Patents by Inventor Pierre Zouboff

Pierre Zouboff 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: 11920961
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a crankshaft sensor, of the type including a crankshaft wheel and a sensitive element facing the latter, during replacement of the crankshaft sensor, includes the following steps: saving an old angular position of a camshaft sensor wheel relative to the crankshaft wheel, which is achieved using the old crankshaft sensor, replacing the old crankshaft sensor with a new crankshaft sensor, determining a new angular position of the same camshaft sensor wheel relative to the crankshaft wheel, which is achieved using the new crankshaft sensor, correcting the measurement of the crankshaft sensor by applying an offset equal to the difference between the new angular position and the old angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Benjamin Marconato
  • Patent number: 11560860
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a processing method for a camshaft sensor (1) of the type comprising a toothed camshaft wheel (2) and an opposite sensing element (3) able to detect a tooth front, comprising the following steps: detection of a new tooth front (k) by said sensing element; calculation of a rotational speed (Wk) of the camshaft wheel (2) for the new tooth front (k); comparison with the rotational speed (Wk?1) of the camshaft wheel for the preceding tooth front (k?1) detected by said sensing element; if the variation in the rotational speed (Wk) of the camshaft wheel (2) between the new tooth front (k) and the preceding tooth front (k?1) is low, the new tooth front (k) is validated, otherwise the new tooth front (k) is rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventor: Pierre Zouboff
  • Patent number: 11493562
    Abstract: A method for estimating the aging of a battery of a motor vehicle with a combustion engine, the vehicle including an electric starter, a temperature sensor for the temperature of the coolant, a speed sensor for the speed of the combustion engine and a computer for managing the drive system of the vehicle. The method includes, each time the combustion engine is started, the steps of the computer determining the value of the speed of the combustion engine and the value of the temperature, if the determined value of the speed is higher than a speed threshold, incrementing a first counter, if the determined value of the speed is lower than the speed threshold, incrementing a second counter, detecting the aging of the battery when the value of the second counter is higher than a predetermined alert threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Valérie Gouzenne Coutier
  • Publication number: 20220291292
    Abstract: A method for estimating the aging of a battery of a motor vehicle with a combustion engine, the vehicle including an electric starter, a temperature sensor for the temperature of the coolant, a speed sensor for the speed of the combustion engine and a computer for managing the drive system of the vehicle. The method includes, each time the combustion engine is started, the steps of the computer determining the value of the speed of the combustion engine and the value of the temperature, if the determined value of the speed is higher than a speed threshold, incrementing a first counter, if the determined value of the speed is lower than the speed threshold, incrementing a second counter, detecting the aging of the battery when the value of the second counter is higher than a predetermined alert threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Valérie Gouzenne Coutier
  • Publication number: 20210222636
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a processing method for a camshaft sensor (1) of the type comprising a toothed camshaft wheel (2) and an opposite sensing element (3) able to detect a tooth front, comprising the following steps: detection of a new tooth front (k) by said sensing element; calculation of a rotational speed (Wk) of the camshaft wheel (2) for the new tooth front (k); comparison with the rotational speed (Wk?1) of the camshaft wheel for the preceding tooth front (k?1) detected by said sensing element; if the variation in the rotational speed (Wk) of the camshaft wheel (2) between the new tooth front (k) and the preceding tooth front (k?1) is low, the new tooth front (k) is validated, otherwise the new tooth front (k) is rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventor: Pierre ZOUBOFF
  • Publication number: 20210215514
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for calibrating a crankshaft sensor, of the type including a crankshaft wheel and a sensitive element facing the latter, during replacement of the crankshaft sensor, including the following steps: saving an old angular position of a camshaft sensor wheel relative to the crankshaft wheel, which is achieved using the old crankshaft sensor, replacing the old crankshaft sensor with a new crankshaft sensor, determining a new angular position of the same camshaft sensor wheel relative to the crankshaft wheel, which is achieved using the new crankshaft sensor, correcting the measurement of the crankshaft sensor by applying an offset equal to the difference between the new angular position and the old angular position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Pierre ZOUBOFF, Benjamin MARCONATO
  • Patent number: 10533509
    Abstract: An exact synchronization method for determining an angular position of an engine, modulo one engine cycle, by a crankshaft sensor and of at least one camshaft sensor. The method includes: estimating a continuous estimated interval assumed to contain the angular position, on receipt of a “marker” event, determining an angular position corresponding to each one of the possible occurrences of this “marker”, comparing the determined angular position with the estimated interval. If exactly one of the determined angular positions belongs to the estimated interval, then this angular position is the angular position of the engine. And an engine control method using such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Julien Lefevre
  • Patent number: 10428752
