Patents by Inventor Lothar Trunk

Lothar Trunk 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: 20230298150
    Abstract: An inspection arrangement (8) for an interior (4) with objects (6) of a passenger vehicle (2) contains an image recording unit (10a-c) for an image (18) of the interior (4) of the vehicle (2) with the object (6), a classification database (20) with classification values (22) for the objects (6) and assignment rules (24) for assigning the classification values (22) to specific image contents (26) depicting the objects (6), an image analysis unit (28) which is connected to the database (20) in order to automatically analyse the image contents (26) and to assign classification values (22) according to the assignment rules (24), and interfaces (30a,b) for the input and/or output of classification values (22) and/or images (18) from and/or to a downstream entity (34).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: Diehl Aerospace GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar TRUNK, Stefan MUELLER-DIVEKY, Tobias GUT
  • Patent number: 11299271
    Abstract: An announcement device or a passenger aircraft contains a memory or announcements with assigned potential flight phases and a control and evaluation unit with inputs for input signals with information relating to flight phases of the passenger aircraft, an output for the announcements, wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to determine a current flight phase on the basis of the input signals, to check whether an announcement for the current flight phase is present in the memory, and to output this announcement as the current announcement at the output. A passenger aircraft contains the announcement device. In a method for outputting an announcement, announcements and input signals are provided, a current flight phase is automatically determined from the said input signals and a possibly present associated current announcement is output. A cabin management system of a passenger aircraft is used as an announcement device and/or to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Diehl Aerospace GmbH
    Inventor: Lothar Trunk
  • Publication number: 20210371108
    Abstract: A toilet arrangement for an aircraft cabin of an aircraft having a cabin ventilation system for supplying the aircraft cabin with cabin air, includes at least one standing surface for cladding the toilet arrangement. The standing surface is disposed within the toilet arrangement. A ventilator has an entry interface for connection to the cabin ventilation system for transfer of the cabin air. An outlet element is connected to the entry interface for take-over of the cabin air. The ventilator generates a surface-air stream from the cabin air. The surface-air stream flows over the standing surface from the outlet element to dry the standing surface. An aircraft having the toilet arrangement and a method for drying a standing surface of the toilet arrangement are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Florian Zager-Rode, Tammo Bahns, Lothar Trunk
  • Publication number: 20210229812
    Abstract: In passenger aeroplanes, baggage compartments for holding passengers' baggage are usually arranged above the rows of seats. The present invention proposes an interior space management system which is characterized by improved management of the aeroplane interior. For this purpose, an interior space management system (1) for an aircraft (2) is proposed, the aircraft (2) having a stowage compartment arrangement (6), the stowage compartment arrangement (6) having a plurality of stowage compartment sections (7), each for holding one or more baggage items (8), and having a control unit (16), the control unit (16) being designed to control and/or manage a distribution of interior regions of an interior space (3) of the aircraft (2), and the control unit (16) being designed to control and/or manage an occupancy of the stowage compartment sections (7) on the basis of historical data of the aircraft (2) and/or on the basis of baggage data of the baggage items (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Diehl Aerospace GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar TRUNK, Marcel SCHMEDES, Gooneshwaree HURRY
  • Publication number: 20200369386
    Abstract: An announcement device or a passenger aircraft contains a memory or announcements with assigned potential flight phases and a control and evaluation unit with inputs for input signals with information relating to flight phases of the passenger aircraft, an output for the announcements, wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to determine a current flight phase on the basis of the input signals, to check whether an announcement for the current flight phase is present in the memory, and to output this announcement as the current announcement at the output. A passenger aircraft contains the announcement device. In a method for outputting an announcement, announcements and input signals are provided, a current flight phase is automatically determined from the said input signals and a possibly present associated current announcement is output. A cabin management system of a passenger aircraft is used as an announcement device and/or to carry out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Diehl Aerospace GmbH
