Patents by Inventor Markus Zumkeller

Markus Zumkeller 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: 20110051786
    Abstract: A power line communication method for realizing data communication between at least one first or sending power line communication partner device and at least one second or receiving power line communication partner device. The method checks transmission conditions of a plurality of possible communication channels, thereby generating transmission condition data descriptive for the communication conditions of the respective possible communication channels. Additionally, communication conditions of the plurality of possible communication channels are selected as actual communication conditions based on the transmission condition data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas SCHWAGER, Markus Zumkeller, Gralf Gaedeken, Stephen Tiedemann, Lothar Stadelmeier
  • Patent number: 7885633
    Abstract: A power line communication method for realizing data communication between at least one first or sending power line communication partner device and at least one second or receiving power line communication partner device. The method checks transmission conditions of a plurality of possible communication channels, thereby generating transmission condition data descriptive for the communication conditions of the respective possible communication channels. Additionally, communication conditions of the plurality of possible communication channels are selected as actual communication conditions based on the transmission condition data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Schwager, Markus Zumkeller, Gralf Gaedeken, Stephen Tiedemann, Lothar Stadelmeier
  • Patent number: 7702085
    Abstract: A power line communication method is provided for realizing data communication between at least one first or sending power line communication partner device (P1) and at least one second or receiving power line communication partner device (P10). The inventive method comprises a step of checking transmission conditions of a plurality of possible communication channels (Ch1, . . . , Chn). Thereby generating transmission condition data which are descriptive for the communication conditions of the respective possible communication channels (Ch1, . . . , Chn). Additionally, a step of selecting communication conditions of the plurality of possible communication channels (Ch1, . . . , Chn) as actual communication conditions based on said transmission condition data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Zumkeller, Andreas Schwager, Lothar Stadelmeier, Stephen Tiedemann, Gralf Gaedeken
  • Publication number: 20100040342
    Abstract: A method for determining a point in time within an audio signal, the audio signal having been transmitted from a broadcast station to a client and to a server, the method including: deriving, at the server, first signature data from the audio signal, wherein a reference point in time is associated with the beginning or end of the audio data corresponding to the first signature data; deriving, at the client, second signature data from the audio signal, wherein the second signature data are derived in the same manner as the first signature data at the server; comparing the first and second signature data; and determining the point in time to be equal to the reference point in time depending on a result of the comparing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: SONY DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Kemp, Markus Zumkeller
  • Patent number: 7505430
    Abstract: A radio transmission signal consisting of signal frames that comprise a dynamic data part and a quasi-static data part according to the present invention is characterized in that the dynamic data part of a respective frame contains an indicator showing in which following frame the quasi-static data part of this respective frame will be repeated. Therewith, an alternative frequency of e.g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Merkle, Jens Wildhagen, Markus Zumkeller
  • Publication number: 20080260010
    Abstract: A power line communication method for realizing data communication between at least one first or sending power line communication partner device and at least one second or receiving power line communication partner device. The method checks transmission conditions of a plurality of possible communication channels, thereby generating transmission condition data descriptive for the communication conditions of the respective possible communication channels. Additionally, communication conditions of the plurality of possible communication channels are selected as actual communication conditions based on the transmission condition data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: SONY DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Schwager, Markus Zumkeller, Gralf Gaedeken, Stephen Tiedemann, Lothar Stadelmeier
  • Publication number: 20080137761
    Abstract: A transmitting device, a receiving device, and a communication method for transmitting and receiving data modulated on frequency subcarriers of an OFDM communication system. An OFDM burst includes a preamble part and payload data part, whereby the preamble includes a section of pilot symbols mapped onto every n-th frequency subcarrier and signaling data mapped onto the frequency subcarriers between the frequency subcarriers with the pilot symbols. A first channel estimation on the basis of the received pilot symbols is performed, the result of which is used to reconstruct the entire section of the received preamble as a training pattern for an accurate channel estimation, which is used for a channel equalization of the received payload part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Stadelmeier, Markus Zumkeller, Andreas Schwager, Stephen Tiedemann, Gralf Gaedeken
