Patents by Inventor Frank Selbmann

Frank Selbmann 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: 20260211087
    Abstract: Described is a lidar device for a vehicle and a method for operating a lidar device. The lidar device has an optical transmission unit with a transmission light source for transmitting transmission light, an optical receiving unit with an optical receiving sensor, and a controller configured to control the lidar device such that the receiving sensor is ready to receive at a readiness time which depends on internal reflections, where the internal reflections relate to reflections of the transmission light within the lidar device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: July 23, 2026
    Applicant: Valeo Detection Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Parl, Frank Selbmann, Juergen Nies, Jochen Schenk
  • Patent number: 12287433
    Abstract: A method for determining a distance of an object with the aid of an optical detection apparatus and such an apparatus are described. A light signal pulse is emitted and reflected at the object, and is received as an echo light signal pulse. The echo light signal pulse is divided upon reception into temporally successive discrete reception time windows and converted into corresponding electrical energy. The end of the respective conversion is in each case assigned as the sampling time to the corresponding time window. The electrical energies of the time windows are compared in each case with a threshold value. As soon as the electrical energy of a first reference reception time window is greater than the threshold value, a linear interpolation of the temporal profile of the discrete electrical reception signal is carried out temporally before the sampling time of the first reference time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: VALEO SCHALTER UND SENSOREN GMBH
    Inventors: Daniel Stricker-Shaver, Jochen Schenk, Frank Selbmann
  • Patent number: 12123981
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an optoelectronic detection device (12) for monitoring at least one monitoring region (14) with optical monitoring signals (34), and to an optoelectronic detection device (12). In the method, at least one first receive start signal (58a) is sent to at least one first receiver (24a), and at least one second receive start signal (58b) is sent to at least one second receiver (24b). In response to the at least one first receive start signal (58a), a receive process which is carried out with the at least one first receiver (24a) is started and at least one first trigger signal (44a) is generated with the at least one first receiver (24a). In response to the at least one second receive start signal (58b), a receive process which is carried out with the at least one second receiver (24b) is started and at least one second trigger signal (44b) is generated with the at least one second receiver (24b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: VALEO SCHALTER UND SENSOREN GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Michael Kleiser, Jürgen Nies, Frank Selbmann
  • Publication number: 20240345231
    Abstract: A method for operating an optical detection device provided for monitoring at least one monitoring region is disclosed. The method includes actuating at least one light-emitting element to transmit a light signal, receiving at least one reflected light signal using at least two monitoring regions of at least one receiver, and using at least one received light signal to determine at least on receive variable. The eye safety of the detection device is checked by configuring at least one of the receiving regions as a measurement receiving region and at least one of the receiving regions as a test region, generating at least one measurement receive variable that characterizes a quantity of light captured in one measurement time interval, and generating at least one test receive variable that characterizes a quantity of light captured in one test time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Applicant: VALEO SCHALTER UND SENSOREN GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Juergen Nies, Frank Selbmann, Johannes Appl, Heiko Hofmann
  • Patent number: 12055705
    Abstract: A method for controlling a drive apparatus (20) of a micro-oscillation mirror (16), a control device (28) and a deflector mirror apparatus (14) are described. The drive apparatus (20) has at least two comb drives (22a, 22b) which are arranged on different radial sides of a pivoting axis (18) of the micro-oscillation mirror (16). In the method, at least two actuation signals AS1, AS2) are generated, and the at least two comb drives (22a, 22b) are therefore actuated at least temporarily in such a way that they drive the micro-oscillation mirror (16) in an oscillating fashion. At least one elongation signal (P1, P2), which characterizes the elongation (26) of the micro-oscillation mirror (16) is generated using at least one comb drive (22a, 22b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: VALEO SCHALTER UND SENSOREN GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Michael Kleiser, Jürgen Nies, Frank Selbmann, Felix Müller
  • Patent number: 11994587
    Abstract: In an optoelectronic detection device (1) with at least one optical transmitting unit (3) with an electromagnetic pulse generator (4) for emitting electromagnetic emitted pulses (5), and at least one optical receiver for receiving reflected emitted pulses (7) that provides a reception signal, formed depending on the reflected emitted pulse, to an evaluation device (10), wherein the optical receiver (2) is configured to provide a trigger signal (11) for the control of the optical transmitter (3), an improved compensation of the optoelectronic detection device for errors resulting from temperature or ageing should be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: VALEO SCHALTER UND SENSOREN GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Michael Kleiser, Frank Selbmann, Jürgen Nies
  • Publication number: 20240012152
