Patents by Inventor Thomas Smits

Thomas Smits 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: 11933026
    Abstract: A camera system for a vehicle comprises a holding device that can be fastened removably to the outside of the vehicle and that comprises an accumulator, a camera that can be fastened removably to the holding device, wherein electrical energy can be transferred to the camera from the accumulator to operate the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Patent number: 11766971
    Abstract: A method for operating a camera-monitor system for a motor vehicle, in which the camera-monitor system has a camera that is designed to provide an image of an environment of the motor vehicle and has a monitor for representing images from the camera comprises providing an image from the camera, ascertaining an attention-relevant object in the environment, temporarily changing at least one representation property of the image in dependence on the ascertained object to form a changed image, and representing the changed image on the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Weinlich, Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20230095761
    Abstract: A tissue separating device for separating an intestine from a cluster of organs harvested from an animal includes a guiding device having at least one guiding surface configured to contact the intestine, and a tissue severing device configured to provide a separation in the tissue close to the intestine. The guiding device further includes a first guiding member and a second guiding member being movable with respect to each other to define a gap configured to accommodate said tissue. The gap has a variable gap width. The tissue severing device is configured to be operative in the gap, where the tissue separating device further includes a resilient member configured to exert a force on at least one of the first guiding member and the second guiding member, the resilient member force driving the first guiding member and the second guiding member towards each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Jozef S. De Winter, Frederik Marcel D. De Winter, Jürgen Johannes Antonius Thomas Smits
  • Patent number: 11575210
    Abstract: An arrangement for communication between motor vehicles is specified. The arrangement comprises a reflector apparatus that is secured at a fixed location in the outer region of a curve or of a curve-like road. The reflector apparatus is in an orientation such that said reflector apparatus deflects electromagnetic radiation in the frequency band between 2.5 GHz and 7.5 GHz that is emitted by a first motor vehicle, situated in the region of a curve entrance, toward a second motor vehicle, situated in the region of a curve exit. Furthermore, a corresponding reflector apparatus for the arrangement is specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20220329311
    Abstract: A motor vehicle comprises a towing vehicle and an antenna network which has at least two antenna units with identical network addresses, wherein the two antenna units are arranged on different side surfaces of the towing vehicles and are digitally connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20220220708
    Abstract: A camera system for a vehicle comprises a holding device that can be fastened removably to the outside of the vehicle and that comprises an accumulator, a camera that can be fastened removably to the holding device, wherein electrical energy can be transferred to the camera from the accumulator to operate the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Patent number: 11318884
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for providing an image using a camera monitor system for a motor vehicle with a trailer, wherein the camera monitor system has a rear camera assigned to a rear side of the trailer, a side camera assigned to a longitudinal side of the motor vehicle, and a monitor for presenting images of the cameras. The method may include: capturing a first image with the rear camera; capturing a second image with the side camera; constructing a composite image comprising the first image and the second image based at least in part on an ascertained trajectory of the motor vehicle; and displaying the composite image on the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20220072924
    Abstract: A method for adapting a transfer function of an active suspension of a vehicle comprises the vehicle driving along a section of road for which a surface profile is stored in a control unit of the vehicle. The active suspension is activated according to a predetermined transfer function for adaptation to the surface profile by means of adjustment values in order to compensate for unevenness of the surface profile. A shock absorber sensor system and/or a tire sensor system of the vehicle is used to record vertical accelerations while driving along the section of road and transfer them to the control unit. The invention provides that the adjustment values and the vertical accelerations are transferred by the vehicle to an external central computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20210245678
    Abstract: A camera system for a vehicle comprises a holding device that can be fastened to the vehicle and that comprises a first communication interface for wireless communication. A camera that comprises an accumulator and a second communication interface for wireless communication. The camera is removably fastened to the holding device, and the second communication interface is designed to receive position data from the first communication interface by means of wireless near-field communication in order to determine a position of the holding device relative to the vehicle when the camera is fastened to the holding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20210245677
    Abstract: A camera monitoring system for a motor vehicle includes: a holder removably fastenable to an outside of the motor vehicle or to a front attachment of the motor vehicle, the holder having a first signaling coupler; a mobile camera removably fastenable to the holder and having a second signaling coupler, configured such that a transmission of information data between the camera and the holder is configurable by the second and first signaling couplers. The mobile camera is configured to capture image data of a surrounding area and to provide the captured image data wirelessly as measurement signals for further processing, and to receive information data of the holder and make the received information data available wirelessly for further processing. At least one controller receives and processes signals of the mobile camera and provides image signals for display for a monitor of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventor: Thomas SMITS
  • Publication number: 20210167515
