Patents by Inventor Christoph WALLER
Christoph WALLER 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).
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Patent number: 11272821Abstract: The present invention relates to a floor treatment system, comprising a mobile floor treatment apparatus and a docking station therefor, wherein the floor treatment apparatus comprises a control device, at least one control line coupled thereto, and an electrical energy storage device for supplying energy to the floor treatment apparatus, and the docking station comprises at least one actuator and at least one control line coupled thereto; wherein, when the floor treatment apparatus is in a docked position on the docking station, the control lines are coupled to one another in contact-based manner by way of control line connection elements, wherein the floor treatment system comprises a detection device for determining whether the floor treatment apparatus is in the docked position, and wherein, if this is determined positively, at least one of the actuators of the control device is actuatable or controllable by way of the control lines.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: ALFRED KÄRCHER SE & CO. KGInventors: Christian Wurm, Heiko Blumhardt, Barbara Pfister, Christoph Waller, Christian Hofner
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Patent number: 11109729Abstract: The invention relates to a floor treatment system, comprising a mobile floor treatment apparatus and a docking station therefor, wherein the floor treatment apparatus has at least one liquid container with a container wall and a container interior, as well as at least one liquid conduit for providing a liquid for the container interior; wherein the docking station comprises a supply conduit which, in a docked position of the floor treatment apparatus on the docking station, is in fluidic connection with the at least one liquid conduit; wherein the floor treatment system comprises an opening device by way of which a wall portion of the container wall is movable, for clearing at least one container opening of the at least one liquid container, into an open position, and in the docked position of the floor treatment apparatus the liquid can exit from the container interior through the container opening.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: ALFRED KÄRCHER SE & CO. KGInventors: Steffen Juettner, Patrick Prasser, Heiko Blumhardt, Barbara Pfister, Christoph Waller, Frank Nonnenmann
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Patent number: 11033166Abstract: The invention relates to a floor treatment system, comprising a mobile floor treatment apparatus and a docking station therefor, wherein the floor treatment apparatus has at least one liquid container with a container wall and a container interior, wherein the docking station comprises at least one supply conduit through which, in a docked position of the floor treatment apparatus on the docking station, a liquid is suppliable to the container interior, wherein the floor treatment system comprises an opening device by way of which a wall portion of the container wall is movable into an open position, for clearing at least one container opening of the at least one liquid container, and in the docked position of the floor treatment apparatus the liquid can exit from the container interior through the container opening, and wherein the wall portion is transferable into the open position by the opening device by moving the floor treatment apparatus from a non-docked position into the docked position.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: ALFRED KÄRCHER SE & CO. KGInventors: Steffen Juettner, Patrick Prasser, Heiko Blumhardt, Barbara Pfister, Christoph Waller, Frank Nonnenmann
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Publication number: 20210137341Abstract: The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus includes at least one cleaning tool for cleaning an object to be cleaned, an operating unit for a user, which includes at least one operating element for operating the cleaning apparatus, a control unit for processing operating instructions, a receptacle, arranged on the operating unit, for an external accessory that can be associated with the cleaning apparatus and that has a display device with an image display, wherein the accessory is removably positionable in the receptacle in a defined position, as well as a communication unit by way of which display information for being displayed on the image display are transmittable from the cleaning apparatus to the accessory positioned in the receptacle. The invention also relates to a cleaning system.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2021Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventors: Denis Dammkoehler, Glenn Schmierer, Marc Rottmann, Simon Himmler, Frank Nonnenmann, Christoph Waller, Alexander Braendle, Lukas Sobotta, Andreas Friederich, Tobias Masek, Jochen Burchard, Marten Jahn
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Patent number: 11000170Abstract: The invention relates to a floor cleaning system, having a mobile floor cleaning apparatus that comprises at least one cleaning unit for cleaning a floor surface, a reservoir for receiving a cleaning liquid, a dirt receiving device for taking up dirty liquid from the floor surface, and a dirty liquid container into which the dirty liquid is transferable; and further having a docking station for the floor cleaning apparatus, which is docked thereto in a docked position; wherein the docking station has at least one supply conduit with a connection element arranged thereon, the floor cleaning apparatus having at least one liquid conduit with a connection element arranged thereon; wherein the floor cleaning apparatus comprises a rinsing device on or in the dirty liquid container; and wherein, when the floor cleaning apparatus is in the docked position, the connection elements are coupled to one another such that the reservoir is fillable with the cleaning liquid via the at least one liquid conduit and a rinsing lType: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: ALFRED KÄRCHER SE & CO. KGInventors: Heiko Blumhardt, Barbara Pfister, Frank Nonnenmann, Patrick Prasser, Christoph Waller