    Abstract: A method for operating a detection device for determining distance variables in which distances characterise objects detected by the detection device is disclosed. From at least one amplitude-modulated electrical send signal at least one scanning signal is generated, which is sent into at least one monitoring region of the detection device. From at least one echo signal of at least one scanning signal reflected in the at least one monitoring region at least one amplitude-modulated electrical receive signal is determined. From at least one electrical send signal and at least one electrical receive signal at least one distance variable is determined. When determining the at least one distance variable at least one adjustment is carried out. A temperature adjustment is carried out in which at least one temperature adjustment variable is applied to at least one distance variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Parl, Jonas Krause, Frank Selbmann
  • Publication number: 20220299611
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an optoelectronic detection device (12) for monitoring at least one monitoring region (14) with optical monitoring signals (34), and to an optoelectronic detection device (12). In the method, at least one first receive start signal (58a) is sent to at least one first receiver (24a), and at least one second receive start signal (58b) is sent to at least one second receiver (24b). In response to the at least one first receive start signal (58a), a receive process which is carried out with the at least one first receiver (24a) is started and at least one first trigger signal (44a) is generated with the at least one first receiver (24a). In response to the at least one second receive start signal (58b), a receive process which is carried out with the at least one second receiver (24b) is started and at least one second trigger signal (44b) is generated with the at least one second receiver (24b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Michael Kleiser, Jürgen Nies, Frank Selbmann
  • Publication number: 20210396858
    Abstract: A method for determining a distance of an object with the aid of an optical detection apparatus and such an apparatus are described. A light signal pulse is emitted and reflected at the object, and is received as an echo light signal pulse. The echo light signal pulse is divided upon reception into temporally successive discrete reception time windows and converted into corresponding electrical energy. The end of the respective conversion is in each case assigned as the sampling time to the corresponding time window. The electrical energies of the time windows are compared in each case with a threshold value. As soon as the electrical energy of a first reference reception time window is greater than the threshold value, a linear interpolation of the temporal profile of the discrete electrical reception signal is carried out temporally before the sampling time of the first reference time window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Stricker-Shaver, Jochen Schenk, Frank Selbmann
  • Publication number: 20210382298
    Abstract: A method for controlling a drive apparatus (20) of a micro-oscillation mirror (16), a control device (28) and a deflector mirror apparatus (14) are described. The drive apparatus (20) has at least two comb drives (22a, 22b) which are arranged on different radial sides of a pivoting axis (18) of the micro-oscillation mirror (16). In the method, at least two actuation signals AS1, AS2) are generated, and the at least two comb drives (22a, 22b) are therefore actuated at least temporarily in such a way that they drive the micro-oscillation mirror (16) in an oscillating fashion. At least one elongation signal (P1, P2), which characterizes the elongation (26) of the micro-oscillation mirror (16) is generated using at least one comb drive (22a, 22b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Michael Kleiser, Jürgen Nies, Frank Selbmann, Felix Müller
  • Publication number: 20200355828
    Abstract: In an optoelectronic detection device (1) with at least one optical transmitting unit (3) with an electromagnetic pulse generator (4) for emitting electromagnetic emitted pulses (5), and at least one optical receiver for receiving reflected emitted pulses (7) that provides a reception signal, formed depending on the reflected emitted pulse, to an evaluation device (10), wherein the optical receiver (2) is configured to provide a trigger signal (11) for the control of the optical transmitter (3), an improved compensation of the optoelectronic detection device for errors resulting from temperature or ageing should be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Michael Kleiser, Frank Selbmann, Jürgen Nies
  • Patent number: 10656273
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an optoelectronic sensor (5) of a motor vehicle (1), in which during a measuring cycle for detecting an object (3), light pulses are emitted using an emitting unit (6) and the light pulses reflected from the object (3) are received using a receiving unit (7), wherein a light source (12) of the emitting unit (6) is activated at determined emission points in time (14) to emit the light pulses and the light pulses are deflected using a deflection unit (13) of the emitting unit (6) within a predetermined angle range (12), wherein the light source (12) is activated in such a way that time intervals between the determined emission points in time (14) differ from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Frank Selbmann
  • Publication number: 20190324146
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an optoelectronic sensor (5) of a motor vehicle (1), in which during a measuring cycle for detecting an object (3), light pulses are emitted using an emitting unit (6) and the light pulses reflected from the object (3) are received using a receiving unit (7), wherein a light source (12) of the emitting unit (6) is activated at determined emission points in time (14) to emit the light pulses and the light pulses are deflected using a deflection unit (13) of the emitting unit (6) within a predetermined angle range (12), wherein the light source (12) is activated in such a way that time intervals between the determined emission points in time (14) differ from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Schenk, Frank Selbmann