Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Kollner

Wolfgang Kollner 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: 8754600
    Abstract: In a method and a device for identifying a reversing operation in an electric actuating unit of a vehicle, once a trapped object is detected, the rotational direction of the electromotive drive is commutated. Sequential pulse interval counter values, derived from a sensor system or data derived from the values is or are written to a ring buffer store and compared with pre-defined reference data patterns. If a match is found, the counter reading of the position counter is corrected in accordance with the pre-defined reference data pattern. This ensures that the counter reading of the position counter is correct even after a reversing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Holzmann, Wolfgang Köllner, Roman Moraweg
  • Patent number: 8461826
    Abstract: A device (10) for the detection of quadrature signals of a signal unit (11; 21) has a common power supply line (VBATT_A & B) and a common ground wire (GND), and emits at least two out-of-phase square wave signals (IA, IB; IS, ID) during operation for analyzing the same in an analysis unit (16), wherein both out-of-phase square wave signals (IA, IB; IS, ID) are applied to the common power supply line (VBATT_A & B) at different amplitudes, wherein the two out-of-phase square wave signals (IA, IB; IS, ID) are modulated onto the supply current (I0)), and wherein the analysis unit (16) is or can be connected to the power supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Egger, Wolfgang Köllner, Peter Stephan Mulacz, Caroline Renault
  • Patent number: 8412403
    Abstract: In a method and a device for increasing the precision of the position determination of a motor-driven closure element of a vehicle, the data corresponding to a force-displacement reference curve and the data corresponding to a force-displacement actual value curve are used, a correlation function is calculated, the maximum thereof is found, and the counter status of a position counter is corrected by using the position offset associated with the determined maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Köllner, Roman Morawek, Peter Stephan Mulacz
  • Patent number: 8392051
    Abstract: To transmit data between an electric control unit (3) that has at least one operator element connection (6; 6.1, 6.2) and a diagnostic unit (7), the diagnostic unit (7) is designed to be connected to the operator element connection (6; 6.1, 6.2) and the control unit (3) is designed to switch over (17) from an operating signal receiving status into a data transmission mode in order to deliver data via the operator element connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Holzinger, Wolfgang Köllner
  • Patent number: 8314575
    Abstract: In order to determine a drive force (FAct) produced by an electric motor, the motor current (Ia) supplied to the electric motor (10) from a power supply source (32) is measured and a force is calculated from this; in addition, the motor voltage (UBat) applied to the electric motor (10) is measured, and drive force fluctuations which result from voltage fluctuations that occur during operation of the power supply source are compensated for, with at least one compensation force component being determined which is based on the measured motor voltage (UBat), including voltage fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Köllner, Roman Morawek, Martin Meissl, Peter Stephan Mulacz
  • Patent number: 8222843
    Abstract: Method for determining the angular position of the rotor of a mechanically commutated DC servo motor (5), which is arranged in the transverse branch of a bridge circuit, and the armature current of which is preset by an electromechanically activated switching device (28), —with a control and analysis unit (17) which analyzes the current ripple (3) present in the armature current (2) and attributable to the mechanical commutation, characterized in that—from each switch contact (6, 7) of the switching device (28), a contact-voltage feedback signal (9, 10) is fed back to the control and analysis device (17) by means of a feedback circuit (20), and in that the control and analysis unit (17), by using the at least one contact-voltage feedback signal (9, 10), determines a contact vibration time interval (4) and performs an estimate of current ripple (3) during this contact vibration time interval (4), during which an analysis of the current ripple due to contact vibrations which are caused by a switching process of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Leandro Crocomo, Wolfgang Köllner, Roman Morawek, Alexandre Pozzer
  • Publication number: 20100315032
    Abstract: Method for determining the angular position of the rotor of a mechanically commutated DC servo motor (5), which is arranged in the transverse branch of a bridge circuit, and the armature current of which is preset by an electromechanically activated switching device (28), —with a control and analysis unit (17) which analyzes the current ripple (3) present in the armature current (2) and attributable to the mechanical commutation, characterized in that—from each switch contact (6, 7) of the switching device (28), a contact-voltage feedback signal (9, 10) is fed back to the control and analysis device (17) by means of a feedback circuit (20), and in that the control and analysis unit (17), by using the at least one contact-voltage feedback signal (9, 10), determines a contact vibration time interval (4) and performs an estimate of current ripple (3) during this contact vibration time interval (4), during which an analysis of the current ripple due to contact vibrations which are caused by a switching process of
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Leandro Crocomo, Wolfgang Köllner, Roman Morawek, Alexandre Pozzer
  • Publication number: 20100283417
    Abstract: In a method and a device for identifying a reversing operation in an electric actuating unit of a vehicle, once a trapped object is detected, the rotational direction of the electromotive drive is commutated. Sequential pulse interval counter values, derived from a sensor system or data derived from the values is or are written to a ring buffer store and compared with pre-defined reference data patterns. If a match is found, the counter reading of the position counter is corrected in accordance with the pre-defined reference data pattern. This ensures that the counter reading of the position counter is correct even after a reversing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Stefan Holzmann, Wolfgang Köllner, Roman Moraweg
  • Publication number: 20100211273
    Abstract: In a method and a device for increasing the precision of the position determination of a motor-driven closure element of a vehicle, the data corresponding to a force-displacement reference curve and the data corresponding to a force-displacement actual value curve are used, a correlation function is calculated, the maximum thereof is found, and the counter status of a position counter is corrected by using the position offset associated with the determined maximum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Wolfgang Köllner, Roman Morawek, Peter Stephan Mulacz
