Patents by Inventor Jurgen Hofer
Jurgen Hofer 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: 8230667Abstract: A self-propelled harvesting machine includes an internal combustion engine and an electronic control arrangement that is coupled to the internal combustion engine and that is provided as input the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine and that can be provided with information as to whether the harvesting machine is in operation on public roads or in a harvesting operation. The control arrangement provides as input during the harvesting operation in an automatic operating mode the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine as a function of the situation in a harvesting operation of the harvesting machine as controlled by the control arrangement. In addition, the internal combustion engine can be operated in an efficient operating mode at a local minimum of the specific fuel consumption.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Jan Finkler, Jürgen Hofer, Ignatz Wendling
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Patent number: 8163560Abstract: The invention concerns coated test elements and in particular test elements comprising a capillary gap which have a hydrophobic structured coating at least in the area surrounding the capillary gap.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2004Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.Inventors: Rudolf Pachl, Jürgen Hoferer, Branislav Babic, Martin Frank, Wilfried Schmid
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Publication number: 20110203243Abstract: A self-propelled harvesting machine includes an internal combustion engine and an electronic control arrangement that is coupled to the internal combustion engine and that is provided as input the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine and that can be provided with information as to whether the harvesting machine is in operation on public roads or in a harvesting operation. The control arrangement provides as input during the harvesting operation in an automatic operating mode the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine as a function of the situation in a harvesting operation of the harvesting machine as controlled by the control arrangement. In addition, the internal combustion engine can be operated in an efficient operating mode at a local minimum of the specific fuel consumption.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Inventors: Jan Finkler, Jürgen Hofer, Ignatz Wendling
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Patent number: 7679524Abstract: The invention relates to a remote control for issuing commands to a remote-controlled device in a wireless manner. In said remote control, an assignment mode can run prior to start-up. The remote control also comprises a rechargeable battery for supplying power. The remote-controlled device is equipped with a docking point for the remote control, to which the latter can be temporarily fixed.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2004Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jürgen Hofer, Thomas Jatschka, Alfred Pohl, Robert Tschofen
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Patent number: 7555882Abstract: The agricultural harvesting machine having a crop picking head includes a pickup conveyer which can be driven so as to pick up the harvested crop at a first adjustable speed, a discharge conveyer which can be driven so as to receive the harvested crop picked up by the pickup conveyer, transport the harvested crop, and discharge the harvested crop at a second adjustable speed, and a feed-in conveyer disposed in a feed-in channel of the harvesting machine that can be driven so as to receive the harvested crop from the discharge conveyer, transport the harvested crop, and discharge the harvested crop to a harvested crop processing unit at a third adjustable speed. The third speed and the first speed are independent of one another, and the second speed is defined by the first and third speeds and falls in a range between the first and third speeds.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2005Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Steffen Clauss, Stefan Bohrer, Rainer Schäfer, Jürgen Hofer, Peter Pirro
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Patent number: 7540825Abstract: A drive system of a working vehicle including a main engine drivingly connected to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is connected to first and second hydraulic motors. When an undesirable operating condition is detected, a control device shifts an actuator associated with at least one of the wheels, to reduce the displacement volume of the hydraulic motors driving that wheel. In addition, shifts are made in the actuator of the respective other hydraulic motor and/or in the actuator of the hydraulic pump, in order to maintain a constant speed of travel. The control device shifts the actuator of the hydraulic motor of the other wheel toward greater displacement, and if that shift is insufficient to compensate for the undesirable operating condition, the control device will shift the actuator of the hydraulic pump in the direction of reduced displacement volume.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2007Date of Patent: June 2, 2009Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventor: Jürgen Hofer
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Patent number: 7400957Abstract: An automatic steering of an agricultural tractor on a surface of a field to be processed is accomplished by equipping the tractor with a camera for taking a picture of a region of the field, which is in front of the tractor, including the surface that is to be processed, generating a pixel data file from a picture signal of the camera, generating texture information with respect to the texture of the surroundings of the pixels contained in the data file, classifying the pixels of the pixel data file while considering the texture information, in order to generate a binary information as to whether or not a particular pixel is to be associated with the surface that is to be processed, generating a steering signal based on the results of the classification, and repositioning the steering device of the harvesting machine according to the steering signal so that the machine is steered automatically along the surface that is to be processed.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2004Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Jürgen Hofer, Manfred Bohner, Thorsten Freichel
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Patent number: 7261632Abstract: A self-propelled harvesting machine having an internal combustion engine, a propulsion system that can be operated to cause the harvesting machine to move across a field with a propulsion speed, a crop material pick-up device for picking up the crop material from a field, a crop material processing device for processing the crop material that has been picked up, a control unit for specifying the speed of the internal combustion engine, and a through-put measurement device for determining the through-put of the harvesting machine. The control unit can be operated to vary the speed of the internal combustion engine depending on the signal from the through-put measurement device. In this manner the RPM of the internal combustion engine that is most favorable in terms of fuel consumption and that corresponds to the power to be applied at a given through-put can be specified.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2005Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Peter Pirro, Jürgen Hofer, Stefan Bohrer, Rainer Schäfer, Steffen Clauss
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Publication number: 20070187207Abstract: A drive system of a working vehicle including a main engine drivingly connected to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is connected to first and second hydraulic motors. When an undesirable operating condition is detected, a control device shifts an actuator associated with at least one of the wheels, to reduce the displacement volume of the hydraulic motors driving that wheel. In addition, shifts are made in the actuator of the respective other hydraulic motor and/or in the actuator of the hydraulic pump, in order to maintain a constant speed of travel. The control device shifts the actuator of the hydraulic motor of the other wheel toward greater displacement, and if that shift is insufficient to compensate for the undesirable operating condition, the control device will shift the actuator of the hydraulic pump in the direction of reduced displacement volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2007Publication date: August 16, 2007Inventor: Jurgen Hofer
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Patent number: 7240489Abstract: A drive system of a working vehicle including a main engine drivingly connected to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is connected to first and second hydraulic motors. When an undesirable operating condition is detected, a control device shifts an actuator associated with at least one of the wheels, to reduce the displacement volume of the hydraulic motors driving that wheel. In addition, shifts are made in the actuator of the respective other hydraulic motor and/or in the actuator of the hydraulic pump, in order to maintain a constant speed of travel. The control device shifts the actuator of the hydraulic motor of the other wheel toward greater displacement, and if that shift is insufficient to compensate for the undesirable operating condition, the control device will shift the actuator of the hydraulic pump in the direction of reduced displacement volume.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2005Date of Patent: July 10, 2007Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventor: Jürgen Hofer
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Publication number: 20070110613Abstract: The invention concerns coated test elements and in particular test elements comprising a capillary gap which have a hydrophobic structured coating at least in the area surrounding the capillary gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2004Publication date: May 17, 2007Inventors: Rudolf Pachl, Jurgen Hoferer, Branislaw Babic, Martin Frank, Wilfried Schmid
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Publication number: 20060255961Abstract: Disclosed is a radio control device which is used for issuing commands in a wireless manner to a remote controlled apparatus and in which an allocation mode can be run before said radio control device is operated. The inventive radio control device comprises a transmitter/receiver unit, a control mechanism, and at least one antenna. Once the user has triggered the allocation mode, the radio range of the remote control device is lowered such that communication can be established only with an apparatus that is located in the immediate vicinity of the remote control device and returning to the standard range is possible only once the allocation process has been completed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2004Publication date: November 16, 2006Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Jurgen Hofer, Thomas Jatschka, Dr. Alfred Pohl, Robert Tschofen
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Publication number: 20060229040Abstract: The invention relates to a remote control for issuing commands to a remote-controlled device in a wireless manner. In said remote control, an assignment mode can run prior to start-up. The remote control also comprises a rechargeable battery for supplying power. The remote-controlled device is equipped with a docking point for the remote control, to which the latter can be temporarily fixed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2004Publication date: October 12, 2006Inventors: Jurgen Hofer, Thomas Jatschka, Alfred Pohl, Robert Tschofen
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Patent number: 7044257Abstract: A drive system for use in utility vehicles, such as agricultural forage harvesters and combines, includes a hydrostatic transmission having a pump driven by a main engine of the vehicle and having first and second motors respectively coupled to front and rear axles of the vehicle by way of first and second differential gear sets. The pump and one or both of the motors have a variable displacement determined by positioning respective swash plates through the agency of a lever, in the case of the pump, and by electronic devices, in the case of the motors, the electronic devices acting in response to control signals sent by a control arrangement, which in turn, operates in response to signals produced by pressure sensors associated with the motors and by signals produced by speed sensors associated with output shafts of the hydraulic motors.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2003Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Bernd Kempf, Jürgen Hofer, Stefan Bohrer
