Patents by Inventor Franz-Josef Hoffmann

Franz-Josef Hoffmann 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).

  • Method for dynamically detecting the fill level of a container, container therefor, and system for dynamically monitoring the fill level of a plurality of containers
    Patent number: 9019367
    Abstract: The application pertains to detecting the fill level of a container for transporting and/or storing objects. This is achieved by determining an estimate of the number of objects in the container with the aid of a value of the container volume occupied by the objects or the already emptied container volume, on the basis of an average object volume of one or of a predetermined number of the objects, as long as the container bottom is covered by objects situated in the container. When a predetermined portion of the container bottom is visible, the objects in the container are counted, by identifying the individual objects on the container bottom. In addition, a container that is particularly suitable for the proposed methods and a system with a plurality of such containers are proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Wuerth Elektronik ICS GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Hoffmann, Albrecht Faber
  • CONTAINER WITH DETECTION DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A STATUS OF THE CONTAINER AND MONITORING SYSTEM FOR DYNAMIC STATUS MONITORING WITH AT LEAST ONE SUCH CONTAINER
    Publication number: 20130335557
    Abstract: A container for the transport and/or the storage of objects is described. A container of this type features a detection device for determining information on the occupancy status and/or the filling status of the container. The detection device is capable of detecting different light intensities in the region of the inner container wall and of generating corresponding sensor signals. Furthermore, an interface is provided for producing a connection with a signal processing unit, in which image information on the filling status and/or occupancy status of the container can be generated based on the sensor signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Wurth Elektronik ICS GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Albrecht Faber, Franz-Josef Hoffmann, KIaus Wittig
  • METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY DETECTING THE FILL LEVEL OF A CONTAINER, CONTAINER THEREFOR, AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY MONITORING THE FILL LEVEL OF A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS
    Publication number: 20120314059
    Abstract: The application pertains to detecting the fill level of a container for transporting and/or storing objects. This is achieved by determining an estimate of the number of objects in the container with the aid of a value of the container volume occupied by the objects or the already emptied container volume, on the basis of an average object volume of one or of a predetermined number of the objects, as long as the container bottom is covered by objects situated in the container. When a predetermined portion of the container bottom is visible, the objects in the container are counted, by identifying the individual objects on the container bottom. In addition, a container that is particularly suitable for the proposed methods and a system with a plurality of such containers are proposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Hoffmann, Albrecht Faber