Patents Assigned to Volkswagen AG
  • Patent number: 10588054
    Abstract: A method for resource allocation in a mobile communication system including base stations from mobile communication providers and participants from mobile communication providers, wherein each provider has assigned a dedicated spectrum for resource allocation for its own participants, wherein the participants from the providers communicate directly among each other, wherein a provider allocates a part of its dedicated spectrum for the direct communication among the participants from the providers, wherein the part of a dedicated spectrum of a provider for the direct communication among the participants from the providers is divided into sections, with each provider having been assigned at least one section of the part of the dedicated spectrum of the provider, wherein the resource allocation management functionality for allocating a part of its dedicated spectrum for the direct communication among the participants from the providers is shifted from provider to provider from time slice to time slice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Thorsten Hehn, Roman Alieiev
  • Patent number: 10586998
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel cell device with a pressing device (3) for pressing a fuel cell stack of the fuel cell device, as well as a pressing device (3) for pressing the fuel cell stack. In order to be able to press the fuel cell stack as needed, the invention provides that the pressing device (3) have a pretensioning unit (9a) with an adjusting element (12) and a supporting element (13), wherein contact surfaces (15, 16) of the adjusting element (12) and of the supporting element (13) extend obliquely to the pressing direction (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventors: Peter Bach, Sebastian Voigt
  • Patent number: 10581098
    Abstract: The invention relates to a starting method for a fuel cell system (100), particularly for an air/air start of the fuel cell system (100). The method enables the reduction of damaging half-cell voltages in the fuel cell stack (10) through voltage limitation by means of a DC voltage converter. The homogeneous flushing of the fuel cell stack (10) required for this takes place by means of introduction of an anode operating medium into an anode inlet channel (17) of the otherwise sealed fuel cell stack (10) until a predetermined pressure is reached and flushing of the active areas of the fuel cells (11) of the stack (10) after said pressure is reached through opening of an anode discharge adjusting aid (26), preferably arranged in an exhaust coupling (29) connecting the anode exhaust line (22) and the cathode exhaust line (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Ingmar Hartung, Maren Ramona Kirchhoff, Martin Arendt, Heiko Turner
  • Patent number: 10581811
    Abstract: A method for asymmetrical key derivation by a signing entity for a terminal including introducing identical cryptographic material into the signing entity and into the terminal; deriving in each case a private key from the cryptographic material in the signing entity and in the terminal; calculating in each case a public key from the private key in the signing entity and in the terminal; generating a signature and/or a signed public key in the signing entity; transferring the signature and/or the signed public key from the signing entity into the terminal; and appending the signature of the signing entity to the public key in the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Alexander Tschache, Timo Winkelvos
  • Patent number: 10573916
    Abstract: In order to provide a membrane (100) for a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) of a fuel cell, comprising two partial membranes (200, 300), which allows for a simpler water circuit compared to the prior art, it is proposed that the partial membranes (200, 300) have different ion exchange capacities (IECs) and/or one partial membrane (200) consists of a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer (PFSA) and the other partial membrane (300) consists of a sulfonated hydrocarbon polymer (HC). Optionally, the membrane can contain a porous carrier film (600). Moreover disclosed are a method for producing the membrane (100) as well as a membrane-electrode assembly and a fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignees: AUDI AG, VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventor: Gerold Hübner
  • Patent number: 10566596
    Abstract: A battery unit includes multiple cell modules which are interconnected. The cell modules respectively include multiple battery cells. Local cell module control units are associated with the cell modules. The cell module control units are configured in such a way that they control and/or monitor the cell modules. The cell module control units are applied to at least one flat conductor sheet. The flat conductor sheet has plugs which are plugged into mating plugs of the cell modules. There is also described a wiring unit for a battery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Stephan Schmidt, Matthias Berg, Holger Opfer
  • Patent number: 10564647
    Abstract: A method for automatic determination and/or monitoring of a target trajectory for a vehicle by which a starting point corresponding to the current position of the vehicle is connected to a target point. The method includes determining different trajectories of the vehicle that connect the starting point to the target point, detecting a further target trajectory for each road user, wherein each of the further target trajectories connects the starting point of the respective road user to a target point corresponding to the respective road user, determining the trajectories of the vehicle as collision-free trajectories that do not result in a collision with one of the further road users if the respective road user is moving on the target trajectory, and determining and/or monitoring the target trajectory of the vehicle depending on the collision-free trajectories of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Reza Balaghiasefi, Michael Düring, Kai Franke
  • Patent number: 10557935
    Abstract: A state of a vehicle, including a sensor for sensing another vehicle, is defined by determining a speed of the vehicle and determining the state in accordance with the sensing range of the sensor and the speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Patrick Pascheka
  • Patent number: 10541424
    Abstract: The invention relates to a polar plate assembly for a fuel cell, comprising: a polar plate which comprises, on at least one of its flat sides, elevations and free spaces arranged between them, which form a flow structure for a reactant; and a supporting structure designed to prevent or at least reduce an intrusion by a gas diffusion layer adjacent to the supporting structure and/or a membrane electrode assembly into the free spaces of the flow structure. It is provided that the polar plate assembly is designed such that the polar plate protrudes into the supporting structure. The invention furthermore relates to an individual cell with a polar plate assembly according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, AUDI AG
    Inventors: Adel Jilani, Sanjiv Kumar
  • Patent number: 10528212
    Abstract: A method for determining a loading recommendation for a vehicle. The method involves object dimensions of objects with which the vehicle needs to be loaded being determined automatically using an optical capture apparatus, and an arrangement of the objects in a cargo space of the vehicle being determined on the basis of the object dimensions of the objects and a cargo space dimension of the cargo space. The arrangement of the objects in the cargo space is output as a loading recommendation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Philipp Gross, Lutz Oster
