Patents by Inventor Tobias FRANK

Tobias FRANK 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).

  • Publication number: 20240084749
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine: detecting a first signal from a knock sensor in a temporal measurement window for a first load point and for a first energization duration—assigned to a pre-injection—of an injector for an operating cycle; calculating a first first evaluation point from the first signal by a first metric; detecting a second signal from the knock sensor in the temporal measurement window for the first load point and for a second energization duration—assigned to the pre-injection—of the injector for the operating cycle; calculating by the first metric a second first evaluation point from the second signal; determining an optimum energization duration as an optimum of the first first evaluation point and the second first evaluation point; and storing and/or applying the optimum energization duration to the first load point and the first combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Aron Toth, Tobias Frank
  • Patent number: 11909821
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to the processing of a safety-related user program for a safety control system. The generation of the machine code for the safety-related control takes place on a cloud computer. The data required for generating the machine code such as the source code data of the user program, are secured with a unique signature and transmitted to the cloud computer. The machine code is generated on the cloud computer from the transmitted data. A new signature is generated via the resultant data and the signature from the preceding step. The entire safety life cycle is also covered, since each step in the life cycle is automatically documented and may be clearly tracked at any time, and corruptions of a step may be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventors: Tobias Frank, Harry Koop, Julian Bartel
  • Publication number: 20230193846
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine, the method including the steps of: (a) actuating an injector to introduce a pre-injection amount of a fuel into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine; (b) determining, for an operating cycle of the combustion chamber in which the injector was actuated in the step (a), a pressure gradient characteristic value which is characteristic of a combustion chamber pressure gradient in the combustion chamber; (c) repeating the steps (a) and (b) a plurality of times; (d) determining a skew of a distribution of a plurality of pressure gradient characteristic values determined in the step (c); and (e) changing or maintaining an actuation of the injector depending on the skew determined in the step (d).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Remele, Aron Toth, Tobias Frank
  • Publication number: 20220366733
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an operability of a vehicle, the method including the steps of: traveling a route, which is defined, with the vehicle; detecting at least one power parameter of the vehicle, the at least one power parameter being characteristic for a power of a drive of the vehicle; comparing, in a first comparison, the at least one power parameter with historical data regarding the route traveled; and evaluating the operability of the vehicle based on the first comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kottke, Tobias Frank
  • Publication number: 20220247194
    Abstract: A charger has a plurality of electrical interfaces, wherein a respective electrical interface is able to be coupled to an electrical energy store to be charged, in order to charge the electrical energy store to be charged. A common charge line of the charger carries a charging potential, in particular a positive charging potential, during the charging operation of the charger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Leonard MATTHEIS, Christian GROBE, Tobias Frank RASTETTER, Nils JAKUBIETZ
  • Patent number: 11306694
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine. The method includes detecting a structure borne sound signal in a time-dependent manner for the at least one combustion chamber during operation of the internal combustion engine, and determining, in a predetermined measuring window, at least one evaluation parameter from the detected structure borne sound signal. The method also includes obtaining at least one comparative result by comparing the at least one evaluation parameter with at least one predetermined comparison value, and assigning to the structure borne sound signal, on the basis of the at least one comparative result, one of a knocking event in the at least one combustion chamber and an interference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Frank, Thorsten Konrad, Aron Toth
  • Patent number: 11293365
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine, including aligning an injection behavior of the number of injectors. Aligning the injection behavior includes switching off one injector of the number of injectors, detecting a signal of the internal combustion engine that is to be assigned to the switched off injector, determining an alignment characteristic from the signal and assigning the alignment characteristic to the switched off injector as an alignment characteristic assigned to the injector, and switching on the previously switched off injector. Aligning the injection behavior further includes performing the aforementioned steps sequentially for the other injectors of the number of injectors and correcting a control of an injector that is to be corrected using the measured value assigned to the injector that is to be corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Frank, Jörg Remele, Aron Toth
  • Publication number: 20220006863
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to the processing of a safety-related user program for a safety control system. The generation of the machine code for the safety-related control takes place on a cloud computer. The data required for generating the machine code such as the source code data of the user program, are secured with a unique signature and transmitted to the cloud computer. The machine code is generated on the cloud computer from the transmitted data. A new signature is generated via the resultant data and the signature from the preceding step. The entire safety life cycle is also covered, since each step in the life cycle is automatically documented and may be clearly tracked at any time, and corruptions of a step may be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Tobias FRANK, Harry KOOP, Julian BARTEL
  • Patent number: 11149664
