Patents by Inventor Andreas Schwager

Andreas Schwager 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: 9379923
    Abstract: A method for operating a PLC system including at least one PLC modem device, in which interferences on transmission signals of the PLC system and/or on a transmission spectrum of the PLC system are detected, the interferences are caused by influences of an impedance modulating device connected to a mains used by the PLC system for communication, and, in a case such interferences are detected, frequencies on which the impedance modulating device causes interferences are selected to be notched from power line communication and/or time periods when the impedance modulating device is in a switching mode are selected to be avoided for transmitting PLC signals. A PLC modem device and a PLC system can implement the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Andreas Schwager, Altfried Dilly, Ben Eitel
  • Patent number: 9356708
    Abstract: A communications system includes a receiver unit connected with a transmission channel. The receiver unit determines a signal power of a first communications signal received over the transmission channel. A transmitter unit is connected with the transmission channel and transmits a second communications signal, wherein a gain of the communications signal being output by the transmitter unit is controllable. A control unit controls the gain of the transmitter unit in response to the determined signal power. At the receiver unit, detection of broadcast signal ingress during data communication is improved and methods for avoiding disturbances between coexisting communications systems may become more reliable. Different distances between successive training symbols suitable for channel estimation may be provided to enhance the noise measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andreas Schwager, Gerd Spalink
  • Publication number: 20160105217
    Abstract: A method for transmitting signals over a power line network, wherein within the power line network at least one transmitter and at least one receiver communicate via at least two channels, each channel including a respective feeding port of at least one transmitter and the respective receiving port of the at least one transmitter and transmitter including at least two feeding ports. The method: determines a channel characteristic of each of the channels; applies a feeding port selection criterion based on the channel characteristic; and selects an excluded feeding port among the at least two feeding ports based on the feeding port selection criterion, wherein the excluded feeding port is not used during further communication. A corresponding power line communication modem can implement the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lothar STADELMEIER, Andreas SCHWAGER, Daniel SCHNEIDER
  • Publication number: 20160028515
    Abstract: A device for bit-demultiplexing in a multicarrier MIMO communication system (e.g. precoded spatial multiplexing MIMO communication systems using adaptive OFDM), including a multicarrier MIMO transmitter and a multicarrier MIMO receiver. The multicarrier MIMO transmitter includes a demultiplexer and symbol mapper unit receiving an input bit stream and generating a plurality of symbol streams, each symbol stream being associated with a different transmission channel and including a plurality of data symbols, each data symbol being attributed to a different carrier; one or more multicarrier modulators generating at least two multicarrier modulated signals based on the symbol streams; and at least two transmit ports respectively transmitting the at least two multicarrier modulated signals, wherein a data throughput rate of each transmission channel is separately variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andreas SCHWAGER, Weiyun LU, Lothar STADELMEIER
  • Publication number: 20160006482
    Abstract: A power line communication apparatus includes a mains power connector assembly with three or more first connectors connectable to a mains distribution network. A mains filter provides a filter path between each of its first ports and a corresponding one of second ports, wherein each first port is connected to one of the first connectors. Each second port is connected to one of three or more second connectors of an AC power socket. A power line communication unit is connected with each of the first ports and transmits and/or receives data according to a transmission method using more than one transmission channel between two devices connected via the mains distribution network. The mains filter improves PLC transmission quality by suppressing disturbances generated by the appliances and reduces PLC stray radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Andreas SCHWAGER
  • Publication number: 20160006496
    Abstract: A control unit of a communication device provides multicast precoding information from at least first beamforming information descriptive for a first transmission channel and second beamforming information descriptive for a second transmission channel. A precoder unit beamforms at least one signal using the multicast precoding information to obtain at least two precoded signals. A transmitter circuit which is electrically coupled to the precoder unit multicasts transmission signals through the at least first and a second transmission channels, wherein the transmission signals are derived from the precoded signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel SCHNEIDER, Andreas SCHWAGER
  • Publication number: 20150381235
    Abstract: A transmitter for transmitting data signals to at least one communications device over a wired network on a plurality of carriers is provided, wherein the carriers are located in frequencies being allocated by one or more radio services, wherein each of the radio services is allocated to one or a plurality of frequency bands, the transmitter comprising a symbol generator configured to generate symbols based on the data signals; a processor configured to generate copies of the symbols and to determine an allocation of the copies onto the plurality of carriers, wherein a first copy and a second copy of each symbol are allocated to carriers located in frequency bands that are allocated to different radio services; and a modulator configured to modulate the copies of the symbols on the carriers in accordance with the determined allocation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel SCHNEIDER, Andreas Schwager
