Patents by Inventor Julian-Steffen Müller

Julian-Steffen Müller 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: 20240124006
    Abstract: A method of a transportation vehicle for context-dependent processing of a potential error of a vehicle component. The method includes determining a current context of the transportation vehicle and of at least one vehicle component of the transportation vehicle that is heterogeneous in the current context. In response to at least one heterogeneous vehicle component being determined, a heterogeneous verification of the potential error is performed taking into account the at least one heterogeneous vehicle component. In response to no heterogeneous vehicle component being determined, a context-dependent relevance of the vehicle component is determined. Based on the determined context-dependent relevance, then either the potential error of the vehicle component is handled or an emergency operating mode of the transportation vehicle is initiated. Also disclosed is a transportation vehicle having a control unit to perform the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Maximilian WESCHE, Tobias KAIN, Julian-Steffen MÜLLER, Marcel AGUIRRE MEHLHORN
  • Publication number: 20230384789
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for the at least the partially automated driving of a motor vehicle. A first application and at least one redundant second application provide output data depending on motor vehicle operating data and/or environmental data. Vehicle driving data for the at least partially automated driving of the motor vehicle are determined depending on the output data. Vehicle operating data from another vehicle are received, and, depending on the vehicle operating data, the at least one redundant second application switches from an active state to a standby state in which a computer instance of a computer unit used by the at least one redundant second application is at least executed at a lower frequency than in the active state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Yael Abelardo Martinez Flores, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller, Marcel Aguirre Mehlhorn, Tobias Kain
  • Patent number: 11745748
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for operating an automatically driving vehicle, wherein application instances are executed over several computational nodes, wherein recognized faults are reacted to by switching to redundant application instances and then reconfiguring the configuration to restore specified redundancy conditions and/or segregation conditions, wherein the vehicle is transitioned to a safe state using at least one failover apparatus when at least one specified redundancy condition and/or at least one segregation condition cannot be met by the reconfiguration, and/or a specified time for reconfiguration is exceeded, and/or an unrecoverable malfunction has been recognized, wherein the at least one failover apparatus plans an emergency trajectory using a trajectory planner, wherein sensor data are detected via separate signal lines and supplied to the at least one failover apparatus, and wherein control signals are generated and transmitted via separate control lines to an actuator system of the v
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Julian-Steffen Müller, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis
  • Patent number: 11740627
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for the at least the partially automated driving of a motor vehicle. A first application and at least one redundant second application provide output data depending on motor vehicle operating data and/or environmental data. Vehicle driving data for the at least partially automated driving of the motor vehicle are determined depending on the output data. Vehicle operating data from another vehicle are received, and, depending on the vehicle operating data, the at least one redundant second application switches from an active state to a standby state in which a computer instance of a computer unit used by the at least one redundant second application is at least executed at a lower frequency than in the active state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Yael Abelardo Martinez Flores, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller, Marcel Aguirre Mehlhorn, Tobias Kain
  • Publication number: 20230054109
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for reconfiguring an autonomous vehicle in the event of a fault, wherein application entities are executed in a distributed manner across a plurality of computing nodes in accordance with a predefined configuration. A fault in an application entity and/or in an operating system and/or in a piece of hardware is detected via the at least one monitor device, wherein the detected fault is isolated via a switching device by switching to application entities which are redundant with respect to the affected application entities, and wherein predefined redundancy conditions and/or segregation conditions are restored for the application entities by the reconfiguration, by an application placement device of the configuration, wherein the reconfiguration is carried out such that the number of times application entities are switched to other computing nodes to establish the predefined redundancy conditions and/or segregation conditions will be or is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Julian-Steffen Müller, Hendrik Decke
  • Patent number: 11572081
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a self-propelled motor vehicle having a plurality of control units and a plurality of program codes for controlling the function of autonomous driving and possibly other functions of the self-propelled vehicle, wherein a plurality of program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are redundantly applied to at least two different control units. In doing so, the self-propelled motor vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed to satisfy the passenger's wishes are ascertained and weighted corresponding to their relevance for satisfying the passenger's wishes. In so doing, the functions, or the scope of functions, are released depending on the achievement of a target achievement level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis
  • Patent number: 11511775
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the dynamic, context-based distribution of program codes in a control system of a vehicle. The control system has a plurality of control apparatuses for executing the program codes. The program codes are assigned to the corresponding control apparatuses of the control system by a global placement graph. In doing so, the global placement graph is calculated in a computing unit that is located outside of the control system. The data of the global placement graph are transmitted to the control system. It is provided for the global placement graph to be calculated based on the current configuration as well as known reconfigurations, wherein the selection of the next node of the global placement graph to be calculated is calculated using the probability of occurrence of an error as well as the effect of the error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller
  • Patent number: 11472423
    Abstract: A self-driving motor vehicle including numerous control units and numerous program codes for controlling the functions of the autonomous driving and other functions of the self-driving vehicle. Numerous program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are applied redundantly to at least two different control units. The self-driving motor vehicle may then be operated in an at least a partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed for satisfying a passenger's desire are determined, and weighted with regard to their importance in fulfilling the passenger's desires. At least one function of a lower order is then shut off, if the available resources in functioning control units and/or the power level in the self-driving motor vehicle are insufficient to execute program code for executing this function of the lower order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis, Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke
