Patents by Inventor Ralf Koehler

Ralf Koehler 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: 9844098
    Abstract: A pliable heating device having a flexible electrical heating apparatus, which is operated by a control device and which has at least one flexible heating element that is connected to a flexible support and that has a heating conductor, which is situated in a heating circuit, and a flexible sensor conductor, which is separated from the heating conductor by an intermediate insulation, having a dampable oscillator, which is contained in the control device and is connected to the sensor conductor and whose output signal can be varied as a function of various functional states of the heating apparatus, which functional states are detected by the sensor conductor, and having an evaluation device by which fault states can be detected from the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Beurer GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Köhler, Ernst Merk, Thomas Wildermuth
  • Patent number: 9167219
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for automatic restoration of an image or a sequence of images, e.g. motion picture films, are disclosed, which facilitate removal of artifacts within the image or the sequence of images. The restoration is split into a detection process, a quality control process, and a removal process. In the detection process artifacts in the image or the sequence of images are detected and information about the detected artifacts is stored in a metadata database. In the subsequent quality control process the information about the detected artifacts is reviewed by an operator. In the removal process one or more of the detected artifacts are removed from the image or the sequence of images based on the information about the detected artifacts stored in the metadata database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Oliver Theis, Ralf Koehler, Oliver Kamphenkel
  • Patent number: 9038089
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating metadata for digital content are described, which allow to review the generated metadata already in course of ongoing generation of metadata. The metadata generation is split into a plurality of processing tasks, which are allocated to two or more processing nodes. The metadata generated by the two or more processing nodes is gathered and visualized on an output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Oliver Kamphenkel, Oliver Theis, Ralf Koehler
  • Publication number: 20150014303
    Abstract: A pliable heating device having a flexible electrical heating apparatus, which is operated by a control device and which has at least one flexible heating element that is connected to a flexible support and that has a heating conductor, which is situated in a heating circuit, and a flexible sensor conductor, which is separated from the heating conductor by an intermediate insulation, having a dampable oscillator, which is contained in the control device and is connected to the sensor conductor and whose output signal can be varied as a function of various functional states of the heating apparatus, which functional states are detected by the sensor conductor, and having an evaluation device by which fault states can be detected from the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Ralf Köhler, Ernst Merk, Thomas Wildermuth
  • Publication number: 20140351685
    Abstract: A method for interactive review of a dataset and an apparatus configured to enable interactive review of a dataset are described. A user request to review the dataset is received via user input. Responsive to this request, a processor generates representative values from the dataset for a coarse view of the dataset and for a fine view of the dataset. A user interface generator then outputs a graphic user interface displaying the coarse view of the dataset and the fine view of the dataset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Oliver THEIS, Ralf Koehler
  • Patent number: 8730977
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of network communication in a wide area, where a local network of a first type has a sending station that communicates with a receiving station in a local network of a second type. A network of a third type is in between the two networks and provides virtual private networking between the two local networks. The network of the first type supports a fine grained QoS, whereas the network of the third type supports a coarser grained QoS. In one example the network of the first type is RSVP capable and the network of the second type is an MPLS network. The invention resides in a component called RSVP-MPLS proxy that maps the RSVP resource advertisements and reservations within an RSVP-aware customer network to an MPLS network, whereby the receiver side doesn't participate in the RSVP communication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Eduard Siemens, Stefan Kubsch, Jens Brocke, Ralf Koehler, Andreas Matthias Aust, Frank Glaeser
  • Patent number: 8649304
    Abstract: In the method for management of data transmissions in a network, switching means are provided, by means of which a change can be carried out between a first data transmission type and a second data transmission type, as alternative data transmission types between a transmitter and a receiver. The change is carried out on the basis of at least one respectively predetermined criterion. The first data transmission type corresponds to a transport protocol based on rate-based overload control. The second data transmission type corresponds to a transport protocol based on RTT-based overload control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Stefan Kubsch, Eduard Siemens, Jens Brocke, Andreas Matthias Aust, Ralf Koehler, Frank Glaeser
  • Publication number: 20130223817
