Patents by Inventor Steffen ECKHARDT

Steffen ECKHARDT 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: 12000182
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device detecting intention to lock or unlock a vehicle door, including: a first capacitive sensor including a first electrode, detecting the approach and/or contact of a human body part in a predetermined region around the handle; a first sensor controller, generating a first approach and/or contact detection signal; a second capacitive sensor including a second electrode, detecting the approach of a human body part in the predetermined region, wherein: the first and second electrodes are each separate segments electrically connected to one another, the segments of the first electrode and of the second electrode are alternately juxtaposed; a second sensor controller generate a second approach and/or contact detection signal; a correlator to calculate a correlation value between the first signal and the second signal; and a confirmation unit comparing the correlation value with a predetermined value to detect intention to lock or unlock the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Gabriel Spick, Mathieu Girodin, Steffen Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 11725429
    Abstract: An emergency access device for an opening element of a vehicle, including: a body; a pull tab; a retention needle; a mechanical ejector; and an electric ejector which includes: a magnetic circuit surrounding the ferromagnetic core of the retention needle; an activation coil connected to an electric magnetization circuit, the activation coil being designed to magnetize the magnetic circuit and attract the ferromagnetic core of the retention needle; and a detection coil for detecting the position of the retention needle, the detection coil being connected to a detection circuit designed to measure the inductance of the detection coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Inventors: Alain Fontanet, Steffen Eckhardt
  • Publication number: 20220396982
    Abstract: An emergency access device for an opening element of a vehicle, including: a body; a pull tab; a retention needle; a mechanical ejector; and an electric ejector which includes: a magnetic circuit surrounding the ferromagnetic core of the retention needle; an activation coil connected to an electric magnetization circuit, the activation coil being designed to magnetize the magnetic circuit and attract the ferromagnetic core of the retention needle; and a detection coil for detecting the position of the retention needle, the detection coil being connected to a detection circuit designed to measure the inductance of the detection coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Alain Fontanet, Steffen Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 11390246
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for detecting intention to lock or unlock a door of a motor vehicle, the device including at least a first inductive sensor, including a first target, an oscillating circuit including a coil, a unit measuring a resonant frequency of the circuit, and a printed circuit. The device includes a second inductive sensor including: a second target in the form of a loop, such that a first end of the loop is connected to a fixed potential, and a second end of the loop is connected to a switch having two states, in a first state, the second end of the loop is connected to the fixed potential, in a second state, the second end of the loop is connected to a floating potential; and a controller for the switch. The coil of the first inductive sensor is common to the second inductive sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Gabriel Spick, Vincent Marimoutou, Steffen Eckhardt
  • Publication number: 20220032872
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for detecting intention to lock or unlock a door of a motor vehicle, the device including at least a first inductive sensor, including a first target, an oscillating circuit including a coil, a unit measuring a resonant frequency of the circuit, and a printed circuit. The device includes a second inductive sensor including: a second target in the form of a loop, such that a first end of the loop is connected to a fixed potential, and a second end of the loop is connected to a switch having two states, in a first state, the second end of the loop is connected to the fixed potential, in a second state, the second end of the loop is connected to a floating potential; and a controller for the switch. The coil of the first inductive sensor is common to the second inductive sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Gabriel SPICK, Vincent MARIMOUTOU, Steffen ECKHARDT
  • Publication number: 20210355718
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device detecting intention to lock or unlock a vehicle door, including: a first capacitive sensor including a first electrode, detecting the approach and/or contact of a human body part in a predetermined region around the handle; a first sensor controller, generating a first approach and/or contact detection signal; a second capacitive sensor including a second electrode, detecting the approach of a human body part in the predetermined region, wherein: the first and second electrodes are each separate segments electrically connected to one another, the segments of the first electrode and of the second electrode are alternately juxtaposed; a second sensor controller generate a second approach and/or contact detection signal; a correlator to calculate a correlation value between the first signal and the second signal; and a confirmation unit comparing the correlation value with a predetermined value to detect intention to lock or unlock the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Gabriel SPICK, Mathieu GIRODIN, Steffen ECKHARDT