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Patent number: 10759256Abstract: A method for setting a thermal comfort state of at least one user of a vehicle, wherein, at a starting time, at least one actual state variable of the user is detected by at least one device for detecting the at least one state variable and a starting comfort state of the user is determined depending on the at least one actual state variable, wherein a target comfort state is determined, wherein at least one target state variable is determined depending on the target comfort state, wherein at least one vehicle-end device for changing the state variable is controlled so that a deviation in the actual state variable from the target state variable is minimized when the target comfort state deviates from the starting comfort state, wherein the at least one state variable is detected by a device carried by the user for detecting the at least one state variable.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2015Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Viktor Bader, Christoph Wäller
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Publication number: 20190069746Abstract: The invention relates to a floor treatment system, comprising a mobile floor treatment apparatus and a docking station therefor, wherein the floor treatment apparatus has at least one liquid container with a container wall and a container interior, wherein the docking station comprises at least one supply conduit through which, in a docked position of the floor treatment apparatus on the docking station, a liquid is suppliable to the container interior, wherein the floor treatment system comprises an opening device by way of which a wall portion of the container wall is movable into an open position, for clearing at least one container opening of the at least one liquid container, and in the docked position of the floor treatment apparatus the liquid can exit from the container interior through the container opening, and wherein the wall portion is transferable into the open position by the opening device by moving the floor treatment apparatus from a non-docked position into the docked position.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventors: Steffen JUETTNER, Patrick PRASSER, Heiko BLUMHARDT, Barbara PFISTER, Christoph WALLER, Frank NONNENMANN
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Publication number: 20190069745Abstract: The invention relates to a floor treatment system, comprising a mobile floor treatment apparatus and a docking station therefor, wherein the floor treatment apparatus has at least one liquid container with a container wall and a container interior, as well as at least one liquid conduit for providing a liquid for the container interior; wherein the docking station comprises a supply conduit which, in a docked position of the floor treatment apparatus on the docking station, is in fluidic connection with the at least one liquid conduit; wherein the floor treatment system comprises an opening device by way of which a wall portion of the container wall is movable, for clearing at least one container opening of the at least one liquid container, into an open position, and in the docked position of the floor treatment apparatus the liquid can exit from the container interior through the container opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventors: Steffen JUETTNER, Patrick PRASSER, Heiko BLUMHARDT, Barbara PFISTER, Christoph WALLER, Frank NONNENMANN
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Publication number: 20190069748Abstract: The invention relates to a floor cleaning system, having a mobile floor cleaning apparatus that comprises at least one cleaning unit for cleaning a floor surface, a reservoir for receiving a cleaning liquid, a dirt receiving device for taking up dirty liquid from the floor surface, and a dirty liquid container into which the dirty liquid is transferable; and further having a docking station for the floor cleaning apparatus, which is docked thereto in a docked position; wherein the docking station has at least one supply conduit with a connection element arranged thereon, the floor cleaning apparatus having at least one liquid conduit with a connection element arranged thereon; wherein the floor cleaning apparatus comprises a rinsing device on or in the dirty liquid container; and wherein, when the floor cleaning apparatus is in the docked position, the connection elements are coupled to one another such that the reservoir is fillable with the cleaning liquid via the at least one liquid conduit and a rinsing lType: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventors: Heiko BLUMHARDT, Barbara PFISTER, Frank NONNENMANN, Patrick PRASSER, Christoph WALLER