  • Patent number: 9225558
    Abstract: A method for receiving a signal, which is transmitted over a pair of wires is measuring a differential mode (DM) signal and is measuring a common mode (DM) signal and using both DM and CM to restore the original signal. A corresponding receiver (1) comprises a CM receiving path (3), a DM receiving path (2) and a digital signal processor (22) to combine CM and DM signals. With this method and receiver (1) the coverage of networks, which are slightly unbalanced, can be enhanced, especially in cases where the CM signal is less attenuated than the DM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SONY Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Schwager, Stephen Tiedemann, Dietmar Schill
  • Publication number: 20150341082
    Abstract: A power line communication modem is provided including a transmitter configured to transmit a power line signal on at least one carrier of a plurality of carriers via a power line to a further power line communication modem; and a processor configured to allocate transmit powers to individual carriers of the plurality of carriers, wherein the sum of the transmit powers of individual carriers located in the first frequency range is below or equal to a first predetermined power maximum value for the first frequency range. A corresponding power line communication system and a power line communication method are provided as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Werner BAESCHLIN, Andreas SCHWAGER
  • Patent number: 9197382
    Abstract: A device for bit-demultiplexing in a multicarrier MIMO communication system (e.g. precoded spatial multiplexing MIMO communication systems using adaptive OFDM), including a multicarrier MIMO transmitter and a multicarrier MIMO receiver. The multicarrier MIMO transmitter includes a demultiplexer and symbol mapper unit receiving an input bit stream and generating a plurality of symbol streams, each symbol stream being associated with a different transmission channel and including a plurality of data symbols, each data symbol being attributed to a different carrier; one or more multicarrier modulators generating at least two multicarrier modulated signals based on the symbol streams; and at least two transmit ports respectively transmitting the at least two multicarrier modulated signals, wherein a data throughput rate of each transmission channel is separately variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andreas Schwager, Weiyun Lu, Lothar Stadelmeier
  • Patent number: 9191068
    Abstract: A method for transmitting signals over a power line network, wherein within the power line network at least one transmitter and at least one receiver communicate via at least two channels, each channel including a respective feeding port of at least one transmitter and the respective receiving port of the at least one transmitter and transmitter including at least two feeding ports. The method: determines a channel characteristic of each of the channels; applies a feeding port selection criterion based on the channel characteristic; and selects an excluded feeding port among the at least two feeding ports based on the feeding port selection criterion, wherein the excluded feeding port is not used during further communication. A corresponding power line communication modem can implement the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lothar Stadelmeier, Andreas Schwager, Daniel Schneider
  • Publication number: 20150326279
    Abstract: A method for operating a device for power line communication includes measuring noise on the power line and detecting noise timing properties. Further, a method for adapting power line communication to detected noise timing properties, which may be asynchronous to the AC mains signal, includes adapting parameters for encoding a data stream and/or transmission parameters according to the detected noise timing properties and/or transmission timing information derived from the detected noise timing properties, encoding a data stream according to the adapted parameters for encoding, and transmitting the encoded data stream to the power line on at least one power line communications channel according to the adapted transmission parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel SCHNEIDER, Andreas SCHWAGER
  • Patent number: 9184963
    Abstract: A transmitting device, a receiving device, and a communication method for transmitting and receiving data modulated on frequency subcarriers of an OFDM communication system. An OFDM burst includes a preamble part and payload data part, whereby the preamble includes a section of pilot symbols mapped onto every n-th frequency subcarrier and signaling data mapped onto the frequency subcarriers between the frequency subcarriers with the pilot symbols. A first channel estimation on the basis of the received pilot symbols is performed, the result of which is used to reconstruct the entire section of the received preamble as a training pattern for an accurate channel estimation, which is used for a channel equalization of the received payload part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SONY DEUTSCHLAND GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Stadelmeier, Markus Zumkeller, Andreas Schwager, Stephen Tiedemann, Gralf Gaedeken
  • Patent number: 9182246
    Abstract: A method for identifying an electrical device connected to a mains grid is provided, the method comprising measuring at least one electrical characteristic on the mains grid with a sensor connected to a socket of the mains grid; comparing the at least one electrical characteristic with a plurality of stored candidate electrical characteristics each corresponding to one of a plurality of candidate electrical devices; and identifying the electrical device based on the stored candidate electrical characteristic that is closest to the at least one electrical characteristic. A corresponding system and a corresponding sensor are provided as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Kemp, Carsten Merkle, Andreas Schwager, Dietmar Schill, Lothar Stadelmeier, Ben Eitel
