Patents by Inventor Karsten Henze

Karsten Henze 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: 8115648
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat occupancy sensor (10) comprising at least two switch elements (12, 14) which can be activated by pressure. Said elements can be associated with the surface of a seat and are arranged at a certain distance from each other in such a manner that a first switch element (12) is associated with a first area of the seat and a second switch element (14) is associated with a second area of the seat. According to the invention, the first and second switch elements (12, 14) are connected to each other in such a manner that a logical AND-linkage is produced. The first and second switch elements are, for example, serially connected in a particularly simple embodiment of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignees: IEE International Electronics & Engineering S.A., Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
    Inventors: Holger Lorenz, Karsten Henze
  • Patent number: 7595735
    Abstract: A seat occupancy sensor has at least two pressure-activatable switch elements, which are assigned to two areas of a seat and are spaced a distance apart from one another and connected in a logic AND operation arrangement. An electric resistance element is connected in parallel to each switch element, its resistance value being between the resistance values when the switch element is activated and when the switch element is not activated. Each switch element can have a plurality of parallel connected sensor cells interconnected in a logic OR operation arrangement and distributed over a zone of the seat so that occupancy at any location within this zone is recognized as seat occupancy by one of the sensor's switch elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Henze, Richard Baur
  • Publication number: 20070285268
    Abstract: A seat occupancy sensor has at least two pressure-activatable switch elements, which are assigned to two areas of a seat and are spaced a distance apart from one another and connected in a logic AND operation arrangement. An electric resistance element is connected in parallel to each switch element, its resistance value being between the resistance values when the switch element is activated and when the switch element is not activated. Each switch element can have a plurality of parallel connected sensor cells interconnected in a logic OR operation arrangement and distributed over a zone of the seat so that occupancy at any location within this zone is recognized as seat occupancy by one of the sensor's switch elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karsten Henze, Richard Baur
  • Publication number: 20060150752
    Abstract: The invention relates to a seat occupancy sensor (10) comprising at least two switch elements (12, 14) which can be activated by pressure. Said elements can be associated with the surface of a seat and are arranged at a certain distance from each other in such a manner that a first switch element (12) is associated with a first area of the seat and a second switch element (14) is associated with a second area of the seat. According to the invention, the first and second switch elements (12, 14) are connected to each other in such a manner that a logical AND-linkage is produced. The first and second switch elements are, for example, serially connected in a particularly simple embodiment of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Holger Lorenz, Karsten Henze