    Inventor: Lothar TRUNK
  • Patent number: 10752130
    Abstract: A monitoring module (6) for a seat (10) of a passenger aircraft (2), which seat (10) contains at least one element (12 a-g) having at least two states (Z1,2), comprises at least one sensor (14a-g) for the element (12a-g), having state information (16) corresponding to the current state (Z1,2), a readout unit (18) having a communication channel (20) for the state information (16) to the sensor (14a-g) and a communication interface (22) for the state information (16) to a monitoring unit (8) of the passenger aircraft (2). The sensor (14a-g) is a camera or a capacitive seat occupancy sensor. A monitoring device (4) for a passenger aircraft (2) contains monitoring modules (6) and a monitoring unit (8), which is configured for at least two of the monitoring modules (6) together. A passenger aircraft (2) contains a monitoring module (6) and/or a monitoring device (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk-Achim Schevardo, Lothar Trunk, Ehler Rager, Stefan Mueller-Diveky
  • Patent number: 10579521
    Abstract: A method for allocating addresses to passenger service units (PSUs) and a service controller for a passenger cabin of an aircraft are provided. A coding device of the controller defines multiple coding parameters each corresponding to an installation position of a PSU. Each coding parameter defines a coding value. The PSUs are installed at respective installation positions in an installation space. A head unit of the controller communicates with the PSUs. In response to a start command, a respective coding value is determined at a respective installation position of a respective PSU. A respective waiting time is determined from the respective coding value according to a time rule. A response is transmitted to the head unit for each PSU upon expiration of the waiting time from the start command. Upon receiving the response, an address is allocated to a PSU which transmitted the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar Trunk, Stefan Mueller-Diveky
  • Publication number: 20200047639
    Abstract: A monitoring module (6) for a seat (10) of a passenger aircraft (2), which seat (10) contains at least one element (12a-g) having at least two states (Z1,2), comprises at least one sensor (14a-g) for the element (12a-g), having state information (16) corresponding to the current state (Z1,2), a readout unit (18) having a communication channel (20) for the state information (16) to the sensor (14a-g) and a communication interface (22) for the state information (16) to a monitoring unit (8) of the passenger aircraft (2). The sensor (14a-g) is a camera or a capacitive seat occupancy sensor. A monitoring device (4) for a passenger aircraft (2) contains monitoring modules (6) and a monitoring unit (8), which is configured for at least two of the monitoring modules (6) together. A passenger aircraft (2) contains a monitoring module (6) and/or a monitoring device (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk-Achim SCHEVARDO, Lothar TRUNK, Ehler Rager, Stefan Mueller-Diveky
  • Publication number: 20190121774
    Abstract: In a method for allocating a respective address (Aa-e) to a plurality of PSUs of a service arrangement for a passenger cabin of an aircraft, a start command is transmitted to all PSUs, a respective coding value (Pa-e) of a coding parameter (P) is determined at an installation position of the respective PSU, a respective waiting time (Wa-e) is determined from the coding value (Pa-e) according to a time rule, a response (Ra-e) is transmitted to a head unit on expiry of the respective waiting time (Wa-e) and an address (Aa-e) is allocated to the responding PSU in response to the reception of the response (Ra-e).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar TRUNK, Stefan MUELLER-DIVEKY
  • Patent number: 9294088
    Abstract: Inductive adjustment of the core-fitted coil (16) of an eddy-current distance sensor (11) can be avoided if the coil (16) fills a physically predetermined annular space between the winding support (17) of the plastic coil former (15) and its flanges (18-19) as well as the wall (21) of a pot (20) composed of ferromagnetic material, which is placed over the rearward, smaller flange (18) and whose end face (21) rests against an annular area of the front, larger flange (19) with the same diameter as the pot (20). The ferromagnetic coil core (31) which engages coaxially in the winding support (17) can therefore be arranged on the base (24) in the pot (20) and can therefore be mounted as part of the pot (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar Trunk, Norbert Heitefuss, Alan Lowell Houp
  • Patent number: 9231586
