Abstract: A transvaginal stimulation device comprises a probe body sized to fit entirely within a vaginal cavity of a female patient. The probe body has a stimulating side defined by a length and a width of the probe body. The transvaginal stimulation device further comprises a pair of electrodes disposed on the stimulating side of the probe body and laterally spaced from each other. A method for treating stress urinary incontinence in a female patient comprises inserting the intravaginal device into a vaginal cavity of the female patient, positioning the pair of electrodes against an anterior wall of the vagina of the female patient, and conveying stimulation energy between the pair of electrodes to stimulate at least one muscle of a urethral sphincter muscle of the female patient without substantially stimulating pelvic floor muscles of the female patient.

Abstract: A biopsy system includes a motorized driver having a drive member operatively coupled with a needle interface of a biopsy needle assembly that is removably installed on the motorized driver, wherein the motorized driver actuates the drive member to thereby actuate the biopsy needle assembly via the needle interface. A system controller that controls operation of the motorized driver is configured to perform a homing process including determining a system test failure or a needle removal condition in which a biopsy needle assembly installed on the motorized driver has been or should be removed from the motorized driver. Upon determining a system test failure or needle removal condition, the controller positions the drive member in a drive member home position for receiving a new biopsy needle assembly to be installed on the motorized driver.

Abstract: A biopsy system includes a motorized driver having a drive member operatively coupled with a needle interface of a biopsy needle assembly that is removably installed on the motorized driver, wherein the motorized driver actuates the drive member to thereby actuate the biopsy needle assembly via the needle interface. A system controller that controls operation of the motorized driver is configured to perform a homing process including determining a system test failure or a needle removal condition in which a biopsy needle assembly installed on the motorized driver has been or should be removed from the motorized driver. Upon determining a system test failure or needle removal condition, the controller positions the drive member in a drive member home position for receiving a new biopsy needle assembly to be installed on the motorized driver.

Abstract: An electronic-hydraulic control device for gearboxes of vehicles, preferably motor vehicles, includes a housing in which an electronic unit for controlling magnetic valves is accommodated. The valves are supplied with a pressure medium. The housing has a magnetic housing part in which magnetic parts of the magnetic valves and the electronic unit of the control device are accommodated and which lies outside the gearbox, and a hydraulic housing part in which hydraulic parts of the magnetic valves are located and which is positioned at least partially inside the gearbox housing.

Abstract: The unit includes an electro-mechanical drive (1), and an adjustment gearing (6) with a mechanical output (12) for influencing the switching positions of the distributor gearing, which is driven by the electro-mechanical drive. A circuit carrier (13) is provided, on which an electronic circuit (14) for controlling the electro-mechanical drive is realised. A sensor device (16), preferably mounted on the circuit carrier, is connected with the electronic circuit for detecting a movement of the adjustment gearing. Commutator contacts (15) for the electro-mechanical drive are preferably mounted at the circuit carrier.

Abstract: An electronic-hydraulic control device for gearboxes of vehicles, preferably motor vehicles, includes a housing in which an electronic unit for controlling magnetic valves is accommodated. The valves are supplied with a pressure medium. The housing has a magnetic housing part in which magnetic parts of the magnetic valves and the electronic unit of the control device are accommodated and which lies outside the gearbox, and a hydraulic housing part in which hydraulic parts of the magnetic valves are located and which is positioned at least partially inside the gearbox housing.

Abstract: A control unit, in particular for a device provided in a motor vehicle, has a computer, a first volatile data memory and a second nonvolatile data memory connected to a temperature sensor. During operation, variable data are transmitted from the first to the second data memory. Information regarding the temperature of the nonvolatile data memory is supplied by the temperature sensor to the computer. Data from the volatile data memory are copied to the nonvolatile data memory only when the temperature that has been signaled falls below a predetermined value. Data are read from the nonvolatile data memory up to an upper temperature limit which lies above the predetermined value.

Abstract: The method is used to store and retrieve data in a control system, in particular in a motor vehicle, which contains a computer, a RAM memory and a flash memory. When the control system is switched off, operational data of different types, which can change while the control system is operating and which are required again after the control system is switched on again and which are stored in the RAM memory, are then stored in the flash memory. The flash memory is managed by means of a circular buffer method and can hold multiple copies of the operational data of the same type. When the control system is switched on, the most recent operational data of a respective type of data are determined and output to the RAM memory.

Abstract: A control for a motor vehicle includes a transmission control and an engine control which are connected to one another through a communication channel. Functional units of the transmission control which are dependent on data of an engine and of a chassis of the motor vehicle, so-called engine-specific and chassis-specific functional units, are integrated into the engine control. Functional units having a function which is dependent on data of the transmission, so-called transmission-specific components, are contained in a computer-controlled gear shifting configuration. Data which are necessary for controlling the transmission are exchanged between the engine control and the gear shifting configuration through the communication channel 6. A shift point selection control, which can be constructed as a fuzzy control, is contained in the engine control.

Abstract: A control device for an automatic motor vehicle transmission has electrohydraulically actuated gearshift elements which increase the smoothness of shifting during a shifting operation, especially a shifting operation in a traction mode, by varying hydraulic pressure for actuating the gearshift elements. In a first phase of the shifting operation, in which idle travels of the gearshift elements are overcome, the pressure is rapidly made to approach a desired value through the use of a control signal (open-loop control) with a high duty cycle. In a second phase of the shifting operation, in which a transmission input moment changes from the gearshift element of an old gear over to the gearshift element of a new gear, the hydraulic pressure is built up with a high duty cycle.

