Patents by Inventor Manfred Altenkirch

Manfred Altenkirch 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: 7194341
    Abstract: A method is for determining a geometric vehicle inclination ? of a motor vehicle, where an acceleration signal of at least one acceleration sensor is used and a speed gradient dv/dt is determined from a measured vehicle speed v, where a) in the case of a moving or standing vehicle, an acceleration value aS is derived from a force acting on the acceleration sensor, b) a corrected acceleration value akorr is determined as a function of the speed gradient dv/dt, and c) the current vehicle inclination ? is directly deduced from the corrected acceleration value akorr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Manfred Altenkirch
  • Publication number: 20050085950
    Abstract: A method is for determining a geometric vehicle inclination ? of a motor vehicle, where an acceleration signal of at least one acceleration sensor is used and a speed gradient dv/dt is determined from a measured vehicle speed v, where a) in the case of a moving or standing vehicle, an acceleration value as is derived from a force acting on the acceleration sensor, b) a corrected acceleration value akorr is determined as a function of the speed gradient dv/dt, and c) the current vehicle inclination ? is directly deduced from the corrected acceleration value akorr.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventor: Manfred Altenkirch
  • Patent number: 6773369
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device (1) for an automatically and manually shiftable gearbox in a motor vehicle. The inventive control device comprises a selector lever (2) for adjusting at least the forward position (D), neutral (N), reverse (R), parking position (P) and a position (M) for manual shifting. A first and a second tip switch (3a, 3c) can be actuated in the position (M) for manual shifting. Signals for manually shifting up or down with regard to the gear ratio are supplied to a control device (7) for controlling the gearbox by means of position sensors (5) and control lines (6). Failure of the position sensors (5) and/or the control lines (6) that are allocated to said sensors can be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Volkswgen AG
    Inventors: Manfred Altenkirch, Bernhard Ott, Andreas Löhner
  • Publication number: 20030056613
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device (1) for an automatically and manually shiftable gearbox in a motor vehicle. The inventive control device comprises a selector lever (2) for adjusting at least the forward position (D), neutral (N), reverse (R), parking position (P) and a position (M) for manual shifting. A first and a second tip switch (3a, 3c) can be actuated in the position (M) for manual shifting. Signals for manually shifting up or down with regard to the gear ratio are supplied to a control device (7) for controlling the gearbox by means of position sensors (5) and control lines (6). Failure of the position sensors (5) and/or the control lines (6) that are allocated to said sensors can be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Manfred Altenkirch, Bernhard Ott, Andreas Lohner