Patents by Inventor Thomas Niemann

Thomas Niemann 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).

  • Publication number: 20150276595
    Abstract: A method for detecting a degree of wetting of a glass pane, in particular a windscreen of a motor vehicle, is provided. A transmitter is arranged on the inside relative to a glass pane and emits electromagnetic waves, which are reflected according to the total reflection principle on the outer, from the transmitter's point of view the opposite surface of the glass pane, and which are received by a receiver arranged on the inside relative to the glass pane. Electromagnetic waves are emitted further from a transmitter. Waves pass through the glass pane and are scattered on particles or droplets in front of the glass pane and are received by a receiver arranged on the inside relative to the glass pane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Carsten THUN
  • Publication number: 20150136376
    Abstract: A method for determining at least one control signal for controlling an air conditioning system for an interior space of a vehicle. Depending on measured state variables of the interior climate, an interior climate value is calculated from measurements of the interior temperature and from measurements of the interior air humidity by a signal-processing function. An air quality value describing the air quality is calculated from measurements of the percentage of volatile organic compounds in the internal atmosphere by a signal-processing function. A control signal for an air conditioning system is calculated from the interior climate value and the air quality value by at least one signal-processing function. Further, a device for performing the method as well as to a vehicle with the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Ole Morisse
  • Patent number: 9016148
    Abstract: In a holding device for a sensor, in particular for a rain/light sensor, for mounting on the inner side of a window pane, such as a vehicle pane or suchlike, with at least one holder able to be fastened on the window pane, which holder has a mount for the sensor, and with at least one spring component for fixing the sensor in the mount of the holder, the spring component has detent means for at least a partially detachable connection to the holder. The spring component comprises a spring section with a snap function, which is constructed such that the spring section is in one of two stable spring positions, wherein in one spring position a spring force acts on the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Jürgen Palloks, Uwe Röben
  • Publication number: 20150091718
    Abstract: A method for recognising and classifying damage incidents and/or contact incidents, in particular on motor vehicles, the different forms of damage incident shall be detected, evaluated and classified by way of detecting and evaluating at least one impact sound signal. An amplitude envelope of the impact sound signal is determined and the impact sound signal is classified based on the time progression of the amplitude envelope. This involves assigning different damage incidents or contact incidents to different kinds of time progression of the amplitude envelope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Klaas Hauke BAUMGARTEL, Karl-Ludwig KRIEGER
  • Publication number: 20150090018
    Abstract: A device for determining a filling level of a container is provided, having a damping cup, a measuring section extending vertically inside the damping cup, and having an ultrasound converter arranged at its lower end region, and at least one antechamber. A calming structure is arranged in at least a part of at least one antechamber, to achieve as much degassing of the liquid as possible. The part of the antechamber having the calming structure is designed to be open towards the top over a large area and is connected, via a venting channel, with a vent in the upper region of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Jurgen Palloks
  • Publication number: 20150075281
    Abstract: In a gas sensor comprising a housing, a membrane and a sensor element, wherein the housing comprises a measuring chamber and an air supply opening, the sensor element is disposed in the measuring chamber and the membrane separates the measuring chamber from the air supply opening, a particularly good air exchange should be achieved. This is accomplished by providing a flow guiding device in the air supply opening of the housing. The flow guiding device here projects into the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Jürgen PALLOKS, Volker SKWAREK, Falko STRACKERJAN
  • Publication number: 20150052996
    Abstract: The aim is to achieve a particularly robust and reliable embodiment of a filling level sensor with several thermoelements for measuring the filling level of a liquid in a receptacle. This is achieved in that the thermoelements are arranged in parallel with one another and extend from the bottom upwards. The thermoelements are of different heights so that, depending on the filling level, one part of the thermoelements is flooded and another part is not. This can be used to derive information regarding the filling level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas NIEMANN
  • Publication number: 20140353474
    Abstract: A sensor device for detecting moisture on a windscreen has a transmitter and a receiver and optics arranged between the transmitter and the receiver. The optics have an upper plane for connection to a windscreen, a decoupling region serving to decouple the electromagnetic rays from the optics into the windscreen, and a coupling region serving to couple the electromagnetic radiation from the windscreen into the optics, and which even for a small construction shall supply a usable signal. The decoupling region has at least one surface inclined relative to the upper plane of the optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Hella KGaA HuecK & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Carsten THUN
  • Patent number: 8899109
    Abstract: In the case of a device for ascertaining a fill level of a medium inside a collection container, having at least one measuring chamber, in which an ultrasonic sensor is arranged, connected to conduct media to the collection chamber, and having at least one antechamber connected upstream from the measuring chamber, which has at least one inlet opening for the medium from the collection chamber, at least one flow damper for the medium, according to the invention, is arranged in at least one subarea of the antechamber. Thereby multiple antechambers, which are connected in series one behind another to conduct media, are connected upstream from the measuring chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: HELLA KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Jürgen Palloks, Thomas Kück, David Hessenkämper, Ingo Zoyke, Herbert Claassen
  • Patent number: 8879358
    Abstract: A device for determining a filling level in a container, with a stillwell which has an entry opening and a vent opening, an ultrasonic transducer arranged in the base region of the stillwell and at least one pre-chamber. The pre-chamber has an inlet opening to the container and an outlet opening to the entry opening of the Stillwell. The pre-chamber of the device has a second outlet opening that opens out in a lead-off arrangement. By the lead-off arrangement, foamed medium flowing in quickly and suddenly into the pre-chamber of the device does not arrive into the measurement section of the ultrasonic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventor: Thomas Niemann
  • Publication number: 20140202255
