Patents by Inventor Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz

Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz 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: 9837859
    Abstract: A transmitter unit for wireless transmission of power by way of a bundled laser beam is described. The transmitter unit has a laser fiber bundle having a plurality of laser fibers, wherein each laser fiber is designed to emit a laser beam; positioning optics for adjusting an emission direction of the bundled laser beam; a field lens and a primary lens. The plurality of laser fibers is designed to emit a laser beam from each, passing through the positioning optics, the collimator lens and the primary lens, in this order, so that the laser beam emitted by the transmitter unit is emitted in bundled form. A particularly efficient device with an unlimited flight time and a large radius of use is achieved by the hybrid drive with solar power and laser power from the ground and temporary storage of the power in batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hiebl, Hans Wolfgang Pongratz
  • Patent number: 9300866
    Abstract: A method for image processing involves collecting image data of a scene as electromagnetic radiation and processing the image data to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the image data. The image processing involves dividing a raw image that contains the image data into lines and columns, to create a raster image, superimposing a central raster filter element of a raster filter having an odd number of lines and an odd number of columns onto a raster image element, determining the brightness values of each of the raster image elements covered by the raster filter, wherein except for the central raster filter element, every other raster filter element has an individual light-reducing property, and adding up the brightness values to produce a total brightness value, and assigning this total brightness value to the raster image element covered by the central raster filter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Wolfgang Pongratz, Manfred Hiebl
  • Patent number: 9193458
    Abstract: An air-to-surface surveillance and/or weapons system includes a base aircraft and an unmanned slave aircraft that can be uncoupled from a base aircraft and coupled back to it again. The base aircraft and slave aircraft are equipped with coupling equipment designed to work together. The base aircraft is equipped with surveillance and monitoring equipment. The slave aircraft is equipped with monitoring equipment and/or weapons. The slave aircraft can be connected to a control station via a data link for data exchange and can be controlled from this control station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Wolfgang Pongratz, Manfred Hiebl
  • Publication number: 20150311755
    Abstract: A transmitter unit for wireless transmission of power by way of a bundled laser beam is described. The transmitter unit has a laser fiber bundle having a plurality of laser fibers, wherein each laser fiber is designed to emit a laser beam; positioning optics for adjusting an emission direction of the bundled laser beam; a field lens and a primary lens. The plurality of laser fibers is designed to emit a laser beam from each, passing through the positioning optics, the collimator lens and the primary lens, in this order, so that the laser beam emitted by the transmitter unit is emitted in bundled form. A particularly efficient device with an unlimited flight time and a large radius of use is achieved by the hybrid drive with solar power and laser power from the ground and temporary storage of the power in batteries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Manfred HIEBL, Hans Wolfgang PONGRATZ
  • Publication number: 20150281572
    Abstract: A method for image processing involves collecting image data of a scene as electromagnetic radiation and processing the image data to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the image data. The image processing involves dividing a raw image that contains the image data into lines and columns, to create a raster image, superimposing a central raster filter element of a raster filter having an odd number of lines and an odd number of columns onto a raster image element, determining the brightness values of each of the raster image elements covered by the raster filter, wherein except for the central raster filter element, every other raster filter element has an individual light-reducing property, and adding up the brightness values to produce a total brightness value, and assigning this total brightness value to the raster image element covered by the central raster filter element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Hans Wolfgang Pongratz, Manfred Hiebl
  • Patent number: 8958648
    Abstract: A method for recognition of a predetermined pattern in an image data set recorded by a device for recording of at least two electromagnetic frequency spectra is provided. A first difference value is formed for the image points of the selected area as a function of a difference between a data vector of a corresponding image point and a first reference data vector. A second difference value is formed for an image point of a selected area as a function of a difference between the data vector of this image point and a second reference data vector. A predetermined pattern is recognized when it is determined at least one pattern correlation quantity is below a predetermined threshold value and a local minimum is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Wolfgang Pongratz, Manfred Hiebl
  • Patent number: 8912748
    Abstract: An electrical power supply apparatus supplied with radiant energy is equipped with at least one electrical generator converting radiant energy into electrical power. The electrical power generator can be a photovoltaic solar generator that converts the impinging radiant energy into electrical power. A hydrogen generator produces hydrogen from water and a water reservoir is connected through a first water line to the hydrogen generator. A hydrogen reservoir is connected through a first hydrogen line to the hydrogen generator. A fuel cell or a hydrogen combustion engine is connected to a second electrical power generator, which fuel cell or engine is connected through a second hydrogen line to the hydrogen reservoir and is connected through a second water line to the water reservoir. A control unit is electrically connected to the electrical power generator, hydrogen generator, and fuel cell or hydrogen combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hiebl, Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz
  • Publication number: 20140252156