Abstract: A control unit includes a transmission control unit and an engine control unit which are connected to one another through a communication channel. Functional units of the transmission control unit which are dependent on data from the engine and the chassis of the motor vehicle, so-called engine-specific and chassis-specific functional units, are integrated into the engine control unit. Functional units performing an operation that is dependent on data from the transmission, so-called transmission-specific components, are contained in a computer-controlled transmission ratio changing device. Data which are necessary for controlling the transmission, data for selecting or determining the transmission ratio of the transmission and configuration parameters for adapting the control unit to the respective motor vehicle, are exchanged between the engine control unit and the transmission ratio changing device through the communication channel.

Abstract: A control loop, preferably for movement stability regulation in a motor vehicle, has a yaw rate sensor supplying an electrical sensor signal and a temperature sensor supplying an electrical sensor signal for compensation of temperature dependency of the sensor signal of the yaw rate sensor. A circuit configuration for evaluation of the sensor signal of the yaw rate sensor includes a first evaluation device for calculating an instantaneous yaw rate from the electrical sensor signals of the yaw rate sensor and of the temperature sensor, and a second evaluation device for adaptively determining sensor-specific characteristic parameters of the yaw rate sensor as a function of temperature. A reference yaw rate .PSI..sub.ref being calculated from measured wheel rotation speed values v.sub.1 and v.sub.r in accordance with the following formula: ##EQU1## is taken into account, where l.sub.trackw designates a distance between two centers of contact of wheels on a non-driven axle with the ground.

Abstract: A control device for an automatic motor vehicle transmission reduces engine torque during a shifting operation, in particular a shifting operation in a traction mode, in order to increase smoothness of shifting. The engine torque reduction is begun at the earliest upon reaching a free-wheel point of the transmission and is ended shortly before a synchronizing point of the transmission is reached. The free-wheel point and the synchronizing point of the transmission are ascertained from rpm differences in the gearshift elements involved in the particular switching operation. Differential rpm thresholds used in the process and the intensity of the torque reduction are ascertained with fuzzy systems.

Abstract: A control configuration for a motor vehicle includes an engine control and a transmission control which are connected to one another through a communication channel. A transmission is shifted by using electrohydraulic pressure control valves for actuating friction elements in the transmission. The transmission control is mounted at a transmission housing. Solenoids of the electrohydraulic pressure control valves are integrated into the transmission control. Sensor signals which are to be evaluated by the transmission control are transmitted by sensors to the transmission control wirelessly.

Abstract: A control unit for an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle includes a housing having an open bottom part with an interior. A carrier is disposed in the housing. Circuit components are disposed on the carrier. Valve coils for electromagnetic hydraulic valves are disposed in the housing and embedded in a flexible compound. A rotational-speed sensor disposed in the interior of the open bottom part is embedded in the flexible compound and thus fixed in its position in the housing. The rotational-speed sensor extends into the vicinity of a gearwheel or of some other rotating component of the transmission and detects or records its rotary motion by induction or the Hall effect.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has an engine, an automatic transmission and a chassis. A control system for the motor vehicle includes a gear ratio change control system, an engine control system and a communications channel through which the gear ratio change control system and the engine control system communicate with one another. The gear ratio change control system has function units being dependent on data of the engine and the chassis and being integrated with the engine control system. A gear ratio change unit has function units being dependent on data of the transmission. The communications channel exchanges data required for controlling the transmission, between the engine control system and the gear ratio change unit. An emergency device switches-over the gear ratio change unit, upon a malfunction of the communications channel, to receive control signals from a device not communicating with it through the communications channel.

Abstract: An electrohydraulic regulating device, particularly for a motor vehicle rear axle steering assembly, includes an adjusting cylinder. An electrically actuated control valve controls a hydraulic fluid flow to the adjusting cylinder. At least one electrically actuated switching valve blocks or admits a hydraulic fluid flow. A control unit generates control signals for the control valve and the switching valve. A regulating circuit supplies a pulse-width-modulated regulating signal for regulating a mean current of the control valve. A pulse-width-modulated control signal controls a mean current of the switching valve. The same supply voltage is applied to the switching valve and to the control valve. A pulse-duty factor of the control signal for the switching valve is referred to a pulse-duty factor of an adjusting signal for the control valve.

Abstract: An actuating system is provided that includes a differential hydraulic cylinder containing a piston and a piston rod connected to one side of the piston. A first or head chamber (53) is defined in the cylinder and is bounded by the one side of the piston, to which the piston rod is not connected. A second or rod chamber (54) is also defined in the cylinder and is bounded by the other side of the piston, to which the piston rod is connected. An actuatable assembly is provided that is adapted to be connected to either the hydraulic cylinder or the piston rod. Finally, a proportional control valve is provided which is adapted to actuate the hydraulic cylinder by controlling the amount of fluid supply to the first chamber, wherein the supply pressure is connected to the second chamber.

Abstract: An actuator element of an electromagnetic transducer which converts an electric current into an associated mechanical variable, for example an oil pressure, a displacement or a force, has hysteresis which is reduced by the fact that a periodic fluctuation component (jitter current) is superimposed on an actuator current. The influence of the operating parameters of the actuator element (for example of the temperature) on the hysteresis is eliminated by the fact that the frequency or the amplitude of the fluctuation component is varied in dependence on the operating parameter.