    Abstract: The invention relates, in particular, to an inductive proximity or distance sensor. The invention proposes that a core 9 of an inductive sensor unit 5 of the proximity sensor 1, which projects into a coil carrier 7, have a rectangular cross-sectional profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar Trunk, Alan Lowell Houp
  • Patent number: 9117108
    Abstract: A method for controlling the authorization of a person to access a secure area, particularly a cockpit of a passenger aircraft, is provided. According to the method, an access control apparatus for detecting a set of biometric features is provided, which apparatus can be enabled by entering a predetermined access code. The access code is transferred by the person to the access control apparatus. The access control apparatus detects a set of biometric features of the person transferring the access code. The set of biometric features of the person are saved. Access for the person for a predetermined time period is subsequently enabled. Solely verifying the set of biometric features of the person seeking access allows access to be enabled again for the person during the predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Diehl Aerospace GMBH
    Inventors: Olaf Kammer, Lothar Trunk, Jörg Waffenschmidt
  • Publication number: 20140294255
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling the authorization of a person to access a secure area, in particular a cockpit of a passenger aircraft, comprising: (1) providing an access control apparatus for detecting a set of biometric features, which apparatus can be enabled by entering a predetermined access code; (2) transfer of the access code by the person to the access control apparatus; (3) detecting by means of the access control apparatus a set of biometric features of the person transferring the access code; (4) saving the set of biometric features of the person; and (5) subsequently enabling access for the person for a predetermined time period, wherein solely verifying the set of biometric features of the person seeking access allows access to be enabled again for the person during the predetermined time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Diehl Aerospace GmbH
    Inventors: Olaf KAMMER, Lothar TRUNK, Jörg WAFFENSCHMIDT
  • Publication number: 20120268110
    Abstract: The invention relates, in particular, to an inductive proximity or distance sensor. The invention proposes that a core 9 of an inductive sensor unit 5 of the proximity sensor 1, which projects into a coil carrier 7, have a rectangular cross-sectional profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar TRUNK, Alan Lowell HOUP
  • Publication number: 20120119728
    Abstract: Inductive adjustment of the core-fitted coil (16) of an eddy-current distance sensor (11) can be avoided if the coil (16) fills a physically predetermined annular space between the winding support (17) of the plastic coil former (15) and its flanges (18-19) as well as the wall (21) of a pot (20) composed of ferromagnetic material, which is placed over the rearward, smaller flange (18) and whose end face (21) rests against an annular area of the front, larger flange (19) with the same diameter as the pot (20). The ferromagnetic coil core (31) which engages coaxially in the winding support (17) can therefore be arranged on the base (24) in the pot (20) and can therefore be mounted as part of the pot (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar Trunk, Norbert Heitefuss, Alan Lowell Houp
  • Publication number: 20110241359
    Abstract: A blocking device (11) for a door locking system, in particular on the cabin door (10) of a passenger airplane, has a locking disk (12) with a link (13) which is stepped in such a way that, depending on whether an electromagnet (19) is turned on or turned off, the sliding block (15) of a sensing lever (14) either strikes a link stop (20) or runs into a free-running area (17) of the link when the door (10) or the locking elements of said door is/are moved as a result of being coupled in terms of movement to the locking disk (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH
    Inventor: Lothar Trunk
  • Patent number: 6784922
    Abstract: An area, such as an area of the earth's surface, is scanned by a scanner, such as an infrared line scanner, which is moved over the area at different heights and at different speeds. An overscan factor is determined in accordance with the height and speed of the scanner over the scanned area. A first image is centered, and an offset vector between the first image and a subsequently scanned second image is calculated in accordance with an image offset. The first and second images are aligned with one another in accordance with the offset vector. The image content of the aligned images are averaged with one another in overlapping image areas defined by the overscan factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Siegfried Fössel, Lothar Trunk, Heino Möller, Erwin Drachsler