    Abstract: A high-altitude unmanned stratosphere aerial vehicle includes a fuselage, wings, control surfaces, and a propulsion system including an engine and a propeller. Each wing has a plurality of hoses and wing spars extending in a direction perpendicularly to the longitudinal fuselage axis and are surrounded by a skin forming a wing covering that determines the cross-sectional contour of the wing, the cross-sectional contour forming a laminar flow airfoil that generates high lift when there is low flow resistance. At the free end facing away from the fuselage, each wing has a winglet extending transversely to the longitudinal wing axis. The winglet has a movable control surface, which allows an aerodynamic side force to be generated so as to bring the aerial vehicle to a banked position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hiebl, Hans Wolfgang Pongratz
  • Publication number: 20140022388
    Abstract: An airspace surveillance system for the detection of missiles launched within a space being monitored, having at least two surveillance platforms positioned outside or on the edge of the space being monitored in such a manner that the space or a part of the space is situated between the monitoring platforms. Each of the monitoring platforms is equipped with at least one camera system in such a manner that the lines of sight of the camera systems of the two monitoring platforms being positioned opposite to and facing each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hiebl, Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz
  • Publication number: 20140009611
    Abstract: A camera system and a method for the observation of objects at a large distance at night or through mist, dust, or rain, at an observation distance of 30 to 40 km, includes a pivotable target tracking mirror, a concave primary mirror with a long range, and a convex secondary mirror, which together form a reflecting telescope. The camera system also includes a Barlow lens system, an IR-sensitive image sensor arranged in the image plane of the reflecting telescope, a controllable high-speed shutter system for the image sensor, controllable IR illuminator to illuminate the object being observed by IR illumination pulses of multiple different colors, and a control device that coordinates control of the IR illuminator and of the high-speed shutter system in order to detect multispectral images captured by means of the image sensor according to a gated viewing technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hiebl, Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz
  • Publication number: 20130329055
    Abstract: A camera system for detecting and tracking moving objects located at a great distance includes a camera having a camera lens system, and a position stabilizing device. The camera includes a first image sensor and a second image sensor. The camera lens system includes optical elements for focusing incident radiation onto a radiation sensitive surface of the first image sensor and/or the second image sensor with a reflecting telescope arrangement and a target tracking mirror arrangement, and a drive device for a movable element of the target tracking mirror arrangement and with a control system for the drive device. The optical elements includes a first subassembly of optical elements having a first focal length and associated with the first image sensor, and a second subassembly of optical elements having a second focal length that is shorter than the first focal length and associated with the second image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hiebl, Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz
  • Publication number: 20120139473
    Abstract: An electrical power supply apparatus supplied with radiant energy is equipped with at least one electrical generator converting radiant energy into electrical power. The electrical power generator can be a photovoltaic solar generator that converts the impinging radiant energy into electrical power. A hydrogen generator produces hydrogen from water and a water reservoir is connected through a first water line to the hydrogen generator. A hydrogen reservoir is connected through a first hydrogen line to the hydrogen generator. A fuel cell or a hydrogen combustion engine is connected to a second electrical power generator, which fuel cell or engine is connected through a second hydrogen line to the hydrogen reservoir and is connected through a second water line to the water reservoir. A control unit is electrically connected to the electrical power generator, hydrogen generator, and fuel cell or hydrogen combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred HIEBL, Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz
  • Publication number: 20120138733
    Abstract: A high-altitude aerial vehicle, in particular an aerial vehicle for the stratosphere that is designed as a non-rigid aerial vehicle with a hull, that has an at least partially inflated envelope with a buoyant gas other than air, which is lighter than air, in particular hydrogen. The hull is provided with at least a first chamber for the buoyant gas and at least a second chamber that can be inflated with air. Between the first and second chambers a flexible partition wall is provided that is preferably formed by a flexible membrane. Inflating of the second chamber, preferably with hot air depending on the flight altitude, can be controlled or regulated in such a way that the envelope of hull is always tautly inflated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hiebl, Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz
  • Patent number: 5175756
    Abstract: A device for detecting nitrogenous, phosphoric, chloric and/or oxygenous substances inside an object, particularly of explosives or addictive substances in pieces of luggage. A nuclear activating device stimulates the emission of positron radiation from nitrogen, phosphorous, chlorine and/or oxygen, and an activity measuring device records positron-electron annihilation radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz, Ingbert Bastian, Nikolaus Moritz, Werner Triftshauser, Gottfried Kogel, Peter Sperr
  • Patent number: 4473355
    Abstract: A visual simulator has a display screen forming a vault. Back-projectors arranged outside of the screen vault which is transparent to project the image, such as an environment image into the vault which holds a training cockpit for training pilots or tank commanders. The screen is made of a single layer film or skin of plastic material having at least one projection field with a surface structure forming a Fresnel type collecting or converging lens having an optical axis pointing toward the cockpit. The screen may be supported by excess pressure in the vault. A self-supporting foldable tent may be provided inside the vault between the cockpit and the screen for providing access into the vault under the tent while still pressure supporting the screen skin, for example, for exchanging one type of cockpit against another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1984
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Hans-Wolfgang Pongratz