Patents by Inventor Thomas Koss

Thomas Koss 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: 9787235
    Abstract: A method for operating a generator for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a starting operating mode and a start-stop operating mode, a torque of the generator being delimited in the starting operating mode, including: detecting an operating mode of the vehicle, and deactivating a delimitation of the torque of the generator if the detected operating mode corresponds to the start-stop operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Arnold Engber, Thomas Koss
  • Publication number: 20140111232
    Abstract: A method for detecting a rotation of a rotor of a generator, which includes measuring the voltage induced in the rotor for the generator voltage in the case of an emergency start with an inactive closed-loop controller; and detecting the rotor rotation with the aid of the induced voltage. When a rotation is detected, the control circuit is activated and the rotation is determined from the phase voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Koss, Arnold Engber
  • Patent number: 8692522
    Abstract: A device for detecting a change in a generator output signal of a vehicle generator includes a window comparator for comparing a signal amplitude of the generator output signal to at least one threshold value which limits a signal amplitude range, a detector for detecting a change in the generator output signal based on an output signal of the window comparator, a detection unit for detecting a signal amplitude difference between a maximum signal amplitude and a minimum signal amplitude of the generator output signal, and an adaptation unit for adapting the signal amplitude range of the window comparator, based on the signal amplitude difference, when there is the change in the generator output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Herz, Egon Reisz, Thomas Koss, Helmut Suelzle
  • Publication number: 20140070545
    Abstract: A method for operating a generator for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having a starting operating mode and a start-stop operating mode, a torque of the generator being delimited in the starting operating mode, including: detecting an operating mode of the vehicle, and deactivating a delimitation of the torque of the generator if the detected operating mode corresponds to the start-stop operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Arnold Engber, Thomas Koss
  • Patent number: 8552694
    Abstract: A generator device with a generator regulator and a generator unit having a generator and a rectifier arrangement. The generator regulator has an operating voltage connection and a phase voltage connection. Furthermore, if during a control intervention of the phase voltage the DC voltage applied to the operating voltage connection exceeds a predefined limit for a predefined period of time, the generator regulator deactivates the control intervention of the phase voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Herz, Thomas Koss, Helmut Suelzle
  • Publication number: 20110241631
    Abstract: A device for detecting a change in a generator output signal of a vehicle generator includes a window comparator for comparing a signal amplitude of the generator output signal to at least one threshold value which limits a signal amplitude range, a detector for detecting a change in the generator output signal based on an output signal of the window comparator, a detection unit for detecting a signal amplitude difference between a maximum signal amplitude and a minimum signal amplitude of the generator output signal, and an adaptation unit for adapting the signal amplitude range of the window comparator, based on the signal amplitude difference, when there is the change in the generator output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Michael Herz, Egon Reisz, Thomas Koss, Helmut Suelzle
  • Publication number: 20110050182
    Abstract: A generator device with a generator regulator and a generator unit having a generator and a rectifier arrangement. The generator regulator has an operating voltage connection and a phase voltage connection. Furthermore, if during a control intervention of the phase voltage the DC voltage applied to the operating voltage connection exceeds a predefined limit for a predefined period of time, the generator regulator deactivates the control intervention of the phase voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Michael Herz, Thomas Koss, Helmut Suelzle
  • Patent number: 6567476
    Abstract: The method of transmitting data as a sequence of high bits and low bits over a transmission line from a transmitting device to a receiving device includes transmitting synchronization signals over the transmission line and transmitting one and only one high bit or one and only one low bit over the transmission line at an end of each synchronization signal. When the predetermined voltage levels for the high bit, low bit and synchronization signals are different from each other, the method is implemented in an especially simple manner. The interfaces for the receiving and transmitting devices for performing the method are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Kohl, Richard Schleupen, Thomas Koss, Lothar Jakobi, Guenter Nasswetter, Helmut Suelzle
  • Patent number: 6429627
    Abstract: A voltage regulator for a generator drivable by an internal combustion engine is proposed, in which the triggering of the end stage transistor for varying the exciter current is done with the aid of a pulse width modulator. The digital pulse width modulator employed is a component of a closed-loop control circuit for the exciter current, which uses the generator voltage as the actual value and regulates the pulse width ratio duty factor as a function of the generator voltage detected, and in addition a system damping is performed, in that one entire period of the duty factor can be turned off in overriding fashion. This overridingly turned-off period can be adapted in its duration to the duty factor, thus resulting in a voltage change that is independent of the duty factor. The maximum current rise rate can thus be limited by limiting the maximum rate of change of the pulse width modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Koss, Gerhard Fiedler, Guenter Nasswetter, Helmut Suelzle
  • Publication number: 20010031026
    Abstract: Especially simple interfaces for outputting or receiving data are proposed, which can be operated by an especially simple method. It is provided that three different levels can be realized on the bus. One of these levels (V0) is used to generate a synchronization signal for the successive transmission of a high bit or a low bit. The individual bits are realized by means of the other two voltage levels (V2, V1). In a modification, via interfaces or connecting lines, items of information that are represented with the aid of two different levels are exchanged. In the process, by means of different pulse lengths, both synchronization pulses and two different information pulses are generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: WALTER KOHL, RICHARD SCHLEUPEN, THOMAS KOSS, LOTHAR JAKOBI, GUENTER NASSWETTER, HELMUT SUELZLE
  • Patent number: 6153945
    Abstract: The generator regulator includes a transistor power end stage (14) connected to the excitation winding (12) of the generator to provide a pulsed excitation current that passes through the excitation winding during operation and a device for activating and deactivating the transistor power end stage to turn on and off the excitation current in order to provide a predetermined pulse width for the pulsed excitation current passing through the excitation winding so as to maintain a constant output voltage. The device for activating and deactivating the transistor power end stage includes a comparator (16) for comparing a saturation voltage (U.sub.SAT) of the transistor power end stage (14) picked up between the transistor power end stage and the excitation winding with a reference voltage (U.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Koss, Gerhard Fiedler, Guenter Nasswetter, Egon Reisz
  • Patent number: 6147486
    Abstract: The analysis or evaluation circuit for analyzing an alternating voltage or current signal that includes a D.C. voltage or D.C. current component includes a window comparator having a circuit portion for comparing the alternating voltage or current signal to an upper threshold and a lower threshold and another circuit portion for adjusting the upper and lower threshold when one of the upper and the lower thresholds is reached by the alternating voltage or current signal. By means of a VCL output signal that switches when a threshold adjustment occurs, a frequency dependent signal may be produced that can be analyzed to obtain a rotational speed of a rotational body from which the input alternating voltage or current is derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Koss, Guenter Nasswetter
  • Patent number: 6147474
    Abstract: A voltage controller for a three-phase generator is disclosed in which the phase voltage of the generator is evaluated. This phase voltage is evaluated with the aid of a window comparator with variable thresholds. Via a VCL signal, which switches over each time a threshold adaptation occurs, a frequency-dependent signal can be generated that can be evaluated as a measure for the generator rpm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Koss, Guenter Nasswetter