Patents Assigned to Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft-und Raumfahrt
  • Patent number: 10612380
    Abstract: A free piston apparatus includes a piston receptacle in which a piston device having a piston is reciprocable along an axis. The piston receptacle includes a combustion chamber delimited by a wall arrangement forming an inlet opening for the supply of fresh gas and an outlet opening for the removal of exhaust gas. The free piston apparatus includes an inflow device, which has the inlet opening and is configured such that fresh gas flowing into the combustion chamber is directed to an incident flow region in the combustion chamber arranged offset axially to the inlet opening, which incident flow region is arranged off-center relative to the axis. A method for operating a free piston apparatus includes operating an inflow device which has an inlet opening configured such that fresh gas is directed to an incident flow region in a combustion chamber offset axially to the inlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventor: Stephan Schneider
  • Patent number: 10605081
    Abstract: A free piston apparatus includes a piston receptacle in which a piston device having a piston is linearly reciprocable. The piston receptacle includes or forms a combustion chamber delimited by a wall arrangement forming a first opening and a second opening. The openings include an inlet opening for the supply of fresh gas and an outlet opening for the removal of exhaust gas for a uniflow scavenging of the combustion chamber. Movement of the piston device is controllable by a control device. The bottom dead center of the piston can be adjustable such that when the piston adopts the bottom dead center, the first opening is partially unblocked and partially blocked for adjusting a free cross sectional area of the first opening. An opening duration can also be adjustable. A method for operating a free piston apparatus includes controlling movement of a piston device with a control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Stephan Schneider, Florian Kock
  • Publication number: 20200066785
    Abstract: The invention relates to a TDI line detector (1), comprising n TDI lines (Z1-Zn), wherein each TDI line (Z) has m pixels (P), and at least one read-out electronics (11-14), wherein the TDI line detector (1) is subdivided into x submodules (S1-S4), wherein the number of lines (Z) of a submodule (S1-S4) is n/x, wherein a discrete read-out electronics (11-14) is associated with the last line of each submodule (S1-S4), wherein the length (L1) of the read-out electronics (11-14) corresponds to an integer multiple of the length (L2) of a pixel (P), wherein x?2 is, wherein the associated pixels (P) of different submodules (S1-S4) are arranged pixel to pixel relative to one another or the submodules (S1-S4) or groups of submodules (S1-S4) are laterally interlinked alternately by half a pixel (P).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventor: Andreas ECKARDT
  • Patent number: 10574355
    Abstract: A method for transmitting a binary data signal to or from a satellite via an optical feeder link, wherein an optical transmitting interface carries out the following steps multiplexing binary physical layer frames which are associated with a plurality of carriers or a plurality of beams in a satellite communication system into a single bit stream, inserting a binary physical layer frame identification sequence upstream of each physical layer frame, wherein the physical layer frame identification sequence comprises: a unique binary synchronization sequence, a binary beam index sequence, a binary carrier frequency index sequence, a binary baud rate index sequence, a binary roll-off factor index sequence, a binary modulation index sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventor: Svilen Dimitrov
  • Patent number: 10551187
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device (1) for determining the leading edges (S1, S2) of two overlapping image captures of a surface (OF), comprising at least one camera (2) having a matrix-type sensor (6), having n lines (7), a position and location measuring system (3), an evaluation unit (4) and a storage means (5), wherein an elevation model (H) of the surface (OF) and a projection model (P) of the camera (2) are stored in the storage means (5), which the evaluation unit (4) can access, wherein the camera position (P1, P2) in the first and second image capture is determined by means of the position and location measuring system (3), wherein a horizontal mid-point (M) between the two camera positions (P1, P2) is determined and a projection of the midpoint (M) onto the surface (OF) is carried out, wherein a back projection onto the sensor (6) is carried out in the first and second camera position (P1, P2) by means of the projection model (P) for the point (MO) determined in the above-mentioned manne
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FÜR LUFT-UND RAUMFAHRT E.V.
