Patents by Inventor Matthias Mayer

Matthias Mayer 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: 11299091
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle headlamp (1) comprising; a high-resolution lighting apparatus (2) for projecting various light distributions onto a roadway area (4) positioned in front of a vehicle (3); an environmental detection device (5) for detecting at least one parking space (6) located in the environment surrounding the vehicle (3); and a control device (7) for dynamically controlling the lighting apparatus (2); wherein the environmental detection device (5) is designed to issue information corresponding to a detected parking space (6) to the control device (7), wherein the control device (7) is designed, in case the environmental detection device (5) detects a parking space (6), to control the lighting apparatus (2), under consideration of at least the information issued by the environmental detection device (5) related to the parking space (6), in such a manner that the lighting apparatus (2) at least projects a definable ground projection (8), which at least represents the vehicle length, onto th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Hartmann, Markus Reinprecht, Josef Pürstinger, Bettina Reisinger, Clemens Hauer, Matthias Mayer, Christian Kalousek, Martin Lahmer
  • Patent number: 11247559
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle having a four-wheel drive and a drive unit, which can be switched on and off during travel, wherein the motor vehicle is driven by a torque provided by the drive unit, and the initially disengaged four-wheel drive is switched on, including: determining at least one limit torque which, while the four-wheel drive is switched off, can be transmitted from at least one wheel of the motor vehicle driven by the drive unit to the ground surface upon which the motor vehicle is travelling, while the slip between the at least one wheel and the ground surface falls below a specifiable threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weidemann, Hans Joerg Bruehl, Heiko Hanickel, Christoph Franke, Francisco Javier Caicedo Montalvo, Matthias Mayer
  • Patent number: 11104266
    Abstract: To set light modules or other optical components in a headlight, in particular a motor vehicle headlight, a setting device (3) is configured for jointly adjusting the support frames (11, 21), in which the light modules or optical components are held, by pivoting in each case about at least one axis (a1, a2) relative to the housing of the headlight. The setting device (3) comprises a gearing, which is actuated by an actuator (31) and is connected to the support frames (11, 21) by respective articulated couplings. In a multishell-concentric ball-and-socket joint (30), a connection element (34) of the actuator (31) and connection elements (14, 24) of the support frame (11, 21) are concentrically coupled. The connection element (14) of the first support frame (11) is rigidly connected to the first support frame (11), while for the other support frame(s) (21) the associated connection element (24) is connected directly or by way of the gearing to the articulated coupling (29) of the support frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Jackl, Martin Hungendorfer, Matthias Mayer
  • Publication number: 20210221278
    Abstract: To set light modules or other optical components in a headlight, in particular a motor vehicle headlight, a setting device (3) is configured for jointly adjusting the support frames (11, 21), in which the light modules or optical components are held, by pivoting in each case about at least one axis (a1, a2) relative to the housing of the headlight. The setting device (3) comprises a gearing, which is actuated by an actuator (31) and is connected to the support frames (11, 21) by respective articulated couplings. In a multishell-concentric ball-and-socket joint (30), a connection element (34) of the actuator (31) and connection elements (14, 24) of the support frame (11, 21) are concentrically coupled. The connection element (14) of the first support frame (11) is rigidly connected to the first support frame (11), while for the other support frame(s) (21) the associated connection element (24) is connected directly or by way of the gearing to the articulated coupling (29) of the support frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Christian JACKL, Martin HUNGENDORFER, Matthias MAYER
  • Patent number: 11054104
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle headlamp (101) comprising a light source (105), projection optics (102, 202) and a bracket (106, 206), wherein the light source (105) is mounted on the bracket (106, 206) and is configured to project light in the direction of a projection axis (104, 204) by means of the projection optics (102, 202), wherein the projection optics (102, 202) are mounted in a frame (103, 203) which is movably arranged in the bracket (106, 206). The headlamp further comprises a lever (107, 207) which is rotatably connected, by means of axis elements that form a pivot axis running transversely or normal to the projection axis (104, 204), to the bracket (106, 206).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Mitterlehner, Matthias Mayer
  • Patent number: 10876698
    Abstract: The invention relates to a headlight module (1) for motor vehicles, comprising at least one light source (2), downstream of which at least one deflection mirror (3), a micromirror array (4) and a lens (5) are arranged in the beam path, the light emitted by the at least one light source being reflected via the deflection mirror onto the micromirror array activated by a control system, and the light pattern produced on the array being projected into the traffic space via the lens as a lighting pattern, in which module lens and mirror are formed in one piece as a lens/mirror block (10) which has a lens area (10-3) and a mirror area (10-5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Mayer, Stefan Miltterlehner
  • Publication number: 20200223310
    Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle having a four-wheel drive and a drive unit, which can be switched on and off during travel, wherein the motor vehicle is driven by a torque provided by the drive unit, and the initially disengaged four-wheel drive is switched on, including: determining at least one limit torque which, while the four-wheel drive is switched off, can be transmitted from at least one wheel of the motor vehicle driven by the drive unit to the ground surface upon which the motor vehicle is travelling, while the slip between the at least one wheel and the ground surface falls below a specifiable threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Dieter WEIDEMANN, Hans Joerg BRUEHL, Heiko HANICKEL, Christoph FRANKE, Francisco CAICEDO, Matthias MAYER
  • Publication number: 20200217473
