Patents by Inventor Jan Hoffmann

Jan 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).

  • Patent number: 10437327
    Abstract: The invention relates to an eye tracking device (10a; 10b; 10c) comprising a processing unit (18) and an optical system (14), which comprises a capturing unit. The optical system (14) provides a first optical path (P; P1) with a first imaging property and a second optical path (P; P2) with a second imaging property and the capturing unit (C; C1, C2) captures a first image (24a) by capturing light that has passed along the first optical path (P; P1) and a second image (24b) by capturing light that has passed along the second optical path (P; P2), so that due to the difference of the first and second imaging property the first (24a) and the second image (24b) comprise a difference related to a characteristic of at least part of the first and the second image (24b), wherein the eye tracking device (10a; 10b; 10c) is configured to determine a property of the eye (12) on the basis of at least one of the first image (24a) and the second image (24b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Tom Sengelaub, Martin Haller, Jan Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20190272650
    Abstract: A system for determining the gaze endpoint of a subject, the system comprising: a eye tracking unit adapted to determine the gaze direction of one or more eyes of the subject; a head tracking unit adapted to determine the position comprising location and orientation of the eye tracker with respect to a reference coordinate system; a 3D Structure representation unit, that uses the 3D structure and position of objects of the scene in the reference coordinate system to provide a 3D structure representation of the scene; based on the gaze direction, the eye tracker position and the 3D structure representation, calculating the gaze endpoint on an object of the 3D structure representation of the scene or determining the object itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: JAN HOFFMANN, TOM SENGELAUB, DENIS WILLIAMS
  • Patent number: 10393222
    Abstract: A centrifugal pendulum having a pendulum flange, a first pendulum mass and a second pendulum mass and a spring arrangement, wherein the first pendulum mass and the second pendulum mass are positioned side-by-side in the circumferential direction, wherein the first pendulum mass is coupled with the pendulum flange by a first slotted guide and the second pendulum mass is coupled with the pendulum flange by a second slotted guide. The first slotted guide guides the first pendulum mass along a first oscillation path and the second slotted guide guides the second pendulum mass along a second oscillation path in an oscillating motion. The spring arrangement at least partially couples the first pendulum mass with the second pendulum mass, wherein at least one of the two pendulum masses has a receptacle. The spring arrangement includes a spring element and a protective device, wherein the protective device is positioned at least partially in the receptacle of the pendulum mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10281019
    Abstract: A device for transmitting torque between an input side and an output side includes a hydrodynamic converter having a pump wheel that is connected to the input side and a turbine wheel that is coupled with the pump wheel hydrodynamically by a fluid, as well as a spring damper for coupling the turbine wheel with the output side and a centrifugal pendulum that is joined with one of the other elements in a torque-locked connection. In this case, only one spring damper is disposed in the flow of torque between the input side and the output side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10223808
    Abstract: A system for determining the gaze endpoint of a subject, the system comprising: a eye tracking unit adapted to determine the gaze direction of one or more eyes of the subject; a head tracking unit adapted to determine the position comprising location and orientation of the eye tracker with respect to a reference coordinate system; a 3D Structure representation unit, that uses the 3D structure and position of objects of the scene in the reference coordinate system to provide a 3D structure representation of the scene; based on the gaze direction, the eye tracker position and the 3D structure representation, calculating the gaze endpoint on an object of the 3D structure representation of the scene or determining the object itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: SENSOMOTORIC INSTRUMENTS GESELLSCHAFT FUR INNOVATIVE SENSORIK MBH
    Inventors: Jan Hoffmann, Tom Sengelaub, Denis Williams
  • Patent number: 10180176
    Abstract: A turbine torsional vibration damper, in particular a simple torsional vibration damper, for a vehicle, preferably for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, having a damper part for introducing a torque into the turbine torsional vibration damper and a damper part for extracting the torque from the torsional vibration damper, wherein a pendulum mass flange of a centrifugal pendulum device is rigidly coupled mechanically with a damper part of the turbine torsional vibration damper. A converter or a torque transmission device for a vehicle, in particular for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, wherein the converter or torque transmission device has a turbine torsional vibration damper according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Schaffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann, Christian Huegel
  • Patent number: 10024410
    Abstract: A torque transfer device mountable rotatably around an axis of rotation to transfer a drive torque between an input side and an output side, having a converter wheel of a hydrodynamic converter and a centrifugal force pendulum, which has a pendulum flange extending in an at least partially radial direction and at least one pendulum mass, where the pendulum mass is positioned on a long side of the pendulum flange and is coupled with the pendulum flange by means of a sliding block guide. A first coupling device is designed to provide a connection for transferring torque between the pendulum flange and the converter wheel, where the first coupling device is connected to the pendulum flange at least partially radially to the outside of the pendulum mass to provide an exchange of torque between the converter wheel and the pendulum flange radially to the outside of the pendulum mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann, Stephan Maienschein
