Patents by Inventor Joern Ihlenburg

Joern Ihlenburg 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: 11285873
    Abstract: A method for generating surround view images derived from image data captured by cameras of a vehicular surround view vision system includes equipping a vehicle with a plurality of cameras disposed at the vehicle. Image data is captured by the cameras and provided to a control of the vehicle. The provided captured image data is processed to generate a first three-dimensional representation in accordance with a first curved surface model as if seen by a virtual observer from a first virtual viewing point exterior of the vehicle having a first viewing direction. The first representation is output to a display screen of the vehicle for display to the driver of the vehicle. Responsive to actuation of a user input, the processing is adjusted to generate a second three-dimensional representation in accordance with a second curved surface model, and the second representation is output to the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Goerg Pflug, Achim Gieseke
  • Patent number: 11279343
    Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a camera and a receiver disposed at the equipped vehicle. A control includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the camera to detect vehicles present within the field of view of the camera. The vehicular control system determines presence of another vehicle that constitutes a potential hazard existing exterior of the equipped vehicle responsive at least in part to a wireless communication originating from the other vehicle and received by the receiver. When the other vehicle enters the field of view of the camera, and responsive at least in part to the image processor processing image data captured by the camera, the control detects that the other vehicle is present within the field of view of the camera and controls at least one vehicle function of the equipped vehicle to mitigate collision with the other vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Achim Gieseke, Bernhard Thaler, Goerg Pflug
  • Patent number: 11252376
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes an electronic control unit having at least four coaxial connectors. At least four coaxial cables are electrically connected at respective coaxial connectors of the electronic control unit and respective cameras of at least four cameras. Each of the coaxial cables carries DC power from the electronic control unit to the respective camera. Each of the coaxial cables carries respective control data from the electronic control unit to the respective camera. Each of the coaxial cables carries image data captured by an imager of the respective camera to the electronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling. Image data carried to the electronic control unit is processed at the electronic control unit by a processor of the electronic control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Joern Ihlenburg
  • Publication number: 20220041103
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a front camera and a rear camera disposed at a vehicle and each viewing exterior of the vehicle. Each of the cameras connects with a control via a respective mono coaxial cable. The respective mono coaxial cables carry control data from the control to the respective cameras and carry image data captured by the respective cameras to the control. The control generates an output provided to a video display device of the vehicle. The video display device includes a video display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicle. During a reversing maneuver of the vehicle, the video display screen displays video images of an area rearward the vehicle derived from image data captured by the rear camera and carried to the control by the respective mono coaxial cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Andreas Koppe, Achim Gieseke, Hossam Mahmoud, Horst D. Diessner
  • Patent number: 11201994
    Abstract: A vehicular multi-camera surround view system includes a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective exterior fields of view, each of the cameras capturing respective image data. The cameras are connected to an ECU via respective ones of a plurality of single core coaxial cables. The ECU is disposed at the vehicle and includes (i) a data processor and (ii) a DC power supply. Each of the cameras is in full duplex bidirectional communication with the ECU over the respective single core coaxial cable. Each single core coaxial cable commonly carries (i) image data from the respective camera to the ECU for processing and (ii) power from the DC power supply of the ECU to the respective camera. The ECU combines image data conveyed by the cameras to form composite video images and outputs the composite video images to a display device having a video display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Jens Steigerwald, Michael Dominik Schöppner
  • Patent number: 11142123
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes forward viewing camera and a rear camera each having a respective field of view exterior of the vehicle. Each of the cameras has an LVDS chip and connects with a control via a respective mono coaxial cable. Each mono coaxial cable carries via LVDS image data captured by the respective camera. Image data captured by the forward viewing camera and carried to the control by the respective mono coaxial cable is processed at the control for object detection. The control generates an output provided to a video display device of the vehicle, the video display device having a video display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The video display screen displays video images of an area rearward of the vehicle derived from image data captured by the rear camera and carried to the control by the respective mono coaxial cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Andreas Koppe, Achim Gieseke, Hossam Mahmoud, Horst D. Diessner
  • Publication number: 20210291751
    Abstract: A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a camera having a field of view that includes at least a driver's head region within a cabin of a vehicle. The camera includes an imager having a two-dimensional array of photosensing elements. The camera includes a lens array of lens elements disposed at the array of photosensing elements of the imager. The lens elements are disposed over respective sub-arrays of photosensing elements for imaging light onto the respective sub-arrays of photosensing elements. With an illumination source operated to emit near infrared light to illuminate at least the driver's head region, and responsive at least in part to image processing by an image processor of image data captured by the sub-arrays of photosensing elements associated with the respective lens elements of the lens array, the system determines the head of a driver of the vehicle and the driver's facing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Goerg Pflug
