Patents by Inventor Alexander Weddemann

Alexander Weddemann 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: 11855557
    Abstract: A method for preventing collisions when driving at least two movers on a drive surface, each mover comprising at least one magnetic field generator, with a device comprising a plurality of plate-shaped sectors, the sectors each comprising at least one electric magnetic field generator. The sectors form the drive surface, generating magnetic fields via control of a power supply of the electric magnetic field generators such that the movers are movable over the drive surface in at least one direction. A first path planning for the first mover is carried out, an estimated second travel path of the second mover is determined or received, and the estimated second travel path of the second mover is taken into account in the first path planning of the first mover to determine a first travel path for the first mover such that collision of the first mover with the second mover is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Luthe, Hubertus Pennekamp, Eva Wiedner, Tobias Weber, Klaus Neumann, Alexander Weddemann
  • Publication number: 20230107323
    Abstract: A method for controlling a planar drive system includes controlling a rotor along a control path starting from a first position on a stator module, and determining a sensor pattern for magnetic field sensors of a sensor module. The sensor pattern includes a subset of the magnetic field sensors with at least one of the magnetic field sensors not comprised by the sensor pattern, and an area of the sensor pattern is at least partially covered by the rotor in a position along the control path. The method includes measuring values of the rotor magnetic field with the aid of the magnetic field sensors of the sensor pattern, detecting the rotor, and determining a second position of the rotor based on the measured values. The invention further relates to a planar drive system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Klaus Neumann, Benjamin Jurke, Alexander Weddemann, Dominik Sensen, Keir Maguire
  • Publication number: 20210328493
    Abstract: A method for driving at least one rotor in a planar drive system. The rotor has a device for generating a magnetic field. The rotor can be moved on a drive surface formed by stator modules comprising a magnetic field generator. A virtual two-dimensional potential curve is determined for the rotor, with a target point having an attractive potential. A virtual force vector is determined with a vector direction and a vector length at a first position of the rotor, which is determined from the virtual two-dimensional potential curve. A magnetic drive field interacting with the magnetic field of the rotor is generated by the magnetic field generator such that a resulting force is applied to the rotor by interaction of the magnetic drive field with the magnetic field. The direction of the resulting force is based on the vector direction, and the strength is based on the vector length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Luthe, Hubertus Pennekamp, Eva Wiedner, Tobias Weber, Klaus Neumann, Alexander Weddemann
  • Publication number: 20210281203
    Abstract: A device and a method for determining a travel path for at least one mover on a drive surface, the mover comprising at least one second magnetic field generator, the device comprising a plurality of plate-shaped sectors, where the sectors comprise magnetic field generators for generating magnetic fields, and where the sectors form the drive surface. At least one virtual path network is provided on the drive surface, where a travel path for a mover is determined on the path network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Luthe, Tobias Weber, Klaus Neumann, Alexander Weddemann, Hubertus Pennekamp, Eva Wiedner
  • Publication number: 20210278863
    Abstract: A device and method for preventing a collision when determining travel paths for at least two movers on a drive surface, each mover comprising at least a second magnetic field generator, the device comprising a plurality of sectors, the sectors comprising magnetic field generators for generating magnetic fields, the sectors forming the drive surface. A path planning for at least two movers is carried out, at least the two movers being assigned a priority, the priorities of the movers being taken into account in the path planning such that a path of a mover is assigned a priority in the path planning of the travel paths of the movers, and a travel path of a mover with a higher priority takes precedence over a travel path of a mover with a lower priority, so that a collision of the movers is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Luthe, Hubertus Pennekamp, Eva Wiedner, Tobias Weber, Klaus Neumann, Alexander Weddemann
  • Publication number: 20210273593
    Abstract: A method for driving at least one mover is specified, wherein the mover comprises at least a second magnetic field generator, wherein the mover is movable on a drive surface comprising a plurality of sectors, wherein the sectors comprise magnetic field generators for generating at least one magnetic field, wherein path planning is carried out for the mover from a starting point to a target point on the drive surface, wherein at least one graph with nodes and edges is used for the path planning, wherein a path for the mover is determined on the basis of the graph.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Luthe, Hubertus Pennekamp, Eva Wiedner, Tobias Weber, Klaus Neumann, Alexander Weddemann
  • Publication number: 20210273592
    Abstract: A method for preventing collisions when driving at least two movers on a drive surface, each mover comprising at least one magnetic field generator, with a device comprising a plurality of plate-shaped sectors, the sectors each comprising at least one electric magnetic field generator. The sectors form the drive surface, generating magnetic fields via control of a power supply of the electric magnetic field generators such that the movers are movable over the drive surface in at least one direction. A first path planning for the first mover is carried out, an estimated second travel path of the second mover is determined or received, and the estimated second travel path of the second mover is taken into account in the first path planning of the first mover to determine a first travel path for the first mover such that collision of the first mover with the second mover is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Luthe, Hubertus Pennekamp, Eva Wiedner, Tobias Weber, Klaus Neumann, Alexander Weddemann