Patents by Inventor Christian Holz

Christian Holz 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: 11265516
    Abstract: A system consisting of a vehicle which is autarchically mobile in the outdoor area on a property and a surveillance module which can be attached to the vehicle, wherein the surveillance module has surveillance sensors for carrying out surveillance of the property. The surveillance module can be replaced with a work module. Plant care activities can be performed with the work module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Hackert, Martin Helmich, Lorenz Hillen, Christian Holz, Gerhard Isenberg, Hendrik Koetz, Andrej Mosebach, Roman Ortmann, Robin Dulinski
  • Patent number: 11226685
    Abstract: The present concepts relate to haptic controllers. In one example the haptic controller can include first and second capstans rotationally secured to a base and an energy storage mechanism connected between the first and second capstans. The example haptic controller can also include a user engagement assembly secured to the first capstan and a controller configured to control rotational forces imparted on the user engagement assembly by controlling rotational friction experienced by the first and second capstans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Jack Sinclair, Mar Gonzalez Franco, Christian Holz, Eyal Ofek
  • Publication number: 20210240264
    Abstract: A computer device is provided is includes a display device, and a sensor system configured to be mounted adjacent to a user's head and to measure an electrical potential near one or more electrodes of the sensor system. The computer device further includes a processor configured to present a periodic motion-based visual stimulus having a changing motion that is frequency-modulated for a target frequency or code-modulated for a target code, detect changes in the electrical potential via the one or more electrodes, identify a corresponding visual evoked potential feature in the detected changes in electrical potential that corresponds to the periodic motion-based visual stimulus, and recognize a user input to the computing device based on identifying the corresponding visual evoked potential feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew D. WILSON, Hakim SI MOHAMMED, Christian HOLZ, Adrian Kuo Ching LEE, Ivan Jelev TASHEV, Hannes GAMPER, Edward Bryan CUTRELL, David Emerson JOHNSTON, Dimitra EMMANOUILIDOU, Mihai R. JALOBEANU
  • Publication number: 20210241536
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided herein for tracking a user's physical environment, to facilitate on-the-fly blending of a virtual environment with detected aspects of the physical environment. Embodiments can be employed to facilitate virtual roaming by compositing virtual representations of detected physical objects into virtual environments. A computing device coupled to a HMD can select portions of a depth map generated based on the user's physical environment, to generate virtual objects that correspond to the selected portions. The computing device can composite the generated virtual objects into an existing virtual environment, such that the user can traverse the virtual environment while remaining aware of their physical environment. Among other things, the computing device can employ various blending techniques for compositing, and further provide image pass-through techniques for selective viewing of the physical environment while remaining fully-immersed in virtual reality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew D. WILSON, Christian HOLZ, Eyal OFEK, Jeremy HARTMANN
  • Patent number: 11055891
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for providing real-time motion styling in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and/or mixed reality (MR) environments. In aspects, input data corresponding to user interaction with a VR, an AR, or an MR environment may be received. The input data may be featurized to generate a feature set. The feature set may be compared to a set of stored motion data comprising motion capture data representing one or more motion styles for executing an action or activity. Based on the comparison, the feature set may be matched to feature data for one or more motions styles in the stored motion data. The one or more motions styles may then be executed by a virtual avatar or a virtual object in the VR/AR/MR environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Eyal Ofek, Mar Gonzalez Franco, Andrew D. Wilson, Karan Ahuja, Christian Holz
  • Patent number: 11050944
    Abstract: An imaging system comprises an optical sensor array with a plurality of sensor elements, an objective lens, an active polarization filter, and associated logic. The objective lens is configured to direct light from a field of view onto the plurality of sensor elements. Switchable electronically between first and second operational states, the active polarization filter is positioned to filter the light en route to the optical sensor array. The active polarization filter provides unequal relative attenuance, in the first versus the second operational state, of nonparallel polarization components of the light. The logic is configured to switch the active polarization filter from the first operational state to the second operational state, and to compare a light-intensity response of the plurality of sensor elements in the first operational state to the light-intensity response of the plurality of sensor elements in the second operational state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ishan Chatterjee, Christian Holz
  • Patent number: 11040585