  • Publication number: 20180120932
    Abstract: The invention relates to an eye tracking device (10a; 10b; 10c) comprising a processing unit (18) and an optical system (14), which comprises a capturing unit. The optical system (14) provides a first optical path (P; P1) with a first imaging property and a second optical path (P; P2) with a second imaging property and the capturing unit (C; C1, C2) captures a first image (24a) by capturing light that has passed along the first optical path (P; P1) and a second image (24b) by capturing light that has passed along the second optical path (P; P2), so that due to the difference of the first and second imaging property the first (24a) and the second image (24b) comprise a difference related to a characteristic of at least part of the first and the second image (24b), wherein the eye tracking device (10a; 10b; 10c) is configured to determine a property of the eye (12) on the basis of at least one of the first image (24a) and the second image (24b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Tom SENGELAUB, Martin HALLER, Jan HOFFMANN
  • Patent number: 9639745
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for evaluating results of gaze detection, wherein these results are present or are obtained in the form of information which defines, for each of a multiplicity of successive times, a viewing direction detected at this time and a focal point identified thereby in a scene image assigned to this time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Sensomotoric Instruments Gesellschaft Für Innovative Sensorik Mbh
    Inventors: Denis Williams, Jan Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20170108078
    Abstract: A centrifugal pendulum having a pendulum flange, a first pendulum mass and a second pendulum mass and a spring arrangement, wherein the first pendulum mass and the second pendulum mass are positioned side-by-side in the circumferential direction, wherein the first pendulum mass is coupled with the pendulum flange by a first slotted guide and the second pendulum mass is coupled with the pendulum flange by a second slotted guide. The first slotted guide guides the first pendulum mass along a first oscillation path and the second slotted guide guides the second pendulum mass along a second oscillation path in an oscillating motion. The spring arrangement at least partially couples the first pendulum mass with the second pendulum mass, wherein at least one of the two pendulum masses has a receptacle. The spring arrangement includes a spring element and a protective device, wherein the protective device is positioned at least partially in the receptacle of the pendulum mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9618054
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper comprises an input side and an output side which are arranged rotatably around an axis of rotation, an intermediate plate, and two elastic elements which are arranged on different circumferences around the axis of rotation, where the first elastic element is set up to transmit a power from the input side to the intermediate plate and the second elastic element is set up to transmit a power from the intermediate plate to the output side. Furthermore, the torsional vibration damper includes a single-piece retainer to support the first elastic element on a radially outer surface, while the retainer includes a contact element for engaging with one end of the first elastic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Hoffmann, Christian Dinger
  • Publication number: 20170035293
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spectacle device (1) for capturing at least one parameter of at least one eye (10l, 10r) of a test person (31) wearing the spectacle device (1), the spectacle device (1) comprising a frame (4) configured to fix the spectacle device (1) to the head of the test person (31), at least one first capturing unit (3l, 3r) configured to optically capture the at least one parameter of the at least one eye (10l, 10r), and a second capturing unit (2) the optical capture range of which at least partly corresponds to an optical capture range of the at least one eye (10l, 10r) and which is configured to output data concerning a field of view (FOV1, FOV2) which is correlated with the optical capture range of the second capturing unit (2), wherein the field of view (FOV1, FOV2) is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: SENSOMOTORIC INSTRUMENTS GESELLSCHAFT FUR INNOVATIVE SENSORIK MBH
    Inventors: Walter NISTICO, Jan HOFFMANN, Eberhard SCHMIDT
  • Publication number: 20170030451
    Abstract: A device for transmitting torque between an input side and an output side includes a hydrodynamic converter having a pump wheel that is connected to the input side and a turbine wheel that is coupled with the pump wheel hydrodynamically by a fluid, as well as a spring damper for coupling the turbine wheel with the output side and a centrifugal pendulum that is joined with one of the other elements in a torque-locked connection. In this case, only one spring damper is disposed in the flow of torque between the input side and the output side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20160377158
    Abstract: A torque transfer device mountable rotatably around an axis of rotation to transfer a drive torque between an input side and an output side, having a converter wheel of a hydrodynamic converter and a centrifugal force pendulum, which has a pendulum flange extending in an at least partially radial direction and at least one pendulum mass, where the pendulum mass is positioned on a long side of the pendulum flange and is coupled with the pendulum flange by means of a sliding block guide. A first coupling device is designed to provide a connection for transferring torque between the pendulum flange and the converter wheel, where the first coupling device is connected to the pendulum flange at least partially radially to the outside of the pendulum mass to provide an exchange of torque between the converter wheel and the pendulum flange radially to the outside of the pendulum mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann, Stephan Maienschein