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Publication number: 20190069749Abstract: The present invention relates to a floor treatment system, comprising a mobile floor treatment apparatus and a docking station therefor, wherein the floor treatment apparatus comprises a control device, at least one control line coupled thereto, and an electrical energy storage device for supplying energy to the floor treatment apparatus, and the docking station comprises at least one actuator and at least one control line coupled thereto; wherein, when the floor treatment apparatus is in a docked position on the docking station, the control lines are coupled to one another in contact-based manner by way of control line connection elements, wherein the floor treatment system comprises a detection device for determining whether the floor treatment apparatus is in the docked position, and wherein, if this is determined positively, at least one of the actuators of the control device is actuatable or controllable by way of the control lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventors: Christian WURM, Heiko BLUMHARDT, Barbara PFISTER, Christoph WALLER, Christian HOFNER
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Patent number: 9907448Abstract: A dirt pick-up device for a floor cleaner is provided, including a carrying part fixable to the floor cleaner and a holding part releasably connectable to the carrying part with a suction strip held on the holding part, the carrying part and the holding part locked to each other by a locking device, the dirt pick-up device including an actuating element which is transferable from an unactuated position to an actuated position for transferring the locking device to an unlocked position in which the holding part is releasable from the carrying part. The dirt pick-up device can include or form a grip element held on at least one of the holding part and the suction strip, and in the unactuated position, the actuating element can be at a greater distance from the grip element than in the actuated position. A floor cleaner with a dirt pick-up device is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2016Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co., KGInventors: Christoph Waller, Joerg Brueckner
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Patent number: 9817480Abstract: Methods for the operator control of electronic appliances and appropriately set-up electronic appliances in which an input of at least one letter is captured independently of an input request, and a volume of data is displayed on a screen of the electronic appliance on the basis of the captured letter. The input may be made by handwriting or by voice input, for example.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2012Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AGInventors: Christoph Wäller, Mark Peter Czelnik, Linn Hackenberg, Lennart Bendewald, Manuel Joachim, Markus Ablassmeier, Michael Mischke
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Publication number: 20170282685Abstract: A method for setting a thermal comfort state of at least one user of a vehicle, wherein, at a starting time, at least one actual state variable of the user is detected by at least one device for detecting the at least one state variable and a starting comfort state of the user is determined depending on the at least one actual state variable, wherein a target comfort state is determined, wherein at least one target state variable is determined depending on the target comfort state, wherein at least one vehicle-end device for changing the state variable is controlled so that a deviation in the actual state variable from the target state variable is minimized when the target comfort state deviates from the starting comfort state, wherein the at least one state variable is detected by a device carried by the user for detecting the at least one state variable.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2015Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventors: Viktor BADER, Christoph WÄLLER
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Patent number: 9703393Abstract: A method for inputting and identifying a character string, in which several successively inputted user inputs for forming the character string are identified and a confidence analysis is carried out, in which each user input is compared to a number of characters and each of the compared characters is allocated a value of a confidence measure which evaluates the correlation of the user input to the characters. Character combinations are formed from the characters associated with the user inputs. Global confidence measures are determined for the character combinations from the confidence measures associated with the characters. Finally, a partial amount of the character combinations is emitted in accordance with the global confidence measures. Also disclosed is a device for carrying out the method and a vehicle having the disclosed device.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2013Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Mark Peter Czelnik, Lennart Bendewald, Christoph Wäller
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Publication number: 20170100011Abstract: A dirt pick-up device for a floor cleaner is provided, including a carrying part fixable to the floor cleaner and a holding part releasably connectable to the carrying part with a suction strip held on the holding part, the carrying part and the holding part locked to each other by a locking device, the dirt pick-up device including an actuating element which is transferable from an unactuated position to an actuated position for transferring the locking device to an unlocked position in which the holding part is releasable from the carrying part. The dirt pick-up device can include or form a grip element held on at least one of the holding part and the suction strip, and in the unactuated position, the actuating element can be at a greater distance from the grip element than in the actuated position. A floor cleaner with a dirt pick-up device is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2016Publication date: April 13, 2017Inventors: Christoph Waller, Joerg Brueckner