    Inventor: Daniel Hein
  • Patent number: 10538243
    Abstract: Driver assistance system and method of assisting a driver when operating a vehicle in a transportation route network. The system includes a first interface to provide navigation data relating to the network, a position detection unit to provide a position of the vehicle, a second interface to provide first data relating to first objects, arranged along transportation routes of the network, a sensor system to sense current surroundings of the vehicle at the position in order to generate surroundings data, a first evaluation unit to determine second data relating to second objects based on the surroundings data, a fusion unit to match and fuse the first data and the second data to form third data, and a control unit to execute at least one assistance function in order to assist operation of the vehicle, wherein the assistance function is executed depending on the third data and the navigation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Robert Klarner, Hartmut Runge
  • Publication number: 20190329862
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage, a wing attached thereto, a wing tip device attached to a wing end of the wing (2), a wing-like element having a wing root, a wing leading edge and a wing trailing edge, and a torque control device having a rotatable interface means. The torque control device is adapted for rotatably supporting the wing root of the wing-like element on the interface means about a rotational axis extending from the interface means into the wing-like element and to limit the degree of rotation depending on a torque introduced into the interface means by the wing-like element. The wing-like element is adapted to induce a rotation around the rotational axis in an air flow. The wing root is coupled with the wing tip device, the wing or the fuselage through the torque control device such that the leading edge extends into an airflow surrounding the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicants: Airbus Operations GmbH, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Frank Theurich, Jan Himisch
  • Publication number: 20190323838
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device (1) for determining the leading edges (S1, S2) of two overlapping image captures of a surface (OF), comprising at least one camera (2) having a matrix-type sensor (6), having n lines (7), a position and location measuring system (3), an evaluation unit (4) and a storage means (5), wherein an elevation model (H) of the surface (OF) and a projection model (P) of the camera (2) are stored in the storage means (5), which the evaluation unit (4) can access, wherein the camera position (P1, P2) in the first and second image capture is determined by means of the position and location measuring system (3), wherein a horizontal mid-point (M) between the two camera positions (P1, P2) is determined and a projection of the mid-point (M) onto the surface (OF) is carried out, wherein a back projection onto the sensor (6) is carried out in the first and second camera position (P1, P2) by means of the projection model (P) for the point (MO) determined in the above-mentioned mann
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FÜR LUFT-UND RAUMFAHRT E.V.
    Inventor: Daniel HEIN
  • Patent number: 10393177
    Abstract: A sliding bearing device is proposed which comprises a bearing seating having a first sliding surface and a bearing body having a second sliding surface, wherein the bearing body is accommodated by the bearing seating and the first sliding surface and the second sliding surface face each other, wherein the bearing seating and/or the bearing body is made of an open-pore fiber composite material at least in a sliding region which forms the respective sliding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Andreas Haberzettl, Hermann Hald, Wolfgang Kitsche, Markus Ortelt
  • Publication number: 20190256195
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for reducing gust loads acting on an aircraft. The aircraft has at least one aerodynamic control surface which can be moved by at least one actuator, and a flight control system provides reference variables Xsoll and/or {dot over (X)}soll to actuate the actuator. Xsoll indicates a target position or a target force or a target moment and {dot over (X)}soll indicates a change over time of Xsoll. The device includes: a sensor system, which determines forces Fext,Boe acting from outside on the control surface and produced by gusts; and a regulator for regulating the actuator on the basis of: Fext,Boe, the reference variables Xsoll and/or {dot over (X)}soll and control variables X and/or {dot over (X)} generated by the actuator and detected by a sensor system, wherein the regulator has a regulation behavior with which the forces Fext,Boe produced by gusts are compensated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventor: Franciscus van der LINDEN
  • Patent number: 10386549
    Abstract: The prism, which is used particularly for optical data communication by means of a modulated light beam, is furnished with a transmissive prism body (60) which has two triangular first side faces (69) on its outer side and a base surface (77) therebetween, and two second side faces rising up from the base surface and inclined toward one another as light incidence and light exit faces (74, 76). The two second side faces (74, 76) are inclined oppositely, relative to an axis (79) running parallel to the base surface (77) and penetrating the planes in which the first side faces (69) lie, and each run at an acute angle (78, 80) to the axis (79) such that reflection radiation is reflected to the side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Joachim Horwath, Dirk Giggenbach
  • Publication number: 20190193866
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for detecting a degradation of flight performance of an aircraft that is in flight, wherein current flight status data of the aircraft that is in flight are first determined. A flight performance index is then calculated on the basis thereof. Furthermore, on the basis thereof, a nominal flight performance reference index is determined by means of a flight performance model, wherein a degradation of flight performance can be inferred by comparing the two indices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FÜR LUFT- UND RAUMFAHRT E.V.
