Patents by Inventor Heino Wengelnik

Heino Wengelnik 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: 20220229834
    Abstract: A driver information system for a vehicle, having a display device by means of which a graphical user interface can be displayed. The graphical user interface includes links to services, and the services can be displayed on the display device when an associated link is actuated. The driver information system (includes a main search function that is configured to determine, according to a search input, search results both of the graphical user interface and of the services. A method for searching a driver information system of a vehicle is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Martin Feder, Dominic Wäsch
  • Patent number: 11392268
    Abstract: A user interface for accessing a number of functions, a method and a computer-readable storage medium including instructions for providing a user interface for accessing a number of functions. Assigned to a first subset of the functions are menu commands of the user interface, by way of which the functions are called up. No menu commands of the user interface are assigned to a second subset of the functions. Instead, the functions are called up by way of a search function of the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Maria Esther Mejia Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 11351862
    Abstract: An assembly of a graphical user interface in a transportation vehicle with a transportation vehicle seat to which a range is assigned and having a touchscreen arranged in the transportation vehicle relative to the transportation vehicle seat so a first sub-region of the touchscreen is arranged within the range and a second sub-region is arranged outside of the range. The assembly includes a control unit by which a virtual operating surface with an application region and an information region are generated. The virtual operating surface is output on the touchscreen so the application region extends substantially over the first sub-region of the touchscreen and the information region extends substantially over the second sub-region of the touchscreen. During the output process, a first section of the virtual operating surface is displayed on the touchscreen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventors: Maria Esther Mejia Gonzalez, Heino Wengelnik, Indra Lena Koegler, Frank Althoff
  • Patent number: 11091036
    Abstract: In a method for displaying items of information in a transportation device, the items of information are displayed in the form of hierarchical menu structures. A device for displaying items of information includes a control unit and a display unit for the stereoscopic and/or autostereoscopic display of items of information. In the method, the display is implemented stereoscopically, at least two different menus or menu items being displayed to the viewer at different distances. The instrument cluster includes the placement of a mask in front of the display of a display unit, the mask modifying the light emission of the light emitted by the display so as to result in a display of autostereoscopic images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Will Specks, Mathias Kuhn, Rainer Dehmann, Heiner Bartoszewski
  • Patent number: 10755674
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for operating of a touch-sensitive display device of a vehicle. A processor display generates content on the touch-sensitive display device, wherein the content includes assigned elements configured to function in a display mode and an operating mode, depending on a user's presence in at least one of a first position and a second position of the vehicle. A sensing apparatus detects an approach by a user toward the touch-sensitive display device. The processor identifies that the user is in the second position relative to the display device, and, based on the identifying, changes an operating state of the display device to change at least one display mode element of the display content assigned to the second position from display mode to operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Hans Gerd Hoyer, Spiro Trikaliotis, Maria Esther Mejia Gonzalez, Christoph Wojzischke
  • Publication number: 20200098340
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for operating of a touch-sensitive display device of a vehicle. A processor display generates content on the touch-sensitive display device, wherein the content includes assigned elements configured to function in a display mode and an operating mode, depending on a user's presence in at least one of a first position and a second position of the vehicle. A sensing apparatus detects an approach by a user toward the touch-sensitive display device. The processor identifies that the user is in the second position relative to the display device, and, based on the identifying, changes an operating state of the display device to change at least one display mode element of the display content assigned to the second position from display mode to operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Heino WENGELNIK, Hans Gerd HOYER, Spiro TRIKALIOTIS, Maria Esther MEJIA GONZALEZ, Christoph WOJZISCHKE
  • Publication number: 20200055396
    Abstract: An assembly of a graphical user interface in a transportation vehicle with a transportation vehicle seat to which a range is assigned and having a touchscreen arranged in the transportation vehicle relative to the transportation vehicle seat so a first sub-region of the touchscreen is arranged within the range and a second sub-region is arranged outside of the range. The assembly includes a control unit by which a virtual operating surface with an application region and an information region are generated. The virtual operating surface is output on the touchscreen so the application region extends substantially over the first sub-region of the touchscreen and the information region extends substantially over the second sub-region of the touchscreen. During the output process, a first section of the virtual operating surface is displayed on the touchscreen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Maria Esther MEJIA GONZALEZ, Heino WENGELNIK, Indra Lena KOEGLER, Frank ALTHOFF
