Patents by Inventor FlORIAN SCHULLER

FlORIAN SCHULLER 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: 11577752
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting fully automatic vehicle guidance functions, which are realized by means of a vehicle system of a motor vehicle, during the operation of the motor vehicles in a predefined navigation environment. A stationary infrastructure device that communicates with the motor vehicles is associated with the navigation environment. Function limits of each vehicle guidance function are defined by means of limit operation parameters of the vehicle guidance function. Current traffic situation information describing dynamic objects in the navigation environment is determined by the infrastructure device by means of environment sensors of the navigation environment. The current traffic situation information is used, together with a digital map describing stationary objects and properties of the navigation environment, to determine at least one piece of risk information for each motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Florian Schuller, Christian Feist
  • Patent number: 11373529
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for authenticating a motor vehicle to perform at least one procedure relating to a predetermined region able to be traveled through by the motor vehicle. When the motor vehicle approaches, the predetermined region is captured by a capturing device of the motor vehicle, and is identified accordingly. An identification message of the captured predetermined region is then output by the motor vehicle to a server device. Next, a request message for authenticating the motor vehicle is output in response to the identification message by the server device to a further server device associated with the predetermined region, and an authentication criterion is checked by the further server device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Florian Schuller, Christian Feist
  • Patent number: 11308802
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the at least partially automated operation of a motor vehicle. The method includes ascertaining a planned trajectory to be traversed by the motor vehicle. The method further includes transmitting plan data relating to the planned trajectory from the motor vehicle to a central device on the infrastructure side and evaluating a release condition, the meeting of which depends on the plan data, by means of the central device. The method also includes transmitting a release message from the central device to the motor vehicle if the release condition has been met, and transmitting a modification message from the central device to the motor vehicle if the release condition has not been met. The planned trajectory is ascertained again on the motor vehicle side upon receiving a modification message in order to determine another planned trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Florian Schuller, Christian Feist
  • Patent number: 11287279
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for identifying an appropriate parking space for a motor and a route leading thereto for a motor vehicle having a navigation system, wherein at least one collision-free route is calculated on the basis of at least one piece of information that is related to a search for a parking space and that is requested from at least one external server, which manages at least one parking lot having at least one parking space, before the motor vehicle reaches the parking lot. A motor vehicle with a navigation system and an external server, for execution of the method, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Erwin Roth, Florian Schuller, David Lenz, Pascal Minnerup, Chao Chen
  • Patent number: 11188084
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle in a navigation surrounding area, e.g., a parking area. A digital navigation map, which describes a of the navigation surrounding area is used to describe a roadway network. A navigation route to a destination contained in the navigation map is determined by a navigation system of the motor vehicle according to the navigation map. Sensor data from a sensor device on the motor vehicle is used to describe environment of the motor vehicle. The navigation system carries out a vehicle guidance algorithm based on the sensor data and is trained by a machine learning process using training data. The motor vehicle is guided along the navigation route automatically according to a lateral and/or longitudinal guidance action ascertained by the vehicle guidance algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Florian Schuller
  • Patent number: 10990112
    Abstract: Method for controlling the deployment operation of motor vehicles in a parking environment, in which, controlled by a management device of the parking environment, motor vehicles can be automatically parked after delivery by the driver and, after detection of a pick-up request on the part of the driver, taken from the parking place to a pick-up position in a pick-up area, wherein authentication information assigned to the motor vehicle, specific to the parking process and optically and/or wirelessly retrievable via a readout connection is provided by the management device to the driver when delivering the motor vehicle, wherein to pick up the motor vehicle, the authentication information is read out by a readout device in the parking environment, particularly in the pick-up area, and the deployment process is initiated only when the authentication information is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Harald Altinger, Florian Schuller, Christian Feist
  • Publication number: 20210078610
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting fully automatic vehicle guidance functions, which are realized by means of a vehicle system of a motor vehicle, during the operation of the motor vehicles in a predefined navigation environment. A stationary infrastructure device that communicates with the motor vehicles is associated with the navigation environment. Function limits of each vehicle guidance function are defined by means of limit operation parameters of the vehicle guidance function. Current traffic situation information describing dynamic objects in the navigation environment is determined by the infrastructure device by means of environment sensors of the navigation environment. The current traffic situation information is used, together with a digital map describing stationary objects and properties of the navigation environment, to determine at least one piece of risk information for each motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Florian SCHULLER, Christian FEIST
