Patents by Inventor Joérg ROBERT

Joérg ROBERT 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: 20180048423
    Abstract: A receiver for receiving data in a broadcast system includes a broadcast receiver that receives, via the broadcast system, a receiver input data stream including plural channel symbols represented by constellation points in a constellation diagram. A demodulator demodulates the channel symbols into codewords and a decoder decodes the codewords into output data words. A broadband receiver obtains redundancy data via a broadband system, the redundancy data for a channel symbol including one or more least robust bits of the channel symbol or a constellation subset identifier indicating a subset of constellation points including the constellation point representing the channel symbol. The demodulator and/or the decoder is configured to use the redundancy data to demodulate the respective channel symbol and to decode the respective codeword, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junge QI, Joerg Robert, Jan Zoellner
  • Patent number: 9881187
    Abstract: Embodiments provide an RFID reader. The RFID reader includes a collision detector, a decoder and a frame length adjuster. The collision detector is configured to detect for each slot of a plurality of slots of a current frame, in which a collision of signals transmitted by at least two RFID tags occurred, a signal property of a signal of the signals transmitted by at least two RFID tags. The decoder is configured to decode for the slot in which the collision is detected the signal of the signals transmitted by the at least two RFID tags using the detected signal property, wherein a collision recover probability describing a probability that the decoder can accurately decode the one signal depends on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the current frame. The frame length adjuster is configured to adjust a frame length of a subsequent frame in dependence on the collision recover probability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Hazem Elsaid Ibrahim, Hamed Kenawy, Joerg Robert, Albert Heuberger, Wolfram Strauss
  • Patent number: 9838157
    Abstract: A receiver for receiving data in a broadcast system includes a broadcast receiver that receives, via the broadcast system, a receiver input data stream including plural channel symbols represented by constellation points in a constellation diagram. A demodulator demodulates the channel symbols into codewords and a decoder decodes the codewords into output data words. A broadband receiver obtains redundancy data via a broadband system, the redundancy data for a channel symbol including one or more least robust bits of the channel symbol or a constellation subset identifier indicating a subset of constellation points including the constellation point representing the channel symbol. The demodulator and/or the decoder is configured to use the redundancy data to demodulate the respective channel symbol and to decode the respective codeword, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Junge Qi, Joerg Robert, Jan Zoellner
  • Publication number: 20170331598
    Abstract: A receiver for receiving data in a broadcast system comprises a broadcast receiver that receives via said broadcast system a receiver input data stream comprising a plurality of channel symbols represented by constellation points in a constellation diagram, a demodulator that demodulates said channel symbols into codewords, and a decoder that decodes said codewords into output data words. A redundancy calculator determines a required amount of redundancy data required for correct demodulation and decoding by use of the originally received channel symbol and additional redundancy data. A broadband request unit requests, if demodulation of a channel symbol and/or decoding of a codeword is erroneous or likely to fail, a required amount of redundancy data via a broadband system, that is received by a broadband receiver via said broadband system. Said demodulator and/or said decoder is configured to use said redundancy data for demodulation and decoding, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Junge QI, Joerg ROBERT, Jan ZOELLNER, Lothar STADELMEIER, Nabil LOGHIN
  • Publication number: 20170324510
    Abstract: A control device for use in a broadcast system includes a broadcast controller that controls a broadcast transmitter of the broadcast system that broadcasts signals in a coverage area for reception by terminals including a broadcast receiver and a broadband receiver, and a broadband controller that controls a broadband server of a broadband system that provides redundancy data to terminals within the coverage area. The broadband controller is configured to control the provision of redundancy data by the broadband server for use by one or more terminals which use the redundancy data together with broadcast signals received via said broadcast system for recovering content received within the broadcast signals and/or provided via the broadband system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junge QI, Joerg ROBERT, Jan ZOELLNER, Lothar STADELMEIER, Nabil LOGHIN
