Patents by Inventor Ulrich Reith

Ulrich Reith 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: 20080221762
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling a standstill circuit of an automatic transmission of the vehicle, comprising a decision unit for selection of the target gear, a low-speed monitoring unit and a standstill circuit, which, when the vehicle is standing still or when its speed falls below a predetermined limit speed, brings about or prepares the activation of a starting gear. The method and the device are intended to enable a vehicle to start up safely even under the influence of considerable tractive resistance. Furthermore, they should be characterized by solutions which are as simple, inexpensive and easy to implement as possible by way of available methods and devices. To this end, the low-speed monitoring unit reads data concerning at least one state of the vehicle and, if necessary, additional data, and, on the basis thereof, as a function of decision rules, renders the standstill circuit ineffective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Reith, Wolfgang Groener
  • Publication number: 20080215212
    Abstract: A procedure for controlling the driving functions of a vehicle with a control unit, which analyzes sensor signals measuring particular driving states and uses this information to generate driving instructions or similar. Driving instructions of this kind can be communicated to the driver of the vehicle or passed directly to the systems concerned as control instructions. Because the road gradient or the resulting vehicle inclination significantly influences driving, the procedure includes measuring the inclination of the vehicle, relative to the horizontal, by at least one inclination sensor, transmitting the inclination sensor signals to the control unit and analyzing these inclination sensor signals for the generation of driving instructions or similar, when in inclination-related driving states. Preferably both the longitudinal and the transverse inclination are measured and analyzed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Ulrich Reith, Mario Steinborn
  • Publication number: 20080204214
    Abstract: A method for controlling the driving operation of motor vehicles in which specific driving conditions are detected by rotational sensors located at individual wheels and/or sub-assemblies in the power train, and are then evaluated in a control unit and converted into control commands for specific functions of the vehicle or into warning signals. ABS, ASC or EBS systems as well as automatic gearboxes are controlled in this manner. Rotational sensors detect the current rotational direction and additionally determine of the presence of a rotary motion. The rotation sensors permit numerous functions of the vehicle to be controlled in a simple manner and with the aid of various parameters obviate the need for the calculation of the rotational direction by way of the determination algorithms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Ulrich Reith, Mario Steinborn
  • Publication number: 20080194379
    Abstract: A method for operating a drivetrain of a motor vehicle having in the force flow direction and in the following order an internal combustion engine, a clutch, an electric motor, a transmission and an axle gearset, or an internal combustion engine, a clutch, an electric motor, a transmission input shaft, a transmission and an axle gearset. The electric motor is used for pre-lubricating and warming the transmission such that, with the vehicle clutch disengaged, the lubricant pump of the transmission is driven by the electric motor so bearings are supplied with lubricant before the engine is started, and the heat, produced by splashing the lubricant, additionally warms the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Mario Steinborn, Ulrich Reith
  • Patent number: 7344478
    Abstract: A procedure for controlling a start-up assistant control of a vehicle with a transmission, an automatically controllable clutch and at least an automatically controllable brake affecting the wheels of the vehicle, which can be activated by the driver to halt the vehicle and which with the start-up assistant control unit increases the jerking degree of the clutch on activation of a starting operating system and which at least releases the brakes. The jerk degree of the clutch, which signals the brakes to be released is selected dependent on the operating reactions of the drive train actuators, derived from the current accelerator pedal position and/or accelerator pedal adjustment speed. It can be guaranteed by considering the dead time between the issuance of a release instruction of the brakes and the actual release of the brakes along with, release of torque of the engine, the desired torque corresponds to the brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Reith
  • Publication number: 20080065300
    Abstract: A method for controlling and regulating a transmission brake which, for the purpose of synchronization, determines a target rotational speed of a shaft that is to be synchronized on the basis of an actual rotational speed of a transmission shaft, and controls a transmission brake such that the determined target rotational speed is set for the shaft that is supposed to be synchronized. The transmission brake also carries out additional functions. These functions require no, or only minimal, additional hardware complexity in a cost-neutral way, but considerably increase the functional and practical value of the transmission brake. The comfort and speed of shifting operations, the protection, or as the case may be the detection of error states in sensors, clutch, main clutch, and motor control are improved, and undesirable transmission states avoided. It is also possible to account for and influence other conditions, such as the operation of ancillary devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Rainer Petzold, Mario Steinborn, Ulrich Reith, Wolfgang Groner, Rupert Kramer
  • Publication number: 20060151227
    Abstract: An automobile with one or several vehicle seats equipped with pressure sensors to obtain the weight of a respective vehicle seat occupied by a person and by way of a control unit to evaluate the pressure sensor signals as well as to control the given functional units of the vehicle which are dependant upon the pressure sensor signals. The control unit in a vehicle that has an automated transmission can operate to make sure that the transmission of the standing vehicle can not be switched on and that with a running engine and an unoccupied driver's seat the transmission is automatically switched to “NEUTRAL” or the parking brake is engaged. Likewise, the control unit can be used to operate comfort functions for the respective seats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventor: Ulrich Reith
  • Publication number: 20060154785
    Abstract: A procedure for controlling a start-up assistant control of a vehicle with a transmission, an automatically controllable clutch and at least an automatically controllable brake affecting the wheels of the vehicle, which can be activated by the driver to halt the vehicle and which with the start-up assistant control unit increases the jerking degree of the clutch on activation of a starting operating system and which at least releases the brakes. The jerk degree of the clutch, which signals the brakes to be released is selected dependent on the operating reactions of the drive train actuators, derived from the current accelerator pedal position and/or accelerator pedal adjustment speed. It can be guaranteed by considering the dead time between the issuance of a release instruction of the brakes and the actual release of the brakes along with, release of torque of the engine, the desired torque corresponds to the brake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventor: Ulrich Reith