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle headlamp (101) comprising a light source (105), projection optics (102, 202) and a bracket (106, 206), wherein the light source (105) is mounted on the bracket (106, 206) and is configured to project light in the direction of a projection axis (104, 204) by means of the projection optics (102, 202), wherein the projection optics (102, 202) are mounted in a frame (103, 203) which is movably arranged in the bracket (106, 206). The headlamp further comprises a lever (107, 207) which is rotatably connected, by means of axis elements that form a pivot axis running transversely or normal to the projection axis (104, 204), to the bracket (106, 206).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Stefan MITTERLEHNER, Matthias MAYER
  • Publication number: 20200172005
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle headlamp (1) comprising: a high-resolution lighting apparatus (2) for projecting various light distributions onto a roadway area (4) positioned in front of a vehicle (3); an environmental detection device (5) for detecting at least one parking space (6) located in the environment surrounding the vehicle (3); and a control device (7) for dynamically controlling the lighting apparatus (2); wherein the environmental detection device (5) is designed to issue information corresponding to a detected parking space (6) to the control device (7), wherein the control device (7) is designed, in case the environmental detection device (5) detects a parking space (6), to control the lighting apparatus (2), under consideration of at least the information issued by the environmental detection device (5) related to the parking space (6), in such a manner that the lighting apparatus (2) at least projects a definable ground projection (8), which at least represents the vehicle length, ont
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Peter HARTMANN, Markus REINPRECHT, Josef PÜRSTINGER, Bettina REISINGER, Clemens HAUER, Matthias MAYER, Christian KALOUSEK, Martin LAHMER
  • Patent number: 10641455
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting unit (1) for a motor vehicle, which comprises a light module (2) and a mirror module (3), wherein the mirror module (3) is designed to reflect the light emission produced by the light module (3) in an emission direction of the lighting unit (1), characterized by: the light module (2), which comprises at least one light source (4) and a first heat sink (5), the mirror module (3), which comprises a mirror unit (6) and a second heat sink (7), a cooling system (8), which comprises at least one inlet (9), at least one outlet (10), at least one line (11), at least one flow unit (12), a cooling medium, a first cooling sink, and a second cooling sink, wherein the inlet (9) and the outlet (10) are connected by the line (11), and the flow unit (12) is inserted into the line (11) in order to produce a flow of the cooling medium in the line (11) and sucks in the cooling medium through the inlet (9) and discharges the cooling medium through the outlet (10), and the first cooling sink is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Mayer, Markus Reinprecht, Stefan Mitterlehner
  • Patent number: 10598330
    Abstract: A headlight for vehicles including at least one light source and an illumination optics system associated therewith, comprising a micromirror array and a projection optics system. A central processing unit comprising a light source control unit and an array control unit is associated with the light source and the micromirror array. The shaped rays of light of the light source are directed at the micromirror array, and the reflected light beam structured thereby is projected by the projection optics system as a light image into a traffic space. At least two light sources are provided, the rays of light of which are directed at a micromirror array common to the light sources, and at least two superimposed regions of a projection optics system having different refractive powers for at least two image regions of the light image are associated with the light beam reflected by the micromirror array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Mayer, Stefan Mitterlehner
  • Publication number: 20190360657
    Abstract: The invention relates to a headlight module (1) for motor vehicles, comprising at least one light source (2), downstream of which at least one deflection mirror (3), a micromirror array (4) and a lens (5) are arranged in the beam path, the light emitted by the at least one light source being reflected via the deflection mirror onto the micromirror array activated by a control system, and the light pattern produced on the array being projected into the traffic space via the lens as a lighting pattern, in which module lens and mirror are formed in one piece as a lens/mirror block (10) which has a lens area (10-3) and a mirror area (10-5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Matthias Mayer, Stefan Miltterlehner
  • Patent number: 10488007
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle headlight comprising at least one light source, at least one projection optical system, and an electronic component (1) with an active optical surface on a front face, an active thermal surface, and electric contacts. A component housing (110), which is made of a housing shell (120) and a housing cover (150), a first printed circuit board (130) and at least one first spacer (160) are also contained. The component housing (110) at least partly receives the electronic component (1). The housing shell (120) comprises an assembly position for the electronic component (1) and a component opening (121) which is located in the region of the assembly position, in which the electronic component (1) is arranged, and by means of which the active optical surface of the electronic component (1) can be accessed. The electronic component (1) can be connected to the first printed circuit board (130) via the electric contacts of the electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Mayer, Markus Reinprecht, Stefan Mitterlehner
  • Publication number: 20190316751
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting unit (1) for a motor vehicle, which comprises a light module (2) and a mirror module (3), wherein the mirror module (3) is designed to reflect the light emission produced by the light module (3) in an emission direction of the lighting unit (1), characterized by: the light module (2), which comprises at least one light source (4) and a first heat sink (5), the mirror module (3), which comprises a mirror unit (6) and a second heat sink (7), a cooling system (8), which comprises at least one inlet (9), at least one outlet (10), at least one line (11), at least one flow unit (12), a cooling medium, a first cooling sink, and a second cooling sink, wherein the inlet (9) and the outlet (10) are connected by the line (11), and the flow unit (12) is inserted into the line (11) in order to produce a flow of the cooling medium in the line (11) and sucks in the cooling medium through the inlet (9) and discharges the cooling medium through the outlet (10), and the first cooling sink is
