Patents by Inventor Christian Walls

Christian Walls 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: 12208683
    Abstract: A display device includes a flexible screen device and a pivot mechanism. The flexible screen device is movable between a stowed position, in which the flexible screen device is bent along a circular arc and stowed in a housing, and a use position, in which the flexible screen device protrudes at least partially from the housing. The pivot mechanism is configured to move the flexible screen device between the stowed position and the use position, and includes a motor and a pivot arm. The pivot arm is rotatably mounted on a foot region of the flexible screen device so as to be pivotable about an axis of rotation. The pivot arm is configured to receive a torque from the motor to move the foot region along the circular arc. The flexible screen device is thereby alternately pushed into the use position and pulled into the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christian Wall
  • Patent number: 12198218
    Abstract: A method for coordinating an identification of a defect in the surface coating of a workpiece and processing same via grinding and/or polishing using at least one grinding or polishing tool that is moveable over the defect in an automatic and computer-controlled manner based a stored program is provided. The surface coating of the workpiece is automatically optically scanned and the scanned position data is detected in a database. The defect is identified by comparing the detected position data with stored target data of the workpiece. Possible movements of the grinding or polishing tool are simulated to process the defect. The setting data for the grinding or polishing tool determined in the simulation is forwarded to a master computer. The determined processing data for processing the defect is transferred to the grinding or polishing tool. The defect is processed using the grinding or polishing tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Rud. Starcke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Unnerstall, Christian Wall
  • Patent number: 12193177
    Abstract: In an example, a display device may include a flexible display surface element disposed in a housing of the display device; and an adjustable carrier element having a flexible portion and a rigid portion. The flexible portion of the carrier element faces the interior of the housing, the rigid portion is in form of a linear guide and is directed toward external surroundings of the housing, and the flexible portion has at least one guide element. The display device may include a guide apparatus having a supporting surface positioned along the adjustment plane, which guide apparatus may include at least one rail element running along the adjustment axis, which rail element is directed such that the at least one guide element is guided along the adjustment axis in the rail element as the carrier element is adjusted; and an adjustment apparatus configured to control a change between a storing position and a roll-out position of the display surface element by moving the carrier element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christian Wall
  • Patent number: 12172260
    Abstract: A method for removing a flaw on a treated, finally painted surface by grinding involves, after the flaw has been detected, moving a flexible abrasive sheet to the surface and pressing it against the flaw to be machined in such a way that the flaw is detected by a sensor system, which is operatively connected to a robotic arm carrying the grinding plate. The abrasive sheet, which is designed as an abrasive belt, is fed to the grinding plate and the abrasive sheet being pressed against the flaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Rud. Starcke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Unnerstall, Christian Wall, Christian Burstein, Stephan Kampmeyer, Diethard Sinram, Peter Alfer
  • Publication number: 20240359557
    Abstract: A display system includes a display apparatus with a screen carrier to which a flexible screen film is fastened, and a housing with a housing interior space for at least partially receiving the display apparatus. The display apparatus can be moved through a housing opening between use positions. The screen carrier includes, in a first carrier portion, a first inherent rigidity so that the first carrier portion is bendable and/or foldable. Guide rails fixed with respect to the housing and of curved shape in the housing interior space define a curved movement path for the screen carrier. The carrier portion has guide elements mounted to be movable along the guide rails. A respective guide element is in form-fitting engagement with its respective guide rail transversely with respect to the movement path, such that, during a movement along the movement path, the display apparatus is retained on the guide rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christian WALL, Johannes HEROLD, Jens SCHIRMER
  • Publication number: 20240365487
    Abstract: The examples may relate to a method for displaying display content on an extendable screen and to a display device for a motor vehicle. The display device may include at least a first and a second screen, configured to present respective display contents. The extendable screen may be arranged in a housing of the display device and configured to able to be shifted by an adjustment device between an extended position, in which the extendable screen is extended out of the housing, and a retracted position, in which the extendable screen is recessed in the housing. The display device may include a control unit configured to activate the adjustment device to shift the extendable screen into the extended position, and to display the display content on the extendable screen, when a user action for moving display content from the second screen onto the first screen is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Jacques HELOT, Christian WALL
  • Patent number: 12115620