  • Patent number: 11092815
    Abstract: A metasurface lens assembly to perform chromatic separation includes a first layer with a plurality of nanofins extending transversely there from and each being optically anisotropic and transmissive to light in the visible spectrum and having an optical characteristic that is set according to a phase profile. A second layer is spaced apart from the first layer and includes a plurality of photosensitive subpixels each associated with a different color. In operation, many beams of light may be directed onto the metasurface lens from a source with each beam of light having a plurality of component colors. The nanofins may function in combination with one another according to the phase profile to bend and focus the beams of light onto the second layer with each of the component colors being bent and focused differently to direct the component colors onto corresponding ones of the photosensitive subpixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jasmin Jijina Sinkular, Boris Shulkin, Benjamin May, Joern Ihlenburg, Todd Deaville, Umer Shahid, Yuesheng Lu
  • Publication number: 20210174100
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) and a plurality of cameras including side-viewing cameras, a front camera and a rear camera. The cameras connect with the ECU via respective coaxial cables. Image data captured by the cameras is converted at a respective serializer to a respective image signal and is carried to the ECU via the respective coaxial cable. The image signals are de-serialized at the respective de-serializers of the ECU. The ECU generates an output provided to a video display device of the vehicle. The output may include a bird's eye view of an environment at least partially surrounding the vehicle. The ECU may connect with the video display device via a coaxial cable. Electrical power for the cameras may be carried from the ECU to the respective cameras via the respective coaxial cables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Axel Nix, Joern Ihlenburg, Nazar F. Bally, Duane W. Gebauer
  • Publication number: 20210084214
    Abstract: A vehicular multi-camera surround view system includes a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective exterior fields of view, each of the cameras capturing respective image data. The cameras are connected to an ECU via respective ones of a plurality of single core coaxial cables. The ECU is disposed at the vehicle and includes (i) a data processor and (ii) a DC power supply. Each of the cameras is in full duplex bidirectional communication with the ECU over the respective single core coaxial cable. Each single core coaxial cable commonly carries (i) image data from the respective camera to the ECU for processing and (ii) power from the DC power supply of the ECU to the respective camera. The ECU combines image data conveyed by the cameras to form composite video images and outputs the composite video images to a display device having a video display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Jens Steigerwald, Michael Dominik Schöppner
  • Patent number: 10922563
    Abstract: A vehicular control system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) and a plurality of cameras including side-viewing cameras and a front or forward-viewing camera and/or a rearward-viewing camera. The cameras connect with the ECU via respective coaxial cables. Image data captured by the cameras is converted at a respective LVDS serializer to a respective image signal and is carried to the ECU via the respective coaxial cable by LVDS. The image signals are de-serialized at the respective LVDS de-serializer of the ECU. The image processor of the ECU may process a de-serialized image signal to detect a vehicle present in the field of view of the front camera, whereby, responsive to determination that the equipped vehicle and the detected vehicle may collide, the system may, at least in part, control a braking system of the equipped vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Axel Nix, Joern Ihlenburg, Nazar F. Bally, Duane W. Gebauer
  • Publication number: 20210016709
    Abstract: A method for generating surround view images derived from image data captured by cameras of a vehicular surround view vision system includes equipping a vehicle with a plurality of cameras disposed at the vehicle. Image data is captured by the cameras and provided to a control of the vehicle. The provided captured image data is processed to generate a first three-dimensional representation in accordance with a first curved surface model as if seen by a virtual observer from a first virtual viewing point exterior of the vehicle having a first viewing direction. The first representation is output to a display screen of the vehicle for display to the driver of the vehicle. Responsive to actuation of a user input, the processing is adjusted to generate a second three-dimensional representation in accordance with a second curved surface model, and the second representation is output to the display screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Goerg Pflug, Achim Gieseke
  • Publication number: 20210009057
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a cabin monitoring system disposed at a vehicle and operable to detect presence of at least one occupant in the vehicle. The cabin monitoring system is operable to determine a temperature at an occupant detected in the vehicle. A control is operable to control a climate control system of the vehicle. The control, responsive to a determined temperature at a detected occupant, adjusts the temperature setting of the climate control system of the vehicle. The control system receives a remotely-provided profile from a source remote from the vehicle that is associated with a future occupant of the vehicle. The control system may adjust the temperature setting in accordance with remote-provided profile associated with the future occupant prior to arriving at a location for picking up the future occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Boris Shulkin, Benjamin May
  • Patent number: 10827108
