Patents by Inventor Ralf Heck

Ralf Heck 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: 10343604
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle having at least one sound sensor for detecting acoustic signals generated outside the vehicle includes the steps of detecting an acoustic signal by means of the sensor, classifying the detected acoustic signal as a warning signal if the detected signal has defined features, determining the speed of the vehicle, determining the steering angle of the vehicle, defining an action to be carried out by the motor vehicle in response to the detected warning signal, and carrying out the defined action if the speed of the motor vehicle undershoots a defined threshold value and the steering angle of the vehicle exceeds a defined threshold value. The defined action may be a steering and/or braking maneuver by the vehicle, and/or may be alerting a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Volker Haupts, Ralf Hecke
  • Patent number: 8773136
    Abstract: The charge state of a battery powering a starter of a motor vehicle is evaluated to determine whether the battery voltage is sufficiently high to re-start an internal combustion engine during a stop/start operating mode. The engine is operated to drive a generator so that the generator output voltage is at a level below a setpoint value for a time period. At the end of the time period, the battery voltage is measured and if it exceeds a threshold voltage the battery charge state is determined to be sufficient to re-start the engine. The threshold voltage is approximately equal to the rated battery voltage. If the measured battery voltage is below the threshold voltage value, indicating that the battery will not have sufficient charge to re-start the motor, automatic shut-off of the engine when the vehicle stops is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Birger Fricke, Mark Eifert, Ralf Hecke, Eckhard Karden
  • Publication number: 20120081127
    Abstract: The charge state of a battery powering a starter of a motor vehicle is evaluated to determine whether the battery voltage is sufficiently high to re-start an internal combustion engine during a stop/start operating mode. The engine is operated to drive a generator so that the generator output voltage is at a level below a setpoint value for a time period. At the end of the time period, the battery voltage is measured and if it exceeds a threshold voltage the battery charge state is determined to be sufficient to re-start the engine. The threshold voltage is approximately equal to the rated battery voltage. If the measured battery voltage is below the threshold voltage value, indicating that the battery will not have sufficient charge to re-start the motor, automatic shut-off of the engine when the vehicle stops is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Birger Fricke, Mark Eifert, Ralf Hecke, Eckhard Karden
  • Publication number: 20100019727
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for detecting the operating state of a vehicle battery. A method according to the invention has the following steps: charging of the battery from a first state of charge (SOC1) to a second state of charge (SOC2), wherein the second state of charge (SOC2) is higher than the first state of charge (SOC1); active discharging of the battery to a third state of charge (SOC3), wherein the third state of charge (SOC3) is lower than the second state of charge (SOC2); and determination of at least one variable, which is characteristic of the operating state of the battery, after the third state of charge (SOC3) has been reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Eckhard Karden, Stephen Robert Pickering, Erik Surewaard, Engbert Spijker, Ralf Hecke
  • Patent number: 6793784
    Abstract: A tube target for cathode sputtering installations, and a process for producing a cylindrical hollow body for such a tube target and its use. The problem of providing a simple and low-cost process for producing a cylindrical hollow body for a tube target and of providing a cylindrical hollow body with a uniform, fine-grained structure is solved by the cylindrical hollow body being produced by centrifugal casting of a melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: W. C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Otto Bach, David Lupton, Hans Bohmeier, Ralf Heck
  • Patent number: 6756081
    Abstract: A hollow cylindrical target for a cathode sputtering unit with a hollow cylindrical sputtering material and a target holder is disclosed. The sputtering material has an annular cross section and concentrically surrounds a longitudinal segment of the target holder. The target holder extends out of the sputtering material at least at one end of the target to allow connection to the cathode sputtering unit. The at least one part of the target holder that extends from the sputtering material is a single part that can be detached from the target by at least one screw fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: W. C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: David Lupton, Ralf Heck, Bernd Stenger, Oliver Warkentin
  • Patent number: 6719034
    Abstract: A process for producing a tube target for cathode sputtering plants, in which the tube target is formed from a metallic inner tube (target holder) made of a first material with a first melting point of Ts1≧900 K and a metallic outer tube (target) that concentrically surrounds the inner tube and that is made of a second material with a second melting point of Ts2≦800 K. The inside diameter of the outer tube and the outside diameter of the inner tube are proportioned in such a way that the two tubes fit together tightly and are mechanically firmly joined. The outer tube is formed by casting the second material in a molten state in a heated, vertical, cylindrical permanent mold, which has a heated mandrel that constitutes the inner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: W. C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Heck, Rainer Jüttner, David Lupton, Egon Maier, Peter Mainz, Harald Manhardt, Bernd Stenger, Holger Zingg
  • Patent number: 6645358
    Abstract: A hollow cylindrical target for a cathode sputtering unit with a hollow cylindrical sputtering material and a target holder is disclosed. The sputtering material has an annular cross section and concentrically surrounds a longitudinal segment of the target holder. The target holder extends out of the sputtering material at least at one end of the target to allow connection to the cathode sputtering unit. The at least one part of the target holder that extends from the sputtering material is a single part that can be detached from the target by at least one screw fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: W.C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: David Lupton, Ralf Heck, Bernd Stenger, Oliver Warkentin
  • Publication number: 20030141183
    Abstract: A hollow cylindrical target for a cathode sputtering unit with a hollow cylindrical sputtering material and a target holder. The sputtering material has an annular cross section and concentrically surrounds a longitudinal segment of the target holder. The target holder extends out of the sputtering material at least at one end of the target to allow connection to the cathode sputtering unit. The at least one part of the target holder that extends from the sputtering material is a single part that can be detached from the target by at least one screw fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Applicant: W. C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: David Lupton, Ralf Heck, Bernd Stenger, Oliver Warkentin
  • Publication number: 20030089482
    Abstract: A process for producing a tube target for cathode sputtering plants, in which the tube target is formed from a metallic inner tube (target holder) made of a first material with a first melting point of Ts1≧900 K and a metallic outer tube (target) that concentrically surrounds the inner tube and that is made of a second material with a second melting point of Ts2≦800 K. The inside diameter of the outer tube and the outside diameter of the inner tube are proportioned in such a way that the two tubes fit together tightly and are mechanically firmly joined. The outer tube is formed by casting the second material in a molten state in a heated, vertical, A cylindrical permanent mold, which has a heated mandrel that constitutes the inner tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: W.C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Heck, Rainer Juttner, David Lupton, Egon Maier, Peter Mainz, Harald Manhardt, Bernd Stenger, Holger Zingg
  • Publication number: 20020096430
    Abstract: A hollow cylindrical target for a cathode sputtering unit with a hollow cylindrical sputtering material and a target holder. The sputtering material has an annular cross section and concentrically surrounds a longitudinal segment of the target holder. The target holder extends out of the sputtering material at least at one end of the target to allow connection to the cathode sputtering unit. The at least one part of the target holder that extends from the sputtering material is a single part that can be detached from the target by at least one screw fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: W. C. Heraeus GmbH & Co. KG.
    Inventors: David Lupton, Ralf Heck, Bernd Stenger, Oliver Warkentin