Patents by Inventor Christoph Hirner

Christoph Hirner 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: 11568685
    Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for calibrating a handheld device used for controlling a partially autonomous vehicle. An example method to calibrate the handheld device may include entering a remote-control command into the handheld device for controlling a first action performed by the partially autonomous vehicle. A time-delay associated with one or more operations executed in the handheld device in response to entering the remote-control command are then measured. The time-delay is conveyed to a cloud computing device, which evaluates the time-delay and returns a diagnostic result to the handheld device. Evaluation of the time-delay by the cloud computing device may be carried out by comparing the time-delay in the handheld device to time-delay values obtained via crowdsourcing from other handheld devices. The diagnostic result provided by the cloud computing device may be used by the handheld device for calibration purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Armin Mueller-Lerwe, Yuliya Aksyutina, Christoph Hirner, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Publication number: 20220044501
    Abstract: The disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods for calibrating a handheld device used for controlling a partially autonomous vehicle. An example method to calibrate the handheld device may include entering a remote-control command into the handheld device for controlling a first action performed by the partially autonomous vehicle. A time-delay associated with one or more operations executed in the handheld device in response to entering the remote-control command are then measured. The time-delay is conveyed to a cloud computing device, which evaluates the time-delay and returns a diagnostic result to the handheld device. Evaluation of the time-delay by the cloud computing device may be carried out by comparing the time-delay in the handheld device to time-delay values obtained via crowdsourcing from other handheld devices. The diagnostic result provided by the cloud computing device may be used by the handheld device for calibration purposes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Erick Michael Lavoie, Armin Mueller-Lerwe, Yuliya Aksyutina, Christoph Hirner, John Robert Van Wiemeersch
  • Patent number: 11195344
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring of communication for vehicle remote motive control. An example vehicle includes an autonomy unit for remote motive control, a communication module, and a controller. The controller is to send a diagnostic signal to and receive a return signal from a mobile device via the communication module, determine a time period between sending of the diagnostic signal and receipt of the return signal, and prevent the autonomy unit from causing vehicle movement responsive to determining the time period is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Armin Mueller-Lerwe, Gabrielle Jost, Yuliya Aksyutina, Ali Hassani, Erick Michael Lavoie, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Vivekanandh Elangovan, Christoph Hirner, Hamid M. Golgiri
  • Publication number: 20200294325
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring of communication for vehicle remote motive control. An example vehicle includes an autonomy unit for remote motive control, a communication module, and a controller. The controller is to send a diagnostic signal to and receive a return signal from a mobile device via the communication module, determine a time period between sending of the diagnostic signal and receipt of the return signal, and prevent the autonomy unit from causing vehicle movement responsive to determining the time period is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Armin Mueller-Lerwe, Gabrielle Jost, Yuliya Aksyutina, Ali Hassani, Erick Michael Lavoie, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Vivekanandh Elangovan, Christoph Hirner, Hamid M. Golgiri