    Abstract: An arrangement for communication between motor vehicles is specified. The arrangement comprises a reflector apparatus that is secured at a fixed location in the outer region of a curve or of a curve-like road. The reflector apparatus is in an orientation such that said reflector apparatus deflects electromagnetic radiation in the frequency band between 2.5 GHz and 7.5 GHz that is emitted by a first motor vehicle, situated in the region of a curve entrance, toward a second motor vehicle, situated in the region of a curve exit. Furthermore, a corresponding reflector apparatus for the arrangement is specified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20210072364
    Abstract: A method comprises determining the distance between a first transceiver unit and a second transceiver unit, wherein the first transceiver unit is mounted on a vehicle and the second transceiver unit is mounted on a trailer connected to the vehicle. The method also includes determining at least one parameter relating to the trailer, taking into account the distance between the first transceiver unit and the second transceiver unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Weinlich, Thomas Smits, Marten Kabutz, Tobias Schmalriede
  • Publication number: 20210061184
    Abstract: A method for operating a camera-monitor system for a motor vehicle, in which the camera-monitor system has a camera that is designed to provide an image of an environment of the motor vehicle and has a monitor for representing images from the camera comprises providing an image from the camera, ascertaining an attention-relevant object in the environment, temporarily changing at least one representation property of the image in dependence on the ascertained object to form a changed image, and representing the changed image on the monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Weinlich, Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20210053490
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for providing an image using a camera monitor system for a motor vehicle with a trailer, wherein the camera monitor system has a rear camera assigned to a rear side of the trailer, a side camera assigned to a longitudinal side of the motor vehicle, and a monitor for presenting images of the cameras. The method may include: capturing a first image with the rear camera; capturing a second image with the side camera; constructing a composite image comprising the first image and the second image based at least in part on an ascertained trajectory of the motor vehicle; and displaying the composite image on the monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Patent number: 8185499
    Abstract: A system and method of transactional session management. Information sufficient to permit creation of a deep copy of a session object is saved concurrently for all aspects of the transaction. For example, the saving may save state information provided by different hierarchical levels of the session as well as possible different hardware or software entities participating in the session. In the event of a rollback condition, the deep copy is supplied to one or more applications. Those applications may then continue the session from the point of the deep copy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Patent number: 8046540
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for copying data from a virtual machine to a shared closure on demand. This process improves system efficiency by avoiding the copying of data in the large number of cases where the same virtual machine is the next to request access and use of the data. Load balancing and failure recovery are supported by copying the data to the shared closure when the data is requested by another virtual machine or recovering the data from the failed virtual machine and storing it in the shared closure before a terminated virtual machine is discarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventors: Thomas Smits, Jan Boris Dostert, Oliver Patrick Schmidt, Norbert Kuck
  • Patent number: 7962566
    Abstract: A system and method of improving session management to facilitate failover and load balancing conditions. During the session, session data is segregated into a first set of core/non-derivable data and a second subset of data that can be derived from the core data. The core data is persistently stored. When a failover condition occurs, the recovering system is provided access to the core data to permit recreation of the session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Patent number: 7941402
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, for storing and using, such as classes, in databases. One implementation provides a technique for receiving a specified name, retrieving one or more from a database, and for each resource, one or more attributes associated with the resource, wherein each comprises executable instruction code, and wherein the attributes include a name that matches the specified name. The technique further provides for selecting one of the retrieved based on the attributes associated with each resource, and loading the selected into a runtime system. The attributes may include an archive name, an upload time, a package name, a checksum, a development flag, and/or a user name. By utilizing this technique, end-user or development sessions operative on application servers have the capability to use multiple different versions of classes in runtime environments without interfering with other operative sessions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Publication number: 20100057922
    Abstract: A system and method of transactional session management. Information sufficient to permit creation of a deep copy of a session object is saved concurrently for all aspects of the transaction. For example, the saving may save state information provided by different hierarchical levels of the session as well as possible different hardware or software entities participating in the session. In the event of a rollback condition, the deep copy is supplied to one or more applications. Those applications may then continue the session from the point of the deep copy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas Smits
  • Patent number: 7640249
    Abstract: A system and method of transactional session management. Information sufficient to permit creation of a deep copy of a session object is saved concurrently for all aspects of the transaction. For example, the saving may save state information provided by different hierarchical levels of the session as well as possible different hardware or software entities participating in the session. In the event of a rollback condition, the deep copy is supplied to one or more applications. Those applications may then continue the session from the point of the deep copy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: SAP (AG)
    Inventor: Thomas Smits