Patents by Inventor Axel Nix
Axel Nix 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).
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Patent number: 9126525Abstract: An alert system for a vehicle includes a video display, an interior visual alert device disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly, a driver side visual alert device disposed at a driver side exterior rearview mirror assembly and a passenger side visual alert device disposed at a passenger side exterior rearview mirror assembly. A control is operable to activate at least one of the alert devices in response to a detection of an object rearward of the vehicle. The alert devices are viewable by the driver of the vehicle when activated and are operable to guide or prompt the driver to check the images captured by a rearward facing camera and displayed in the vehicle cabin by the video display so that the driver can verify the nature and type of a potential hazard rearward of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, Axel Nix
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Patent number: 9117123Abstract: A vehicular display system having a camera for producing a video signal and a display device for displaying the video signal. The display device includes an integrity check to detect a defective video signal and alert the driver if a defective video signal has been detected.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2011Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventor: Axel Nix
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Publication number: 20150172527Abstract: An imaging system of a vehicle includes a tail lamp assembly that illuminates a field of illumination rearward of the vehicle. A light source control operates at least one light source of the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes (i) a first illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level and (ii) a second illumination period wherein light emitted by the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level. A camera is operable to capture image data representative of a region that is at least in part encompassed by the field of illumination. A camera control may operate the camera to capture image data during at least part of the first illumination period and to not capture image data during at least part of the second illumination period.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2015Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: Clarence P. McElroy, Yuesheng Lu, Axel Nix
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Publication number: 20150138363Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a plurality of cameras mounted at a vehicle, with each camera including a respective image sensor and having a respective field of view exterior of the vehicle. The system includes a control and a video output for transmitting a stream of video captured by an image sensor of a camera of the plurality of cameras, and a serial data interface permitting a microcontroller of the control to communicate with at least one electronic device of the vehicle. A switch is openable by the microcontroller to deactivate the video output and closable by the microcontroller to activate the video output. The microcontroller complies with messages received via a serial data bus. The control sends instructions to a camera of the plurality of cameras via the serial data bus and the control receives messages from an electronic device of the vehicle via the serial data bus.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2015Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: Axel Nix, Yuesheng Lu
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Patent number: 9036026Abstract: A vehicular scalable integrated control system includes a plurality of cameras, a vehicular scalable integrated control unit, and a display screen for displaying video information to a driver of the vehicle. Visual image data captured by the cameras is processed by an image processor to detect objects in the fields of view of the cameras. The control unit determines a current geographical location of the vehicle and accommodates downloading of applications, which may include a tour guide application, with the tour guide application providing information associated with various geographical locations of a selected tour area. The control unit, responsive to a determination that the current geographical location of the vehicle is at a location identified in the tour guide application for the selected tour area, controls the display screen to display information associated with the identified location of the tour guide application and the current geographical location of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2010Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICSInventors: Nikolaus Dellantoni, Bernhard Schinkowitsch, André Schoenekaes, Axel Nix, Niall R. Lynam
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Patent number: 8964032Abstract: In a first aspect, the invention is directed to an illumination system for rearward illumination for a first vehicle. The illumination system includes a tail lamp assembly, a sensor and a controller for controlling the operation of the tail lamp assembly. If the controller determines that there are any oncoming second vehicles behind the first vehicle that are sufficiently close to the first vehicle, then the controller operates the tail lamp assembly in one mode. If the controller determines that there are no oncoming second vehicles behind the first vehicle that are sufficiently close to the first vehicle, then the controller permits the operation of the tail lamp assembly in another mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2010Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.Inventors: Clarence Patrick McElroy, Yuesheng Lu, Axel Nix
