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).
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Patent number: 10437327Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 4, 2016Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Tom Sengelaub, Martin Haller, Jan Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20190272650Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2019Publication date: September 5, 2019Inventors: JAN HOFFMANN, TOM SENGELAUB, DENIS WILLIAMS
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Patent number: 10393222Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 31, 2015Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann
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Patent number: 10281019Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 28, 2014Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KGInventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann
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Patent number: 10223808Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 17, 2013Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: SENSOMOTORIC INSTRUMENTS GESELLSCHAFT FUR INNOVATIVE SENSORIK MBHInventors: Jan Hoffmann, Tom Sengelaub, Denis Williams
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Patent number: 10180176Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 14, 2014Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: Schaffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann, Christian Huegel
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Patent number: 10024410Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 28, 2014Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann, Stephan Maienschein
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Publication number: 20180120932Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2016Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Tom SENGELAUB, Martin HALLER, Jan HOFFMANN
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Patent number: 9639745Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 21, 2013Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: Sensomotoric Instruments Gesellschaft Für Innovative Sensorik MbhInventors: Denis Williams, Jan Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20170108078Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2015Publication date: April 20, 2017Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann
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Patent number: 9618054Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 19, 2013Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventors: Jan Hoffmann, Christian Dinger
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Publication number: 20170035293Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Applicant: SENSOMOTORIC INSTRUMENTS GESELLSCHAFT FUR INNOVATIVE SENSORIK MBHInventors: Walter NISTICO, Jan HOFFMANN, Eberhard SCHMIDT
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Publication number: 20170030451Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2014Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20160377158Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2014Publication date: December 29, 2016Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann, Stephan Maienschein
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Patent number: 9523408Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventor: Jan Hoffmann
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Patent number: 9487204Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 5, 2013Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHGInventors: Hans-Jörg Feigel, Harald Biller, Jan Hoffmann, Christian Courth
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Patent number: 9470290Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 19, 2013Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Shaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventor: Jan Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20160267708Abstract: 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 theType: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Applicant: SENSOMOTORIC INSTRUMENTS GESELLSCHAFT FUR INNOVATIVE SENSORIK MBHInventors: Walter NISTICO, Jan HOFFMANN, Eberhard SCHMIDT
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Patent number: 9380287Abstract: 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 theType: GrantFiled: September 2, 2013Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: SENSOMOTORIC INSTRUMENTS GESELLSCHAFT FUR INNOVATIVE SENSORIK MBHInventors: Walter Nistico, Jan Hoffmann, Eberhard Schmidt
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Publication number: 20160178030Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2014Publication date: June 23, 2016Inventors: Christian Dinger, Jan Hoffmann, Christian Huegel