  • Patent number: 10923779
    Abstract: A method for coordinating a charging operation for charging an energy storage mechanism of a piloted motor vehicle. A control mechanism that is external to the vehicle carries out: provision of a state-of-charge signal, which describes a current state of charge; provision of a schedule calendar signal, which describes schedule information of a user, on the basis of the provided schedule calendar signal; establishing a point in time of the time schedule; establishment of a state of charge as a threshold value required for adhering to the time schedule; if the current state of charge corresponds to the threshold value or drops below the threshold value, setting of geographic coordinates of a charging station as a drive destination that makes available at least one charging facility for charging the energy storage mechanism, and generation of a control signal for steering the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Tobias Enzinger, Benjamin Soehnle, Florian Schuller, Sebastian Falk
  • Publication number: 20200349838
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the at least partially automated operation of a motor vehicle. The method includes ascertaining a planned trajectory to be traversed by the motor vehicle. The method further includes transmitting plan data relating to the planned trajectory from the motor vehicle to a central device on the infrastructure side and evaluating a release condition, the meeting of which depends on the plan data, by means of the central device. The method also includes transmitting a release message from the central device to the motor vehicle if the release condition has been met, and transmitting a modification message from the central device to the motor vehicle if the release condition has not been met. The planned trajectory is ascertained again on the motor vehicle side upon receiving a modification message in order to determine another planned trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Florian SCHULLER, Christian FEIST
  • Publication number: 20200290640
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for carrying out a fully automatic driving process of a motor vehicle in an environment equipped with a monitoring system. The method includes locating the motor vehicle in the environment by means of the monitoring system. The method includes checking, based on the location of the motor vehicle, whether the motor vehicle is located in a predetermined area of operation within the environment and then starting and carrying out the fully automatic driving process if the motor vehicle is located in the predetermined area of operation and the existence of a communication link between the motor vehicle and the monitoring system is confirmed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventor: Florian SCHULLER
  • Publication number: 20200294399
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for authenticating a motor vehicle to perform at least one procedure relating to a predetermined region able to be traveled through by the motor vehicle. When the motor vehicle approaches, the predetermined region is captured by a capturing device of the motor vehicle, and is identified accordingly. An identification message of the captured predetermined region is then output by the motor vehicle to a server device. Next, a request message for authenticating the motor vehicle is output in response to the identification message by the server device to a further server device associated with the predetermined region, and an authentication criterion is checked by the further server device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Florian SCHULLER, Christian FEIST
  • Publication number: 20200062215
    Abstract: A method for authorizing access to a motor vehicle for use by a third party. In the method, first a request message requesting use by a third party is received by a server device. After the request message is received, an access code by which the third-party use is authorized is generated. A release message is then output to the third party, said release message containing the access code. In a further method step, a test code which matches the access code is output to the motor vehicle. Finally, access to the motor vehicle for the third-party use is authorized if the motor vehicle receives an access code via a near-field receiving device, said access code matching the test code which has been transmitted to the motor vehicle by the server device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Florian SCHULLER
  • Publication number: 20200019179
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle in a navigation surrounding area, in particular in a parking surrounding area. A digital navigation map, which describes a roadway grid, of the navigation surrounding area is used, and a navigation route to a destination contained in the navigation map is ascertained by a navigation system of the motor vehicle while taking into consideration the navigation map. Sensor data which describes the environment of the motor vehicle is ascertained by means of a motor vehicle sensor device, and the navigation system carries out a vehicle guidance algorithm which uses the sensor data as input data and is trained by means of a machine learning process using training data. The motor vehicle is guided at least temporarily along the navigation route automatically according to at least one lateral and/or longitudinal guidance action ascertained by the vehicle guidance algorithm on the basis of the input data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Florian SCHULLER
  • Patent number: 10490077
