Patents by Inventor Franz Fürst

Franz Fürst 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: 11964603
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a foot support device for a footwell of a vehicle. The present disclosure includes a plurality of support elements arranged one behind the other and rotatably connected to one another. The plurality of support elements can each move from a rest position to an active position upon the detection of a predetermined driving situation. When set in the rest position, the plurality of support elements are each arranged parallel to the floor of the footwell, and when set in the active position, the plurality of support elements are each inclined with respect to the floor of the footwell to support at least one foot of an occupant. The foot support device includes a drive arrangement lifting at least a foremost support element to the active position, which causes movement of a subsequent support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: AUDI AG, ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Jakobs, Franz Fürst, Walter Krönes, Christoph Grundheber
  • Patent number: 11845394
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a leg protection device for an occupant protection system of a vehicle. The leg protection device includes an airbag module. The airbag module includes an airbag and a gas generator that inflates the airbag to a deployed state such that the airbag is disposed in the footwell and in front of a vehicle seat. The airbag includes a first chamber and a second chamber fluidically connected to the first chamber. The first chamber and the second chamber are deployed in the footwell to protect an occupant when the airbag is set in the deployed state. The first chamber is connected to the second chamber by a flexible connection region that diverts the airbag along the object in any spatial direction when the airbag encounters the object during deployment in the footwell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignees: AUDI AG, ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Jakobs, Franz Fürst, Walter Krönes, Christoph Grundheber
  • Publication number: 20230062639
    Abstract: An airbag for an airbag arrangement of a vehicle seat of vehicle includes an inflatable cover. The inflatable cover includes an upper part facing a seat surface, a lower part facing a vehicle floor, and a casing part interconnecting the upper part and the lower part. The inflatable cover folds during a standby state and inflates during an operational state. During the inflation process, the upper part of the inflatable cover applies a force against the thighs or the pelvic region of an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat to lift these the thighs or the pelvic region of the occupant. The inflatable cover includes at least one cutout to guide an air current through the airbag. The casing part is shaped during the inflation process to define a support surface for engaging the thighs or the pelvic region of the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicants: Audi AG, ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd JAKOBS, Franz FÜRST, Walter KRÖNES, Christoph GRUNDHEBER, Niko EDELMANN, Werner FREISLER, Benjamin WEIMER
  • Publication number: 20220340066
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a foot support device for a footwell of a vehicle. The present disclosure includes a plurality of support elements arranged one behind the other and rotatably connected to one another. The plurality of support elements can each move from a rest position to an active position upon the detection of a predetermined driving situation. When set in the rest position, the plurality of support elements are each arranged parallel to the floor of the footwell, and when set in the active position, the plurality of support elements are each inclined with respect to the floor of the footwell to support at least one foot of an occupant. The foot support device includes a drive arrangement lifting at least a foremost support element to the active position, which causes movement of a subsequent support element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicants: Audi AG, ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd JAKOBS, Franz FÜRST, Walter KRÖNES, Christoph GRUNDHEBER
  • Publication number: 20220266786
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a leg protection device for an occupant protection system of a vehicle. The leg protection device includes an airbag module. The airbag module includes an airbag and a gas generator that inflates the airbag to a deployed state such that the airbag is disposed in the footwell and in front of a vehicle seat. The airbag includes a first chamber and a second chamber fluidically connected to the first chamber. The first chamber and the second chamber are deployed in the footwell to protect an occupant when the airbag is set in the deployed state. The first chamber is connected to the second chamber by a flexible connection region that diverts the airbag along the object in any spatial direction when the airbag encounters the object during deployment in the footwell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicants: Audi AG, ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd JAKOBS, Franz FÜRST, Walter KRÖNES, Christoph GRUNDHEBER
  • Publication number: 20220001823
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a restraint system having at least one airbag, wherein a head position of a vehicle occupant relative to a reference point in the vehicle is continuously defined. The distance between the head of the vehicle occupant and the at least one airbag in the idle state is determined from the defined head position of the vehicle occupant. The determined distance is evaluated by a comparison with stored reference values and at least one triggering size of the at least one airbag is determined on the basis of the comparison. When the restraint system is triggered, triggering signals corresponding to the at least one triggering size are transmitted to the at least one airbag, as well as to a corresponding restraint system for a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Franz FÜRST, Christoph GRUNDHEBER, Walter KRÖNES, Bernd JAKOBS
