Patents by Inventor Notker Amann

Notker Amann 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: 10065678
    Abstract: A method of determining an angle of rotation and/or a rotational speed of a motor shaft (110) of a motor (105) which is designed to produce a translational movement of a control element (115, 115a) relative to the motor (105). The method includes a step of reading in a movement signal via an interface with at least one sensor element (120) arranged outside the motor (105) such that the movement signal represents a translational movement of the control element (115) relative to the motor. In addition, the method further includes a step in which, using the movement signal, the angle of rotation and/or the rotational speed of the motor shaft (110) is/are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Füßl, Notker Amann
  • Patent number: 9919574
    Abstract: A stabilizer (105) for the anti-roll stabilization of a vehicle (100). The stabilizer (105) has a first stabilizer element (110) and a second stabilizer element (115). The first stabilizer element (110) is, or can be, coupled to a first wheel suspension element (120) of the vehicle (100) and the second stabilizer element (115) is, or can be, coupled to a second wheel suspension element (125) of the vehicle (100). Furthermore, the stabilizer (105) is provided with an electric motor (135) designed to rotate the first stabilizer element (110), relative to the second stabilizer element (115) in response to a control signal, so as to decouple the first wheel suspension element (120) from the second wheel suspension element (125). In this case the control signal represents a signal determined on the basis of a field-orientated control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Füssl, Roman Frei, Joachim Engel, Notker Amann, Mesut Er, Ulrich Mair
  • Publication number: 20170008366
    Abstract: A stabilizer (105) for the anti-roll stabilization of a vehicle (100). The stabilizer (105) has a first stabilizer element (110) and a second stabilizer element (115). The first stabilizer element (110) is, or can be, coupled to a first wheel suspension element (120) of the vehicle (100) and the second stabilizer element (115) is, or can be, coupled to a second wheel suspension element (125) of the vehicle (100). Furthermore, the stabilizer (105) is provided with an electric motor (135) designed to rotate the first stabilizer element (110), relative to the second stabilizer element (115) in response to a control signal, so as to decouple the first wheel suspension element (120) from the second wheel suspension element (125). In this case the control signal represents a signal determined on the basis of a field-orientated control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas FÜSSL, Roman FREI, Joachim ENGEL, Notker AMANN, Mesut ER, Ulrich MAIR
  • Publication number: 20160304125
    Abstract: A method of determining an angle of rotation and/or a rotational speed of a motor shaft (110) of a motor (105) which is designed to produce a translational movement of a control element (115, 115a) relative to the motor (105). The method includes a step of reading in a movement signal via an interface with at least one sensor element (120) arranged outside the motor (105) such that the movement signal represents a translational movement of the control element (115) relative to the motor. In addition, the method further includes a step in which, using the movement signal, the angle of rotation and/or the rotational speed of the motor shaft (110) is/are determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Andreas FÜßL, Notker AMANN
  • Patent number: 8527131
    Abstract: A method of operating a drive-train of a motor vehicle having a hybrid drive with an internal combustion engine and an electric machine, an electrical energy accumulator that can be charged when the electric machine operates as a generator and discharged when the electric machine operates as a motor, a transmission connected between the hybrid drive and a drive output, and at least one auxiliary power takeoff on either the transmission or the hybrid drive side such that the auxiliary power takeoff can be operated with variable energy demand within functional capability limits that depend on the auxiliary power takeoff. Depending on the current operating status of the hybrid drive unit, the electrical energy accumulator and/or the auxiliary power takeoff, energy available in the drive-train, but not required at the drive output, can bypass the electrical energy accumulator and be stored in the auxiliary power takeoff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Alexander Banerjee, Notker Amann
  • Patent number: 8396619
    Abstract: A vehicle control system with a hybrid drive comprising an engine and an electric motor and a plurality of functional components each divided into a strategy sub-component, a control sub-component and an actuator sub-component. The functional components include at least engine, transmission and hybrid functional components. The strategy sub-component (8) of the hybrid functional component (4) comprises an operating status prescription module (17) which reads in a first quantity of data from functional components in order to determine a prescribed value for the operating status of the hybrid drive, processes the read in data in order to produce a second quantity of output variables, and in a second sub-module (29), determines the prescribed value for the operating status of the hybrid drive using the output variables from the first sub-module (27) and with the help of automatic status-determining mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Notker Amann, Christian Mittelberger, Stefan Blattner
  • Patent number: 8386142