  • Publication number: 20190381887
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an operating system in which an operating action of a user is detected in a detection region of a detection unit, feedback data are generated using the detected operating action and transmitted to a feedback device, and a haptically-perceptible output signal is output in a transmission region by the feedback device using the feedback data. The transmission region and the detection region are arranged at a distance from each other. The invention furthermore relates to an operating system with a detection unit that has a detection region in which an operating action of a user is detectable, a control unit by means of which feedback data can be generated using the detected operating action, and a feedback device to which the feedback data can be transmitted. In this case, the feedback device has a transmission region in which a haptically-perceptible output signal can be output using the feedback data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heino Wengelnik
  • Patent number: 10261653
    Abstract: A method for making available a user interface, in particular in a vehicle, in which one or more graphic objects are displayed on a display with a touch-sensitive surface, an operator controlled intention which can be assigned to an operator controlled area of the display is determined in a contactless fashion in a space in the viewing direction in front of the display, and an operator controlled action is implemented by touching one of the graphic objects in the operator-controlled area of the display. Three-dimensional graphics data are calculated for a graphic object in the operator-controlled area of the display, and that when the operator-controlled intention has been determined, the graphic object in the operator-controlled area is emphasized visually in that the display of the graphic object which can be perceived over an area in the plane of the display is changed into a display which can be perceived spatially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Mathias Kuhn, Gustav Hofmann, Andreas Medler, Frank Althoff
  • Patent number: 10235015
    Abstract: A method for controlling a display surface of an operator control device in a vehicle, wherein data for a menu structure having menus in different levels is stored in a memory and the presence of an actuating object in a detection region is detected and the menus of the menu structure include a subsurface for displaying vehicle-specific information, wherein the subsurface having the vehicle-specific information is displayed or modified in the associated menu on the display surface only if it is detected that the actuating object enters into the detection region or exits from the detection region. Also disclosed is a corresponding operator control device in the vehicle for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Andreas Medler
  • Patent number: 10168858
    Abstract: A method for displaying information in a vehicle, in which list entries from a list are allocated to graphical objects and, in a main view, a partial amount of the graphical objects are displayed by a display device arranged in the vehicle; a control device modifying the graphical data, as a result of an input from an input device, so that the graphical objects in the displayed partial amount are modified. As the result of an input using an input device, the control device changes to a configuration mode which determines which graphical objects are allocated to the partial amount whose graphical objects are displayed in the main view. Also disclosed is a device for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Andreas Medler, Ralf Siegel
  • Publication number: 20180081507
    Abstract: A user interface for accessing a number of functions, a method and a computer-readable storage medium including instructions for providing a user interface for accessing a number of functions. Assigned to a first subset of the functions are menu commands of the user interface, by way of which the functions are called up. No menu commands of the user interface are assigned to a second subset of the functions. Instead, the functions are called up by way of a search function of the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Heino WENGELNIK, Maria Esther MEJIA GONZALEZ
  • Patent number: 9889794
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an illumination system (1) for an interior (31) of a vehicle (30), the illumination system (1) having a control unit (2) and an ambient illumination (10) with at least one lamp (11), which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color (40). Furthermore, the invention relates to an illumination system (1) for illuminating an interior (31) of a vehicle (30), having an ambient illumination (10) with at least one lamp (11), which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color (40), wherein furthermore at least one functional element (20) is arranged in the interior (31) of the vehicle (30), which has an element color (50) for displaying the functional element (20), as well as a vehicle (30) with an illumination system (1) for illuminating an interior (31) of the vehicle (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Michael Scheible, Markus Neumann, Christian Burghoff, Thorb Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 9878618