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Matthias MAYER, Markus REINPRECHT, Stefan MITTERLEHNER
  • Publication number: 20190316752
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle headlight comprising at least one light source, at least one projection optical system, and an electronic component (1) with an active optical surface on a front face, an active thermal surface, and electric contacts. A component housing (110), which is made of a housing shell (120) and a housing cover (150), a first printed circuit board (130) and at least one first spacer (160) are also contained. The component housing (110) at least partly receives the electronic component (1). The housing shell (120) comprises an assembly position for the electronic component (1) and a component opening (121) which is located in the region of the assembly position, in which the electronic component (1) is arranged, and by means of which the active optical surface of the electronic component (1) can be accessed. The electronic component (1) can be connected to the first printed circuit board (130) via the electric contacts of the electronic component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Matthias MAYER, Markus REINPRECHT, Stefan MITTERLEHNER
  • Patent number: 10436410
    Abstract: A lighting device (1) for a motor vehicle headlight, having at least one illumination module (2) for emitting visible light, at least one optical component (3) deflecting and/or shaping the light of the illumination module (2) and a holding module (4) which is connected with the illumination module (2) and in which the at least one optical component (3) is supported, the illumination module (2) comprising at least one laser light source (2a) and a light conversion element (2b), the light of the at least one laser light source (2a) being directed onto the light conversion element (2b), which converts the light into visible light and emits it into the optical component (3), the holding module (4) having at least one first and one second guidance means (4b?, 4h), the first guidance means (4b?) being able to move the optical component (3) in a first direction (x) with respect to the light conversion element (2b), and the second guidance means (4h) being able to move the optical component (3) in a second direction
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventor: Matthias Mayer
  • Patent number: 10429024
    Abstract: A holding device (1) for an electronic component (2) in a vehicle headlamp, the electronic component (2) comprising an optical interface area on a front side and a thermal interface area and electrical contacts on a rear side facing away from the front side, as well as: a base body (3) having a mounting position for the electronic component, and an opening (31) located in the region of the mounting position, through which opening access to the optical interface area of the electronic component (2) is possible, wherein the electronic component (2) bears by way of the front side thereof against the base body (3), a circuit board (4), to which the electronic component (2) can be connected by means of the electrical contacts thereof and which has an opening (41), though which access to the thermal interface area of the electronic component (2) is possible, a heat sink (5), which is arranged on the thermal interface area of the electronic component (2) and can be fastened on the base body, at least one resilien
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Mayer, Stefan Mitterlehner
  • Patent number: 10274154
    Abstract: A laser unit (11) for a vehicle headlight has a laser diode (12) that is associated with adjustable collimating optics (13) for the laser light emitted by the laser diode. The collimating optics (13), which comprise at least one optical component, e.g., a lens (14), are arranged at a distance, in a longitudinal direction (x), from the laser diode (12), this distance being adjustable by an adjusting device (20). The adjusting device comprises a carrier (24), which is adjustable in the longitudinal direction relative to the laser diode (12) with the help of longitudinal actuation means (21), and in which the optical component (14) is mounted so that it can pivot transverse to the longitudinal direction (x) in a holder (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventor: Matthias Mayer
  • Publication number: 20190056080
    Abstract: A holding device (1) for an electronic component (2) in a vehicle headlamp, the electronic component (2) comprising an optical interface area on a front side and a thermal interface area and electrical contacts on a rear side facing away from the front side, as well as: a base body (3) having a mounting position for the electronic component, and an opening (31) located in the region of the mounting position, through which opening access to the optical interface area of the electronic component (2) is possible, wherein the electronic component (2) bears by way of the front side thereof against the base body (3), a circuit board (4), to which the electronic component (2) can be connected by means of the electrical contacts thereof and which has an opening (41), though which access to the thermal interface area of the electronic component (2) is possible, a heat sink (5), which is arranged on the thermal interface area of the electronic component (2) and can be fastened on the base body, at least one resilien
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Matthias MAYER, Stefan MITTERLEHNER
  • Publication number: 20180356062
    Abstract: A headlight for vehicles including at least one light source and an illumination optics system associated therewith, comprising a micromirror array and a projection optics system. A central processing unit comprising a light source control unit and an array control unit is associated with the light source and the micromirror array. The shaped rays of light of the light source are directed at the micromirror array, and the reflected light beam structured thereby is projected by the projection optics system as a light image into a traffic space. At least two light sources are provided, the rays of light of which are directed at a micromirror array common to the light sources, and at least two superimposed regions of a projection optics system having different refractive powers for at least two image regions of the light image are associated with the light beam reflected by the micromirror array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Matthias MAYER, Stefan MITTERLEHNER