    Abstract: A trailer coupling comprises a cross member unit, which is mountable on a tail region of a body, and a bearing unit held by the cross member unit. A ball neck with a coupling ball is held on the cross member unit by the bearing unit. The cross member unit is connected in its two outer, mutually opposed end regions to mounting elements for fixation to the tail region. The cross member unit has an upper supporting structure and a lower supporting structure. The supporting structures are each connected at their mutually opposed outer end regions to the mounting elements and in a central region carry the bearing unit. One of the supporting structures is primarily torsionally rigid and at least partially surrounds a structure interior, and that the other of the supporting structures is primarily tensile stiff in the direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: ACPS Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Holz
  • Patent number: 11004269
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided herein for tracking a user's physical environment, to facilitate on-the-fly blending of a virtual environment with detected aspects of the physical environment. Embodiments can be employed to facilitate virtual roaming by compositing virtual representations of detected physical objects into virtual environments. A computing device coupled to a HMD can select portions of a depth map generated based on the user's physical environment, to generate virtual objects that correspond to the selected portions. The computing device can composite the generated virtual objects into an existing virtual environment, such that the user can traverse the virtual environment while remaining aware of their physical environment. Among other things, the computing device can employ various blending techniques for compositing, and further provide image pass-through techniques for selective viewing of the physical environment while remaining fully-immersed in virtual reality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew D. Wilson, Christian Holz, Eyal Ofek, Jeremy Hartmann
  • Patent number: 10976816
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided herein for modifying a virtual scene based on eye-tracking. A computing device coupled to a HMD can provide a virtual scene for display on the HMD. The computing device can receive sensor data from a set of eye-tracking sensors coupled to the HMD. Based on the received sensor data, the computing device can determine a set of focal regions of the displayed virtual scene, including a perifoveal region of the displayed virtual scene. A portion of the virtual scene can then be modified based, in part, on a determination that the portion is outside of the determined perifoveal region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew D. Wilson, Sebastian Lennard Marwecki, Eyal Ofek, Christian Holz
  • Publication number: 20210100459
    Abstract: A sensor device is described herein. The sensor device includes a multi-dimensional optical sensor and processing circuitry, wherein the multi-dimensional optical sensor generates images and the processing circuitry is configured to output data that is indicative of hemodynamics of a user based upon the images. The sensor device is non-invasive, and is able to be incorporated into wearable devices, thereby allowing for continuous output of the data that is indicative of the hemodynamics of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Christian HOLZ, Eyal OFEK, Michael J. SINCLAIR
  • Patent number: 10955977
    Abstract: An extender object for use with a multi-modal sensing surface comprises at least two antenna coils. A first antenna coil in the object is electrically connected to a second antenna coil in the object and the two antenna coils may be spatially separated. At least one of the first and second antenna coils comprises a plurality of radial elements extending in and/or out from the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Greg Saul, Nicolas Villar, Daniel Cletheroe, Christian Holz, Haiyan Zhang
  • Patent number: 10953985
    Abstract: A sensor module is assigned to a vehicle that can be displaced in a terrain or designed for being positioned in the terrain. The sensor module has a sensor system with sensors that acquire sensor data in a contactless fashion. The sensors are designed for detecting the spatial extent of the plant at a location in the terrain. The sensor data makes it possible to determine whether the plant should be pruned. To this end, the sensor data is evaluated by utilizing a knowledge database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Hackert, Martin Helmich, Lorenz Hillen, Christian Holz, Gerhard Isenberg, Hendrik Koetz, Andrej Mosebach, Roman Ortmann, Robin Dulinski
  • Patent number: 10924645
    Abstract: An imaging system comprises one or more optical sensor arrays with separate first and second sensor elements, an objective lens system, a polarization filter system, and associated logic. The objective lens system is configured to direct light received at a given angle onto the first sensor element and onto the second sensor element. The polarization filter system includes a first polarizer portion positioned to filter the light en route to the first sensor element and a second polarizer portion positioned to filter the light en route to the second sensor element, the first and second polarizer portions providing unequal relative attenuance of nonparallel polarization components of the light received at the given angle. The logic is configured to compare intensity of the light directed onto the first sensor element relative to the light directed onto the second sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ishan Chatterjee, Christian Holz
  • Patent number: 10883838