  • Patent number: 9179210
    Abstract: A headphone cable (150) is connected to a headphone set (190) with one, two or more loudspeakers (191, 192). The headphone cable (150) includes at least a first signal wire (151) and at least one reference line (152, 154). An electronic filter unit (110) performs a filtering, e.g. a common mode filtering, which is effective on at least one of the signal wires and reference lines (151, 153). A differential audio signal between a signal wire and a reference line (152, 154) is passed. Common mode signals except signals within a VHF radio band may be attenuated. The electronic filter unit (110) may be arranged in a connector case (129) of a headphone connector (120) provided at a connector end of the headphone cable (150) or in a pluggable filter assembly (130) provided between the mobile electronic device (200) and the headphone cable (150).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Andreas Schwager
  • Patent number: 9172433
    Abstract: A power line communication apparatus (200) includes a mains power connector assembly (210) with three or more first connectors (211) connectable to a mains distribution network. A mains filter (220) provides a filter path between each of its first ports (221) and a corresponding one of second ports (222), wherein each first port (221) is connected to one of the first connectors (211). Each second port (222) is connected to one of three or more second connectors (282) of an AC power socket (280). A power line communication unit (250) is connected with each of the first ports (221) and transmits and/or receives data according to a transmission method using more than one transmission channel between two devices connected via the mains distribution network. The mains filter (220) improves PLC transmission quality by suppressing disturbances generated by the appliances and reduces PLC stray radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: SONY Corporation
    Inventor: Andreas Schwager
  • Patent number: 9172430
    Abstract: A device comprises a power input for supplying an external AC power to the device via a power cord, a filter for filtering noise from the outside out of the supplied external AC power and for thereby generating a filtered AC power, at least one power socket for supplying the filtered AC power to at least one other device, a PLC modem configured to be connected to the at least one power socket and to transmit data to or receive data from the at least one other device via power line communication using the filtered AC power, and a managing means configured to establish a data connection with the at least one other device and to detect whether the at least one other device is capable of PLC functionality. A respective power line communication system and a respective power line communication method are also proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: SONY Corporation
    Inventors: Ben Eitel, Andreas Schwager
  • Patent number: 9160413
    Abstract: A transmitter for transmitting data signals to at least one communications device over a wired network on a plurality of carriers is provided, wherein the carriers are located in frequencies being allocated by one or more radio services, wherein each of the radio services is allocated to one or a plurality of frequency bands, the transmitter comprising a symbol generator configured to generate symbols based on the data signals; a processor configured to generate copies of the symbols and to determine an allocation of the copies onto the plurality of carriers, wherein a first copy and a second copy of each symbol are allocated to carriers located in frequency bands that are allocated to different radio services; and a modulator configured to modulate the copies of the symbols on the carriers in accordance with the determined allocation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Schneider, Andreas Schwager
  • Patent number: 9154280
    Abstract: In a communications device a grouping unit uses channel state information when mapping data bits to a plurality of different constellation groups. Each constellation group is assigned to another modulation scheme. A plurality of sub-carriers is assigned to none or one of the constellation groups and each modulation uses another one of the constellation groups. The communications device includes at least one scalable interleaver unit, wherein each interleaver unit is assigned to one of the constellation groups and interleaves the assignment of data bits mapped to each constellation group and the sub-carriers that carry a symbol information derived from the data bits. As an example, the interleaver unit performs frequency interleaving by interleaving, at constellation level, the sub-carriers that carry the symbol information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SONY Corporation
    Inventors: Lothar Stadelmeier, Andreas Schwager, Daniel Schneider
  • Publication number: 20150256222
    Abstract: A device for power line communication is provided, including a transmitter adapted to transmit signals on at least two of a plurality of power line transmission paths of a power line network; a sensor adapted to determine one or a plurality of reflection parameters of one of the plurality of power line transmission paths; and a transmission impedance matching unit adapted to match the output impedance of at least two output ports of the device which each couple to one of the plurality of transmission paths to the impedance of the at least two of the power line transmission paths based on the one or the plurality of reflection parameters. Further, a device including a corresponding reception impedance matching unit is provided and corresponding methods for transmitting and receiving signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Andreas Schwager