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for automatic restoration of an image or a sequence of images, e.g. motion picture films, are disclosed, which facilitate removal of artifacts within the image or the sequence of images. The restoration is split into a detection process, a quality control process, and a removal process. In the detection process artifacts in the image or the sequence of images are detected and information about the detected artifacts is stored in a metadata database. In the subsequent quality control process the information about the detected artifacts is reviewed by an operator. In the removal process one or more of the detected artifacts are removed from the image or the sequence of images based on the information about the detected artifacts stored in the metadata database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Oliver Theis, Ralf Koehler
  • Patent number: 8233407
    Abstract: After every bus reset operation in an IEEE 1394 network, the network is reconfigured. This involves a table with further station-specific information being created after the bus initialization phase, the tree structure identification phase and the self identification phase. Each network station returns its station-specific information to the requesting network station. In the first phase, all that information which has been received up to a time determined by a first abort criterion is sorted into the table. Next, the still incomplete table is enabled for use by an application program in the requesting network station. In the second phase, the still missing station-specific information is then requested again and is sorted into the table when it is delivered by the stations to which requests have been sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Frank Glaeser, Ralf Koehler, Jens Brocke, Kurt Knuth
  • Patent number: 8185770
    Abstract: Modern computers (10, 20) come with different timers having different attributes like time resolution, supported time range and time reference. Some are local timers, representing relative time values like the TSC counter (11, 21) counting CPU cycles from the power on or reset of the computer. Some are global timers, representing an absolute or real time. Having different classes of timers in the computer (10, 20), a number of computations need to be performed to tie the different timers to each other. It is the idea of the invention to define a single high resolution timer structure wherein the time value is represented with a digital number and a flag clarifies whether the timer is a global timer or local timer. The invention enables a much faster processing of the time values. The global time, tied to a high-resolution timer can be tracked much faster. This means better precision of scheduling of time critical jobs, like packet scheduling for data transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Tixel GmbH
    Inventors: Eduard Siemens, Frank Glaeser, Jens Brocke, Stefan Kubsch, Ralf Koehler, Andreas Matthias Aust
  • Patent number: 8179793
    Abstract: The invention relates to a new type of quality of service architecture for a network assembly and a corresponding computer network system. The Internet technology as approved by the IETF organization has defined different services. One is the integrated services (IntServ) and the other the differentiated services (DiffServ) architecture. Another is the RSVP Protocol according to which Quality of Service can be implemented with accuracy and richer functionality. The invention shows a way how less sophisticated QoS managers inside the network with only DiffServ or Intserv capability, can be used for enhancing the QoS functionality based on so-called RSVP shadowing messages, and easy to implement RSVP shadowing stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Jens Brocke, Andreas Matthias Aust, Frank Glaeser, Ralf Koehler, Stefan Kubsch, Eduard Siemens
  • Patent number: 8127003
    Abstract: A method of operating a network subnet manager, in particular Infiniband network subnet manager in a subnet of a network. Only one subnet manager entity can be master within a subnet. A problem related with this specification is that a specific vendor implementation may exist with many features and internal functionality that are not specified in the network specification. If such a subnet manager loses its exclusivity because another subnet manager enters the subnet, having higher priority, the additional features from the vendor implementation can no longer be used in the subnet. The proposed method solves this problem by allowing a subnet manager that has a lower hierarchy level and thus lower priority to maintain its managing operation by becoming the master subnet manager again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Frank Glaeser, Andreas Matthias Aust, Jens Brocke, Eduard Siemens, Ralf Koehler, Stefan Kubsch
  • Patent number: 8026263
    Abstract: Methods, compositions and devices for inhibiting neoproliferative changes in blood vessel walls or other anatomical structures. One or more compounds of Formula I or I-A set forth herein are administered systemically and/or locally to human or veterinary patients to deter or prevent unwanted proliferative changes in blood vessels or other anatomical structures. The invention may be used to deter or prevent stenosis or restenosis of arteries following angioplasty and/or stent placement. In one embodiment, there is provided an implantable stent or stent graft from which one or more compounds of the present invention will elute or otherwise be delivered into an affected blood vessel wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Ralf Koehler, Heike Wulff, Joachim Hoyer, K. George Chandy
  • Patent number: 8019915
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling access to multiple applications which are each implemented as a client application in an operating system environment of a data processing device from a shared memory system. The problem addressed by the invention is that of providing an improved method and an improved device for controlling access to multiple applications which are each implemented as a client application in an operating system environment of a data processing device from a shared memory system, which allow an efficient exchange of data for input/output. In particular, interaction with multimedia data in such an operating environment should be optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Tixel GmbH
    Inventors: Lars Eric Fuerst, Ralf Einhom, Carsten Herpel, Ralf Koehler
  • Publication number: 20110096849