  • Patent number: 11017223
    Abstract: Provided is a a method for evaluating a document, including establishing, by a processor of a computing system, a video data link for transmitting a video signal between a second data processing device comprising a video recording device, and a first data processing device, generating, by the processor, an operation identification number assigned to user data, wherein the operating identification number is tamper-proof, transmitting, by the processor, the operating identification number to the second data processing device, transmitting, by the second data processing device, the user data to the first data processing device, transmitting, by the second data processing device, an image of a document captured by means of the video recording device to the first data processing device via the video data link; and evaluating the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: WEBID SOLUTIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Franz Fürst, Tim-Markus Kaiser, Frank Stefan Jorga
  • Patent number: 10867172
    Abstract: A method is provided for verifying a user's identity. The method has the following steps: connecting a first and a second data processing device for data communication; running a software application in the second data processing device; for user verification, receiving user identification data in the second data processing device, the user identification data comprising reference data; receiving one or more images of a document assigned to the user in the second data processing device; determining measurement data from image data providing a digital representation of the one or more images; comparing the reference data to the measurement data determined from the digital representation of the one or more images; and providing verification data in the second data processing device, the verification data indicative of the user's identity being verified in the step of comparing the reference data to the measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: WEBID SOLUTIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Franz Fürst, Tim-Markus Kaiser, Frank Stefan Jorga, Sven Oliver Jorga
  • Patent number: 10053039
    Abstract: A method for controlling restraint devices of a motor vehicle includes measuring a movement variable of the motor vehicle, triggering a first restraint device on the basis of a first predefined threshold value for the measured movement variable being exceeded, triggering a second restraint device on the basis of a second predefined threshold value for the measured movement variable being exceeded, and activating a first device influencing the restraining force of the first restraint device and a second device influencing the restraining force of the second restraint device on the basis of the first predefined threshold value and/or the second predefined threshold value being exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Franz Fürst, Markus Larice, Tobias Dirndorfer
  • Publication number: 20180197003
    Abstract: Provided is a a method for evaluating a document, including establishing, by a processor of a computing system, a video data link for transmitting a video signal between a second data processing device comprising a video recording device, and a first data processing device, generating, by the processor, an operation identification number assigned to user data, wherein the operating identification number is tamper-proof, transmitting, by the processor, the operating identification number to the second data processing device, transmitting, by the second data processing device, the user data to the first data processing device, transmitting, by the second data processing device, an image of a document captured by means of the video recording device to the first data processing device via the video data link; and evaluating the document.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: THOMAS FRANZ FÜRST, TIM-MARKUS KAISER, FRANK STEFAN JORGA
  • Publication number: 20180165516
    Abstract: A method is provided for verifying a user's identity. The method has the following steps: connecting a first and a second data processing device for data communication; running a software application in the second data processing device; for user verification, receiving user identification data in the second data processing device, the user identification data comprising reference data; receiving one or more images of a document assigned to the user in the second data processing device; determining measurement data from image data providing a digital representation of the one or more images; comparing the reference data to the measurement data determined from the digital representation of the one or more images; and providing verification data in the second data processing device, the verification data indicative of the user's identity being verified in the step of comparing the reference data to the measurement data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: THOMAS FRANZ FÜRST, TIM-MARKUS KAISER, FRANK STEFAN JORGA, SVEN OLIVER JORGA
  • Patent number: 9911035
    Abstract: A method is provided for evaluating a document, including the following steps: providing an image data connection for transmitting an image signal between a second data processing device, which includes an image recording device, and a first data processing device, recording a transaction identification number associated with user data in the first data processing device, transferring user data to the first data processing device, recording a document by means of the image recording device and transmitting an image of the document to the first data processing device by means of the image data connection, evaluating the document, and storing the result of the evaluation with the transaction identification number and the user data in a database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: WEBID SOLUTIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Franz Fürst, Tim-Markus Kaiser, Frank Stefan Jorga