  • Patent number: 9760821
    Abstract: A reader for wirelessly receiving a signal from a tag, the signal having a portion on a first side, a portion on a second side and a synchronization sequence to be detected between the first and the second side, wherein the portion on the first side, the synchronization sequence and the portion on the second side are serially arranged with each other, has a processor. The processor is configured for storing the received signal, for detecting the synchronization sequence in the received signal, for calculating a transmission characteristic between the tag and the reader, using the portion of the received signal on the first side and for extracting a payload information from the portion of the received signal on the second side, using the calculated transmission characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Hazem Elsaid Ibrahim, Hamed Kenawy, Joerg Robert, Albert Heuberger, Wolfram Strauss
  • Patent number: 9755781
    Abstract: A control device for use in a broadcast system includes a broadcast controller that controls a broadcast transmitter of the broadcast system that broadcasts broadcast signals in a coverage area for reception by terminals including a broadcast receiver and a broadband receiver, and a broadband controller that controls a broadband server of a broadband system that provides redundancy data to terminals within the coverage area. The broadband controller is configured to control the provision of redundancy data by the broadband server for use by one or more terminals which use the redundancy data together with broadcast signals received via said broadcast system for recovering content received within the broadcast signals and/or provided via the broadband system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junge Qi, Joerg Robert, Jan Zoellner, Lothar Stadelmeier, Nabil Loghin
  • Publication number: 20170244465
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus and method, respectively, mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system. To enable selection of robustness for transmission of data, the apparatus includes a frame forming mechanism mapping data blocks of at least two mapping input data streams onto frames of the mapping output data stream covering the channel bandwidth, each frame including a payload portion, the payload portion including plural data symbols and being segmented into data segments each covering a bandwidth portion of the channel bandwidth. The frame forming mechanism is configured to map the data blocks of the at least two mapping input data streams onto data symbols of the payload portion and includes a MIMO mode selector selecting a MIMO mode of the data blocks per data segment and/or per mapping input data stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Lothar STADELMEIER, Nabil LOGHIN, Joerg ROBERT, Samuel Asangbeng ATUNGSIRI
  • Publication number: 20170235979
    Abstract: An RFID reader includes a transmitter, a receiver, and an evaluator. The receiver receives signals from RFID tags within a given number of slots of a time frame with a given frame size and provides a number of successful slots and a number of collided slots. The evaluator sets a modified frame size based on an estimated number of RFID tags which is determined based on the frame size, the number of successful slots, and the number of collided slots. The invention also refers to a corresponding method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Hazem ELSAID IBRAHIM, Hamed KENAWY, JOERG ROBERT, ALBERT HEUBERGER, Wolfram STRAUSS
  • Patent number: 9692630
    Abstract: A receiver for receiving data in a broadcast system includes a broadcast receiver that receives via the broadcast system a receiver input data stream including plural channel symbols represented by constellation points in a constellation diagram, a demodulator that demodulates the channel symbols into codewords, and a decoder that decodes the codewords into output data words. A redundancy calculator determines a required amount of redundancy data required for correct demodulation and decoding by use of the originally received channel symbol and additional redundancy data. A broadband request unit requests, if demodulation of a channel symbol and/or decoding of a codeword is erroneous or likely to fail, a required amount of redundancy data via a broadband system, that is received by a broadband receiver via said broadband system. The demodulator and/or the decoder is configured to use the redundancy data for demodulation and decoding, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Junge Qi, Joerg Robert, Jan Zoellner, Lothar Stadelmeier, Nabil Loghin
  • Patent number: 9660839