  • Patent number: 10530606
    Abstract: An extension of the existing CAN FD data transmission protocol. The extension enables the use of the IPv6 protocol for the CAN bus. The CAN FD protocol is further developed in an incompatible way. One modification measure relates to the lengthening of the Data Field, which is positioned in the transmission frame after an Arbitration Field. An arbitrary number of bytes can be entered in the extended Data Field within a specified upper limit. Since the Data Field is transmitted at a higher bit rate field than the Arbitration Field, the data throughput is increased dramatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Alexander Meier
  • Patent number: 10525893
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a passenger compartment containing several passenger seats. A middle console is provided on the floor of the vehicle in a space formed between two of the passenger seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Riley Lind
  • Patent number: 10530890
    Abstract: A method for assigning a user profile of a user to a seat in a motor vehicle by at least one mobile unit, wherein the mobile unit has at least one identifier and a sensor arrangement for detecting at least one translational and/or rotational degree of freedom, wherein the mobile unit transmits the identifier to the motor vehicle, wherein the mobile unit or the motor vehicle evaluates the data from the sensor arrangement as to whether a boarding movement into a motor vehicle is occurring, wherein the motor vehicle or the mobile unit by the data of a door opening sensor arrangement, assigns the boarding movement to a seat assigned to a vehicle door, wherein the user profile is then assigned to the seat. Also disclosed is a mobile unit and a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Kord Lühr
  • Patent number: 10526004
    Abstract: A device for assisting or automatic guiding of a motor vehicle, having a first steering actuator with an allocated steering control unit, a gear rack, a steering column and a steering handle, wherein the steering column and the steering actuator have effect on the common gear rack, wherein there is at least one second steering actuator having an additional allocated steering control unit, wherein the second steering actuator has effect on the common gear rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Bastian Witte
  • Patent number: 10528245
    Abstract: A method for designating a subset of a basic set of data records stored in a memory unit and for visualizing at least a part of the designated subset on a display unit. To designate the subset on the display unit, at least two graphically delimited display regions are formed. Objects representing data records from the basic set are displayed in a first display region and the subset of objects designated or to be designated is assigned to a second display region. A subset is designated by highlighting at least one object in the first display region, moving the highlighted at least one object into the second display region and cancelling the highlighting. This allows a highly intuitive designation of a subset of datasets from a basic set. The designation method can be used particularly for generating playback lists of MP3 files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Michael Mischke, Manuel Joachim, Michael Wittkämper, Günter Horna
  • Publication number: 20190393518
    Abstract: A bipolar plate seal assembly for a fuel cell is provided. The bipolar plate seal assembly includes: a bipolar plate having a flow field for a reactant medium on at least one of its main sides, and a supply area arranged adjacent to the flow field, in which supply ports for feeding and discharging the reactant medium and optionally for feeding and discharging a coolant are arranged; and at least one seal assembly having an electrically insulating layer covering at least one or more sections of the supply area of the bipolar plate and having recesses that correspond to the supply ports of the bipolar plate, and for each recess, a seal circumferential thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicants: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventors: Peter BACH, Andrew DESOUZA, Ian STEWART
  • Patent number: 10516178
    Abstract: A fuel cell system (1) in which a water separator (110) for separating liquid water from an exhaust gas (6, 4) of a fuel cell (10) of the fuel cell system (1) is fluid-mechanically coupled into an exhaust gas path (32, 22) of the fuel cell system. A water recirculator (120) is fluid-mechanically coupled into the fuel cell system (1), with the aid of which at least a portion of the water of the water separator (110) is once again providable to the fuel cell (10). Moreover, a method for recirculating water in a fuel cell system (1), in which liquid water of a fuel cell supply (30, 20) of the fuel cell system (1) is withdrawn at a removal site at/in the fuel cell supply (30, 20). The water upstream from the removal site is provided to the same fuel cell supply (30, 20) and/or to some other fuel cell supply (20, 30) of the fuel cell system (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventors: Christian Lucas, Rune Staeck
  • Patent number: 10511439
    Abstract: A method for implementing an encrypted client-server communication, wherein the server includes an entry point, service systems behind the entry point, and a secure system. The method includes incorporating common cryptographic material into the client and into the secure system, deriving key material from the common cryptographic material in the client for an encrypted communication between the client and a service system, deriving key material from the common cryptographic material in the secure system for an encrypted communication between the client and a service system, and transferring the key material into the service system or retaining the key material in the secure system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Alexander Tschache, Timo Winkelvos
  • Patent number: 10503747
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a user interface is provided, in which a first user input is detected, and a confidence analysis is carried out. Different kinds of system responses are generated depending on the result of the confidence analysis, wherein a first kind of system response comprises a system output which requires a second user input, and a second kind of system response comprises the automatic selection of a database entry. A third kind of system response comprises the first and second features, wherein the third kind of system response automatically changes into the first or second kind of system response after the expiry of a period of time. In this case, one of the two first kinds can be set as a standard or “default,” into which the automatic change then takes place after expiry of the period of time without further user interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Peter Oel, Moritz Neugebauer, Michael Mischke, Christoph Waeller, Lorenz Bohrer, Jens Ehrke, Gordon Seitz, Stefan Schulz, Imke Gaus, Oliver Meyer
  • Patent number: 10497947
    Abstract: A seal (34) for a fuel cell (10), which includes multiple bipolar plates (13) and at least one membrane electrode assembly (12), the seal (34) having a seal body (40) surrounding a free inner chamber (42) is provided. It is provided that at least two flow barriers (46) pointing into the inner chamber (42) are formed as a single piece with the seal body (40), the flow barriers (46) being situated at a distance from the seal body (40) by at least one connecting element (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignees: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG
    Inventors: Ian Stewart, Darcy McGowan