    Abstract: A polishing device is held on a robot arm and has a support plate, a polishing disc held on the support plate, a drive moving the support plate in a plane, and a metering device for feeding a polishing agent to the working side of the polishing disc. An application nozzle of the metering device is guided through an open central axis of the support plate, the polishing disc having a central opening for allowing the passage of the polishing agent metered in computer-controlled manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Rud. Starcke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Unnerstall, Christian Wall, Christian Burstein, Stephan Kampmeyer, Diethard Sinram, Peter Alfer
  • Publication number: 20240326593
    Abstract: In an example, a lining arrangement for a back side of a flexible display unit which can be moved between a retracted and an extended state, may include at least two lining parts which are arranged adjustably between the retracted state and the extended state in accordance with the telescopic principle. The at least two rigid lining parts may be in form of at least two rigid lining panels which are arranged in plane-parallel fashion, with each rigid lining panel of the at least two rigid lining panels held together in pairs by an internal bearing arrangement that has guide elements arranged in cutouts in each rigid lining panel of the at least two rigid lining panels, and in this respect are mounted displaceably relative to one another along a displacement path in the plane-parallel fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christian WALL, Johannes HEROLD, Jens SCHIRMER
  • Patent number: 12103391
    Abstract: A base support of a display apparatus has a flexible support at least partially delimited by at least one boundary region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christian Wall
  • Publication number: 20240324124
    Abstract: A display device to display content, comprising a display film to display the content; and a flexible carrier element including a rear side which bears the display film; and a rolling mechanism to allow at least a part of the display film and at least a part of the flexible carrier element to roll about a rolling-up axis so as to form a roll shape. The flexible carrier element is configured as a carrier film on which is configured a support structure that projects perpendicular from the carrier film and extends on a side of the carrier film facing away from the display film. The support structure has a plurality of cells open on one side and delimited on an opposite side by a cell base with cell sides delimited by cell walls projecting perpendicular where a cell wall is shared in pairs to thereby form a honeycomb structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christian WALL, Johannes HEROLD, Jens SCHIRMER
  • Patent number: 12097761
    Abstract: A display device for a vehicle includes a display panel, a control circuitry, and a supporting arrangement. The display panel displays a graphic display object and the control circuitry enables the displaying of the graphic display object, such that the information represented by the graphic display object is displayed based on a predefined physical environment condition. The supporting arrangement supports the display panel which is adjustable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the graphic display object is visually accessible to a user inside the vehicle and in the second position, the graphic display object is visually accessible to at least one person outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Daniel Lottes, Christian Wall, Romain Diboine, Doh Yeon Kim, Seonghwan Kim
  • Patent number: 12083886
    Abstract: A display device may include a flexible display surface element having a display surface, and an adjustment unit which includes a clamping element in form of a rod and arranged such that the rod moves in a first adjustment direction, a restoring element arranged on the clamping element, and a deflection element in form of a rod. A first side edge of the display surface element is arranged on a length of the clamping element. A second side edge of the display surface element opposite the first side edge is connected to the clamping element via the restoring element. A surface of the display surface element is bent and has a bending region. A length of the deflection element extends in same direction as the clamping element, the deflection element extends within the bending region of the bent display surface element and is arranged such that the deflection element moves in a second adjustment direction to change a distance between the deflection element and the clamping element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christian Wall, Michael Herter
  • Patent number: 12050742
    Abstract: An apparatus for a passenger compartment of a vehicle includes a display panel having an external portion and an internal portion. The passenger compartment is delimited by paneling to separate the passenger compartment from a region outside of the passenger compartment. The internal portion of the display panel is in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The external portion of the display panel, separated from the passenger compartment by the paneling, is in the region outside of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The external portion of the display panel is to generate an external display content inside of the region. The apparatus includes a strip in a first opening of the paneling. The strip is to project the external display content of the external portion of the display panel out of the region that is separated from the passenger compartment by the paneling and into the passenger compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christian Wall
  • Publication number: 20240077577