    Abstract: An information playback system in a vehicle having a processor designed to generate a video or control signal and provide this signal to a display device so that the video or control signal causes a playback of at least two different contents in two adjoining subsurfaces of a display surface in a display device. The processor generates the video or control signal so that a boundary between the two subsurfaces can be shifted based on a selection detected by the display unit, or based on an approach detected by a display unit, or based on a predefined movement detected by an input device, resulting in modification of the ratio of the surface portions of the two subsurfaces on the display surface of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Nils Kötter, Holger Wild, Heino Wengelnik, Frank Althoff
  • Publication number: 20170313245
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an illumination system (1) for an interior (31) of a vehicle (30), the illumination system (1) having a control unit (2) and an ambient illumination (10) with at least one lamp (11), which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color (40). Furthermore, the invention relates to an illumination system (1) for illuminating an interior (31) of a vehicle (30), having an ambient illumination (10) with at least one lamp (11), which is designed to emit light in at least one ambient color (40), wherein furthermore at least one functional element (20) is arranged in the interior (31) of the vehicle (30), which has an element color (50) for displaying the functional element (20), as well as a vehicle (30) with an illumination system (1) for illuminating an interior (31) of the vehicle (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Michael Scheible, Markus Neumann, Christian Burghoff, Thorb Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 9804744
    Abstract: A method for operating a control device in a vehicle, wherein the control device includes a control element having a user interface. In the method, menus are simultaneously displayed on a display surface. Furthermore, a detection region is formed, which is divided into detection zones, wherein each detection zone is associated with a respective menu. The position of an actuation object in the detection region is detected and associated with a detection zone. The menu that is associated with the detection zone in which the actuation object was detected is enlarged and the menus that are associated with the other detection zones are reduced in size. Also disclosed is a control device in a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Heino Wengelnik, Holger Wild
  • Publication number: 20170285355
    Abstract: In a method for displaying items of information in a transportation device, the items of information are displayed in the form of hierarchical menu structures. A device for displaying items of information includes a control unit and a display unit for the stereoscopic and/or autostereoscopic display of items of information. In the method, the display is implemented stereoscopically, at least two different menus or menu items being displayed to the viewer at different distances. The instrument cluster includes the placement of a mask in front of the display of a display unit, the mask modifying the light emission of the light emitted by the display so as to result in a display of autostereoscopic images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Heino WENGELNIK, Will SPECKS, Mathias KUHN, Rainer DEHMANN, Heiner BARTOSZEWSKI
  • Publication number: 20160288643
    Abstract: An information playback system in a vehicle having a processor designed to generate a video or control signal and provide this signal to a display device so that the video or control signal causes a playback of at least two different contents in two adjoining subsurfaces of a display surface in a display device. The processor generates the video or control signal so that a boundary between the two subsurfaces can be shifted based on a selection detected by the display unit, or based on an approach detected by a display unit, or based on a predefined movement detected by an input device, resulting in modification of the ratio of the surface portions of the two subsurfaces on the display surface of the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Nils KÖTTER, Holger WILD, Heino WENGELNIK, Frank ALTHOFF
  • Publication number: 20160110033
    Abstract: A method for controlling a display surface of an operator control device in a vehicle, wherein data for a menu structure having menus in different levels is stored in a memory and the presence of an actuating object in a detection region is detected and the menus of the menu structure include a subsurface for displaying vehicle-specific information, wherein the subsurface having the vehicle-specific information is displayed or modified in the associated menu on the display surface only if it is detected that the actuating object enters into the detection region or exits from the detection region. Also disclosed is a corresponding operator control device in the vehicle for performing the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Heino WENGELNIK, Andreas MEDLER
  • Publication number: 20160103567
    Abstract: A user interface and a method for adapting a menu bar on a user interface. The method includes displaying the menu bar on a display unit of the user interface, receiving a first user input for displaying a two-dimensional arrangement in the menu bar of displayable entries representing ranges of functions of the user interface, displaying the arrangement on the display unit, receiving a second predefined user input with respect to an entry of the menu bar or an entry of the arrangement, and, in response thereto, adapting the menu bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Heino WENGELNIK, Frank ALTHOFF, Maria Esther MEJIA GONZALEZ