    Inventors: Christoph DEILER, Nicolas FEZANS
  • Patent number: 10258422
    Abstract: To arrange surgical end effectors used in minimally invasive surgery, the disclosure provides an instrument holder which can be arranged inside the body of the patient. An instrument holder of this kind has a base part having multiple receptacles. The volume of the base part can be varied for the purpose of inserting the base part into the human body, and removing it therefrom, by way of a trocar. A method is also provided for arranging an instrument holder for surgical end effectors used in minimally invasive surgery inside the patient body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUER LUFT-UND RAUMFAHRT E.V.
    Inventors: Sophie Lantermann, Michael Strohmayer
  • Patent number: 10252814
    Abstract: The invention concerns an automatic flight controller with operating elements, by means of which target settings of the automatic flight controller can be set by an operator, and with display elements for data display, wherein the display elements comprise at least two mutually separate displays that are disposed on the front, for example a front panel, of the automatic flight controller, wherein a) the at least two mutually separate displays are high resolution graphical displays and/or b) the automatic flight controller is designed to display all operating mode awareness-relevant parameters of the automatic flight controller on one or more of the at least two mutually separate displays of the automatic flight controller. The invention further concerns an aircraft cockpit with such an automatic flight controller as well as a method for operating a flight controller. The invention also concerns a computer program for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Michael Rudolph, Matthias Wies
  • Patent number: 10254409
    Abstract: A device and a method determine a sample point specific vertical total electronic content which is the electron content along a sample point specific vertical path that extends through the center of the earth and the sample point. A first inclined total electronic content is determined and refers to the electron content along an inclined beam path. A first and a further sample point along the beam path are selected. An initial sample point specific vertical total electronic content is determined for each sample point. An increment electron content is determined and refers to the electron content of the increment associated with the sample point. A further inclined total electronic content is determined. A sample point specific conversion function is determined. The sample point specific vertical total electronic content is determined from the first inclined total electronic content and the sample point specific conversion function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Norbert Jakowski, Mohammed Mainul Hoque
  • Patent number: 10228456
    Abstract: A device includes a first means for determining a first position of a vehicle, a second means for determining a movement direction of the vehicle, a third means for providing a number of fixed point data that specify, at least for significant radar objects on a planet surface, radar signature thereof and position thereof, a radar system for scanning a current surrounding area of the vehicle and detecting radar data, wherein, for a number of radar objects present in the surrounding area, radar signatures thereof and relative positions thereof in relation to the vehicle are determinable from the radar data, and wherein the radar system is configured to determine a second position, and the first means is configured such that the first position is correctable based on the second position and/or a warning is issuable if the first position and the second position differ by more than a predefined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Hartmut Runge, Robert Klarner
  • Publication number: 20190018105
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calibrating an active sensor system which comprises at least one active sensor A and one active sensor B. The term “active” indicates that the sensors A and B actively emit signals. The sensor A has a transmitter TXA for emitting a signal STXA and a receiver RXA for receiving a signal S RXA, wherein the receiver RX A and the transmitter TXA operate independently of one another to the greatest possible extent in a radar mode of the sensor A. The sensor B has a transmitter TXB, a receiver RXB, and a unit D, which is used to connect the transmitter TXB to the receiver RXB in a transponder mode of the sensor B, with the result that a signal SRXB received by the receiver RXB is emitted again by the transmitter TXB as a signal STXB. A gain Gcon,B between the received signal SRXB and the signal STXB which is emitted again is predefined in this case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Jens REIMANN, Björn DÖRING, Marco SCHWERDT, Daniel RUDOLF, Sebastian RAAB
  • Patent number: 10175339
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a mobile receiver for determining a position of a mobile receiver RX, which moves in an unknown but at least quasi-stationary environment, on the basis of signals s(kT) which are emitted by a transmitter TX positioned at an unknown position and immobile in the environment, wherein the receiver RX receives as reception signal q ? ( k , ? ) = ? i = 0 N ? ( k ) - 1 ? S i ? ( ? ) a signal s(kT) which is emitted by the transmitter TX and which is transmitted via N(k) transmission paths as signal components si(?), where k:=time step, ?:=time delay, and i=0, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Christian Gentner, Thomas Jost
  • Patent number: D863388
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Roman Weitschat, Hannes Höppner
  • Patent number: D873877
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Roman Weitschat, Hannes Höppner