Patents by Inventor Michael Ulmer

Michael Ulmer 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: 20030184447
    Abstract: Proposed is a method for transmitting data from at least one sensor to a control unit via an appropriate two-wire line, the method being used to identify any sensor at the control unit and to implement a plurality of logical channels via the appropriate two-wire line. The at least one sensor receives the necessary electrical energy from the control unit via the two-wire line and then transmits the sensor-specific data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Jens Otterbach, Christian Ohl, Oliver Kohn, Gerald Nitsche, Jochen Schomacker, Ingbert Gerngross, Dirk Ullmann, Michael Ulmer
  • Publication number: 20030171853
    Abstract: A device is proposed for data transmission between vehicle sensors and a control unit, which is used to decode data telegrams having sensor data from the vehicle sensors and to reformat them into SPI (serial peripheral interface) data telegrams. Furthermore, an interface module of the control unit will then transmit the SPI data telegrams to the processor of the control unit. By using an alter bit, it is possible for the processor of the control unit to retrieve either the newest sensor data or the preceding sensor data. The interface module converts the sensor data in each case into a 10-bit data field of an SPI data telegram, the interface module supplementing missing data if necessary. By counting out the edges, it is possible for the interface module to recognize the data telegrams from the sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Jens Otterbach, Peter Taufer, Harald Tschentscher, Davor Lukacic, Bernhard Straub, Michael Ulmer
  • Patent number: 6587769
    Abstract: A device and a method are proposed for controlling firing circuits for an element of restraint, individual transistors of the output stages being controlled by bit combinations, and impermissible bit combinations lead to an error message to a processor. In addition, a firing current is measured, in order to estimate a firing energy from it, so that efficient energy management can be carried out. Furthermore, determination of the firing current makes it possible to update a crash protocol as to whether the firing circuit was activated or not. When a voltage of the energy reserve is exceeded, it is further proposed to switch over to pulse operation for operating the output stages. Thereby a greater resistance to short-circuits and a higher efficiency are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch, GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Otterbach, Hartmut Schumacher, Peter Taufer, Achim Henne, Harald Tschentscher, Michael Ulmer, Andreas Rupp
  • Publication number: 20030094449
    Abstract: A method of and device for checking a device for influencing the temperature of a baking oven includes switching on devices for influencing the temperature of a baking oven for a predetermined time and subsequently comparing a measured temperature obtained with a predetermined comparison temperature. A fault signal is output dependent upon the comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Martin Keller, Manfred Plankl, Michael Ulmer
  • Publication number: 20020194541
    Abstract: A method for checking an interface module, the interface module returning to the processor, using a second data message, stored values representing sensor values, after a request for a test by a processor using a data message. Using these firm sensor values, the processor can check the functioning of the interface module and its own algorithm. A safety module, which also picks up the sensor values, also checks its functioning with them, since the safety module is a redundant hardware path to the processor and is used as a plausibility check for the release decision of means of restraint. The interface module is changed into a test mode as soon as it receives the first data message from the processor, and it then suppresses the transmission of the real sensor values which were received from connected sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Jens Otterbach, Peter Taufer, Harald Tschentscher, Davor Lukacic, Bernhard Straub, Michael Ulmer
  • Publication number: 20020177933
    Abstract: A device and a method are proposed for controlling firing circuits for an element of restraint, individual transistors of the output stages being controlled by bit combinations, and impermissible bit combinations lead to an error message to a processor. In addition, a firing current is measured, in order to estimate a firing energy from it, so that efficient energy management can be carried out. Furthermore, determination of the firing current makes it possible to update a crash protocol as to whether the firing circuit was activated or not. When a voltage of the energy reserve is exceeded, it is further proposed to switch over to pulse operation for operating the output stages. Thereby a greater resistance to short-circuits and a higher efficiency are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Jens Otterbach, Hartmut Schumacher, Peter Taufer, Achim Henne, Harald Tschentscher, Michael Ulmer, Andreas Rupp
  • Publication number: 20020167224
    Abstract: A device for controlling firing circuits for restraining devices, a processor and a safety IC for controlling the restraining devices being connectable to the firing circuit control, and the firing circuit control having blocking inputs and blocking registers for the blocking of groups of connectable firing circuits; the processor setting the blocking registers after switching-on (of the device) and logically linking the firing circuit control data of the blocking inputs and the blocking registers with one another, so as to block individual groups of firing circuits. Thus it is especially possible individually to block firing circuits for air bags in dependence upon the degree of occupancy and the classification of the occupants in a vehicle. Setting the blocking inputs and the blocking registers takes place shortly after switching-on (of the device), after function tests of the IC's have been conducted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Jens Otterbach, Hartmut Schumacher, Peter Taufer, Achim Henne, Harald Tschentscher, Michael Ulmer, Andreas Rupp
  • Publication number: 20020149374
    Abstract: A device for triggering ignition circuits is used to increase safety without additional expenditures in the form of hardware or wiring. Plus and minus output elements of various ICs are used for this purpose. Ignition circuit diagnosis is now also distributed over two ICs. Ignition circuit diagnosis includes, in particular, the resistance measurement of the respective ignition circuit. Each substrate, in other words IC, therefore has at least one plus and one minus output element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventor: Michael Ulmer
  • Patent number: 4741589
    Abstract: A coupler includes a transducer and an optical waveguide ending in front of the transducer, the fiber end of the optical waveguide is soldered into a guide sleeve by using a high-melting solder. To safeguard a sufficient adjusting clearance for the transverse displacements necessary for effecting the coupling, the guide sleeve in the wall of the housing of the encapsulated arrangement, passes through a borehole of larger diameter. This borehole is closed by a coverplate traversed as well by the guide sleeve, with this coverplate being connected to the guide sleeve and, simultaneously, to the housing by way of soldering and by the use of a low-melting solder. Due to the fact that the forces resulting during the cooling of the solder, act ring-symmetrically upon the guide sleeve, maladjusting transverse displacement vis-a-vis a previously adjusted position of the fiber end with respect to the transducer is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Assignee: Alcatel N.V.
    Inventors: Ernst Halder, Michael Ulmer