at least one front axle and a rear axle, and a trailer vehicle having at least one trailer axle, the functional capability of the electronically controlled brake system is monitored and a status signal is produced as a function thereof. A coupling force control factor is set as a function of the status signal such that, in the event of absent/impaired functional capability of the electronically controlled brake system, a minimal coupling force control factor is set, and the coupling force control factor is set greater than or equal to the minimal control factor, wherein the minimal control factor is not equal to zero and/or is selected such that ascertained separate brake-application energy levels for the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle are dependent on a brake-application energy reference value and on axle load distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Arnd Gaulke
  • Publication number: 20140188363
    Abstract: A method for carrying out closed-loop or open-loop control of a vehicle brake system includes, when a braking request signal is present, setting brake pressures at brakes on axles and/or wheels of the vehicle by distributing brake pressure. Before braking is initiated on the basis of current, received or detected data relating to friction conditions or grip conditions between the roadway surface and tire surfaces of the vehicle, a determination is made as to whether, or to what extent, the distribution of brake pressure occurs in a brake wear pressure distribution or in a frictional engagement pressure distribution for the subsequent initiation of the braking process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: WABCO GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Arnd Gaulke
  • Publication number: 20140180553
    Abstract: In a method for controlling the brake-application energy of a vehicle combination having a tractor vehicle equipped with an electronically controlled brake system, at least one front axle and a rear axle, and a trailer vehicle having at least one trailer axle, the functional capability of the electronically controlled brake system is monitored and a status signal is produced as a function thereof. A coupling force control factor is set as a function of the status signal such that, in the event of absent/impaired functional capability of the electronically controlled brake system, a minimal coupling force control factor is set, and the coupling force control factor is set greater than or equal to the minimal control factor, wherein the minimal control factor is not equal to zero and/or is selected such that ascertained separate brake-application energy levels for the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle are dependent on a brake-application energy reference value and on axle load distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Arnd Gaulke
  • Publication number: 20140180555
    Abstract: In a method for controlling the brakes of a vehicle combination having a tractor equipped with an electronically controlled brake system, at least one front axle and one rear axle, and a trailer having at least one trailer axle, in the event of a brake actuation, a deceleration setpoint value is ascertained and compared to a deceleration actual value, and a current brake-application energy reference value is ascertained therefrom. Brake-application energy setpoint values for the tractor and trailer are ascertained from the current brake-application energy reference value and brake-application energy levels for the tractor and trailer while using stored characteristic maps, which illustrate the dependencies of the brake-application energy levels on the brake-application energy reference value or on the axle load distribution of the tractor. The characteristic maps are obtained as a function of at least one pre-definable influencing factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Arnd Gaulke
  • Patent number: 7134733
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling brake-application energy in a tractor-trailer vehicle combination, the tractor vehicle having an electronic braking system (EBS), wherein, during braking, a set deceleration value is determined and compared with an actual deceleration value, and a current brake-application energy reference value (kappa) is determined from the comparison. To effect automatic load-dependent brake-force control for the trailer vehicle and to realize rapid adaptation of the control system to driving and load conditions, set brake-application energy values for each of the tractor and trailer vehicles are determined from the set deceleration value, from a value depending on kappa, and from brake-application energy levels for each of the tractor and trailer vehicles, using sets of performance characteristics resident in the EBS to describe the dependencies of the brake-application energy levels for the tractor and trailer vehicles on kappa and/or on the axle-load ratio of the tractor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: WABCO GmbH & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Arnd Gaulke
  • Patent number: 6934618
    Abstract: A system and method for overload monitoring of vehicle brakes of electronically controlled brake systems of vehicles and of vehicle combinations. The temperatures of the wheel brakes of the vehicle or vehicle train parts of the vehicle combination are determined and compared with a preset temperature limit value, and a first warning signal is output to the driver if the temperature of the wheel brakes on one axle of the vehicle or of a vehicle train part reaches the temperature limit value. A second warning signal is output to the driver if the determined temperatures of the wheel brakes on more than one axle of the vehicle or of at least one vehicle train part or all vehicle train parts of the vehicle combination reach the temperature limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Wabco GmbH & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Horst Eckert, Arnd Gaulke