Patents by Inventor Hilmar Hofmann

Hilmar Hofmann 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 and apparatus for determining the position of a vehicle, computer program and computer program product
    Patent number: 8385594
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining the position of a vehicle moved along a path, markers, particularly code carriers or barcodes being located along the path. The method is characterized in that the markers are detected with a digital camera placed on the vehicle and that by means of image processing from a position of at least one marker image in the detection or coverage range of the digital camera a position of the vehicle relative to the given marker or the given markers in the main vehicle movement direction along the path and in at least one direction at right angles to the main movement direction is determined. The invention also relates to a computer program and a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Pepperl +Fuchs
    Inventors: Hilmar Hofmann, Rüdiger Opper, Martin Kirsch
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE POSITION OF A VEHICLE, COMPUTER PROGRAM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT
    Publication number: 20090067673
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining the position of a vehicle moved along a path, markers, particularly code carriers or barcodes being located along the path.. The method is characterized in that the markers are detected with a digital camera placed on the vehicle and that by means of image processing from a position of at least one marker image in the detection or coverage range of the digital camera a position of the vehicle relative to the given marker or the given markers in the main vehicle movement direction along the path and in at least one direction at right angles to the main movement direction is determined. The invention also relates to a computer program and a computer program product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Hilmar Hofmann, Rudiger Opper, Martin Kirsch