Patents by Inventor Wolf-Dieter Gruhle

Wolf-Dieter Gruhle 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: 7188013
    Abstract: A method for interlinking regulation and/or control functions for a motor vehicle, the communication structure of the control or regulation functions is defined by way of graphs containing nodes and directed gridlines, the nodes of the graph representing control or regulation functions and its directed gridlines representing defined communication paths of the control or regulation functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Horst Krimmel, Wolf-Dieter Gruhle, Martin Spiess, Claus Granzow, Udo Gillich, Roland Geiger, Jürgen Lucas, Frank König
  • Publication number: 20040181316
    Abstract: A method for interlinking regulation and/or control functions for a motor vehicle, the communication structure of the control or regulation functions is defined by way of graphs containing nodes and directed gridlines, the nodes of the graph representing control or regulation functions and its directed gridlines representing defined communication paths of the control or regulation functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Horst Krimmel, Wolf-Dieter Gruhle, Martin Spieb, Claus Granzow, Udo Gillich, Roland Geiger, Jurgen Lucas, Frank Konig
  • Patent number: 5748472
    Abstract: A process is proposed for controlling an automatic transmission (3), in which at least one of the weighted values: selector lever activity, excess engine torque, curve radius and brake activity determines a first parameter (K1), the driving activity. Besides the first parameter (K1), a second parameter (K2) determines the selection of a shift characteristic field (31) among a plurality of shift characteristic fields. The second parameter (K2) is determined according to a driving state: city traffic (27), trailering (28) and mountain driving (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Wolf Dieter Gruhle, Manfred Escher, Friedemann Jauch, Friedrich Reiter, Peter Wendel
  • Patent number: 5609068
    Abstract: The proposal is for a process for controlling and regulating the load take-up in an automatic transmission. To this end, in an overlapping gear change, the torque take-up of a first engaging clutch is derived from feedback values. The feedback values control or regulate the operation of a second disengaging clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AB
    Inventors: Wolf-Dieter Gruhle, Peter Sigg, Harald Deiss, Manfred Schwab, Wolfgang Danz
  • Patent number: 5283738
    Abstract: A process for controlling a clutch incorporated between the driving engine (M) and the gearbox (G) of a motor vehicle, in which the clutch is a bridging clutch (WK) of a hydrodynamic unit or a separating clutch (K) in a driving train. The process uses devices to measure the engine speed (n-M) and the gearbox output speed (n-ab) and a slip regulating switch mechanism (1). The slip regulating switch mechanism (1) determines the pressure for an actuator (3) of the clutch. The control deviations are derived from a comparison (4) of predetermined slip reference values (w) and the actual slip values (s) obtained from the equipment speeds, and converted to pressures in accordance with a predetermined control algorithm in the regulator (6). The clutch output speed (n-K, n-WK) required for a determination of the slip is obtained from the gear ratio (G-x) and the gear output speed (n-ab).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Manfred Schwab, Wolfgang Runge, Wolf-Dieter Gruhle
  • Patent number: 5190130
    Abstract: In a process for regulating a clutch which is situated within a power train between an input shaft (22) and an output shaft (24), the rotation-rate differences .DELTA..omega. of the power train are detected via a sensor device. With the use of regulating equipment and depending on a control variable x, a correcting variable y which affects the speed difference .DELTA.n is controlled. To provide regulating equipment at favorable construction cost, the regulating equipment has a comparator unit (51) in which an actual value x of the rotation-rate difference .DELTA..omega. in the power train behind the clutch (21) is compared with a preset fixed limited value w.sub.const, the rotation-rate difference .DELTA..omega. being limited to the limit value w.sub.const by changing the correcting variable of the clutch (21) upon reaching or exceeding the limit value w.sub.const.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Christian Thomas, Gerald Rowe, Wolf-Dieter Gruhle, Wolfgang Maier
  • Patent number: 5157609
    Abstract: In order to adapt the shifting characteristics of an electrohydraulically controlled, automatically shifting transmission continuously to the dirver's driving style or to a just existing or real time traffic situation, the driving speed (v), the lateral acceleration (aq), the longitudinal acceleration (alb), the longitudinal deceleration (alv) and the engine rotational speed (nmot) in addition to the throttle valve position alpha, are detected and by way of characteristic diagrams and a linking function are added to form a parameter from which, by filtering, a driving activity is determined. This driving activity is finally used for the selection of a shifting program from a plurality of shifting programs ranging from a consumption-optimized shifting program (SKF1) to a power-optimized shifting program (SKF5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft, Robert Bosch GmbH, Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Heinz Stehle, Thomas Wehr, Joseph Petersmann, Willi Seidel, Ludwig Hamm, Thomas Foeldi, Udo Judaschke, Gerhard Eschrich, Ronald Schwamm, Wolfgang Runge, Wolf-Dieter Gruhle, Peter Wendel
  • Patent number: 5025684
    Abstract: In order to improve the shifting characteristics of an electrohydraulically controlled, automatically shifting transmission particularly during cornering and braking, the driving speed (v), the lateral acceleration (aq), and the time variation of the throttle valve position are sensed in addition to the throttle valve position (alpha) and the engine rotational speed (nmot). From the time variation of the throttle valve position, a signal can be derived for the prevention of an upshifting operation since a motor vehicle driver's foot moves away faster from the accelerator pedal when approaching a bend in the road than would be the case for the normal deceleration of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Heinz Stehle, Thomas Wehr, Joseph Petersmann, Willi Seidel, Ludwig Hamm, Thomas Foeldi, Gerhard Eschrich, Ronald Schwamm, Wolfgang Runge, Wolf-Dieter Gruhle, Peter Wendel