    Abstract: A system has at least two self-traveling floor treatment apparatuses, wherein each of the floor treatment apparatuses features a navigation and self-localization device that is designed for generating an environment map based on environment data of the environment of the floor treatment apparatus, which is recorded by means of a detection device. In order to realize an advantageous cooperation between the floor treatment apparatuses, it is proposed that a common memory unit for storing environment maps and a computing unit are assigned to the floor treatment apparatuses, wherein the computing unit is designed for comparing an environment map of a first floor treatment apparatus with an environment map of a second floor treatment apparatus and/or with an environment map stored in the common memory unit and for specifying which of the environment maps is stored in the common memory unit and/or in a local memory of a floor treatment apparatus based on a defined selection criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Hackert, Martin Helmich, Lorenz Hillen, Christian Holz, Gerhard Isenberg, Hendrik Koetz, Andrej Mosebach, Roman Ortmann, Robin Dulinski
  • Patent number: 10885710
    Abstract: In various embodiments, computerized methods and systems for dynamically updating a fully-immersive virtual environment based on tracked physical environment data. A computing device coupled to a HMD receives sensor data from a variety of sensors. The computing device can generate a virtual scene based on the received sensor data, whereby the virtual scene includes at least a portion of a virtual path that corresponds to at least a portion of a navigable path determined based on the received sensor data. The computing device can modify the virtual scene include a virtual obstruction that corresponds to a physical object detected based on additional sensor data received from the sensors. The modified virtual scene is presented to the user for display, so that the user can safely traverse the physical environment while staying fully-immersed in the virtual environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Holz, Eyal Ofek, Andrew D. Wilson, Lung-Pan Cheng, Junrui Yang
  • Publication number: 20200409455
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided herein for modifying a virtual scene based on eye-tracking. A computing device coupled to a HMD can provide a virtual scene for display on the HMD. The computing device can receive sensor data from a set of eye-tracking sensors coupled to the HMD. Based on the received sensor data, the computing device can determine a set of focal regions of the displayed virtual scene, including a perifoveal region of the displayed virtual scene. A portion of the virtual scene can then be modified based, in part, on a determination that the portion is outside of the determined perifoveal region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Andrew D. WILSON, Sebastian Lennard MARWECKI, Eyal OFEK, Christian HOLZ
  • Patent number: 10874305
    Abstract: A sensor device is described herein. The sensor device includes a multi-dimensional optical sensor and processing circuitry, wherein the multi-dimensional optical sensor generates images and the processing circuitry is configured to output data that is indicative of hemodynamics of a user based upon the images. The sensor device is non-invasive, and is able to be incorporated into wearable devices, thereby allowing for continuous output of the data that is indicative of the hemodynamics of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Holz, Eyal Ofek, Michael J. Sinclair
  • Patent number: 10878217
    Abstract: Techniques for communicating particular information from a user to a touch screen device by way of a touch event is provided. Sensors that are operatively coupled to a sensing device sense an input from the user which conveys particular information. This input is then converted by the sensing device into another signal called the sensing device signal which is then transmitted from the sensing device to the user's skin. Then a second set of sensors that are operatively coupled to a touch device receive a user-touch signal that is transmitted from the user's body. The user-touch signal is based, at least in part on the sensing device signal. The touch device then decodes the user-touch signal to determine the location of the touch event on the touch device and sensing device signal embedded in the user-touch signal to extract the particular information related to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Verizon Media Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Holz, Cheng Xu
  • Publication number: 20200393904
    Abstract: The present concepts relate to haptic controllers. In one example the haptic controller can include first and second capstans rotationally secured to a base and an energy storage mechanism connected between the first and second capstans. The example haptic controller can also include a user engagement assembly secured to the first capstan and a controller configured to control rotational forces imparted on the user engagement assembly by controlling rotational friction experienced by the first and second capstans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Jack SINCLAIR, Mar GONZALEZ FRANCO, Christian HOLZ, Eyal OFEK
  • Patent number: 10867149
    Abstract: Techniques for communicating particular information from a user, using a sensing device, to a touch device by way of a touch event is provided. Sensors that are operatively coupled to a sensing device sense an input from the user which conveys particular information. This input is then converted by the sensing device into another signal that is then transmitted from the sensing device to the touch device. When the user uses the sensing device to interact with the touch device, the interaction causes a touch event on the touch device. A touch event occurs when the sensors within the touch device receive a touch-signal from the sensing device. The touch-signal is based, at least in part, on detected biometric information of the user. The touch device then decodes the touch-signal to both (a) determine the location of the touch event on the touch device and (b) obtain the sensing device signal embedded in the touch signal to extract the particular information related to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Verizon Media Inc.
    Inventor: Christian Holz