    Abstract: A method for determining the angular position of an engine by a crankshaft sensor, having the following steps: production by the crankshaft sensor of a signal exhibiting a “revolution” event, determination of the revolution out of two revolutions, since a crankshaft makes two revolutions per engine cycle for a four-stroke engine, for each “no tooth” event potentially produced, a change in the direction of rotation of the engine is suspected, and an analysis step is performed which comprises: if, during an inverse window, a further “no tooth” event is produced, the change in direction of rotation is confirmed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: Continental Automotive France, Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Christophe Mazenc, Pierre Zouboff
  • Publication number: 20180372010
    Abstract: An exact synchronization method for determining an angular position of an engine, modulo one engine cycle, by a crankshaft sensor and of at least one camshaft sensor. The method includes: estimating a continuous estimated interval assumed to contain the angular position, on receipt of a “marker” event, determining an angular position corresponding to each one of the possible occurrences of this “marker”, comparing the determined angular position with the estimated interval. If exactly one of the determined angular positions belongs to the estimated interval, then this angular position is the angular position of the engine. And an engine control method using such a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Applicants: Continental Automotive France, Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Julien Lefevre
  • Publication number: 20180347483
    Abstract: A method for determining the angular position of an engine by a crankshaft sensor, having the following steps: production by the crankshaft sensor of a signal exhibiting a “revolution” event, determination of the revolution out of two revolutions, since a crankshaft makes two revolutions per engine cycle for a four-stroke engine, for each “no tooth” event potentially produced, a change in the direction of rotation of the engine is suspected, and an analysis step is performed which comprises: if, during an inverse window, a further “no tooth” event is produced, the change in direction of rotation is confirmed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Christophe Mazenc, Pierre Zouboff
  • Patent number: 9702786
    Abstract: Process for identifying edges on a camshaft target (30) having a plurality of teeth on the periphery thereof, the plurality of teeth forming a series of M edges when the camshaft rotates through one revolution, the process including the following steps: calculating, for each of the M edges, the characteristic: CP ? ( j ) = [ ? i = 1 N ? ? P ? ( j - i + 1 ) + ? i = 3 ? ? N 4 ? ? N - 1 ? ? P ? ( j - i ) ? i = N 3 ? ? N - 1 ? ? P ? ( j - i ) ] N ? 1 P(i) denoting the angular distance between the edge i and the preceding edge, during the movement of the camshaft target, calculating, during an edge detection, an index: CT ? ( k ) = [ ? i = 1 N ? ? T ? ( k - i + 1 ) + ? i = 3 ? ? N 4 ? ? N - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ? i = N 3 ? ? N - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ] N ? 1 T(i) denoting the time elapsed since the appearance of the edge i?1 to the ed
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Jerome Lachaize
  • Patent number: 9556756
    Abstract: A method for estimating the angular position of a crankshaft of a 4-stroke internal combustion engine prior to synchronization of the engine having a plurality of camshafts provided with a number n of targets (CAM_i) secured respectively to n camshafts, each target defining a plurality of events over one revolution of the camshaft to which it is secured, the crankshaft having a securely attached target (CRK) including a plurality of standard teeth and at least one reference tooth which define a plurality of events over one crankshaft revolution, the method including: estimating a range of plausible positions of the crankshaft prior to synchronization, at a given moment, from events detected on the n camshaft targets, correlated with events detected on the crankshaft target, as corresponding to the shortest angular window that is common to all the members of rank i using the following formula: Pos_Crk ? _est = ? i = 1 i = n ? ? _ ? ? CAM ? List_event ? _plaus ? _CAM ? _i + Dist_ang
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Julien Lefevre, Christophe Mazenc
  • Publication number: 20150114097
    Abstract: Process for identifying edges on a camshaft target (30) having a plurality of teeth on the periphery thereof, the plurality of teeth forming a series of M edges when the camshaft rotates through one revolution, the process including the following steps: calculating, for each of the M edges, the characteristic: CP ? ( j ) = [ ? i = 1 N ? ? P ? ( j - i + 1 ) + ? i = 3 ? ? N 4 ? ? N - 1 ? ? P ? ( j - i ) ? i = N 3 ? ? N - 1 ? ? P ? ( j - i ) ] N ? 1 P(i) denoting the angular distance between the edge i and the preceding edge, during the movement of the camshaft target, calculating, during an edge detection, an index: CT ? ( k ) = [ ? i = 1 N ? ? T ? ( k - i + 1 ) + ? i = 3 ? ? N 4 ? ? N - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ? i = N 3 ? ? N - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ] N ? 1 T(i) denoting the time elapsed since the appearance of the edge i?1 to the ed
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Jerome Lachaize
  • Publication number: 20140299080
    Abstract: A method for estimating the angular position of a crankshaft of a 4-stroke internal combustion engine prior to synchronization of the engine having a plurality of camshafts provided with a number n of targets (CAM_i) secured respectively to n camshafts, each target defining a plurality of events over one revolution of the camshaft to which it is secured, the crankshaft having a securely attached target (CRK) including a plurality of standard teeth and at least one reference tooth which define a plurality of events over one crankshaft revolution, the method including: estimating a range of plausible positions of the crankshaft prior to synchronization, at a given moment, from events detected on the n camshaft targets, correlated with events detected on the crankshaft target, as corresponding to the shortest angular window that is common to all the members of rank i using the following formula: Pos_Crk ? _est = ? i = 1 i = n ? ? _ ? ? CAM ? List_event ? _plaus ? _CAM ? _i + Dist_ang
