Patents by Inventor Patrick Mescher

Patrick Mescher 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: 20070050687
    Abstract: A watchdog monitoring circuit and a method related thereto are provided. The watchdog monitoring circuit includes a first signal detection circuit configured to determine a first error condition associated with a first device when the first signal detection circuit does not receive a first plurality of signal pulses having a first predetermined characteristic from the first device. The watchdog monitoring circuit further includes a second signal detection circuit configured to determine a second error condition associated with a second device when the second signal detection circuit does not receive a second plurality of signal pulses having a second predetermined characteristic from the second device. The watchdog monitoring circuit further includes a first electrical control circuit operably associated with the first and second signal detection circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Disser, Jeff Foust, Patrick Mescher
  • Publication number: 20060053919
    Abstract: A method for making a ball-nut includes cutting a 360-degree closed-loop surface groove in the inner-circumferential wall portion of a ball-nut body using a whirling-type internal-diameter cutting machine. The closed-loop surface groove surrounds the longitudinal axis of the wall portion, is adapted for receiving a plurality of ball bearings, includes a helical-grooved portion substantially coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis, and includes a crossover-grooved portion. A method for making a ball-screw includes cutting at least one 360-degree closed-loop surface groove in the outer-circumferential wall portion of a ball-screw body using a whirling-type external-diameter cutting machine. The closed-loop surface groove surrounds the longitudinal axis of the wall portion, is adapted for receiving a plurality of ball bearings, includes a helical-grooved portion substantially coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis, and includes a cross-under-grooved portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Ernest Siler, Ronald Smith, Kathleen Murphy, David Drennen, Patrick Mescher, Thomas Bucholz
  • Publication number: 20050225173
    Abstract: An electrical system comprised of at least two control modules as well as at least one power supply module. The present invention improves functional reliability of electrical systems by configuring a power supply module as a smart device and connecting it to at least one of the control modules for the purpose of data exchange and, in case of a malfunction, transforming the control module(s) to one of a stand-alone operating mode and a cut-off state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Martin Woltereck, Joseph D'Ambrosio, Robert Disser, Michael Graef, Darryl Greathouse, Juergen Guldner, Christoph Jung, Patrick Mescher, Scott Millsap, Hendrikus Smakman, Jon Zumberge
  • Patent number: 6786296
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for steering a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus includes a back-drivable steer-by-wire system including a road wheel actuator assembly coupled to a wheel of the vehicle. The road wheel actuator assembly defines a steering axis and the steering axis is off-set from a longitudinal axis of the wheel by a positive scrub radius. In an embodiment for a method in accordance with the present invention, a method to steer a vehicle after failure of a road wheel actuator assembly in a back-drivable steer-by-wire steering system is disclosed. The method includes the acts of applying a braking force to the wheel and generating a torque on the road wheel actuator assembly by the applied braking force acting through a positive scrub radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jürgen Guldner, Markus Krug, Slawomir Bakaus, Kai-Uwe Balszuweit, Hendrikus Smakman, Christian Ebner, Michael Gräf, Schedl Anton, Patrick Mescher, Robert Disser, Jeffrey Heinrichs, Scott Millsap, Brian Murray, Detlef Krukenkamp, Michael Byers
  • Publication number: 20030230448
    Abstract: A steering system for a vehicle includes a steering handle having a center position, a steer-by-wire system, and a steer feel control system. The steer-by-wire system senses the position of the steering handle and controls the steering angle of a steerable vehicle wheel as a function of the position of the steering handle. The steer feel control system includes a motor that is operatively associated with the steering handle, and has first and second modes of operation. In the first mode, the steer feel control system applies a force to the steering handle as a function of vehicle's operating condition, and in the second mode, the motor may be shorted. The steer feel control system may also include a spring that biases the steering handle towards to the center position. A method is used to provide steering feel to a steering handle of a vehicle having a steer-by-wire system and a steer feel control system, when the steer feel control system fails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Applicants: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG, DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Juergen Guldner, Markus Krug, Slawomir Bakaus, Kai-Uwe Balszuweit, Hendrikus Smakman, Christian Ebner, Michael Graef, Anton Schedl, Patrick Mescher, Robert Disser, Jeffrey Heinrichs, Scott Millsap, Brian Murray, Detlef Krukenkamp, Michael Byers
  • Publication number: 20030221894
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for steering a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus includes a back-drivable steer-by-wire system including a road wheel actuator assembly coupled to a wheel of the vehicle. The road wheel actuator assembly defines a steering axis and the steering axis is off-set from a longitudinal axis of the wheel by a positive scrub radius. In an embodiment for a method in accordance with the present invention, a method to steer a vehicle after failure of a road wheel actuator assembly in a back-drivable steer-by-wire steering system is disclosed. The method includes the acts of applying a braking force to the wheel and generating a torque on the road wheel actuator assembly by the applied braking force acting through a positive scrub radius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Jurgen Guldner, Markus Krug, Slawomir Bakaus, Kai-Uwe Balszuweit, Hendrikus Smakman, Christian Ebner, Michael Graf, Anton Schedl, Patrick Mescher, Robert Disser, Jeffrey Heinrichs, Scott Millsap, Brian Murray, Detlef Krukenkamp, Michael Byers