Patents Assigned to Volkswagen AG
  • Device, method, and computer program for grouping devices by location
    Patent number: 10080101
    Abstract: The method simplifies the formation of groups of devices in secure spaces. Such spaces may be passenger compartments of vehicles, and the passenger compartments can additionally be partitioned into zones. Each zone can be allocated a group. For instance, driver and front-seat passenger can be allocated to one group. The travelers in the rear seat-rows can be allocated to another group. This allows data exchange with driver and front-seat passenger that relates to the vehicle route or even relates to vehicle assistance systems. The other group, for instance, children travelling in the vehicle, can share other data, for instance, for entertainment purposes. The acceptance of systems offered in the vehicle can be increased by simple group formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Gehrling, Jens Kampermann, Klaus Meierling, Matthias Mohaupt, Gerd Penshorn, Henning Taschke, Wolfgang Theimer, Ernst Zielinski
  • Method and device for informing a user during approach to a destination
    Patent number: 10074007
    Abstract: A mode of transportation, a device, and a method for informing a user on approaching a destination which includes predefining the destination for the user requesting an identification of a person present at the destination, comparing the identification with associated person-related data and, in response to the result of the comparison, outputting a note to the user with respect to the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventor: Volkmar Schöning
  • Apparatus, vehicle, method, computer program and radio system for radio supply in a predefined space
    Patent number: 10073172
    Abstract: An apparatus, a vehicle, a method, a computer program and a radio system for radio coverage in a predefined space. The method includes operating at least one transmission and/or reception antenna in the predefined space to cover at least one subregion of the predefined space using at least one element having an active area in the predefined space taking into consideration the subregion to be covered, wherein the active area of the element influences the propagation conditions of signals of the radio system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Ernst Zielinski, Matthias Mohaupt, Jens Kampermann, Wolfgang Theimer
  • Elimination of the activatability of a function by a radio on a vehicle
    Patent number: 10071707
    Abstract: A method to activate a function of a vehicle including transmitting a wireless command from a portable apparatus to the vehicle and activating the function if a wireless activation facility of the function is not switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventor: Peter Lohmann
  • Method and device for operating an electronic unit and/or other applications
    Patent number: 10073596
    Abstract: A method for the operator control of at least one electronic device and/or application on a display device 10, for example in a motor vehicle, in which a plurality of selectable objects are presented, wherein the objects are displayed spatially in a two-dimensional landscape and are automatically filtered and/or sorted by a preselection with a gesture in front of or on the display device. Also disclosed is a device for carrying out the method having a display device, a touchpad, a processing device, a control device for gesture and handwriting recognition, and a memory for filtering and/or sorting a plurality of selectable objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Manuel Joachim, Michael Mischke, Michael Wittkämper
  • Device and method for generating a haptic moment at an actuator
    Patent number: 10073528
    Abstract: A device for generating a haptic moment at an actuator including an unbalance motor, a sensor for sensing activation of the actuator, and a processor for generating an actuation signal for the unbalance motor depending on signals of the sensor, wherein the processor is embodied so that, when activation of the actuator is sensed, the processor generates a first actuation signal and generates a second actuation signal, wherein the first actuation signal is configured so the unbalance motor is accelerated in a first rotational direction without reaching more than two revolutions, and the second actuation signal is configured so the unbalance motor is braked without the unbalance motor starting to move in the second rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, ES-TEC GMBH
    Inventors: Dominik Ulrich, Christoph Boese, Peter Look, Ulrich Müller
  • Automated vehicle with optimized driving profiles
    Patent number: 10073459
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes automated vehicles having optimized driving profiles including optimized speed profiles for execution between obstacles in consideration of economy of operation, and methods thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventor: Kaushik Raghu
  • System and methodologies for super sampling to enhance anti-aliasing in high resolution meshes
    Patent number: 10074159
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide systems, components, and methodologies for performing super sampling in combination with other operations to enhance anti-aliasing in high resolution meshes generated by GPUs so as to mitigate, reduce or eliminate the effects of degenerated triangles so as to improve the appearance of simulated objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventor: George Allen Khorasani
  • Devices and methods for conveying audio information in vehicles
    Patent number: 10070242
    Abstract: Various methods and devices for vehicles are provided, wherein directional output of sound is used. In some embodiments, speech signals assigned to different speakers in a telephone conference are reproduced with different directional characteristics. In other embodiments, menu items of a menu are reproduced using different directions. In some embodiments, a loudspeaker arrangement may be provided at a dashboard or in a backrest of a seat of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventor: Florian Rill
  • Apparatus, method and computer program for controlling functions of a vehicle
    Patent number: 10068400
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and computer programs for controlling functions of a vehicle. The apparatus for an information system of a vehicle includes a communication module for communication with a mobile device and a control module for controlling the communication module. The control module obtains a key signal and information about a user profile from the mobile device via the communication module. The user profile includes user settings for functions of the vehicle. The information about the user profile includes data about at least one subset of the user settings. The control module controls a locked state of the vehicle based on the key signal and controls at least one subset of the functions of the vehicle based on the information about the user profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Simon Gerlach
  • Estimating the probability that a data packet will be received and a data packet transmission rate
    Patent number: 10069742