  • Patent number: 9523408
    Abstract: The vibration damper for damping vibrations for rotation around an axis of rotation, including a first component with at least one bow spring channel formed radially outside of a second component. A spring is formed in the bow spring channel, and fixed by a counter-component, wherein the first and second component and counter-component are made of sheet metal, characterized in that the second component and at least one of the following contact components: a) the first component and b) the counter-component have common contact areas, into which the second component and the at least one contact component run vertically to the rotation axis, and in which the edges thereof for centering lie one against the other, at least in some sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jan Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9487204
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a driving characteristic of an analogized or analog-controlled hydraulic valve of a brake system for motor vehicles, comprising hydraulically operatable wheel brakes, in which a brake pressure (pDBE), which is generated with the aid of an electrically controllable, electric-motor-driven (110, 35) driven pressure supply device (101, 5), is conducted to a wheel brake (105a, 105b; 8-11) via an inlet valve (102a, 102b; 6a-d) and can be conducted in particular via an outlet valve (103a, 103b, 7a-d) from the wheel brake into a pressure medium container (104, 4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Hans-Jörg Feigel, Harald Biller, Jan Hoffmann, Christian Courth
  • Patent number: 9470290
    Abstract: A torque coupler includes an input side and an output side, which are situated rotatably around an axis of rotation, and in addition an intermediate plate for coupling with the input side, an output flange for coupling with the output side, a spring damper for coupling the intermediate plate with the output flange, and a centrifugal force pendulum having a pendulum flange and a pendulum mass. Here the pendulum flange extends between a first area, in which the pendulum flange is attached to the intermediate plate, and a second area, in which the pendulum mass is attached to the pendulum flange. The output flange has a cutout, through which a section of the pendulum flange which connects the two areas runs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Shaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jan Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20160267708
    Abstract: The invention relates to a head mounted system (10) comprising a binocular eye tracking system (14a, 14b) comprising at least a first camera (14a) arranged for acquiring a user's left eye (16a) and at least a second camera (14b) arranged for acquiring a user's right eye (16b), a head mounted display (10) comprising a first displaying means (18a) for presenting an image to a user's left eye (16a), a second displaying means (18b) for presenting an image to a user's right eye (16b), a processing unit (24, 24a, 24b) designed to process images from the eye tracking system (14a, 14b) and calculate at least a 3D position of the left (16a) and the right eye (16b) and an orientation vector of the left (16a) and the right eye (16b) and to compute and render a stream of digital images to be projected onto the user's left and right eye (16a, 16b) by means of the head mounted display, wherein the processing unit (24, 24a, 24b) is further designed to consider the 3D position of the left and the right eye (16a, 16b) and the
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: SENSOMOTORIC INSTRUMENTS GESELLSCHAFT FUR INNOVATIVE SENSORIK MBH
    Inventors: Walter NISTICO, Jan HOFFMANN, Eberhard SCHMIDT
  • Patent number: 9380287
    Abstract: The invention relates to a head mounted system (10) comprising a binocular eye tracking system (14a, 14b) comprising at least a first camera (14a) arranged for acquiring a user's left eye (16a) and at least a second camera (14b) arranged for acquiring a user's right eye (16b), a head mounted display (10) comprising a first displaying means (18a) for presenting an image to a user's left eye (16a), a second displaying means (18b) for presenting an image to a user's right eye (16b), a processing unit (24, 24a, 24b) designed to process images from the eye tracking system (14a, 14b) and calculate at least a 3D position of the left (16a) and the right eye (16b) and an orientation vector of the left (16a) and the right eye (16b) and to compute and render a stream of digital images to be projected onto the user's left and right eye (16a, 16b) by means of the head mounted display, wherein the processing unit (24, 24a, 24b) is further designed to consider the 3D position of the left and the right eye (16a, 16b) and the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: SENSOMOTORIC INSTRUMENTS GESELLSCHAFT FUR INNOVATIVE SENSORIK MBH
    Inventors: Walter Nistico, Jan Hoffmann, Eberhard Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20160178030
    Abstract: A turbine torsional vibration damper, in particular a simple torsional vibration damper, for a vehicle, preferably for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, having a damper part for introducing a torque into the turbine torsional vibration damper and a damper part for extracting the torque from the torsional vibration damper, wherein a pendulum mass flange of a centrifugal pendulum device is rigidly coupled mechanically with a damper part of the turbine torsional vibration damper. A converter or a torque transmission device for a vehicle, in particular for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, wherein the converter or torque transmission device has a turbine torsional vibration damper according to the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann, Christian Huegel