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a cylinder pressure sensor, in which method the sensor value is checked for admissibility and inadmissibility in a predefinable crankshaft angle range, when admissibility is detected the cylinder pressure sensor is used further and when inadmissibility is detected the cylinder pressure sensor is deactivated. A first sensor value of the cylinder pressure sensor is set as a start value, and a second sensor value is set as a stop value, a plateau range is determined from the number of sampling steps between the start value and the stop value, and the plateau range is set as decisive for the admissibility or inadmissibility of the sensor values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventors: Tobias Frank, Aron Toth, Horst Weidele
  • Publication number: 20210115868
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine, including aligning an injection behavior of the number of injectors. Aligning the injection behavior includes switching off one injector of the number of injectors, detecting a signal of the internal combustion engine that is to be assigned to the switched off injector, determining an alignment characteristic from the signal and assigning the alignment characteristic to the switched off injector as an alignment characteristic assigned to the injector, and switching on the previously switched off injector. Aligning the injection behavior further includes performing the aforementioned steps sequentially for the other injectors of the number of injectors and correcting a control of an injector that is to be corrected using the measured value assigned to the injector that is to be corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Frank, Jörg Remele, Aron Toth
  • Publication number: 20200277927
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine. The method includes detecting a structure borne sound signal in a time-dependent manner for the at least one combustion chamber during operation of the internal combustion engine, and determining, in a predetermined measuring window, at least one evaluation parameter from the detected structure borne sound signal. The method also includes obtaining at least one comparative result by comparing the at least one evaluation parameter with at least one predetermined comparison value, and assigning to the structure borne sound signal, on the basis of the at least one comparative result, one of a knocking event in the at least one combustion chamber and an interference signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Frank, Thorsten Konrad, Aron Toth
  • Publication number: 20200208578
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a cylinder pressure sensor, in which method the sensor value is checked for admissibility and inadmissibility in a predefinable crankshaft angle range, when admissibility is detected the cylinder pressure sensor is used further and when inadmissibility is detected the cylinder pressure sensor is deactivated. A first sensor value of the cylinder pressure sensor is set as a start value, and a second sensor value is set as a stop value, a plateau range is determined from the number of sampling steps between the start value and the stop value, and the plateau range is set as decisive for the admissibility or inadmissibility of the sensor values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Tobias FRANK, Aron TOTH, Horst WEIDELE
  • Patent number: 10645112
    Abstract: Processing and transmitting of data within a functionally safe electronic system having at least two subsystems, each of which comprises at least one safety component, and each of which complies with a specific safety level for functionally safe data processing. Embodiments process data using the safety component of a first one of the subsystems into functionally safe data of a first safety level, and add an indication attribute indicating suitability of these data for use of this first safety level; transmitting the data to a second one of the subsystems; and checking the received indication attribute, by the second subsystem using the safety component, to determine whether the safety level indicated by this indication attribute is different from the safety level the second subsystem complies with; and, if the check reveals non-equal safety levels, further processing the data in functionally a safe manner based on the lower safety level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Tobias Frank, Rolf Salzmann
  • Publication number: 20180099418
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a joint unit for an articulated connection of at least one first component and one second component. The joint unit comprises a joint body, in particular a sleeve-like joint body, connectable to the first component. A first joint element is arranged rotatably supported about a first axis of rotation in the joint body. The first joint element has at least one bearing section that receives a second joint element that is rotatably supported about a second axis of rotation and that is connectable to the second component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: René Hedrich, Tobias Frank
  • Publication number: 20180069890
    Abstract: Processing and transmitting of data within a functionally safe electronic system having at least two subsystems, each of which comprises at least one safety component, and each of which complies with a specific safety level for functionally safe data processing. Embodiments process data using the safety component of a first one of the subsystems into functionally safe data of a first safety level, and add an indication attribute indicating suitability of these data for use of this first safety level; transmitting the data to a second one of the subsystems; and checking the received indication attribute, by the second subsystem using the safety component, to determine whether the safety level indicated by this indication attribute is different from the safety level the second subsystem complies with; and, if the check reveals non-equal safety levels, further processing the data in functionally a safe manner based on the lower safety level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Applicant: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Tobias FRANK, Rolf SALZMANN
  • Publication number: 20160146140
    Abstract: A method for operating a quantity-controlled internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders, including the following steps: ascertaining a present operating state; determining a number of cylinders or cylinder groups to be deactivated in dependence on the present operating state; deactivating or keeping deactivated a fuel supply for at least one cylinder to be deactivated or at least one cylinder group if at least one cylinder or at least one cylinder group is to be deactivated; and opening a flow-influencing element associated with the at least one cylinder or the at least one cylinder group for a fresh mass supply to the at least one cylinder to be deactivated or the at least one cylinder group to be deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Wolfgang FIMML, Philippe GORSE, Manuel BOOG, Christian KUNKEL, Jörg MATTHIES, Alexander BERNHARD, Tobias FRANK, Ludwig KLÄSER-JENEWEIN, Andreas FLOHR