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Publication number: 20050279073Abstract: The agricultural harvesting machine having a crop picking head includes a pickup conveyer which can be driven so as to pick up the harvested crop at a first adjustable speed, a discharge conveyer which can be driven so as to receive the harvested crop picked up by the pickup conveyer, transport the harvested crop, and discharge the harvested crop at a second adjustable speed, and a feed-in conveyer disposed in a feed-in channel of the harvesting machine that can be driven so as to receive the harvested crop from the discharge conveyer, transport the harvested crop, and discharge the harvested crop to a harvested crop processing unit at a third adjustable speed. The third speed and the first speed are independent of one another, and the second speed is defined by the first and third speeds and falls in a range between the first and third speeds.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2005Publication date: December 22, 2005Inventors: Steffen Clauss, Stefan Bohrer, Rainer Schafer, Jurgen Hofer, Peter Pirro
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Publication number: 20050279070Abstract: A self-propelled harvesting machine having an internal combustion engine, a propulsion system that can be operated to cause the harvesting machine to move across a field with a propulsion speed, a crop material pick-up device for picking up the crop material from a field, a crop material processing device for processing the crop material that has been picked up, a control unit for specifying the speed of the internal combustion engine, and a through-put measurement device for determining the through-put of the harvesting machine. The control unit can be operated to vary the speed of the internal combustion engine depending on the signal from the through-put measurement device. In this manner the RPM of the internal combustion engine that is most favorable in terms of fuel consumption and that corresponds to the power to be applied at a given through-put can be specified.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2005Publication date: December 22, 2005Inventors: Peter Pirro, Jurgen Hofer, Stefan Bohrer, Rainer Schafer, Steffen Clauss
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Publication number: 20050217261Abstract: A drive system of a working vehicle including a main engine drivingly connected to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is connected to first and second hydraulic motors. When an undesirable operating condition is detected, a control device shifts an actuator associated with at least one of the wheels, to reduce the displacement volume of the hydraulic motors driving that wheel. In addition, shifts are made in the actuator of the respective other hydraulic motor and/or in the actuator of the hydraulic pump, in order to maintain a constant speed of travel. The control device shifts the actuator of the hydraulic motor of the other wheel toward greater displacement, and if that shift is insufficient to compensate for the undesirable operating condition, the control device will shift the actuator of the hydraulic pump in the direction of reduced displacement volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2005Publication date: October 6, 2005Inventor: Jurgen Hofer
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Publication number: 20050102079Abstract: An automatic steering of an agricultural tractor on a surface of a field to be processed is accomplished by equipping the tractor with a camera for taking a picture of a region of the field, which is in front of the tractor, including the surface that is to be processed, generating a pixel data file from a picture signal of the camera, generating texture information with respect to the texture of the surroundings of the pixels contained in the data file, classifying the pixels of the pixel data file while considering the texture information, in order to generate a binary information as to whether or not a particular pixel is to be associated with the surface that is to be processed, generating a steering signal based on the results of the classification, and repositioning the steering device of the harvesting machine according to the steering signal so that the machine is steered automatically along the surface that is to be processed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2004Publication date: May 12, 2005Inventors: Jurgen Hofer, Manfred Bohner, Thorsten Freichel
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Publication number: 20030173133Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a drive system for use in utility vehicles, such as agricultural forage harvesters and combines. The drive system includes a hydrostatic transmission having a pump driven by a main engine of the vehicle and having first and second motors respectively coupled to front and rear axles of the vehicle by way of first and second differential gear sets. The pump and one or both of the motors have a variable displacement determined by positioning respective swash plates through the agency of a lever, in the case of the pump, and by electronic devices, in the case of the motors, the electronic devices acting in response to control signals sent by a control arrangement, which in turn, operates in response to signals produced by pressure sensors associated with the motors and by signals produced by speed sensors associated with output shafts of the hydraulic motors.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Applicant: Deere & Company, a Delaware corporationInventors: Bernd Kempt, Jurgen Hofer, Stefan Bohrer
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Patent number: 5362049Abstract: A skill-testing, entertainment or game equipment operating on the basis of user's physical values comprises units for non-invasive measuring physical values of a user, a computer unit arranged to receive the physical values of a user measured by the measuring units, the normal game score of the equipment and also to receive multiplication factors for certain physical values and units for displaying the scores produced by multiplication of the physical values measured by the measuring units on game scores with the multiplication factors supplied to the computer unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1993Date of Patent: November 8, 1994Inventor: Jurgen Hofer