    Abstract: A motor vehicle control system for controlling a motor vehicle with a hybrid drive comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, with a strategy sub-component, a control sub-component and an actuator sub-component. The functional components include at least an internal combustion engine functional component, a transmission functional component, such that the strategy sub-component (8) of the hybrid functional component (4) comprises an operating status prescription module which determines a prescribed value for the operating status of the hybrid drive and transmits the prescribed value to the control sub-component (9) of the hybrid functional component (4) such that the control sub-component (9) of the hybrid functional component (4) comprises a first module (18) and a second module (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Winfried Fakler, Notker Amann, Christian Mittelberger, Mesut Er, Stefan Blattner, Johannes Kaltenbach, Stefan Wallner
  • Patent number: 8290655
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a vehicle with a hybrid drive comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric motor and a plurality of functional components each divided into strategy, control and actuator sub-components. The functional components include engine, transmission and hybrid functional components. The strategy sub-component of the hybrid functional component comprises an operating status prescription module which determines a recommended value for the operating status of the hybrid drive and transmits the recommended value to the control sub-component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Winfried Fakler, Notker Amann, Christian Mittelberger, Mesut Er, Stefan Blattner, Johannes Kaltenbach, Stefan Wallner
  • Patent number: 8241174
    Abstract: A method for controlling a drivetrain including a combustion engine, electric motor/generator and a transmission inter-coupled, via a summarizing gear, with one output and two input elements and, via a clutch, with each other. One input element is fixed to the engine, the second input element is fixed to the motor/generator and the output element is fixed to the input shaft of the transmission. The clutch is between two elements of the summarizing gear. Before a gearshift, torques of the engine and motor/generator are reduced and the clutch disengaged. To quickly reduce torque in the summarizing gear, the engine torque is reduced after a defined time, such that the clutch disengages when the slippage is proportional to the lowering engine torque and the motor/generator torque, in a ratio of torques at the beginning of torque reduction, is reduced proportionally to the engine torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Wallner, Notker Amann
  • Patent number: 8239110
    Abstract: A method of operating a drivetrain of a motor vehicle. The drivetrain comprises a drive aggregate formed as a hybrid drive with a combustion engine and an electric machine, and a transmission connected between the drive aggregate and a drive output. The drivetrain also comprises a pressure reservoir system with at least one pressure reservoir and at least one pressure generator by the combustion engine in order to fill the pressure reservoir. A pressure in the pressure reservoir of the pressure reservoir system is measured and a value of the actual pressure, in the pressure reservoir system, is compared with at least one threshold value. When the actual pressure value is higher than a threshold value, stopping of the combustion engine is permitted, whereas if the actual pressure value is lower than the threshold value, stopping of the combustion engine is not permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Johannes Kaltenbach, Notker Amann, Alexander Banerjee, Christian Mittelberger, Mesut Er
  • Publication number: 20120158232
    Abstract: A method of operating a drive-train of a motor vehicle having a hybrid drive with an internal combustion engine and an electric machine, an electrical energy accumulator that can be charged when the electric machine operates as a generator and discharged when the electric machine operates as a motor, a transmission connected between the hybrid drive and a drive output, and at least one auxiliary power takeoff on either the transmission or the hybrid drive side such that the auxiliary power takeoff can be operated with variable energy demand within functional capability limits that depend on the auxiliary power takeoff. Depending on the current operating status of the hybrid drive unit, the electrical energy accumulator and/or the auxiliary power takeoff, energy available in the drive-train, but not required at the drive output, can bypass the electrical energy accumulator and be stored in the auxiliary power takeoff.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Alexander Banerjee, Notker Amann
  • Patent number: 8083639
    Abstract: A method for wear-free braking of a vehicle having an electrodynamic drive system including an electric machine and a planetary gearset with a crankshaft of the combustion engine being connected with a first element of the gearset, the electric machine connected to a second element of the gearset and a transmission input shaft connected to a carrier of the gearset. The friction clutch serves as a bridging clutch to detachably connect two elements of the gearset such that when the clutch is engaged, the gearset is locked and the combustion engine operating in thrust mode applies braking torque to the drive train, the clutch is disengaged and a transmission input speed exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the speed of the combustion engine is raised to a maximum speed by appropriate control of the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Wallner, Notker Amann
  • Patent number: 8002666
    Abstract: A method for controlling a motor vehicle drive train including a combustion engine, an electric machine and a transmission, which are coupled by a summation gear system, having two input and one output elements, and a clutch. One input element is coupled to the crankshaft of the combustion engine, the other input element is coupled to the rotor of the electric machine and the output element is coupled to the input shaft of the transmission and the clutch is arranged between two elements of the summation gear system, such that when the clutch is disengaged a speed difference between the combustion engine and the transmission input shaft is synchronized by the electric machine and, if necessary, by a controlled engagement of the clutch. To improve synchronization, at the beginning of the synchronization the clutch is brought to its contact point before the engagement of the bridging clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Wallner, Notker Amann