  • Patent number: 7310496
    Abstract: In digital broadcast systems, it is common to broadcast besides main services additional services like news services. Typically, these additional services are regularly updated and broadcasted by a service provider (3) several times a day. In order to keep service data transmitted by the additional services up to date in a receiving device (1) receiving the services, a method of accessing services is given according to which a respective service information about the services provided by service providers (3) is extracted from a service presently received by the receiving device (1), and then at least one of the services about which service information was extracted according to the respective extracted service information might be accessed. Thus, the service data can automatically be updated by the receiving device (1) itself, even if transmission conditions of an additional service like update rates change over the time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Schill, Carsten Merkle, Markus Zumkeller
  • Patent number: 7293101
    Abstract: Broadcast based information systems like Teletext use a unidirectional communication scheme in order to get access to information. This means that requests for data objects are not transmitted from a client to a server. Instead the receiver part of the client has to listen for the requested object on the broadcast medium and copy it to the local storage when it goes by. The access time from the receiver point of view is defined as the difference between the reception point in time of the object and the point in time when the request was made. Nowadays realized broadcast based information systems are not able to determine precisely when a requested object will be available. The present invention uses a repetition distance which defines an additional parameter which has to be transmitted with each broadcast data object at the transmitter side. The receiver can use this information to determine the precise repetition point in time of a requested object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Sony International (Europe) GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Schaefer, Rudolf Bittner, Markus Zumkeller
  • Patent number: 7224675
    Abstract: A radio transmission signal consisting of signal frames that comprise a dynamic data part and a quasi-static data part according to the present invention is characterized in that the dynamic data part of a respective frame contains an indicator showing in which following frame the quasi-static data part of this respective frame will be repeated. Therewith, an alternative frequency of e.g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Merkle, Jens Wildhagen, Markus Zumkeller
  • Patent number: 7158013
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for defining useable frequency bands for a powerline communication (PLC) system (101) using power supply lines of a power supply network (104a) for interconnecting a number of PLC nodes (302, 306) such that electromagnetic emissions generated by PLC signals (s(t)) transmitted via said power supply lines do not interfere with broadcast RF signals radiated in the same frequency bands. Before starting own communication activities, PLC nodes (302, 306) participating in a PLC session scan (S1a) the entire frequency range designated for powerline communication to detect (S1b) frequency bands which are occupied by broadcast services. During powerline communication the occurrence of broadcast signals is regularly checked (S2) by screening (S2a) the entire frequency range designated for powerline communication and detecting (S2b) relevant broadcast bands that should be omitted during powerline communication to avoid interference noise (n(t)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Schwager, Peter Buchner, Markus Zumkeller, Lothar Stadelmeier
  • Patent number: 7155189
    Abstract: An AM receiver with at least one IF filter with a fixed IF bandwidth comprises at least one downconversion stage (3, 4, 5) to shift the signal input thereto into an IF range (IF1) having a variable oscillation frequency (fLO1) which is adjustable to detune a wanted center frequency (fC1) of a wanted signal part (30) from a center frequency (fIF1) of the at least one IF filter so that an unwanted signal part (31b) adjacent to the wanted signal part (30) lies outside the fixed IF bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Zumkeller, Carsten Merkle
  • Publication number: 20060274717
    Abstract: A radio transmission signal consisting of signal frames that comprise a dynamic data part and a quasi-static data part according to the present invention is characterized in that the dynamic data part of a respective frame contains an indicator showing in which following frame the quasi-static data part of this respective frame will be repeated. Therewith, an alternative frequency of e.g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Applicant: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Merkle, Jens Wildhagen, Markus Zumkeller
  • Publication number: 20060073805
    Abstract: A power line communication method is provided for realizing data communication between at least one first or sending power line communication partner device (P1) and at least one second or receiving power line communication partner device (P10). The inventive method comprises a step of checking transmission conditions of a plurality of possible communication channels (Ch1, . . . , Chn). Thereby generating transmission condition data which are descriptive for the communication conditions of the respective possible communication channels (Ch1, . . . , Chn). Additionally, a step of selecting communication conditions of the plurality of possible communication channels (Ch1, . . . , Chn) as actual communication conditions based on said transmission condition data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Inventors: Markus Zumkeller, Andreas Schwager, Lothar Stadelmeier, Stephen Tiedemann, Gralf Gaedeken