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling traffic in a parking environment comprising at least one parking space and used by at least a first group of manually operated traffic participants and a second group of automatically operated traffic participants. A central control device by considering current status information of traffic participants as determined by sensors and/or transmitted by the traffic participants, determines instruction information for each traffic participant. The instruction information describes the future operation of each traffic participant in a common route planning for all traffic participants using the parking environment. The central control device transmits the instruction information, via a communication link, to at least one part of the traffic participants. The instruction information is used for outputting information and/or automatically controlling each traffic participant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Harald Altinger, Florian Schuller
  • Patent number: 10466703
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling at least one vehicle moving at least partially autonomously within an operating environment. One trigger device is designed within the operating environment for triggering a stop signal for stopping the at least one vehicle. A computing device allocated to the operating environment receives the stop signal of the triggered trigger device and determines a set of vehicles to be stopped by evaluating positional data describing the position of the triggered trigger device and the position of the at least one vehicle. The computing device orders the at least one vehicle to stop depending on the evaluation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Harald Altinger, Florian Schuller, Christian Feist
  • Patent number: 10466365
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed relating to a position determination system for a motor vehicle for ascertaining whether the motor vehicle is located in an area covered by a ceiling element of a structure, comprising: a receiver unit, which is designed to receive navigation signals of a plurality of satellites of one or more global navigation satellite systems and to detect a change in signal strength, over time, of the respective navigation signals. An evaluation unit ascertains lines of sight from the motor vehicle to the respective satellites from which navigation signals were received, evaluates the change in signal strength, over time, of the respective navigation signals relative to the respective ascertained line of sight, and ascertains that the motor vehicle is entering the covered area by correlating a driving motion of the motor vehicle with the respective lines of sight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Florian Schuller, Florian Haubner
  • Patent number: 10437245
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling a device of a motor vehicle includes a communication unit configured to shift the device of the motor vehicle from an idle mode to an active mode by sending a first wireless signal. The apparatus is configured to specify a frequency and/or a channel for transmitting and/or receiving the first wireless signal in the active mode and to control the device so that the device is only shifted from the idle mode to the active mode when the first wireless signal is received at the specified frequency and/or the specified channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Harald Altinger, Florian Schuller, Ahmad El Assaad
  • Patent number: 10417905
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for providing result data, which relate to a motor vehicle environment with an infrastructure device, for guiding a receiving motor vehicle through an infrastructure presenting a complex traffic situation. At least one motor vehicle having at least one sensor device is selected by the infrastructure device. The sensor device of the selected motor vehicle detects sensor data, which describe at least part of the motor vehicle environment. The infrastructure device transmits a query message to the selected motor vehicle. The selected motor vehicle transmits the sensor data to the infrastructure device in response to the query message. The infrastructure device determines result data from the sensor data and provides the result data to the receiving motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Harald Altinger, Florian Schuller, Christian Feist
  • Publication number: 20190250613
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling at least one vehicle moving at least partially autonomously within an operating environment. One trigger device is designed within the operating environment for triggering a stop signal for stopping the at least one vehicle. A computing device allocated to the operating environment receives the stop signal of the triggered trigger device and determines a set of vehicles to be stopped by evaluating positional data describing the position of the triggered trigger device and the position of the at least one vehicle. The computing device order the at least one vehicle to stop depending on the evaluation result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Harald ALTINGER, Florian SCHULLER, Christian FEIST
  • Publication number: 20190227568
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps: ascertaining at least one path data record describing a respective traveled trajectory of the or a respective further motor vehicle, and transmitting the path data record to a vehicle-external memory device; providing at least one guidance data record for the motor vehicle by the memory device, wherein each guidance data record is assigned to one of the trajectories and is ascertained as a function of the path data record describing the respective assigned trajectory; and actuating the vehicle device of the motor vehicle as a function of the provided guidance data record or, if a plurality of guidance data records are provided by the memory device, of one of the provided guidance data records selected by the motor vehicle so as to output a driving suggestion, related to the assigned trajectory, to a driver of the motor vehicle and/or so as to carry out at least one driving intervention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Harald ALTINGER, Florian SCHULLER, Christian FEIST