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus and a corresponding transmission method for transmitting data within a multi-carrier transmission system comprising two or more transmission apparatuses that are configured to transmit the same data. To avoid destructive interferences a transmission apparatus comprises a signal input configured to receive multi-carrier signals carrying data to be transmitted, a distortion unit configured to distort the multi-carrier signals by use of a distortion function including a phase parameter for differently modulating the phase of the multi-carrier signals wherein the distortion function is different from distortion functions used by other transmission apparatuses, whose coverage areas overlap with the coverage area of the present transmission apparatus, by using a phase parameter that is different from the phase parameter used by the other transmission apparatuses, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the distorted multi-carrier signals as a transmission signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: SATURN LICENSING LLC
    Inventors: Nabil Sven Loghin, Jan Zoellner, Joerg Robert, Lothar Stadelmeier
  • Patent number: 9525442
    Abstract: An OFDM encoding apparatus for encoding OFDM symbols into an OFDM signal includes: a pre-distortion unit that pre-distorts OFDM symbols into pre-distorted OFDM symbols, the OFDM symbols including payload data and each being carried on multiple OFDM subcarriers; an OFDM generator that generates an OFDM signal from the pre-distorted OFDM symbols by OFDM modulating the pre-distorted OFDM symbols; and a filter that filters the OFDM signal to obtain a filtered OFDM signal, the filter being configured to attenuate the spectrum of the OFDM signal in frequency bands outside the signal bandwidth of the OFDM signal by applying a filter transfer function to the OFDM signal. The pre-distortion unit is configured to apply a pre-distortion transfer function equal to the inverse of the filter transfer function to the OFDM symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lothar Stadelmeier, Jan Zoellner, Joerg Robert, Philipp Hasse
  • Publication number: 20160365946
    Abstract: A transmitter and transmission method for broadcasting data. To enable a receiver, such as a moving receiver, to improve decoding quality, if needed, a transmitter includes: a data input receiving at least one transmitter input data stream segmented into input data words; an encoder error correction code encoding the input data words into codewords including a basic codeword portion and an auxiliary codeword portion, the encoder generating the basic codeword portion from an input data word according to a first code and generating the auxiliary codeword portion from an input data word according to a second code, the basic codeword portion for regular decoding and the auxiliary codeword portion for incremental redundancy if regular decoding of the codeword by using the basic codeword portion is erroneous; a data mapper mapping the codewords onto frames of a transmitter output data stream; and a transmitter transmitting the transmitter output data stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nabil LOGHIN, Lothar STADELMEIER, Joerg ROBERT
  • Publication number: 20160328583
    Abstract: Embodiments provide an RFID reader. The RFID reader includes a collision detector, a decoder and a frame length adjuster. The collision detector is configured to detect for each slot of a plurality of slots of a current frame, in which a collision of signals transmitted by at least two RFID tags occurred, a signal property of a signal of the signals transmitted by at least two RFID tags. The decoder is configured to decode for the slot in which the collision is detected the signal of the signals transmitted by the at least two RFID tags using the detected signal property, wherein a collision recover probability describing a probability that the decoder can accurately decode the one signal depends on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the current frame. The frame length adjuster is configured to adjust a frame length of a subsequent frame in dependence on the collision recover probability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Hazem ELSAID IBRAHIM, Hamed KENAWY, Joerg ROBERT, Albert HEUBERGER, Wolfram STRAUSS
  • Publication number: 20160328638
    Abstract: A reader for wirelessly receiving a signal from a tag, the signal having a portion on a first side, a portion on a second side and a synchronization sequence to be detected between the first and the second side, wherein the portion on the first side, the synchronization sequence and the portion on the second side are serially arranged with each other, has a processor. The processor is configured for storing the received signal, for detecting the synchronization sequence in the received signal, for calculating a transmission characteristic between the tag and the reader, using the portion of the received signal on the first side and for extracting a payload information from the portion of the received signal on the second side, using the calculated transmission characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Hazem ELSAID IBRAHIM, Hamed KENAWY, Joerg ROBERT, Albert HEUBERGER, Wolfram STRAUSS
  • Patent number: 9444582