  • Publication number: 20110190969
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling and/or regulating at least one partial load transfer in a hybrid drive arrangement of a motor vehicle. According to said method, a driver's desired torque (MDriver) is applied by at least one electric motor and by an internal combustion engine and the torque (MEM) that is to be applied by the electric motor and the torque (MVM) that is to be applied by the internal combustion engine are controlled using overlapping functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Notker Amann, Christian Mittelberger, Johannes Kaltenbach
  • Publication number: 20110166726
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a vehicle with a hybrid drive comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric motor and a plurality of functional components each divided into at least a strategy sub-component, a control sub-component and an actuator sub-component, the functional components including at least an engine functional component, a transmission functional component and a hybrid functional component, such that the strategy sub-component (8) of the hybrid functional component comprises an operating status prescription module which determines a recommended value for the operating status of the hybrid drive and transmits the recommended value to the control sub-component (9), and such that a possible recommended value that can be determined by the operating status prescription module is a preselected hybrid driving condition, and if the operating status prescription module of the strategy sub-component (8) transmits the preselected hybrid driving condition, as the recommended value, to the con
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Winfried Fakler, Notker Amann, Christian Mittelberger, Mesut Er, Stefan Blattner, Johannes Kaltenbach, Stefan Wallner
  • Patent number: 7954572
    Abstract: A steering system for tracked vehicles having two brake circuits which is activated after a failure of the primary steering mechanism. The steering system includes a steering switch (L) that can be controlled by a steering axle which, in the event of primary steering system failure, acts upon the brakes of the vehicle in such a manner that rotation of the steering axle results in a braking action upon a track on the inside of a curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Johannes Sorg, Bruno Walter, Notker Amann, Robert Januschevski
  • Publication number: 20110054725
    Abstract: The invention proposes a method for transferring the desired values and/or the desired drive train states of the strategy for the operative functions in a hybrid vehicle, in particular in a parallel hybrid vehicle, comprising a hybrid control system which is divided into at least two functional layers, with one layer being in the form of a strategic layer and the second layer being in the form of an operative layer, in which method, in a first step, the desired drive train state is transmitted from the strategic layer to the operative layer, with the drive train state which is checked and accepted as a target then being transmitted from the operative layer to the strategic layer, with, in a next step, the drive train state which is currently valid after the change or after the switchover to the target state being transmitted from the operative layer to the strategic layer, and with the desired values for continuous variables of the new state then being calculated in the strategic layer and being transmitted t
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Johannes Kaltenbach, Notker Amann, Christian Mittelberger, Stefan Blattner
  • Publication number: 20110054724
    Abstract: A method is proposed for optimizing the utilization of the energy store which is connected to the electric machine of a parallel hybrid vehicle, in the scope of which method different lower limits are defined or predefined for the operation of the energy store, wherein a priority is assigned to each vehicle function which requires electric power in order to be performed, wherein different lower energy storage limits are assigned to different priorities in such a way that the energy storage limits are reduced for vehicle functions having a relatively high priority, with the result that said functions are carried out within the physical limits of the energy store.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Mesut Er, Stefan Wallner, Notker Amann
  • Publication number: 20110035084
    Abstract: Within the scope of the method for calculating the efficiency of the energy store in a parallel hybrid vehicle, said energy store being connected to the electric machine of a parallel hybrid vehicle and comprising an internal combustion engine and at least one electric machine, the efficiency of the energy store is continuously calculated online or in real time in the energy storage module on the basis of an energy store model using known energy-store-specific parameters and energy-store-specific measured variables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: Mesut ER, Stefan Wallner, Notker Amann
  • Publication number: 20110004348
    Abstract: An arrangement for transmitting data and/or signals between a transmission control device (1) and a plurality of actuator control devices (2A, 2B, 2C) for the local control of actuation movement of actuating shifting units. The transmission control device (1) and the actuator control devices (2A, 2B, 2C) are disposed such that they are movable relative to one another. At least one wireless communication transmission unit is provided, at least in sections, between the transmission control device (1) and the actuator control devices (2A, 2B, 2C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Karl-Hermann Ketteler, Juergen Kett, Andreas Fuessl, Notker Amann