Patents by Inventor Timo Horeis

Timo Horeis 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: 11745748
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for operating an automatically driving vehicle, wherein application instances are executed over several computational nodes, wherein recognized faults are reacted to by switching to redundant application instances and then reconfiguring the configuration to restore specified redundancy conditions and/or segregation conditions, wherein the vehicle is transitioned to a safe state using at least one failover apparatus when at least one specified redundancy condition and/or at least one segregation condition cannot be met by the reconfiguration, and/or a specified time for reconfiguration is exceeded, and/or an unrecoverable malfunction has been recognized, wherein the at least one failover apparatus plans an emergency trajectory using a trajectory planner, wherein sensor data are detected via separate signal lines and supplied to the at least one failover apparatus, and wherein control signals are generated and transmitted via separate control lines to an actuator system of the v
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Julian-Steffen Müller, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis
  • Patent number: 11572081
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a self-propelled motor vehicle having a plurality of control units and a plurality of program codes for controlling the function of autonomous driving and possibly other functions of the self-propelled vehicle, wherein a plurality of program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are redundantly applied to at least two different control units. In doing so, the self-propelled motor vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed to satisfy the passenger's wishes are ascertained and weighted corresponding to their relevance for satisfying the passenger's wishes. In so doing, the functions, or the scope of functions, are released depending on the achievement of a target achievement level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis
  • Patent number: 11472423
    Abstract: A self-driving motor vehicle including numerous control units and numerous program codes for controlling the functions of the autonomous driving and other functions of the self-driving vehicle. Numerous program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are applied redundantly to at least two different control units. The self-driving motor vehicle may then be operated in an at least a partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed for satisfying a passenger's desire are determined, and weighted with regard to their importance in fulfilling the passenger's desires. At least one function of a lower order is then shut off, if the available resources in functioning control units and/or the power level in the self-driving motor vehicle are insufficient to execute program code for executing this function of the lower order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis, Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke
  • Publication number: 20210237750
    Abstract: A self-driving motor vehicle including numerous control units and numerous program codes for controlling the functions of the autonomous driving and other functions of the self-driving vehicle. Numerous program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are applied redundantly to at least two different control units. The self-driving motor vehicle may then be operated in an at least a partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed for satisfying a passenger's desire are determined, and weighted with regard to their importance in fulfilling the passenger's desires. At least one function of a lower order is then shut off, if the available resources in functioning control units and/or the power level in the self-driving motor vehicle are insufficient to execute program code for executing this function of the lower order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis, Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke
  • Publication number: 20210213964
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for operating an automatically driving vehicle, wherein application instances are executed over several computational nodes, wherein recognized faults are reacted to by switching to redundant application instances and then reconfiguring the configuration to restore specified redundancy conditions and/or segregation conditions, wherein the vehicle is transitioned to a safe state using at least one failover apparatus when at least one specified redundancy condition and/or at least one segregation condition cannot be met by the reconfiguration, and/or a specified time for reconfiguration is exceeded, and/or an unrecoverable malfunction has been recognized, wherein the at least one failover apparatus plans an emergency trajectory using a trajectory planner, wherein sensor data are detected via separate signal lines and supplied to the at least one failover apparatus, and wherein control signals are generated and transmitted via separate control lines to an actuator system of the v
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Julian-Steffen Müller, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis
  • Publication number: 20210179144
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a self-propelled motor vehicle having a plurality of control units and a plurality of program codes for controlling the function of autonomous driving and possibly other functions of the self-propelled vehicle, wherein a plurality of program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are redundantly applied to at least two different control units. In doing so, the self-propelled motor vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed to satisfy the passenger's wishes are ascertained and weighted corresponding to their relevance for satisfying the passenger's wishes. In so doing, the functions, or the scope of functions, are released depending on the achievement of a target achievement level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis