Patents by Inventor Joachim Knittel

Joachim Knittel 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: 10829031
    Abstract: A headlamp assembly for a motor vehicle comprising at least one headlamp, which has a light source for emitting visible light, a radiation source for emitting infrared radiation, and a light emission optics with a light entry surface, which visible light from the light source and infrared radiation from the radiation source strikes, and which has an optical exit-deflection element, which directs the infrared radiation from the radiation source toward the light entry surface of the light emission optics. The optical exit-deflection element comprises at least one optics, which broadens the infrared radiation emitted by the radiation source to form a radiation beam with a cross section broadened in a horizontal plane (HH), and a radiation distribution that has at least one intensity maximum disposed toward the edge in the radiation distribution, to one side of a vertical plane (VV), when viewed in a focal plane of the light emission optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Marelli Automotive Lighting Reutlingen (Germany) GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Licht, Christian Buchberger, Joachim Knittel
  • Publication number: 20190039502
    Abstract: A headlamp assembly for a motor vehicle comprising at least one headlamp, which has a light source for emitting visible light, a radiation source for emitting infrared radiation, and a light emission optics with a light entry surface, which visible light from the light source and infrared radiation from the radiation source strikes, and which has an optical exit-deflection element, which directs the infrared radiation from the radiation source toward the light entry surface of the light emission optics. The optical exit-deflection element comprises at least one optics, which broadens the infrared radiation emitted by the radiation source to form a radiation beam with a cross section broadened in a horizontal plane (HH), and a radiation distribution that has at least one intensity maximum disposed toward the edge in the radiation distribution, to one side of a vertical plane (VV), when viewed in a focal plane of the light emission optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Martin Licht, Christian Buchberger, Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 10113704
    Abstract: A headlight of a motor vehicle including a light source and first projection optics, in which each one includes a respective first pair made of one respective first image mask and of one respective first projection lens with a first focal length, which is illuminated by the light source through the one respective image mask. The headlight has two projection optics, in which each one is featuring a respective second pair made of one respective second image mask and of one respective second projection lens with a second focal length, which is illuminated by the light source through the one respective second image mask. The second focal length is greater than the first focal length. An illuminated portion of the first image mask, has a shape of at least a first portion of an overall light distribution of the headlight, and a portion of the second image masks, has a shape of a central portion of the overall light distribution of the headlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Automotive Lighting Reutlingen GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Martin Licht, Christian Buchberger, Emil P. Stefanov
  • Publication number: 20180010756
    Abstract: A headlight of a motor vehicle including a light source and first projection optics, in which each one includes a respective first pair made of one respective first image mask and of one respective first projection lens with a first focal length, which is illuminated by the light source through the one respective image mask. The headlight has two projection optics, in which each one is featuring a respective second pair made of one respective second image mask and of one respective second projection lens with a second focal length, which is illuminated by the light source through the one respective second image mask. The second focal length is greater than the first focal length. An illuminated portion of the first image mask, has a shape of at least a first portion of an overall light distribution of the headlight, and a portion of the second image masks, has a shape of a central portion of the overall light distribution of the headlight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: Automotive Lighting Reutlingen GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Martin Licht, Christian Buchberger, Emil P. Stefanov
  • Patent number: 8953235
    Abstract: A device for producing a security mark on an optical data carrier includes directing means for directing a first and a second light beam onto a hologram area of the optical data carrier, wherein the first and second light beams are coherent light beams. The directing means are adapted to direct the first light beam onto the hologram area along a first direction, and the second light beam onto the hologram area along a second direction. Tilting means are provided for tilting the second direction by a predefined tilt angle with respect to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Hartmut Richter
  • Patent number: 8693301
    Abstract: A high data density optical recording medium, a method and an apparatus for reading such an optical recording medium, and a method for mastering such an optical recording medium are proposed. For achieving a high data density the optical recording medium has marks that have a tip and are covered by a material that generates a detectable effect under the influence of high electric fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Stephan Knappmann
  • Patent number: 8693302
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a format of a recordable optical recording medium, which is designed in such a way that it can be read by any standard player and recorder. The optical recording medium has a recording layer with a structure of lands and grooves, which generates a strong push-pull signal in an area of the recording layer without recorded marks and a small push-pull signal in an area of the recording layer with recorded marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 8593917
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a high data density optical recording medium. The invention further relates to an apparatus for reading from such an optical recording medium. The optical recording medium has marks that are arranged in tracks. The tracks have a cross section with a curved shape and protrude above a surface of the optical recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 8514472
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reference beam coupler for an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to holographic storage media, to a multiplexing scheme using the reference beam coupler, and to an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to holographic storage media using such reference beam coupler or multiplexing scheme. According to the invention, the reference beam coupler has: a substrate; one or more optical fibers passing through the substrate for coupling one or more reference beams; and a reflective area on the substrate for reflecting an object beam, which serves as a Fourier filter for the object beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 8437060
