Patents by Inventor Helmut Pfaff

Helmut Pfaff 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: 5153372
    Abstract: A device for detecting an object such as a tank in a target area and for causing a horizontal mine to be fired at the object, comprises first and second microphones which detect noise, including noise from a tank, in the target area, in infrared sensor having a directional characteristic which is narrow with respect to the target area and which extends towards the center of the target area to define a target window, and an electronic evaluation unit. The electronic evaluation unit receives acoustic signals from the microphones and calculates a correlation function from the acoustic signal. If a property derived from the calculated correlation function, for example, the correlation or the correlation gradient, exceeds a predetermined threshold, the firing mechanism of the horizontal mine is enabled. If the infrared sensor also detects the presence of an object within its target window, the electronic evaluation unit will cause the horizontal mine to be fired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: SenSys AG
    Inventors: Matthias Deuss, Helmut Pfaff
  • Patent number: 4829284
    Abstract: A multitude of alarm indicators are layed out in a signal line for the purpose of monitoring an extensive object. Such an object can be a large building, a pipeline or similar device. In order to determine which of the alarm indicators has triggered off the alarm, a repeated pulse is fed into the signal line whose echo is compared with a programmed-in echo signal. The programmed echo signal is acquired through the transmission of a pulse when all of the alarm indicators are out of service. By comparison of the programmed-in echo signal with the measured echo signal, the distance of the activated alarm indicator from the beginning of the signal line can be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Seba-Dynatronic Messund Ortungstechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Pfaff