    Abstract: A method for estimating the probability that a data packet wirelessly transmitted from a transmitter, which is a traffic infrastructure object or a vehicle, to a receiver will be received. The method includes estimating a signal quality of the data packet and estimating the probability that the data packet will be received on the basis of the estimated signal quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Burak Simsek
  • Method and information system for informing a driver of a vehicle regarding the availability of a communication link
    Patent number: 10069959
    Abstract: In a method for informing a driver of a vehicle regarding the availability of a communication link of the vehicle to an external communication unit, a first service category and a second service category are provided which utilize the communication link, the availability of the communication link is checked for both service categories, and the result of the availability check is displayed graphically to the vehicle driver in one symbol for both service categories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Matthias Gerlach, Jan Titze
  • Method for monitoring an air pressure in at least one tyre of a motor vehicle
    Patent number: 10065460
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an air pressure in at least one tire of a motor vehicle, wherein at least one air pressure in the tire is detected by at least one measuring electronics unit present in the tire and data is transmitted by the measuring electronics unit to a control unit. Depending on the data, the control unit activates components of the motor vehicle to generate optical and/or acoustic signals. The control unit is switched into an after-running mode for a defined period of time when an ignition of the motor vehicle is shut off, in which mode the control unit can continue to receive data from the measuring electronics unit and may activate components of the motor vehicle to generate optical and/or acoustic signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Klaus-Jürgen Gier
  • Method for a driver assistance system of a vehicle
    Patent number: 10065655
    Abstract: A method for a driver assistance system of a vehicle. The vehicle includes a steering wheel which can be moved manually between a first position and a second position. The steering wheel lies at a farther distance from a user sitting in a driver's seat of the vehicle in the second position than in the first position. In the method, a position of the steering wheel is detected and the driver assistance system is set based on the position of the steering wheel. Also disclosed is a method for a driver assistance system in which two operating elements have to be actuated simultaneously to set the driver assistance system. Also disclosed is a combination of the methods and the associated systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Lennart Bendewald, Linn Hackenberg
  • Device and method for providing multimedia data in a motor vehicle
    Patent number: 10063628
    Abstract: A device for providing multimedia data in a motor vehicle. At least one vehicle-internal hardware component serves to provide a first runtime environment for supporting at least one computer program application on the vehicle-internal hardware component. An interface serves for communication with at least one vehicle-external hardware component, which provides a second runtime environment for supporting the computer program application on the vehicle-external hardware component. Furthermore, either the vehicle-internal hardware component or the vehicle-external hardware component is selectable for executing the computer program application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventor: Martin Krueger
  • User interface and method for adapting a view on a display unit
    Patent number: 10061508
    Abstract: A user interface and a method for adapting a view on a display unit of a user interface wherein the method includes calling up a configuration mode for allocating a range of functions to at least one tile displayed on the display unit, displaying first operating areas representing a respective range of functions, receiving a first user input for the first operating area and, in response thereto, displaying second operating areas thematically associated with the first operating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Holger Wild, Mark Peter Czelnik
  • Method for determining the cause of failure in a vehicle
    Patent number: 10062219
    Abstract: A method for determining a cause of fault in a vehicle. The method involves a fault report being received on a server outside the vehicle and a cause of fault being determined in the server based on the fault report and load collective data from the vehicle and/or based on the fault report and vehicle condition variables from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Felix Richter, Tetiana Aymelek, Andreas Sasse
  • Motor vehicle with multi-collision brake
    Patent number: 10053072
    Abstract: A method for triggering self-braking in a motor vehicle, in which following a first collision during an accident a self-braking request signal is transmitted to a brake controller by a collision sensor unit by a communications device of the motor vehicle. The multi-collision braking requested should be initiated in the event of damage to the brake controller that is caused by the first collision. The request signal is received by a control device of the motor vehicle that is disposed at a distance from the brake controller. The control device then determines whether the brake controller responds to the request signal. If no response of the brake controller is detected, the self-braking is initiated by the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Matthias Lau, Christian Alstadt
  • Method and device for actuating a closing element for a vehicle
    Patent number: 10053903
    Abstract: A method for actuating a closing element of a vehicle including optically detecting a directed movement of an object to any point in an area, generating an optical mark for localizing the point if the directed movement has initially been detected; detecting a sequence of movements of the object, wherein the sequence of movements includes the directed movement, and actuating the closing element if the detected sequence of movements meets at least one predetermined requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Bernd Ette
  • Bipolar plate for fuel cell, fuel cell and method for producing the bipolar plate
    Patent number: 10056640
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bipolar plate for a fuel cell. The bipolar plate has a fuel side, an oxidant side, two individual plates and a coolant cavity arranged between the individual plates. At least one of the individual plates has at least one seal on the outer surface thereof. The individual plates are connected by way of at least one connecting seam. The bipolar plate is considered in that the at least one connecting seam does not intersect with or overlap with the at least one seal. The invention further relates to a fuel cell consisting at least one bipolar plate and to a method for producing the bipolar plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Christian Zillich, Mario Richter