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Patent number: 8941480Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera including an image sensor, a control including a microcontroller, and a serial data interface. The camera has a field of view exterior of a vehicle. A video output is configured for transmitting a stream of video captured by the image sensor. The microcontroller is operatively connected to the image sensor. The serial data interface permits the microcontroller to communicate with at least one electronic device in the vehicle. A resistor having a selected impedance is connected in series with a switch. The resistor and the switch connect a video plus electrical conduit and a video minus electrical conduit. The switch is openable by the microcontroller to deactivate the video output into a high impedance state and is closable to activate the video output. The microcontroller is configured to comply with selected messages received through the serial data interface by opening the switch.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2013Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.Inventors: Axel Nix, Yuesheng Lu
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Patent number: 8704651Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are provided for controlling equipment operable by a plurality of operators. A control state evaluation device is configured to evaluate a control state of an equipment control. A signal detection device is configured to detect if a signal associated with an operator of the equipment control is present. A process controller is configured to activate a first equipment function if the signal from the equipment control is present, and is configured to activate a second equipment function if the signal is not present.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2007Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Hella KGAA Hueck & Co.Inventors: Axel Nix, Marc Rosenmayr, Brigitte Dorothea Nitsche, Thomas Patrick Harvey
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Publication number: 20140092252Abstract: A method of providing test data for a vehicle may use the test data to verify the performance of a system in the vehicle under different environmental conditions (such as at night, while it is raining, during high glare conditions, during fog and/or the like). The method entails driving a test vehicle through a selected set of environmental conditions. Environment data, such as, for example, images, are captured while driving the test vehicle. The environment data relates to the environment outside the test vehicle. The environment data may be recorded to a memory. Additionally, environmental condition data relating to the environmental conditions outside the vehicle while it is being driven may be recorded to the memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2012Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventor: Axel Nix
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Publication number: 20140049646Abstract: A method of obtaining data relating to a driver assistance system installed on a vehicle, including capturing sensory data (such as images) external to the vehicle via a sensor of the driver assistance system, buffering a first group of vehicle signals and storing a pre-event value for a signal of the first group in a pre-event buffer, and analyzing the sensory data to detect one or more types of probability events. After a probability event is detected, the method includes monitoring a second group of vehicle signals for a post-event time period after the occurrence of the detected probability event, and during the post event time period processing signals of the second group with a predetermined function to generate a post-event signal value, and recording data in a memory, with the recorded data including the type of detected probability event, a pre-event signal value and a post-event signal value.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2013Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventor: Axel Nix
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Publication number: 20130321632Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera including an image sensor, a control including a microcontroller, and a serial data interface. The camera has a field of view exterior of a vehicle. A video output is configured for transmitting a stream of video captured by the image sensor. The microcontroller is operatively connected to the image sensor. The serial data interface permits the microcontroller to communicate with at least one electronic device in the vehicle. A resistor having a selected impedance is connected in series with a switch. The resistor and the switch connect a video plus electrical conduit and a video minus electrical conduit. The switch is openable by the microcontroller to deactivate the video output into a high impedance state and is closable to activate the video output. The microcontroller is configured to comply with selected messages received through the serial data interface by opening the switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INCInventors: Axel Nix, Yuesheng Lu
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Publication number: 20130314503Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a forward facing camera module having a forward facing camera having forward field of view, and includes a rearward facing camera having a rearward field of view. The forward facing camera module includes an image processor, a decoder and an encoder. Image data captured by the rearward facing camera is fed to the decoder and an output of the decoder is fed to the image processor. The image processor is operable to process image data captured by the forward facing camera to at least detect objects in the forward field of view and is operable to process the decoder output to at least detect objects the rearward field of view. An image processor output is fed to the encoder and an encoder output is fed to a display that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Axel Nix, Joern Ihlenburg, Nazar F. Bally, Duane W. Gebauer
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Patent number: 8570374Abstract: In a first embodiment, the invention is directed to a camera for mounting on a vehicle, including a lens member, an imaging element and an image processing board. The image processing board is separated sufficiently from the imaging element so as to impart relatively little heat generated during operation to the imaging element. The imaging element is positioned to receive video input from the lens member. The image processing board is configured to generate image processing board output data that relates to the video input received by the imaging element. The image processing board is positioned in a selected position to release heat along a heat path that is spaced from the imaging element. The camera may further include a vehicle interface board configured to communicate signals relating to the image processing board output data to a vehicle component.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2009Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.Inventors: Laura Betham, Matthew C. Sesti, Neal Jonathan Todd, Brian Dean Brasier, Axel Nix
