Patents by Inventor Joachim Steinle

Joachim Steinle 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: 8193922
    Abstract: A method is provided for warning the driver of a motor vehicle equipped with a distance-related cruise control system of a potentially hazardous situation. The motor vehicle is kept at a standstill during the distance-related cruise control using a braking torque applied by the distance-related cruise control system. Leaving of the motor vehicle, or an intention of the driver to leave the motor vehicle, is recognized. When the leaving or the intention to leave of the driver is recognized, the applied braking torque is changed and/or modulated in such a manner that the motor vehicle experiences a movement perceptible by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Steinle, Oliver Tschernoster, Bartono Adiprasito
  • Patent number: 7904228
    Abstract: A distance-related cruise control system and method for a motor vehicle performs a speed control to a predefined desired speed during free travel of the motor vehicle and performs a distance regulation to a predefined distance to the vehicle traveling ahead during following travel. After deactivation of the distance regulation during following travel, the system performs a speed control, not to the previously defined speed, but rather to the current speed of the motor vehicle at the instant of the deactivation of the distance regulation as the desired speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Pfeiffer, Joachim Steinle, Martin Brandstaeter
  • Publication number: 20080186157
    Abstract: A method is provided for warning the driver of a motor vehicle equipped with a distance-related cruise control system of a potentially hazardous situation. The motor vehicle is kept at a standstill during the distance-related cruise control using a braking torque applied by the distance-related cruise control system. Leaving of the motor vehicle, or an intention of the driver to leave the motor vehicle, is recognized. When the leaving or the intention to leave of the driver is recognized, the applied braking torque is changed and/or modulated in such a manner that the motor vehicle experiences a movement perceptible by the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Steinle, Oliver Tschernoster, Bartono Adiprasito
  • Publication number: 20080162011
    Abstract: A distance-related cruise control system and method for a motor vehicle performs a speed control to a predefined desired speed during free travel of the motor vehicle and performs a distance regulation to a predefined distance to the vehicle traveling ahead during following travel. After deactivation of the distance regulation during following travel, the system performs a speed control, not to the previously defined speed, but rather to the current speed of the motor vehicle at the instant of the deactivation of the distance regulation as the desired speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas PFEIFFER, Joachim Steinle, Martin Brandstaeter
  • Patent number: 6600986
    Abstract: A method for the longitudinal control of a vehicle, in which information of a navigation system is detected and in which, as a function of the information of the navigation system, a desired value of at least one parameter for the longitudinal control is defined, during a longitudinal control operation, on the basis of a defined desired distance from a preceding vehicle by means of information of the navigation system. The probability is determined with which the preceding vehicle and/or the own vehicle is cornering when the preceding vehicle is no longer detected. A longitudinal acceleration takes place in a time-delayed manner when the probability is greater than a defined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Steinle, Michael Schraut, Uwe Proemm
  • Publication number: 20020038175
    Abstract: A method for the longitudinal control of a vehicle, in which information of a navigation system is detected and in which, as a function of the information of the navigation system, a desired value of at least one parameter for the longitudinal control is defined, during a longitudinal control operation, on the basis of a defined desired distance from a preceding vehicle by means of information of the navigation system. The probability is determined with which the preceding vehicle and/or the own vehicle is cornering when the preceding vehicle is no longer detected. A longitudinal acceleration takes place in a time-delayed manner when the probability is greater than a defined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Steinle, Michael Schraut, Uwe Proemm
  • Patent number: 6256574
    Abstract: A distance-related cruise control system for motor vehicles has an electronic control unit, by which in the event of a distance-controlled following travel with a defined following distance from a vehicle driving ahead, when the speed of the vehicle falls below a defined first threshold, in the event of a further decrease of the speed of the vehicle driving ahead, the deceleration capability is reduced independently of the maintenance of the following distance. Preferably, the momentarily defined following distance is first increased when the speed falls below a defined second threshold which is larger than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willibald Prestl, Joachim Steinle, Oliver Tschernoster
  • Patent number: 6192309
    Abstract: In a distance-related electronically controlled cruise control system for motor vehicles, in which, during a first regulating operation, a predetermined speed is essentially maintained until a preset minimum distance from a leading target vehicle is reached or undershot, and in which, during a second regulating operation, following the reaching or undershooting of this preset minimum distance, a speed regulation takes place in such fashion that the set minimum distance is maintained by following the target vehicle ahead at a regulated distance, and in the event of detection of a standing object ahead of the target vehicle traveling ahead of the source vehicle during the second regulating operation, after the previously leading target vehicle veers aside thus causing a transition from the second regulating operation back to the first regulating operation, acceleration to the preset speed is prevented if the distance to the standing object is below a first threshold and/or if the actual speed is below a second
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Willibald Prestl, Joachim Steinle, Oliver Tschernoster