Patents by Inventor Peter Sporl

Peter Sporl 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: 7831365
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a ratio of a continuously variable automatic transmission where a nominal ratio is determined according to an accelerator pedal signal value. The nominal ratio is determined according to a modified accelerator pedal signal. When the periodic curve of the accelerator pedal signal has a relative extreme value to the modified accelerator pedal signal, a starting value is assigned which is equal to this extreme value. Until the value of the modified accelerator pedal signal is again equal to the value of the unmodified accelerator pedal signal, the value of the modified accelerator pedal signal is determined by a transfer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Kai-Uwe Herbster, Peter Spörl, Oliver Iden
  • Patent number: 7324884
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle with a manual transmission, a multi-ratio automatic transmission or a continuously variable transmission, on a road with a low friction coefficient, the engine torque is reduced or, as the case may be, decreased, which leads to a reduction of the wheel drive torque without changing the starting gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Peter Spörl, Oliver Iden
  • Publication number: 20080004781
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a ratio of a continuously variable automatic transmission where a nominal ratio is determined according to an accelerator pedal signal value. The nominal ratio is determined according to a modified accelerator pedal signal. When the periodic curve of the accelerator pedal signal has a relative extreme value to the modified accelerator pedal signal, a starting value is assigned which is equal to this extreme value. Until the value of the modified accelerator pedal signal is again equal to the value of the unmodified accelerator pedal signal, the value of the modified accelerator pedal signal is determined by a transfer function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Kai-Uwe Herbster, Peter Sporl, Oliver Iden
  • Patent number: 7270622
    Abstract: An acceleration mode recommended for a vehicle with a continuously variable transmission, within the scope of which, after the shift takes place, the engine speed progress will continue as a function of the speed with a calibrated rotational speed gradient (H), the rotational speed gradient is greater in the acceleration mode than the rotational speed gradient within the scope of a standard driving strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Peter Spörl, Oliver Iden
  • Publication number: 20060293825
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for operating a motor vehicle with a speed and/or distance control device (141) the same as with an automatic transmission (131) in which, departing from an actual driving speed (C), a preset nominal driving speed (D) is autonomously regulated and in which the adaptation of the actual driving speed (C) to the nominal driving speed (D) is controlled by a ratio change of the automatic transmission (131). The ratio change control is effected on the basis of a virtual accelerator pedal value (J, J?, J?) derived from the real deviation of the accelerator pedal 915) by the driver, the definition of the virtual accelerator pedal value (J, J?, J?) being controlled by the divergence of the driving speed (C) from the nominal driving speed (D), by the vehicle longitudinal acceleration (E) and/or by the torque (B) of the vehicle prime mover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Peter Sporl, Oliver Iden
  • Patent number: 7130732
    Abstract: Within the framework of the method for the prevention of a decreasing rotary speed of a motor by the closing of a converter clutch during a constant gas pedal positioning in a continuously automatic transmission with a variator and a hydrodynamic converter, a decreasing motor speed of rotation is avoided by an increase of the speed of rotation of the primary disk of the variator (turbine).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Peter Spörl, Tim Sargent, Oliver Iden
  • Publication number: 20060014609
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle with a manual transmission, a multi-ratio automatic transmission or a continuously variable transmission, on a road with a low friction coefficient, the engine torque is reduced or, as the case may be, decreased, which leads to a reduction of the wheel drive torque without changing the starting gear ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Peter Sporl, Oliver Iden
  • Publication number: 20060014606
    Abstract: An acceleration mode recommended for a vehicle with a continuously variable transmission, within the scope of which, after the shift takes place, the engine speed progress will continue as a function of the speed with a calibrated rotational speed gradient (H), the rotational speed gradient is greater in the acceleration mode than the rotational speed gradient within the scope of a standard driving strategy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Peter Sporl, Oliver Iden
  • Publication number: 20050256624
    Abstract: Within the framework of the method for recognizing a downhill descent and for operating the transmission of a motor vehicle in a downhill descent mode during a downhill descent for a motor vehicle that has a continuously variable transmission (CVT), an automatic transmission or an automated manual shift transmission a downhill descent is recognized if in coasting operation there is an increase in speed, whereby in the downhill descent mode, a downhill descent signal indicating a downhill descent is formed in coasting operation and is used by the driving strategy unit for calculating a target gear ratio for the transmission control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Sporl, Oliver Iden, Patrick Speicher, Andreas Rodler
  • Publication number: 20050107935
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a ratio of a continuously variable automatic transmission where a nominal ratio is determined according to an accelerator pedal signal value. The nominal ratio is determined according to a modified accelerator pedal signal. When the periodic curve of the accelerator pedal signal has a relative extreme value to the modified accelerator pedal signal, a starting value is assigned which is equal to this extreme value. Until the value of the modified accelerator pedal signal is again equal to the value of the unmodified accelerator pedal signal, the value of the modified accelerator pedal signal is determined by a transfer function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventors: Kai-Uwe Herbster, Peter Sporl, Oliver Iden
  • Publication number: 20050085982
    Abstract: Within the framework of the method for the prevention of a decreasing rotary speed of a motor by the closing of a converter clutch during a constant gas pedal positioning in a continuously automatic transmission with a variator and a hydrodynamic converter, a decreasing motor speed of rotation is avoided by an increase of the speed of rotation of the primary disk of the variator (turbine).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Sporl, Tim Sargent, Oliver Iden