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Publication number: 20130278769Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera and an image processor. The camera has a forward field of view exterior of the vehicle. The image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. At least one device is operable to detect objects that are present forward of the vehicle and outside of the forward field of view of the camera. The device may include at least one of (i) a sensor, (ii) an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and (iii) an element of a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system. Responsive to detection of the object being indicative of the object about to enter the field of view of the camera, the image processor anticipates the object entering the field of view of the camera and, upon entering of the field of view of the camera by the object, the image processor detects the object.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2013Publication date: October 24, 2013Inventors: Axel Nix, Christopher L. Van Dan Elzen, Carl W. Shonk
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Patent number: 8508350Abstract: In one aspect, a system for providing and displaying video information in a vehicle is provided. The system includes a display device having a video input, a first camera mountable at the rear of the vehicle, the first camera having a first video output, a second camera mountable at the passenger side of the vehicle, the second camera having a second video output, wherein the first video output and the second video output are connected in parallel to the video input of the display device, and a camera control device configured to keep no more than one camera activated at a time.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2009Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.Inventors: Axel Nix, Yuesheng Lu
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Publication number: 20120218412Abstract: A vehicular scalable integrated control system includes a plurality of cameras, a vehicular scalable integrated control unit, and a display screen for displaying video information to a driver of the vehicle. Visual image data captured by the cameras is processed by an image processor to detect objects in the fields of view of the cameras. The control unit determines a current geographical location of the vehicle and accommodates downloading of applications, which may include a tour guide application, with the tour guide application providing information associated with various geographical locations of a selected tour area. The control unit, responsive to a determination that the current geographical location of the vehicle is at a location identified in the tour guide application for the selected tour area, controls the display screen to display information associated with the identified location of the tour guide application and the current geographical location of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2010Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Nikolaus Dellantoni, Bernhard Schinkowitsch, André Schoenekaes, Axel Nix, Niall R. Lynam
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Publication number: 20120062743Abstract: An alert system for a vehicle includes a video display, an interior visual alert device disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly, a driver side visual alert device disposed at a driver side exterior rearview mirror assembly and a passenger side visual alert device disposed at a passenger side exterior rearview mirror assembly. A control is operable to activate at least one of the alert devices in response to a detection of an object rearward of the vehicle. The alert devices are viewable by the driver of the vehicle when activated and are operable to guide or prompt the driver to check the images captured by a rearward facing camera and displayed in the vehicle cabin by the video display so that the driver can verify the nature and type of a potential hazard rearward of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2010Publication date: March 15, 2012Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, Axel Nix
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Publication number: 20120002051Abstract: A vehicular display system having a camera for producing a video signal and a display device for displaying the video signal. The display device includes an integrity check to detect a defective video signal and alert the driver if a defective video signal has been detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2011Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicant: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.Inventor: Axel Nix
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Publication number: 20110224864Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle. A determination is made as to whether the vehicle requires a service. A determination is also made as to whether the vehicle is proximate a location at which the service can be performed. A notification is provided that the vehicle requires the service and is proximate the location.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2010Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: ANDREW W. GELLATLY, AXEL NIX
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Publication number: 20110068911Abstract: In one aspect, a system for providing and displaying video information in a vehicle is provided. The system includes a display device having a video input, a first camera mountable at the rear of the vehicle, the first camera having a first video output, a second camera mountable at the passenger side of the vehicle, the second camera having a second video output, wherein the first video output and the second video output are connected in parallel to the video input of the display device, and a camera control device configured to keep no more than one camera activated at a time.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2009Publication date: March 24, 2011Inventors: Axel Nix, Yuesheng Lu