  • Patent number: 7778185
    Abstract: In a method for transmitting data between a master control unit and a slave control unit, the master control unit (4) outputs a pulse width-modulated signal (7) at an output terminal (HI_LO_BUS) in order to transmit the same to the slave control unit (5) via a bus (6). The method includes the steps: —the slave control unit (5) generates an acknowledgement signal at periodic acknowledgement intervals (TQuitt); —the slave control unit (5) influences the pulse width-modulated signal (7) transmitted on the bus (6) during the acknowledgement interval (TQuitt); —the master control unit (4) detects the influenced pulse width-modulated signal (7), the pulse width-modulated signal (7) output at the output signal terminal (HI_LO_BUS) being read back at an input signal terminal (Read_Back_Bus) of the master control unit (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Köllner, Ludwik Waskiewicz
  • Publication number: 20100201350
    Abstract: A device (10) for the detection of quadrature signals of a signal unit (11; 21) has a common power supply line (VBATT_ A & B) and a common ground wire (GND), and emits at least two out-of-phase square wave signals (IA, IB; IS, ID) during operation for analyzing the same in an analysis unit (16), wherein both out-of-phase square wave signals (IA, IB; IS, ID) are applied to the common power supply line (VBATT _A & B) at different amplitudes, wherein the two out-of-phase square wave signals (IA, IB; IS, ID) are modulated onto the supply current (I0)), and wherein the analysis unit (16) is or can be connected to the power supply line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Andreas Egger, Wolfgang Köllner, Peter Stephan Mulacz, Caroline Renault
  • Publication number: 20100152955
    Abstract: To transmit data between an electric control unit (3) that has at least one operator element connection (6; 6.1, 6.2) and a diagnostic unit (7), the diagnostic unit (7) is designed to be connected to the operator element connection (6; 6.1, 6.2) and the control unit (3) is designed to switch over (17) from an operating signal receiving status into a data transmission mode in order to deliver data via the operator element connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Stefan Holzinger, Wolfgang Köllner
  • Publication number: 20100026224
    Abstract: In order to determine a drive force (FAct) produced by an electric motor, the motor current (Ia) supplied to the electric motor (10) from a power supply source (32) is measured and a force is calculated from this; in addition, the motor voltage (UBat) applied to the electric motor (10) is measured, and drive force fluctuations which result from voltage fluctuations that occur during operation of the power supply source are compensated for, with at least one compensation force component being determined which is based on the measured motor voltage (UBat), including voltage fluctuations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Wolfgang Köllner, Roman Morawek, Martin Meissl, Peter Stephan Mulacz
  • Publication number: 20090052315
    Abstract: In a method for transmitting data between a master control unit and a slave control unit, the master control unit (4) outputs a pulse width-modulated signal (7) at an output terminal (HI_LO_BUS) in order to transmit the same to the slave control unit (5) via a bus (6). The method includes the steps: —the slave control unit (5) generates an acknowledgement signal at periodic acknowledgement intervals (TQuitt); —the slave control unit (5) influences the pulse width-modulated signal (7) transmitted on the bus (6) during the acknowledgement interval (TQuitt); —the master control unit (4) detects the influenced pulse width-modulated signal (7), the pulse width-modulated signal (7) output at the output signal terminal (HI_LO_BUS) being read back at an input signal terminal (Read_Back_Bus) of the master control unit (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Wolfgang Kollner, Ludwik Waskiewicz
  • Patent number: 7463984
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for triggering and monitoring a load which is connected in the shunt arm of a bridge circuit, including a control circuit for triggering switch elements S1 to S4 of the bridge circuit and a self-diagnosis system for testing the load connections, wherein the self-diagnosis system consists of a self-diagnosis circuit including a storage element for storing electrical charges, said circuit being linked to a signal connection of the control circuit, which signal connection is switchable as input or output, and to a load connection, and a self-diagnosis program which is stored in a memory of the control circuit and switches the signal connection to output during a first phase of the test in order to charge the storage element and switches the signal connection to input during a second phase of the test in order to capture the charge status of the storage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Köllner, Rudolf Liberda, Ludwik Waskiewicz
  • Publication number: 20070132502
    Abstract: Method for limiting the power dissipation of a power semiconductor switch (1) with a control input (20) which is connected to a controller (2), wherein a measuring device (3) generates an analog power signal (8), the signal amplitude of which corresponds to the current power dissipation in the power semiconductor switch, a comparator circuit (23) in which a comparison of the signal amplitude of the current power dissipation with a signal amplitude of a reference signal (9) is carried out and which generates a shut-off signal (10) if the signal amplitude of the analog power signal is greater than the signal amplitude of the reference signal, and the shut-off signal (10) is supplied to the control input (20) of the power semiconductor switch (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventors: Wolfgang Kollner, Ludwik Waskiewicz
  • Publication number: 20060294425
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for triggering and monitoring a load which is connected in the shunt arm of a bridge circuit, including a control circuit for triggering switch elements S1 to S4 of the bridge circuit and a self-diagnosis system for testing the load connections, wherein the self-diagnosis system consists of a self-diagnosis circuit including a storage element for storing electrical charges, said circuit being linked to a signal connection of the control circuit, which signal connection is switchable as input or output, and to a load connection, and a self-diagnosis program which is stored in a memory of the control circuit and switches the signal connection to output during a first phase of the test in order to charge the storage element and switches the signal connection to input during a second phase of the test in order to capture the charge status of the storage element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Wolfgang Kollner, Rudolf Liberda, Ludwik Waskiewicz