  • Patent number: 11472424
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for dynamic, context-based distribution of program codes in a control system in a vehicle. The control system includes numerous control units. The allocation of the program codes to the corresponding control units in the control system takes place using a global placement chart. The global placement chart is calculated on a computer, which may be located outside the control system. The data from the global placement chart are sent to the control system. Other aspects include an at least partially autonomous motor vehicle that has a control system for executing dynamic, context-based distribution of program codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller
  • Publication number: 20220308579
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for the at least the partially automated driving of a motor vehicle. A first application and at least one redundant second application provide output data depending on motor vehicle operating data and/or environmental data. Vehicle driving data for the at least partially automated driving of the motor vehicle are determined depending on the output data. Vehicle operating data from another vehicle are received, and, depending on the vehicle operating data, the at least one redundant second application switches from an active state to a standby state in which a computer instance of a computer unit used by the at least one redundant second application is at least executed at a lower frequency than in the active state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Yael Abelardo Martinez Flores, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller, Marcel Aguirre Mehlhorn, Tobias Kain
  • Publication number: 20210286631
    Abstract: A system architecture of an autonomous vehicle, wherein the system architecture includes a plurality of application instances and nodes. The application instances are distributed and executed on the computation nodes according to a configuration, wherein measured sensor data of at least one sensor is input to at least part of the application instances, and wherein at least part of the application instances creates and provides control signals for controlling the vehicle. At least one context information of a prevailing context is gathered, and wherein the configuration is adapted according to the at least one gathered context information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Julian-Steffen Müller, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Philipp Mundhenk
  • Publication number: 20210237750
    Abstract: A self-driving motor vehicle including numerous control units and numerous program codes for controlling the functions of the autonomous driving and other functions of the self-driving vehicle. Numerous program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are applied redundantly to at least two different control units. The self-driving motor vehicle may then be operated in an at least a partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed for satisfying a passenger's desire are determined, and weighted with regard to their importance in fulfilling the passenger's desires. At least one function of a lower order is then shut off, if the available resources in functioning control units and/or the power level in the self-driving motor vehicle are insufficient to execute program code for executing this function of the lower order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis, Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke
  • Publication number: 20210213964
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for operating an automatically driving vehicle, wherein application instances are executed over several computational nodes, wherein recognized faults are reacted to by switching to redundant application instances and then reconfiguring the configuration to restore specified redundancy conditions and/or segregation conditions, wherein the vehicle is transitioned to a safe state using at least one failover apparatus when at least one specified redundancy condition and/or at least one segregation condition cannot be met by the reconfiguration, and/or a specified time for reconfiguration is exceeded, and/or an unrecoverable malfunction has been recognized, wherein the at least one failover apparatus plans an emergency trajectory using a trajectory planner, wherein sensor data are detected via separate signal lines and supplied to the at least one failover apparatus, and wherein control signals are generated and transmitted via separate control lines to an actuator system of the v
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Julian-Steffen Müller, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis
  • Publication number: 20210188294
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for dynamic, context-based distribution of program codes in a control system in a vehicle. The control system includes numerous control units. The allocation of the program codes to the corresponding control units in the control system takes place using a global placement chart. The global placement chart is calculated on a computer, which may be located outside the control system. The data from the global placement chart are sent to the control system. Other aspects include an at least partially autonomous motor vehicle that has a control system for executing dynamic, context-based distribution of program codes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller
  • Publication number: 20210188314
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the dynamic, context-based distribution of program codes in a control system of a vehicle. The control system has a plurality of control apparatuses for executing the program codes. The program codes are assigned to the corresponding control apparatuses of the control system by a global placement graph. In doing so, the global placement graph is calculated in a computing unit that is located outside of the control system. The data of the global placement graph are transmitted to the control system. It is provided for the global placement graph to be calculated based on the current configuration as well as known reconfigurations, wherein the selection of the next node of the global placement graph to be calculated is calculated using the probability of occurrence of an error as well as the effect of the error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller
  • Publication number: 20210179144
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a self-propelled motor vehicle having a plurality of control units and a plurality of program codes for controlling the function of autonomous driving and possibly other functions of the self-propelled vehicle, wherein a plurality of program codes used for an autonomous driving mode are redundantly applied to at least two different control units. In doing so, the self-propelled motor vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving mode. In this mode, the functions directly needed to satisfy the passenger's wishes are ascertained and weighted corresponding to their relevance for satisfying the passenger's wishes. In so doing, the functions, or the scope of functions, are released depending on the achievement of a target achievement level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tobias Kain, Maximilian Wesche, Hendrik Decke, Julian-Steffen Müller, Fabian Plinke, Andreas Braasch, Johannes Heinrich, Timo Horeis