# US 10,480,989 B2 · Device for creating a load profile of a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,989 B2 - Document ID: US10480989B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/656,621 - Filed: 2017-07-21 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Dieter Strak; Anton Waibel; Ömer Mumcu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480989B2 ## CPC - G01G 19/086: {wherein the vehicle mass is dynamically estimated} - B60R 16/0232: {for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions} - B60R 16/0234: {related to maintenance or repairing of vehicles} - G01G 9/00: Methods of, or apparatus for, the determination of weight, not provided for in groups G01G1/00 - G01G7/00 - G01G 19/035: {using electrical weight-sensitive devices} - G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract One general aspect of the present disclosure includes a control device for use in a vehicle. The control device may include a first counter and a second counter, where the first counter is assigned to a first weight range and the second counter is assigned to a second weight range. The control device may be configured to execute the following steps in an iterative manner: determination of an overall weight of the vehicle, and incrimination of the first counter when the overall weight falls within the first range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device for use in a vehicle, comprising: a measurement device mechanically coupled to a vehicle transmission shaft and configured to measure a torque of the vehicle transmission shaft; a first counter and a second counter connected to the measurement device, wherein the first counter is assigned to a first weight range and the second counter is assigned to a second weight range, wherein the control device is configured to execute the following steps in an iterative manner: determination of an overall weight of the vehicle based on the torque; and incrimination of the first counter when the overall weight falls within the first range. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control device of claim 1, wherein the control device is further configured to incrementing the second counter when the overall weight falls within the second range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device determines the overall weight on the basis of at least an acceleration of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one non-volatile memory, wherein the control device stores the first counter and the second counter in the memory when the vehicle is shut down. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a third counter, wherein the third counter is assigned to a third weight range, and wherein the control device is configured to increment the third counter when the overall weight of the vehicle falls within the third weight range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The control device according to claim 5, wherein the first weight range and the second weight range do not overlap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The control device according to claim 5, wherein the steps executed by the control device are executed in a time-controlled manner. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) A vehicle having a control device according to claim 5. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: determining an overall weight of a vehicle with a control device based on a torque in a transmission shaft of the vehicle, the control device having a first counter and a second counter; and incrementing one of the first counter and the second counter when the overall weight falls respectively within a first range or a second range, wherein a measurement device mechanically coupled to a vehicle transmission shaft measures the torque in the transmission shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising initializing the first counter and the second counter with zero. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the steps are executed in an iterative manner. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising reading out the first counter and the second counter with a detection system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the control device determines the overall weight on the basis of at least an acceleration of the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein at least one non-volatile memory stores the first counter and the second counter when the vehicle is shut down. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the control device further comprises a third counter, wherein the third counter is assigned to a third weight range, and wherein the control device is configured to increment the third counter when the overall weight of the vehicle falls within the third weight range. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the control device further comprises a third counter, wherein the third counter is assigned to a third weight range, and wherein the control device is configured to increment the third counter when the overall weight of the vehicle falls within the third weight range.