  • Publication number: 20050035850
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for defining useable frequency bands for a powerline communication (PLC) system (101) using power supply lines of a power supply network (104a) for interconnecting a number of PLC nodes (302, 306) such that electromagnetic emissions generated by PLC signals (s(t)) transmitted via said power supply lines do not interfere with broadcast RF signals radiated in the same frequency bands. Before starting own communication activities, PLC nodes (302, 306) participating in a PLC session scan (S1a) the entire frequency range designated for powerline communication to detect (S1b) frequency bands which are occupied by broadcast services. During powerline communication the occurrence of broadcast signals is regularly checked (S2) by screening (S2a) the entire frequency range designated for powerline communication and detecting (S2b) relevant broadcast bands that should be omitted during powerline communication to avoid interference noise (n(t)).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventors: Andreas Schwager, Peter Buchner, Markus Zumkeller, Lothar Stadelmeier
  • Publication number: 20050008034
    Abstract: A radio transmission signal consisting of signal frames that comprise a dynamic data part and a quasi-static data part according to the present invention is characterized in that the dynamic data part of a respective frame contains an indicator showing in which following frame the quasi-static data part of this respective frame will be repeated. Therewith, an alternative frequency of e.g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Carsten Merkle, Jens Wildhagen, Markus Zumkeller
  • Patent number: 6522866
    Abstract: An alternative frequency of e. g. a digital shortwave signal like a DRM signal can easily and satisfactorily be checked whether or not the same service is transmitted before a fast seamless switching to this alternative frequency can be performed. The inventive method to perform such a checking is characterized by a respective correlation of at least two sets of samples taken from the signal transmitted on the alternative frequency having a predetermined time relationship (&Dgr;tcorr) and a comparison of said respective correlation results, i.e. comparison of the time (t1) of occurance of a correlation peak included in a first correlation result with the time (t2) of occurance of a correlation peak included in a respective further correlation result, to verify that both services are the same when the time relationship (|t2 l -t1|) between said correlation peaks is the same as said predetermined time relationship (&Dgr;tcorr) of the at least two sets of samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sony International (Europe) GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Merkle, Jens Wildhagen, Markus Zumkeller
  • Patent number: 6370369
    Abstract: Performing an antenna diversity set-up according to the present invention a first mobile terminal (1) transmits a pre-defined antenna calibration signal to a second mobile terminal (15) using its omni-directional antenna (10). During the period of the transmitted signal the best receiving antenna (x) is identified at the second mobile terminal (15) by switching all its directional antennas (21 to 28) and its omni-directional antenna (20) into its receiving path and measuring the received signal quality, e.g. the received signal strength. The directional antenna (x) of the second network device (15) which is identified as best receiving antenna is then used for transmission and reception of data transfer with the first network device (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Sony International (Europe) GmbH
    Inventors: Besma Kraiem, Janos Enderlein, Markus Zumkeller
  • Publication number: 20020022462
    Abstract: In digital broadcast systems, it is common to broadcast besides main services additional services like news services. Typically, these additional services are regularly updated and broadcasted by a service provider (3) several times a day. In order to keep service data transmitted by the additional services up to date in a receiving device (1) receiving the services, a method of accessing services is given according to which a respective service information about the services provided by service providers (3) is extracted from a service presently received by the receiving device (1), and then at least one of the services about which service information was extracted according to the respective extracted service information might be accessed. Thus, the service data can automatically be updated by the receiving device (1) itself, even if transmission conditions of an additional service like update rates change over the time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Dietmar Schill, Carsten Merkle, Markus Zumkeller
  • Publication number: 20010044288
    Abstract: An AM receiver with at least one IF filter with a fixed IF bandwidth comprises at least one downconversion stage (3, 4, 5) to shift the signal input thereto into an IF range (IF1) having a variable oszillation frequency (fLO1) which is adjustable to detune a wanted center frequency (fC1) of a wanted signal part (30) from a center frequency (fIF1) of said at least one IF filter so that an unwanted signal part (31b) adjacent to said wanted signal part (30) lies outside said fixed IF bandwidth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventors: Markus Zumkeller, Carsten Merkle