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosed technology provide solutions for improving satellite calibration reflectors and in particular, for improving performance of corner reflectors used for calibrating synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites. A process of the disclosed technology can include steps for constructing a satellite ground reflector comprising coupling a braced foundation to a trihedral reflector, wherein the trihedral reflector comprises a plurality of vertices and coupling two or more survey pins to two or more of the vertices, wherein each of the two or more survey pins are configured to facilitate one or more measurements of the satellite ground reflector. A process of the disclosed technology can also include steps for precise measuring and precise timing by placing GNSS instrumentation at or near the vertices of the satellite ground reflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Christian Walls, William Funderburk
  • Patent number: 11884153
    Abstract: A base unit with a base dent region supports a main display unit having a main display panel. The main display unit is integrated in the base dent region and is rotatable about a base axis between a main loaded position and a main viewing position where the main display panel is visually accessible to a user from a predefined head position. The display device includes an auxiliary display unit which is integrated in a main dent region of the main display unit. The auxiliary display unit includes an auxiliary display panel which is designed to be visually accessible to the user from the predefined head position by rotating the main display unit about the base axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Daniel Lottes, Christian Wall, Romain Diboine, Seonghwan Kim, Doh Yeon Kim
  • Patent number: 11820231
    Abstract: A compartment in a vehicle can be loaded by an object and an operating device having a user interface configured to output at least one output signal on a part of the user interface. The operating device is designed to cover the compartment. The compartment includes a sensing unit configured to detect the presence of the object when at least a part of the object is loaded into the compartment and the operating device includes control circuitry configured to display a digital image of the object on a part of the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Daniel Lottes, Christian Wall, Romain Diboine, Doh Yeon Kim, Seonghwan Kim
  • Publication number: 20230254986
    Abstract: In an example, a display device may include a flexible display surface element disposed in a housing of the display device; and an adjustable carrier element having a flexible portion and a rigid portion. The flexible portion of the carrier element faces the interior of the housing, the rigid portion is in form of a linear guide and is directed toward external surroundings of the housing, and the flexible portion has at least one guide element. The display device may include a guide apparatus having a supporting surface positioned along the adjustment plane, which guide apparatus may include at least one rail element running along the adjustment axis, which rail element is directed such that the at least one guide element is guided along the adjustment axis in the rail element as the carrier element is adjusted; and an adjustment apparatus configured to control a change between a storing position and a roll-out position of the display surface element by moving the carrier element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christian WALL
  • Publication number: 20230214032
    Abstract: An apparatus for a passenger compartment of a vehicle includes a display panel having an external portion and an internal portion. The passenger compartment is delimited by paneling to separate the passenger compartment from a region outside of the passenger compartment. The internal portion of the display panel is in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The external portion of the display panel, separated from the passenger compartment by the paneling, is in the region outside of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The external portion of the display panel is to generate an external display content inside of the region. The apparatus includes a strip in a first opening of the paneling. The strip is to project the external display content of the external portion of the display panel out of the region that is separated from the passenger compartment by the paneling and into the passenger compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christian WALL
  • Publication number: 20230156936
    Abstract: A display device may include a flexible screen element having a screen surface and two frame elements which can be moved relative to one another. A first of the two frame elements is positioned on a first side of the flexible screen element and a second of the two frame elements is positioned on a second side of the flexible screen element opposite the first side. In order to allow improved handling and, as a result, improved useful life of a flexible screen, a resilient stretching element is provided, through which the first side of the screen element is positioned on the first frame element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christian WALL
  • Publication number: 20230095308
    Abstract: A screen device and a stowage volume are provided in a display device. The screen device is mounted so as to be displaceable through an opening of the stowage volume along a predetermined displacement direction between a stowed position and at least one use position, which is different than the stowed position, out of an interior space of the stowage volume and into the interior space of the stowage volume. The display device has a support element which extends away from the interior space of the stowage volume proceeding from the opening along the predetermined displacement direction and is designed to mechanically support the screen device in a state in which it is at least partly pushed out of the stowage volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christian Wall