Patents by Inventor Matthias Hofmann

Matthias Hofmann 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: 6947776
    Abstract: In order to operate a communications network in a power-saving mode, a central processing unit decides, on the basis of activities and/or states, if it is possible to switch network elements to the power-saving mode. A forthcoming switch to the power-saving mode is announced to the network elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6873889
    Abstract: A method of adding a device to a vehicle communications network. The method is used to announce a device added to the vehicle communications network to the other devices already connected to the vehicle communications network and to make the newly added device controllable for other devices via a driver. Either a default driver or a special driver is used, the special driver being loaded from the device itself or via a telecommunications network or by the user. The device recognized is entered into a database together with the particular driver. The newly added device is recognized either by a message from the newly added device to the bus manager or by an initialization phase triggered by the newly added device. If the database for entries is exhausted, the entries for devices not connected to the vehicle communications network for the longest period of time are deleted. A bus according to IEEE 1394 may be used as the vehicle communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6859701
    Abstract: A method of controlling access to devices in a vehicle communications network and regulating access of an application to devices required for the application. Priorities are issued for this access. A driver manager makes the required drivers for operating and controlling the individual devices available to the application. A resource manager allocates or assigns the devices to a requesting application in accordance with their priority and availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20040081200
    Abstract: To control links in a communication system, a message having information about the transmission format is transmitted in response to a link request. After the determination of if sufficient transmission capacity is available for this transmission format, link data and priority attributes are used to check if an existing link can be stopped in favor of the desired link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20040073791
    Abstract: To control access to elements within a bus system or network, an external device (100) identifies itself with a bus manager or network manager (300) via a device-specific identifier. After authentication on the basis of a digital key, access is granted to the external device in accordance with its membership in a certain class of elements of the bus system or network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20040052208
    Abstract: A method for handling a faulty device in a vehicle communication network is provided, which is used to identify devices that are either faulty, were removed from the vehicle communication network or were switched off, and to automatically initiate a fault-remedying measure. An expanded, device-specific driver having diagnostic functions is loaded by another device of the network to send a test signal to the faulty device. Either the faulty device is restarted or the faulty device is switched off depending on the reaction to the test signal. If a device is removed from the network, this is indicated in a database. A bus manager will inform other devices connected to the network that this device was removed from the network. Due to a classification of the individual devices connected to the network, not every device is able to perform the fault handling, but rather only suitably classified devices. Misuse is thereby prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20040039949
    Abstract: In order to operate a communications network in a power-saving mode, a central processing unit (2) decides, on the basis of activities and/or states, if it is possible to switch network elements (1) to the power-saving mode. A forthcoming switch to the power-saving mode is announced to the network elements (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20040039505
    Abstract: A method of controlling access to devices in a vehicle communications network and regulating access of an application to devices required for the application. Priorities are issued for this access. A driver manager makes the required drivers for operating and controlling the individual devices available to the application. A resource manager allocates or assigns the devices to a requesting application in accordance with their priority and availability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20040015272
    Abstract: A method of adding a device to a vehicle communications network. The method is used to announce a device added to the vehicle communications network to the other devices already connected to the vehicle communications network and to make the newly added device controllable for other devices via a driver. Either a default driver or a special driver is used, the special driver being loaded from the device itself or via a telecommunications network or by the user. The device recognized is entered into a database together with the particular driver. The newly added device is recognized either by a message from the newly added device to the bus manager or by an initialization phase triggered by the newly added device. If the database for entries is exhausted, the entries for devices not connected to the vehicle communications network for the longest period of time are deleted. A bus according to IEEE 1394 may be used as the vehicle communications network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20030120396
    Abstract: A method of operating a device which is connected to a vehicle communications network is described, a switched-off device being reactivated by the bus manager via a frequency pulse transmitted over a power supply line. The device may be switched off by the bus manager or by itself if there is no data communication with the device for a predetermined period of time. The frequency pulse is analyzed by an analyzer circuit of the switched-off device, the analyzer circuit having a frequency-selective filter and a threshold detector. The frequency pulse may be transmitted at a frequency which is valid for only one device or at a frequency for a group of devices or at a frequency for all devices. If the devices are arranged in branches, then all the devices downstream from a switched-off device are also switched off or reactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Vasco Vollmer, Matthias Hofmann, Wolfgang Baierl
  • Publication number: 20020170278
    Abstract: A device for feeding a package receiver and includes a crank arm pivotal or rotatable about a first axis by a first motor. A second axis is provided at the distal end of the crank arm, whereat the second axis supports the package receiver for pivotal or rotatable movement relative to the crank arm. A second motor is provided for the purpose of pivoting or rotating the package receiver about the crank arm. The two motors are separately controlled. Such a device can be fed with packages selectively from one side or from above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Matthias Hofmann, Walter Baur
  • Publication number: 20020088687
    Abstract: In order to be able to change in a simple manner the distance d between two transverse walls (8) of the compartmented belt (6) during a rotative movement of the compartmented belt (6) about plural guide rollers, it is suggested to change both an angle a, which lies between a transverse wall (8) and a vertical (9) of an element (10) which holds the transverse wall (8), and also an angle &bgr;which lies between a straight line (11) connecting two of the axes of rotation (12, 13) of guide rollers (4, 5) and a straight line (14) extending through one of the axes of rotation (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2002
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventors: Matthias Hofmann, Bruno Baumeister, Walter Baur
  • Patent number: 6248313
    Abstract: A hair cosmetic formulation containing a cationic bipolymer and a polyvinylpyrrolidone/viny acetate copolymer in a weight ratio from 1:10 to 1:50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien
    Inventors: Rolf Wachter, Joerg Kahre, Matthias Hofmann, Michael Heyer