Patents by Inventor Rainer Steffens

Rainer Steffens 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: 10005407
    Abstract: Motor vehicle configuration system, including a motor vehicle, in the interior of which at least one transponder that is capable of wireless near field communication is attached and which has a receiving unit for wireless reception of vehicle configuration data over a wireless communication link independent of the wireless near field communication. A portable device has at least one data memory for storing the memory data and has a transmitting unit for a wireless transmission of data on the basis of the memory data. The portable device is programmed such that, when an approach of the portable device to a transponder is detected on the basis of wireless near field communication, the data are transferred from the portable device to the motor vehicle a wireless communication link between the transmitting unit and the receiving unit for the purpose of providing the motor vehicle with configuration data. The communication link is independent of the wireless near field communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joerg Preissinger, Tobias Schoellermann, Rainer Steffen
  • Patent number: 8814014
    Abstract: A vehicle article carrier system for clamping a roof rail to a roof of a vehicle. The system enables a variation in the spacing between an outer layer of the roof and an underlying roof structure to be taken up when clamping a roof rail to the vehicle roof without causing deformation of the outer layer of the vehicle roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: JAC Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Böcker, Jörg Schmitz, Reinhold Rothstein, Rainer Steffens, Klaus Kolodziej
  • Patent number: 8644322
    Abstract: A communication system is provided having a plurality of FlexRay network nodes by which respective user data packets are provided in an IP data packet format or an Ethernet data packet format, and having a FlexRay bus system, by whose physical layer data are transmitted between the FlexRay network nodes. The IP data packet format or the Ethernet data packet format each having a plurality of bit positions. The FlexRay network nodes are set up such that contents of the bit positions of the user data packets are each converted onto corresponding signals of the physical layer of the FlexRay bus system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rainer Steffen, Wolfgang Hintermaier
  • Publication number: 20130299539
    Abstract: A vehicle article carrier system for clamping a roof rail to a roof of a vehicle. The system enables a variation in the spacing between an outer layer of the roof and an underlying roof structure to be taken up when clamping a roof rail to the vehicle roof without causing deformation of the outer layer of the vehicle roof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: JAC PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Frank Böcker, Jörg Schmitz, Reinhold Rothstein, Rainer Steffens, Klaus Kolodziej
  • Patent number: 8493975
    Abstract: A communication system is provided with a plurality of FlexRay network nodes (FRK) by which respective data packets are provided in an IP data packet format or an Ethernet data packet format, and a FlexRay bus system (FRB), by whose physical layer, data are transmitted between the FlexRay network nodes (FRK). The IP data packet format or the Ethernet data packet format each has a plurality of bit positions. The FlexRay network nodes (FRK) each include a media access layer (MAC) which is set up such that the data packets provided in an IP data packet format or Ethernet data packet format are converted into a preset media-independent data format (MII), and an adaptation layer (ANP) which is set up such that the data provided in the media-independent data format (MII) are converted onto corresponding signals of the physical layer of the FlexRay bus system (FRB).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rainer Steffen, Wolfgang Hintermaier
  • Publication number: 20110237186
    Abstract: Motor vehicle configuration system, including a motor vehicle, in the interior of which at least one transponder that is capable of wireless near field communication is attached and which has a receiving unit for wireless reception of vehicle configuration data over a wireless communication link independent of the wireless near field communication. A portable device has at least one data memory for storing the memory data and has a transmitting unit for a wireless transmission of data on the basis of the memory data. The portable device is programmed such that, when an approach of the portable device to a transponder is detected on the basis of wireless near field communication, the data are transferred from the portable device to the motor vehicle a wireless communication link between the transmitting unit and the receiving unit for the purpose of providing the motor vehicle with configuration data. The communication link is independent of the wireless near field communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joerg Preissinger, Tobias Schoellermann, Rainer Steffen
  • Publication number: 20100254393
    Abstract: A communication system is provided having a plurality of FlexRay network nodes by which respective user data packets are provided in an IP data packet format or an Ethernet data packet format, and having a FlexRay bus system, by whose physical layer data are transmitted between the FlexRay network nodes. The IP data packet format or the Ethernet data packet format each having a plurality of bit positions. The FlexRay network nodes are set up such that contents of the bit positions of the user data packets are each converted onto corresponding signals of the physical layer of the FlexRay bus system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rainer STEFFEN, Wolfgang Hintermaier
  • Publication number: 20100254382
    Abstract: A communication system is provided with a plurality of FlexRay network nodes (FRK) by which respective data packets are provided in an IP data packet format or an Ethernet data packet format, and a FlexRay bus system (FRB), by whose physical layer, data are transmitted between the FlexRay network nodes (FRK). The IP data packet format or the Ethernet data packet format each has a plurality of bit positions. The FlexRay network nodes (FRK) each include a media access layer (MAC) which is set up such that the data packets provided in an IP data packet format or Ethernet data packet format are converted into a preset media-independent data format (MII), and an adaptation layer (ANP) which is set up such that the data provided in the media-independent data format (MII) are converted onto corresponding signals of the physical layer of the FlexRay bus system (FRB).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rainer STEFFEN, Wolfgang Hintermaier
  • Publication number: 20030037170
    Abstract: A communication system for a house, a flat or an office in a house or for separated blocks of buildings, so as to connect at least three terminal units within said house, flat, office or separated blocks of buildings, is based on a central data bus for transmitting data to be transmitted between the terminal units, wherein the data bus has no specific deterministic access control and a limited transmission capacity. A first intelligent network terminating device is provided in the first terminal unit and includes interfaces for communication devices which may be located in the first terminal unit. A second intelligent network terminating device is located in the second terminal unit and includes interfaces for communication devices which can be located in the second terminal unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventors: Markus Zeller, Mike Heidrich, Rainer Steffen
  • Patent number: 5284315
    Abstract: An elastic engine mount includes upper and lower bearing plates. A hollow-cylindrical spring block has top and bottom ends being clamped between the bearing plates and defining an inner space. A bolt protrudes into the inner space from the upper bearing plate. The spring block is formed of an elastomer and has conduits formed therein with at least one open end and a varying cross section. The conduits are disposed in a plurality of planes and are mutually parallel within each respective plane. A transverse elastic wall for additional damping is centrally fixed to the bolt for dividing the inner space into two liquid-filled chambers. The elastic wall has through openings formed therein and has an outer periphery clamped between the lower bearing plate and the bottom end of the spring block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Metzeler Gimetall AG
    Inventors: Manfred Hofmann, Rainer Steffens, Wolfgang Sauer