    Abstract: In a fluid pressure sensor with a pressure sensing membrane and an electronic circuit, the electronic circuit is in a section realized so thin that a membrane is formed in this section of the electronic circuit. In the other sections, the electronic circuit is realized thicker than in the section that forms the membrane. This makes it possible to manufacture a particularly compact fluid pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Jurgen PALLOKS
  • Publication number: 20140196525
    Abstract: In a sensor device for detecting moisture on a pane comprising at least one transmitter which emits light which is reflected at the pane and received by at least one receiver, an optical system is provided between the transmitter and the receiver, which brings about a multiple reflection between the pane and the optical system. A particularly good measurement is thereby made possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Torsten EGGERS
  • Patent number: 8773152
    Abstract: In the case of a device for detecting physical state variables of a medium, such as pressure or temperature, for example, of a liquid, comprising at least one measuring sensor, which is connected to at least one electrical conductor so as to transmit signals, wherein at least one section of the conductor, which encompasses the sensor, is embedded in a casting compound, the casting compound is embodied, according to the invention, from at least one casting core and a casting jacket, which encloses the casting core, and provision is made in the casting compound for at least one recess for a media-conducting access to a contact surface of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hella KGa Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Torsten Eggers
  • Publication number: 20140156106
    Abstract: A method for recording vehicle-relevant data, in particular for detecting and evaluating damage to a vehicle in which structure-borne noise caused by an event, such as damage or contact, is detected and evaluated. The noise is recorded with its entire frequency spectrum, the frequency spectrum is divided into a lower frequency range and an upper frequency range, and an event is characterized by at least one amplitude in the upper frequency range. The event having an amplitude in the upper frequency range is included in an envelope curve analysis, in which a lower power density and upper power density are determined for a lower and upper frequency range, respectively. A relative measured value is determined from the ratio of the upper power density to the lower power density, an evaluation of the event is made by means of the relative measured value, and the event is stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas NIEMANN, Klaus Hauke HELLBERND, Karl-Ludwig KRIEGER
  • Patent number: 8681138
    Abstract: In a method for determining a control signal as a function of measured ambient light conditions for subsequent processing by at least one electrical component, in particular in order to control an imaging unit of an image output apparatus, the present light conditions are detected by means of a plurality of light sensors, measuring signals are output as a function of the intensity of the light conditions recorded by the light sensors, and the measuring signals of the individual light sensors are then combined into at least one control signal in accordance with at least one predefined ratio. The control signal is adjusted with consideration of the orientation of at least one of the light sensors and is then output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Almut Schlarmann, Christin Nitsche
  • Publication number: 20140016672
    Abstract: A high-temperature sensor comprising a sensor element and a device for holding and positioning the sensor element in a point of use, especially for automotive uses, has a holding part with a pouch molded into it in which the sensor element is received such as to be flush with the surface. In this way, the sensor element is reliably held in a high-temperature sensor and its safe operation is guaranteed also when the sensor is subject to vibrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: HELLA KGAA HUECK & CO.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Jürgen Palloks
  • Publication number: 20140010261
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-temperature sensor comprising contact wires in a metal tube, preferably a bent metal tube for arrangement especially inside the exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine, and spacer bodies distributed in rows along the contact wires so as to maintain the contact wires at a predetermined distance to the inner wall of the metal tube. According to the invention, every spacer body is approximately ovoid, the diameter of the center portion of the egg being not wider than the inside width of the as yet unbent metal tube. The spacer bodies are injection-molded polymer ceramic parts molded onto the contact wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: HELLA KGAA HUECK & CO.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Torsten Eggers
  • Publication number: 20140007649
    Abstract: For a gas sensor, in particular for automobile applications, comprising a housing, which has a measurement chamber, wherein at least one sensor element having connecting wires is associated with the measurement chamber, the housing has a bottom part and a top part that covers the bottom part and each sensor element is arranged in the bottom part while suspended by the connecting wires thereof. At least one side wall of the bottom part favorably has an assembly opening, which is designed in such a way that a tool arm that retains the sensor element can be inserted into the bottom part from the outside through the assembly opening and can be brought into an assembly position in the area of the opening edge of the bottom part so that the connecting wires of the sensor element are in bondable contact with the associated connection surfaces. Thus especially easy assembly is possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Torsten Eggers
  • Patent number: 8555716
    Abstract: A device for measuring the fill level in a container has an ultrasound sensor and a damping beaker with at least one antechamber. The antechamber has an inlet opening to the container and an outlet opening to the damping beaker, and has a geometric structure, which guides a fluid at least once around the midpoint of the damping beaker. The antechamber has at least two planes lying horizontally over each other. Each plane has a geometric structure, and the geometric structures of the planes are designed so that the fluid streams through the planes in opposite directions. As a result, the path to be traversed in the antechamber is lengthened, and the inflowing medium is additionally swirled. Even foamed media that quickly flow into the antechamber are effectively retained, and degassing is possible prior to entry into the measuring section of the ultrasound sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Thomas Kueck, Ingo Zoyke, David Hessenkaemper, Sergej Tonewizki
  • Patent number: 8434359
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor arrangement for detecting ambient conditions, in particular for a motor vehicle, with at least one carrier plate and optical elements arranged on this carrier plate, wherein several of the optical elements are arranged around a shared central region on the carrier plate, and at least two of the optical elements arranged around the central region exhibit primary action axes. These primary action axes are adjusted at a predetermined angle relative to the carrier plate, wherein the primary action axes are directed toward the shared central region. Additional sensors arranged on the carrier plate include a rain sensor, a solar sensor as well as various light sensors, which preferably are arranged on receiving surfaces of the carrier plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Niemann, Olaf Lüdtke, Almut Schlarmann, Jürgen Palloks, Antje Müller, Tim Petasch