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Patent number: 9589392Abstract: A method and system for providing a user interface in a vehicle, wherein a wireless data link is formed between the vehicle and a mobile playback device which is releasably connected in the vehicle or is held freely by a user. Operating parameters relevant for the operation of the vehicle are detected on the vehicle and information relating to detected operating parameters is displayed by a display and control unit installed in the vehicle and which can be read from the driver's seat position. A wireless data link is formed between the vehicle and a mobile playback device which is releasably connected in the vehicle or is held freely by a user. Data for generating display content are transmitted via the wireless data link from the vehicle to the playback device, and on the basis of the transmitted data display content is generated on the playback device.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignees: AUDI AG, VOLKSWAGEN AGInventors: Christoph Wäller, Maria Esther Mejia Gonzalez, Lennart Bendewald, Stefan Henze
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Patent number: 9415689Abstract: In a device and a method to produce a user recognition signal upon an actuation by a user in a vehicle using a control unit linked with a transmitter and receiver which are disposed relative to one another to set up a user-specific high frequency transmission path therebetween upon actuation by the the user, at least one HF signal is provided and transferred through the body of the user, the HF transfer is evaluated to determine the user-specific transmission path to identify the user, and a user recognition signal is produced that identifies the user, wherein using at least one detection unit an action of the user is detected or an action presence is monitored, and in the detection of the action an action signal is produced, and the transmitter only provides the one HF transmission signal after or upon the existence of an action signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2009Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AGInventors: Christoph Wäller, Lennart Bendewald, Katharina Bachfischer, Lorenz Bohrer
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Patent number: 9283829Abstract: A method for operating a user interface, wherein at least one flat graphics object is shown on a display surface in a first view showing a first side of the object and in a second view showing the second side of the object. On different sides of the object, different information is shown and the view of the graphics object is varied such that, in a perspective view on the display surface, the graphics object rotates from the first side to the second side when a first or a second control signal has been triggered. Different information is shown on the second side after a rotation from the first side to the second side depending on whether the first or the second control signal has been triggered. Also disclosed is a device for providing such a user interface.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2011Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AGInventor: Christoph Wäller
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Publication number: 20150324011Abstract: A method for inputting and identifying a character string, in which several successively inputted user inputs for forming the character string are identified and a confidence analysis is carried out, in which each user input is compared to a number of characters and each of the compared characters is allocated a value of a confidence measure which evaluates the correlation of the user input to the characters. Character combinations are formed from the characters associated with the user inputs. Global confidence measures are determined for the character combinations from the confidence measures associated with the characters. Finally, a partial amount of the character combinations is emitted in accordance with the global confidence measures. Also disclosed is a device for carrying out the method and a vehicle having the disclosed device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2013Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: Mark Peter CZELNIK, Lennart BENDEWALD, Christoph WALLER
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Multimode user interface of a driver assistance system for inputting and presentation of information
Patent number: 9103691Abstract: In a method for multimode information input and/or adaptation of the display of a display and control device, input signals of different modality are detected which are supplied via the device to a voice recognition unit, thus initiating a desired function and/or display as an output signal, which are displayed on the device and/or output by voice output. Touch and/or gesture input signals are provided on or to the device for selection of an object intended for interaction and activation of the voice recognition unit and for the vocabulary which is provided for interaction to be restricted with the selection of the object and/or activation of the voice recognition unit as a function of the selected object, on the basis of which a voice command from the restricted vocabulary is added to the selected object as an information input and/or for adaptation of the display, via the voice recognition unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2008Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AGInventors: Christoph Wäller, Moritz Neugebauer, Thomas Fabian, Ulrike Wehling, Günter Horna, Markus Missall