    Abstract: An apparatus for reading and writing holograms from and to a holographic storage medium uses an object beam and a reference beam both having a first coherence length and being guided along separate optical branches of an optical setup to be imaged to the holographic storage medium. The apparatus includes one or more elements for reducing the coherence length of the reference beam to a second coherence length for reading out a hologram from the holographic storage medium, wherein the second coherence length is shorter than the first coherence length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 8351316
    Abstract: A beam shaper has a beam shaping element with an optical property that varies spatially over the profile of an incoming light beam in order to generate a first shaped light beam from the incoming light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 8279506
    Abstract: A reflection type collinear holographic storage system is described, in which an improved overlap between an object beam and a reference beam is achieved. The collinear holographic storage system has a spatial light modulator for imprinting a data page on an object beam, which is located in the beam path of a portion of a reference beam transmitted through a holographic storage medium, whereby the object beam is generated by imprinting a data page onto the transmitted reference beam. The diameter of the reference beam inside the holographic storage medium is matched to the diameter of the object beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 8259558
    Abstract: The optical storage medium comprises tracks with a mark/space data structure, wherein the tracks comprise alternately partitioned marks and not partitioned marks. The partitioned marks are partitioned in particular in tracking direction and are partitioned in two parts, advantageously in two equal parts. The partitions are arranged advantageously such that one track comprises not partitioned marks and a neighboring track comprises partitioned marks, for reducing the track pitch of the optical storage medium and for providing an increased data capacity. The optical storage medium is in a preferred embodiment an optical disc comprising a mask layer with a suitable material for providing a super resolution near field effect, and the data structure of the optical disc comprises two spirals which have either partitioned marks or not partitioned marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Stephan Knappmann
  • Patent number: 8228776
    Abstract: The apparatus comprising a pickup for reading data from or writing data to an optical storage medium, wherein the pickup comprises a laser providing a laser beam, an objective lens for focusing the laser beam onto the optical storage medium, a first detector and a beam splitter arranged between the laser and the objective lens for guiding light reflected from the optical storage medium onto the first detector. A selecting means, arranged in front of the beam splitter, with regard to the reflected light from the optical storage medium, is provided for guiding reflected light passing through an outer section of the objective lens onto a second detector. The light guided onto the first detector is utilized for providing a tracking error signal and the light guided onto the second detector is utilized for providing a data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 8213289
    Abstract: The optical recording medium has a recording layer sensitive for recording at a first wavelength and sensitive for reading at a second wavelength, the recording layer having a groove structure, wherein at the first wavelength the groove structure has a diffraction efficiency into a first diffraction order sufficiently large to generate a push-pull signal, and at the second wavelength it has a diffraction efficiency into a first diffraction order close to zero. The optical pickup for recording on an optical recording medium intended to be read with a second wavelength and a second numerical aperture is characterized in that it has a light source for generating a light beam at a first wavelength and a numerical aperture given by the second numerical aperture multiplied with a ration of the first wavelength and the second wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Hartmut Richter, Alan Bruce Hamersley
  • Patent number: 8208184
    Abstract: A holographic storage system having an improved data page quality is described. The holographic storage system includes a special optical filter or a special light source for emphasizing the high frequency components of a reference beam and/or an object beam. This is achieved by an optical filter arranged in a Fourier plane, which has a higher attenuation at the center than at the edge. Alternatively, an adapted light source for generating the reference beam and/or the object beam is arranged in a Fourier plane. The light beam emitted by the light source has a higher intensity close to the edge than at the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Frank Przygodda
  • Patent number: 8203925
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording angular multiplexed pits on optical recording media using a device for generating a light beam with an asymmetric intensity distribution is described. The device for generating a light beam with an asymmetric intensity distribution has at least one light influencing part for introducing a phase shift of 180° in a first half of the light beam relative to the second half of the light beam, wherein the border between the first half of the light beam and the second half of the light beam is rotatable around an optical axis of the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licsensing
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Hartmut Richter, Stephan Knappmann
  • Patent number: 8199628
    Abstract: An apparatus for reading from a multilayer holographic storage medium with a coaxial arrangement of a reference beam and a reconstructed object beam is described. The apparatus has an objective lens for focusing the reference beam into the multilayer holographic storage medium such that the reference beam has a focal point behind or in front of a reflective layer of the multilayer holographic storage medium, wherein a distance between the objective lens and the multilayer holographic storage medium is set in accordance with an addressed layer of the multilayer holographic storage medium, and an imaging system with a fixed lens of focal length f and a movable lens of focal length f for re-collimating a reconstructed object beam, wherein for a specific position of the movable lens the imaging system assumes a 4f configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Heiko Trautner
  • Patent number: 8179746
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a recording medium for optical near-field recording are proposed. The apparatus includes a light source for generating a reading light beam, which is illuminated onto a near-field optical recording medium. The apparatus further includes a detector for generating a gap error signal from a light beam returning from the near-field optical recording medium. A data signal is derived from an output signal of the detector by a signal processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Joachim Knittel
  • Patent number: 8179767
    Abstract: A data page for use in a holographic data storage system, and to a method and an apparatus for writing to holographic storage media using such a data page are described. The data page has dark zones for each boundary between phase blocks of a phase mask of the holographic data storage system, which consist of switched-off pixels that are not used for encoding data, and which coincide with the boundaries between the phase blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Joachim Knittel, Frank Przygodda