    Abstract: In the method for management of data transmissions in a network, switching means are provided, by means of which a change can be carried out between a first data transmission type and a second data transmission type, as alternative data transmission types between a transmitter and a receiver. The change is carried out on the basis of at least one respectively predetermined criterion. The first data transmission type corresponds to a transport protocol based on rate-based overload control. The second data transmission type corresponds to a transport protocol based on RTT-based overload control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Stefan Kubsch, Eduard Siemens, Jens Brocke, Andreas Matthias Aust, Ralf Koehler, Frank Glaeser
  • Publication number: 20110099178
    Abstract: After every bus reset operation in an IEEE 1394 network, the network is reconfigured. This involves a table with further station-specific information being created after the bus initialization phase, the tree structure identification phase and the self identification phase. This is done by making requests to the individual network stations. Each network station returns its station-specific information to the requesting network station. It has become apparent that in some cases a response from the network station to which a request has been sent is returned only after the request has been repeated a plurality of times or in the extreme case even not at all. So as not to delay the creation of the network node information table unnecessarily for such cases, the invention proposes creating the table in two phases. In the first phase, all that information which has been received up to a time determined by a first abort criterion is sorted into the table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Frank Glaeser, Ralf Koehler, Jens Brocke, Kurt Knuth
  • Patent number: 7920565
    Abstract: When updating a data record identified by a version number, the problem exists that a simple not equal to comparison or greater than comparison is often insufficient for ascertaining the up-to-date nature of the newly received data record, particularly if the data record is transmitted to a receiving station via an unsecured data link and the version number originates from a limited range which is repeatedly run through periodically. The invention solves the problem by virtue of the fact that it divides the range of values of the version number into the ranges “old” and “new”, on the basis of the current value of a version number. The periodicity with which the range of values is run through is taken into account in this case, however. That is to say that the range “old” or the range “new” may perfectly well include the jump from the highest value in the range of values to the lowest value in the range of values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Thomason Licensing
    Inventors: Jens Brocke, Andreas Aust, Frank Glaeser, Ralf Koehler
  • Patent number: 7876780
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for managing network resources in a network with a network management device (M), a network component (A), and a further network component (B), and a network management device (M), the method comprising the following steps: transmitting a request for an advance reservation of a network resource by the network component (A) to the network management device (M), wherein the request includes information regarding a reservation start time and a reservation end time; transmitting a request for an ad-hoc reservation of a further network resource by the further network component (B) to the network management device (M); allocating the further network resource to the further network component (B) by the network management device (M); and allocating the network resource to the network component (A) by the network management device (M) at the reservation start time, wherein the network resource comprises a part or all of the further network resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Eduard Siemens, Frank Glaeser, Jens Brocke, Stefan Kubsch, Ralf Koehler, Andreas Aust
  • Patent number: 7801053
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for setting consistent values for a parameter in a network of distributed stations (10 to 14), and to a corresponding network subscriber station. In certain circumstances, it has been found that inconsistent entries can occur for the gap count parameter on the local bus in an IEEE 1394 network. If the bus management instance (25, 26) relies on the automatic behavior, as provided in the Standard, of all the network subscriber stations (10 to 11) to automatically set the maximum value of 63 after the second bus resetting process without any intermediate resetting of this parameter, this can lead to progressive resetting of the network, and this can result in blocking of the network. The problem is solved by immediate transmission of a parameter setting message for the critical network parameter once an inconsistency has been found.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Jens Brocke, Frank Gläser, Ralf Köhler, Kurt Knuth
  • Publication number: 20100135332
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for synchronizing a clock of a network component with a clock of a further network component communicatively connected to the network component in a network and a network component, whereby the method comprises the following steps: determining a set of forward transition delays for transmission of messages from the network component to the further network component and a set of corresponding backward transition delays for transmission of messages from the further network component to the network component, selecting a minimum forward transition delay from the set of forward transition delays, selecting a minimum backward transition delay from the set of backward transition delays, deriving an estimated value for an offset between the clock of the network component and the clock of the further network component from the selected minimum forward transition delay and minimum backward transition delay, and adjusting the clock of the network component in accordance with the estima
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Eduard Siemens, Andreas Matthias Aust, Jens Brocke, Frank Glaeser, Ralf Koehler, Stefan Kubsch