Patents by Inventor Christian Horngacher

Christian Horngacher 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).

  • Publication number: 20230397530
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating an autonomous mobile green area maintenance robot. The green area maintenance robot has a maintenance tool, wherein a maintenance height of the maintenance tool is adjustable. The method monitors whether a criterion for being stuck is satisfied, wherein the criterion for being stuck is characteristic of a contact part of the maintenance tool of the green area maintenance robot being stuck, and increases the maintenance height if the criterion for being stuck is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Philip WOLF, Markus GASSNER, Alexander RIEGER, Christian HORNGACHER, Peter RITZER, Michael REITTER, Alexander BIECHL, Samuel ZOETTL
  • Patent number: 11579620
    Abstract: A method docks an autonomous mobile green area maintenance robot to a docking station. An electrical conductor arrangement runs in the region of the docking station, wherein the conductor arrangement is designed such that a periodic current flows through the conductor arrangement, wherein the current generates a periodic magnetic field. The green area maintenance robot has two magnetic field sensors, wherein the two magnetic field sensors are designed such that the magnetic field respectively causes a periodic sensor signal in the magnetic field sensors. The method has the steps of: determining a phase shift between the two sensor signals or signals based on the sensor signals, and controlling movement of the green area maintenance robot for docking on the basis of the determined phase shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Peter Ritzer, Samuel Zoettl, Christian Horngacher
  • Patent number: 11140815
    Abstract: A system (S) has at least a first and a second self-driving ground working device for combined working of a predetermined operating region (A). An individual ground working device travels autonomously along a random path inside the operating region. The system has at least one base station for communication with the ground working devices. For a method for setting up and operating the system, provision is made that information relating to an operating variable (B) stored in one ground working device is transmitted to further ground working devices, that a ground working device travels autonomously along a random path (W) inside the operating region, independently of another ground working device, by using the operating variable, and that during the operation of the system of ground working devices the behavior of an individual ground working device is adapted as a function of changes in the operating variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Sebastian Matt, Samuel Zoettl, Christian Horngacher
  • Publication number: 20200393844
    Abstract: A method docks an autonomous mobile green area maintenance robot to a docking station. An electrical conductor arrangement runs in the region of the docking station, wherein the conductor arrangement is designed such that a periodic current flows through the conductor arrangement, wherein the current generates a periodic magnetic field. The green area maintenance robot has two magnetic field sensors, wherein the two magnetic field sensors are designed such that the magnetic field respectively causes a periodic sensor signal in the magnetic field sensors. The method has the steps of: determining a phase shift between the two sensor signals or signals based on the sensor signals, and controlling movement of the green area maintenance robot for docking on the basis of the determined phase shift.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Peter RITZER, Samuel ZOETTL, Christian HORNGACHER
  • Publication number: 20180303028
    Abstract: A system (S) has at least a first and a second self-driving ground working device for combined working of a predetermined operating region (A). An individual ground working device travels autonomously along a random path inside the operating region. The system has at least one base station for communication with the ground working devices. For a method for setting up and operating the system, provision is made that information relating to an operating variable (B) stored in one ground working device is transmitted to further ground working devices, that a ground working device travels autonomously along a random path (W) inside the operating region, independently of another ground working device, by using the operating variable, and that during the operation of the system of ground working devices the behavior of an individual ground working device is adapted as a function of changes in the operating variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Sebastian Matt, Samuel Zoettl, Christian Horngacher