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a plurality of imaging sensors disposed at a vehicle and having respective exterior fields of view, each of the imaging sensors capturing respective image data. The imaging sensors are connected to a control via respective ones of a plurality of single core coaxial cables. The control is disposed at the vehicle and includes (i) a data processor and (ii) a DC power supply. Each single core coaxial cable commonly carries (i) image data from the respective imaging sensor to the control for processing and (ii) power from the DC power supply of the control to the respective imaging sensor. Each of the imaging sensors is in bidirectional communication with the control over the respective single core coaxial cable, with signal attenuation being below 100 dB at a frequency of 1 GHz per 100 m length of the respective single core coaxial cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Jens Steigerwald, Michael Dominik Schöppner
  • Patent number: 10793067
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a plurality of imaging sensors disposed at the vehicle and a display screen disposed in the vehicle. A processing system is operable to process captured image data and to combine and/or manipulate captured image data to provide a three-dimensional representation of the exterior scene for display at the display screen. The processing system is operable to process the captured image data in accordance with a curved surface model, and is operable to process the image data to provide the three-dimensional representation as if seen by a virtual observer from a first virtual viewing point exterior of the vehicle having a first viewing direction. The processing system is operable to adjust the curved surface model when displaying the three-dimensional representation from a second virtual viewing point exterior of the vehicle having a second viewing direction to provide enhanced display of the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Goerg Pflug, Achim Gieseke
  • Publication number: 20200262344
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes forward viewing camera and a rear camera each having a respective field of view exterior of the vehicle. Each of the cameras has an LVDS chip and connects with a control via a respective mono coaxial cable. Each mono coaxial cable carries via LVDS image data captured by the respective camera. Image data captured by the forward viewing camera and carried to the control by the respective mono coaxial cable is processed at the control for object detection. The control generates an output provided to a video display device of the vehicle, the video display device having a video display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The video display screen displays video images of an area rearward of the vehicle derived from image data captured by the rear camera and carried to the control by the respective mono coaxial cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Andreas Koppe, Achim Gieseke, Hossam Mahmoud, Horst D. Diessner
  • Publication number: 20200244925
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes an electronic control unit having at least four coaxial connectors. At least four coaxial cables are electrically connected at respective coaxial connectors of the electronic control unit and respective cameras of at least four cameras. Each of the coaxial cables carries DC power from the electronic control unit to the respective camera. Each of the coaxial cables carries respective control data from the electronic control unit to the respective camera. Each of the coaxial cables carries image data captured by an imager of the respective camera to the electronic control unit via low-voltage differential signaling. Image data carried to the electronic control unit is processed at the electronic control unit by a processor of the electronic control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventor: Joern Ihlenburg
  • Patent number: 10694150
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes first and second camera modules disposed at the vehicle so as to have respective first and second fields of view exterior of the vehicle. The first camera module includes a first lens and a first imager, and is operable to capture image data. The second camera module includes a second lens and a second imager, and is operable to capture image data. The first camera module is powered by a first power supply line and the second camera module is powered by a second power supply line. The first camera module includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the first camera module and the second camera module. The second camera module comprises a second image processor operable to process image data captured by the first camera module and the second camera module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Benjamin May, Boris Shulkin
  • Publication number: 20200186698
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a plurality of imaging sensors disposed at a vehicle and having respective exterior fields of view, each of the imaging sensors capturing respective image data. The imaging sensors are connected to a control via respective ones of a plurality of single core coaxial cables. The control is disposed at the vehicle and includes (i) a data processor and (ii) a DC power supply. Each single core coaxial cable commonly carries (i) image data from the respective imaging sensor to the control for processing and (ii) power from the DC power supply of the control to the respective imaging sensor. Each of the imaging sensors is in bidirectional communication with the control over the respective single core coaxial cable, with signal attenuation being below 100 dB at a frequency of 1 GHz per 100 m length of the respective single core coaxial cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Jens Steigerwald, Michael Dominik Schöppner
  • Patent number: 10640040
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes front, rear, driver-side camera and passenger-side cameras each having a respective field of view exterior of the vehicle. Each of the cameras connects with a central video/image processor via a respective mono coaxial cable. Image data captured by the imaging sensor of each camera is carried as captured to the central video/image processor via said the respective mono coaxial cable as a Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS). The central video/image processor generates an output provided to a video display device of the vehicle, with the video display device having a video display screen viewable by a driver of the vehicle. The video display screen is operable to display a birds-eye view of an area around the vehicle. The birds-eye view of the area around the vehicle is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by the imaging sensors of the cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Joern Ihlenburg, Andreas Koppe, Achim Gieseke, Hossam Mahmoud, Horst D. Diessner