  • Patent number: 9725087
    Abstract: Safety device for a motor vehicle, having at least one sensor which is configured to detect an impending impact or an impending collision and possibly to generate a triggering signal, and having a control device which is configured to trigger a protective device if a triggering signal is present, wherein the safety device is configured to check whether the predicted impact or the collision has taken place within a predicted time period, and to transfer the motor vehicle into a safe state in the case of erroneous triggering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Franz Fürst
  • Publication number: 20160325741
    Abstract: Safety device for a motor vehicle, having at least one sensor which is configured to detect an impending impact or an impending collision and possibly to generate a triggering signal, and having a control device which is configured to trigger a protective device if a triggering signal is present, wherein the safety device is configured to check whether the predicted impact or the collision has taken place within a predicted time period, and to transfer the motor vehicle into a safe state in the case of erroneous triggering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventor: Franz FÜRST
  • Patent number: 9387819
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a seat belt device, which is connected to a seat belt, of a vehicle with a collision detection unit having sensor units for detecting an imminent collision with a collision object external to the vehicle includes classifying the collision object in terms of an object class and a weight class with an object identification unit, determining a value for an accident severity of the imminent collision at least from the object class, the weight class and the speed of the collision object, and from the speed and the mass of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Franz Fürst
  • Publication number: 20160196470
    Abstract: A method is provided for evaluating a document, including the following steps: providing an image data connection for transmitting an image signal between a second data processing device, which includes an image recording device, and a first data processing device, recording a transaction identification number associated with user data in the first data processing device, transferring user data to the first data processing device, recording a document by means of the image recording device and transmitting an image of the document to the first data processing device by means of the image data connection, evaluating the document, and storing the result of the evaluation with the transaction identification number and the user data in a database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: THOMAS FRANZ FÜRST, TIM-MARKUS KAISER, FRANK STEFAN JORGA
  • Publication number: 20150298636
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a seat belt device, which is connected to a seat belt, of a vehicle with a collision detection unit having sensor units for detecting an imminent collision with a collision object external to the vehicle includes classifying the collision object in terms of an object class and a weight class with an object identification unit, determining a value for an accident severity of the imminent collision at least from the object class, the weight class and the speed of the collision object, and from the speed and the mass of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Franz Fürst
  • Patent number: 8991545
    Abstract: A method for detecting a weight of at least one occupant of a motor vehicle includes the steps of detecting a first load which acts on a chassis of the motor vehicle as first weight value at a time point prior to entering of the at least one occupant into the motor vehicle, detecting a second load which acts on the chassis as second weight value at a second time point after entering of the at least one occupant into the motor vehicle; and determining the weight of the at least one occupant by forming a difference between the first and second weight values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventor: Franz Fürst
  • Publication number: 20140100742
    Abstract: A method for controlling restraint devices of a motor vehicle includes measuring a movement variable of the motor vehicle, triggering a first restraint device on the basis of a first predefined threshold value for the measured movement variable being exceeded, triggering a second restraint device on the basis of a second predefined threshold value for the measured movement variable being exceeded, and activating a first device influencing the restraining force of the first restraint device and a second device influencing the restraining force of the second restraint device on the basis of the first predefined threshold value and/or the second predefined threshold value being exceeded
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventors: Franz Fürst, Markus Larice, Tobias Dirndorfer
  • Publication number: 20130054093
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a restraint system controlled by a control device, a storage device storing control information for controlling the restraint system, and a computing device. The computing device determines before a collision of the vehicle with a collision object first collision information relating to an impending collision, and determines during an actual collision of the vehicle second collision information relating to the actual collision. The motor vehicle further includes a comparison device producing a comparison result by comparing the first collision information with the second collision information. The control information stored in the storage device is selected when the comparison result indicates that the first collision information is validated in relation to the second collision information, and standard control information is selected in the absence of validation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Franz Fürst, Markus Larice, Tobias Dirndorfer