Patents by Inventor Reinhard Heizmann

Reinhard Heizmann 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: 9243905
    Abstract: A sensor (10) for determining a distance of an object (18), the sensor (10) transmitting a plurality of transmission pulses via a transmitter (12), accumulating reflected reception pulses (102) in a histogram (110), and determining therefrom a time of flight to the object (18). The sensor (10) has a control (24) for processing and outputting measurement values. Measuring unit (22) and control (24) are mutually connected to pass measurement values and to set a timing for the control (24) via a clocked synchronizing signal in that the control (24) executes a control cycle each time when receiving the synchronizing signal. An output rate of measurement values is programmable by the measuring unit (22) setting a smallest base clock and passing an updated measurement value to the control (24) after a multiple of the base clock corresponding to the programmed output rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Martin Marra, Reinhard Heizmann
  • Patent number: 8625080
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor (10) for the measurement of distances in accordance with the light transit time principle is provided having a light transmitter (12) for the transmission of a light signal, having a light receiver (16) for the reception of a remitted or reflected received signal and having an evaluation unit (18) which is made to satisfy a transition condition for the received signal by systematic selection of a transmission delay time for the transmission of the light signal at an observation time and to calculate the light transit time from the transmission delay time required for this. In this respect, a regulator (44) is provided which is made to adjust the transmission delay time such that the transition condition is satisfied at the observation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Heizmann, Gottfried Hug, Martin Marra, Bahram Torabi
  • Publication number: 20130235365
    Abstract: A sensor (10) for determining a distance of an object (18), the sensor (10) transmitting a plurality of transmission pulses via a transmitter (12), accumulating reflected reception pulses (102) in a histogram (110), and determining therefrom a time of flight to the object (18). The sensor (10) has a control (24) for processing and outputting measurement values. Measuring unit (22) and control (24) are mutually connected to pass measurement values and to set a timing for the control (24) via a clocked synchronizing signal in that the control (24) executes a control cycle each time when receiving the synchronizing signal. An output rate of measurement values is programmable by the measuring unit (22) setting a smallest base clock and passing an updated measurement value to the control (24) after a multiple of the base clock corresponding to the programmed output rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventors: Martin MARRA, Reinhard HEIZMANN
  • Patent number: 8488110
    Abstract: A sensor for the measurement of distances has a transmitter to transmit a signal at presettable transmission times and a receiver for the reception of the signal remitted in a monitored zone, wherein the received signals are accumulated in a histogram over a plurality of measurement periods to determine the reception time from the histogram and thus the signal transit time. The reception time is determined by an interpolation and thus with a better time resolution than that of the histogram. To facilitate the interpolation, transmission times are preset over the plurality of measurement periods in accordance with a distribution such that the time position of the reception time varies within the histogram over the plurality of measurement periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Gottfried Hug, Reinhard Heizmann
  • Patent number: 8384883
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor (10) for the measurement of distances or distance changes in accordance with the light transit time principle is provided having a light transmitter (12) for the transmission of a light signal and having a light receiver (16) for the reception of the remitted or reflected light signal, wherein an evaluation unit (18) is provided which is made to trigger the transmission of a light signal at a transmission time in a respective measurement period (100) and to sample the received light signal as well as to accumulate a histogram (110) of such received light signals over a plurality of measurement periods (100) and to determine the reception time from the histogram (110) and the light transient time from this.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Heizmann, Gottfried Hug, Martin Marra, Bahram Torabi
  • Patent number: 8334969
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor (10) for the measurement of distances or distance changes in accordance with the light transit time principle is provided having a light transmitter (12) for the transmission of a light signal and having a light receiver (16) for the reception of the remitted or reflected light signal, wherein an evaluation unit (18) is provided which is made to fix the transmission time for the light signal relative to a reference time and to digitize the received light signal on a sampling pattern (108) having a sampling period to determine the reception time of the light signal, and wherein a time base unit (38) is provided by means of which the transmission time can be shifted relative to the sampling pattern (108) with a time precision below the sampling period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Heizmann, Gottfried Hug, Martin Marra, Bahram Torabi
  • Patent number: 8245838
    Abstract: An apparatus, in particular a code reader, for the recording of images of objects (14) moved on a conveyor device (12), wherein the apparatus includes a line sensor (10), in particular a line camera, which can scan objects line wise for the generation of image data of the surfaces, as well as a speed determination device (26; 30), which can determine the speed of movement of the objects (14) with respect to the line sensor (10) or their conveyed distance. At the same time an evaluation unit (26) is provided, which is adapted to match the recording frequency of the line sensor (10) to the speed of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Reichenbach, Roland Gehring, Richard Nopper, Uwe Schöpflin, Reinhard Heizmann
  • Publication number: 20110098970
    Abstract: A sensor (200, 300, 400) for the measurement of distances or of distance changes in accordance with the signal transit time principle having a transmitter (12) for the transmission of an electromagnetic signal as well as having a transmission controller (18, 20) by means of which the signals can be transmitted by the transmitter (12) at presettable transmission times and having a receiver (16) for the reception of the signal remitted in a monitored zone, wherein an evaluation unit (18, 22) of the sensor (200, 300, 400) is made to trigger the transmission of the signal at a transmission time in a respective measurement period (100) and to sample the received signal as well as to accumulate a histogram (110, 114) of such received signals over a plurality of measurement periods (100) to determine the reception time from the histogram (100, 114) and the transit time from said reception time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventors: Gottfried HUG, Reinhard HEIZMANN
  • Publication number: 20100128247
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor (10) for the measurement of distances or distance changes in accordance with the light transit time principle is provided having a light transmitter (12) for the transmission of a light signal and having a light receiver (16) for the reception of the remitted or reflected light signal, wherein an evaluation unit (18) is provided which is made to fix the transmission time for the light signal relative to a reference time and to digitize the received light signal on a sampling pattern (108) having a sampling period to determine the reception time of the light signal, and wherein a time base unit (38) is provided by means of which the transmission time can be shifted relative to the sampling pattern (108) with a time precision below the sampling period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Heizmann, Gottfried Hug, Martin Marra, Bahram Torabi
  • Publication number: 20100128246
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor (10) for the measurement of distances or distance changes in accordance with the light transit time principle is provided having a light transmitter (12) for the transmission of a light signal and having a light receiver (16) for the reception of the remitted or reflected light signal, wherein an evaluation unit (18) is provided which is made to trigger the transmission of a light signal at a transmission time in a respective measurement period (100) and to sample the received light signal as well as to accumulate a histogram (110) of such received light signals over a plurality of measurement periods (100) and to determine the reception time from the histogram (110) and the light transient time from this.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Heizmann, Gottfried Hug, Martin Marra, Bahram Torabi
  • Publication number: 20100128248
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor (10) for the measurement of distances in accordance with the light transit time principle is provided having a light transmitter (12) for the transmission of a light signal, having a light receiver (16) for the reception of a remitted or reflected received signal and having an evaluation unit (18) which is made to satisfy a transition condition for the received signal by systematic selection of a transmission delay time for the transmission of the light signal at an observation time and to calculate the light transit time from the transmission delay time required for this. In this respect, a regulator (44) is provided which is made to adjust the transmission delay time such that the transition condition is satisfied at the observation time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Heizmann, Gottfried Hug, Martin Marra, Bahram Torabi