    Abstract: A transmitter for broadcasting data in a broadcasting system that improves the decoding quality, if needed, comprises a data input, and an encoder for error correction code encoding the input data words into codewords, a codeword comprising a basic codeword portion and an auxiliary codeword portion, wherein said encoder is adapted for generating said basic codeword portion from an input data word according to a first code and for generating said auxiliary codeword portion from an input data word according to a second code, said basic codeword portion being provided for regular decoding and said auxiliary codeword portion being provided as incremental redundancy if regular decoding of the codeword by use of the basic codeword portion is erroneous. Further, the transmitter comprises a data mapper for mapping the codewords onto frames of a transmitter output data stream, and a transmitter unit for transmitting said transmitter output data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Lothar Stadelmeier, Nabil Loghin, Joerg Robert
  • Publication number: 20160261448
    Abstract: The present invention relates to OFDM generation apparatus and methods for generating OFDM transmission signals from OFDM symbols, each comprising a plurality of OFDM subcarriers, for transmission in a multi-carrier data transmission system. An embodiment of the proposed apparatus and method are adapted for using a selected mixing frequency for mixing said complex time-domain samples of said OFDM symbol from a baseband frequency up to a passband frequency by use of a mixing frequency to obtain said OFDM transmission signal, wherein the mixing frequency is selected such that common phase rotations of the OFDM subcarriers of said OFDM symbol with respect to adjacent OFDM symbols of said OFDM transmission signal are avoided or compensated after said mixing. Further embodiments for avoidance or compensation of such common phase rotations are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nabil MUHAMMAD, Lothar Stadelmeier, Joerg Robert
  • Publication number: 20160254880
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a corresponding method for mapping error correction code encoded time-domain data of at least two mapping input data streams (S1, S2, . . . , Sn) onto a time-domain mapping output data stream (Q) having a frame structure, comprising a data input (102) for receiving said at least two mapping input data streams (S1, S2, . . . , Sn) each being segmented into data blocks (D1, D2, . . . , DN) carrying error correction code encoded data, a data mapper (104) for mapping the data blocks (D1, D2, . . . , DN) of said at least two mapping input data streams (S1, S2, . . . , Sn) onto frames of said mapping output data stream (Q), each frame comprising a number of frame intervals (F1, F2, . . . , FM), wherein the data mapper (104) is adapted for mapping the data blocks (D1, D2, . . . , DN) onto said frame intervals such that each frame interval (F1, F2, . . . , FM) carries sequentially arranged data blocks (D1, D2, . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nabil LOGHIN, Lothar STADELMEIER, Joerg ROBERT
  • Publication number: 20160197663
    Abstract: A transmission apparatus and method, respectively, mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system. To enable selection of robustness for transmission of data, the apparatus includes a frame forming mechanism mapping data blocks of at least two mapping input data streams onto frames of the mapping output data stream covering the channel bandwidth, each frame including a payload portion, the payload portion including plural data symbols and being segmented into data segments each covering a bandwidth portion of the channel bandwidth. The frame forming mechanism is configured to map the data blocks of the at least two mapping input data streams onto data symbols of the payload portion and includes a MIMO mode selector selecting a MIMO mode of the data blocks per data segment and/or per mapping input data stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Lothar STADELMEIER, Nabil LOGHIN, Joerg ROBERT, Samuel Asangbeng ATUNGSIRI
  • Publication number: 20160197707
    Abstract: An apparatus and a corresponding method for mapping payload data of mapping input data streams onto a mapping output data stream having a channel bandwidth for transmission in a multi-carrier broadcast system includes first and second frame forming mechanisms. The first frame forming mechanism is adapted to form first frames having a first frame structure and the second frame forming mechanism is adapted to form second frames having a second frame structure. Preferably, in a second frame structure the data blocks of a particular mapping input data stream are spread in time and frequency over various data symbols and various data segments of the second frames to provide high robustness against disturbances. The payload portion of the second frame is preferably segmented into various data segments enabling use of a narrow-band receiver, even if both the first and second frames cover the same total channel bandwidth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Lothar STADELMEIER, Joerg Robert, Samuel Asangbeng Atungsiri, Nabil Loghin