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Pierre ZOUBOFF, Julien LEFEVRE, Christophe MAZENC
  • Patent number: 8671913
    Abstract: A method for determining the phasing of the angular position of a four-stroke internal combustion engine with indirect injection and time-controlled sequential reinjection/sequential injection cutoff, characterized in that it includes, with the engine running, the following steps: observing the curve (3, 4) of engine speed (1) as a function of time (2) during a phase of sequential reinjection and/or sequential injection cutoff, performed in accordance with the expected oscillations of the transmission, discriminating, according to the shape of the curve (3, 4), a substantially linear shape (3) being indicative of correct phasing, whereas a substantially sinusoidal shape (4) is indicative of incorrect phasing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Laure Carbonne, Patrick Cremona, Pierre Zouboff
  • Publication number: 20130090833
    Abstract: A method for synchronizing an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder including a piston moving between a top and a bottom dead center, the movement driving a crank shaft and a cam shaft, the method including: determining as many plausible hypotheses as there are reference teeth present on the target attached to the crank shaft in two crank shaft revolutions, detecting the passing of reference edges of a target attached to the crank shaft and of rising or falling edges of a target attached to the cam shaft, using the positioning of detected edges to eliminate one or more hypotheses made for the position of the top dead center of the cylinder at start up, by comparing the positioning of detected edges with a positioning of the edges corresponding to the determined hypotheses, and terminating synchronization when all hypotheses except one have been eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicants: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Jérôme LACHAIZE, Pierre ZOUBOFF
  • Publication number: 20130030755
    Abstract: A method an device for determining information representative of the position of a real tooth of a toothed target rigidly attached in rotation to a shaft of an internal combustion engine, the toothed target including n real teeth and m missing teeth forming a reference area and the engine being equipped with a sensor for detecting the passage of the real teeth of the toothed target in front of the sensor and with a unit capable of measuring, for each tooth k, the period of time, called period (T(k)) of the tooth k, separating the tooth k from the preceding tooth k?1. For the tooth k, the following ratio is calculated: R ? ? ( k ) = [ ( T ? ( k - N 2 ) ) N ? i N 2 + 1 ? ? … ? ? N ? ? T ? ( k - i ) × ? i 0 ? ? … ? ? N 2 - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ] where N is an even integer greater than or equal to 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicants: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Pierre ZOUBOFF, Jérôme LACHAIZE
  • Patent number: 7945421
    Abstract: A method of detecting a reference zone formed on the periphery of a toothed disk integral with a rotary part, for determining the angular position of the rotary part. According to this detection method, when a reference zone is expected and at the time of the detection of a tooth (n) at a time tn, there is defined a time window [tmin, tmax] of duration depending on the time period Tn separating the detection of the tooth (n) and the detection of the preceding tooth (n?1), and the reference zone is considered present in the absence of detection of a tooth (n+1) during the time window [tmin, tmax]. Moreover, the duration of each time window [tmin, tmax], calculated from a measured time period Tn, is adjusted by modulating that duration by a correction parameter equal to ?T=Tn?Tn?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventor: Pierre Zouboff
  • Publication number: 20100170478
    Abstract: A method for determining the phasing of the angular position of a four-stroke internal combustion engine with indirect injection and time-controlled sequential reinjection/sequential injection cutoff, characterized in that it includes, with the engine running, the following steps: observing the curve (3, 4) of engine speed (1) as a function of time (2) during a phase of sequential reinjection and/or sequential injection cutoff, performed in accordance with the expected oscillations of the transmission, discriminating, according to the shape of the curve (3, 4), a substantially linear shape (3) being indicative of correct phasing, whereas a substantially sinusoidal shape (4) is indicative of incorrect phasing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Laure Carbonne, Patrick Cremona, Pierre Zouboff
  • Patent number: 7735360
    Abstract: Method for determining the reversal of the direction of engine rotation for internal combustion engines having a crankshaft fitted with a target wheel having teeth, one of which is a long tooth, with a unidirectional crankshaft position sensor delivering a signal used for counting teeth and with an engine management device including a processor and a model of the engine behavior in a stalling phase, including: recording the signal and measuring each time difference between two successive edges of the signal, calculating, on the basis of the model, the time variation of the engine position from the time differences between the edges of the signal, and estimating the stopped position of the engine, wherein the model is a second-order polynomial function of time, and the position of reversal of the direction of rotation is estimated from the calculation of the peak position of this second-order polynomial function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Vincent Dian, Valérie Gouzenne, Pierre Zouboff