Abstract: A method for determining soiling of a first ultrasonic sensor of a motor vehicle in which a first ultrasonic signal is emitted by means of the first ultrasonic sensor and the first reflected ultrasonic signal is received by means of the first ultrasonic sensor, and in which a second ultrasonic signal that differs from the first ultrasonic signal is emitted into the environment substantially at the same time as the first ultrasonic signal by a second ultrasonic sensor, wherein the second ultrasonic signal is received by means of the first ultrasonic sensor and the first received ultrasonic signal is compared with the second received ultrasonic signal by an electronic computing device, and the soiling is determined on the basis of the comparison.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an ultrasonic sensor (4) of a vehicle (1), in which a sound transducer element (11) of the ultrasonic sensor (4) is excited with a predetermined excitation signal, wherein the excitation signal has a predetermined current amplitude, an electrical test voltage (U) at the sound transducer element (11) resulting from the excitation signal is measured, and a diagnosis of the ultrasonic sensor (4) is carried out on the basis of the test voltage (U), wherein the ultrasonic sensor (4) is excited with the excitation signal in a measuring mode for the transmission of an ultrasonic signal, the electrical test voltage (U) is measured during the transmission, on the basis of the electrical test voltage (U) a reduced diagnosis is carried out, wherein the ultrasonic sensor (4) either continues to be operated in the measuring mode or is operated in a diagnostic mode for a complete diagnosis, depending on a result of the reduced diagnosis.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method for configuring a trailer detection system (10), wherein a trailer (12) is connected to a vehicle (14) via a hitch (16), and wherein the trailer (12) comprises the trailer detection system (10) and a computing system (18), comprising the following steps: Determining, by a vehicle-integrated computing unit (20), that the trailer (12) is connected to the vehicle (14) via the hitch (16) for data transmission; Transmitting information about the hitch (16) from the computing unit (20) of the vehicle (14) to the computing system (18) of the trailer (12); Determining configuration data of the trailer detection system (10) by the computing system (18) of the trailer (12), based on the information about the hitch (16); Configuring the trailer detection system (10) on the basis of the determined configuration data, by the computing system (18) of the trailer (12).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a sensor arrangement (2) in a motor vehicle (1) based on a DSI protocol, wherein the sensor arrangement (2) has a central processing unit (3) as a master and a plurality of sensor units (S1, S2, S3) as slaves controlled by the master, the central processing unit (3) and the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) are connected to a bus line (4) and communication between the central processing unit (3) and the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) takes place via the bus line (4), characterized by the following method steps: sending a first message from the central processing unit (3) to a first sensor (S1) and subsequently sending a second message from the central processing unit (3) to a second sensor (S2) without the central processing unit (3) waiting to receive a response message from the first sensor (S1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an ultrasonic sensor (4) of a vehicle (1), in which a sound transducer element (11) of the ultrasonic sensor (4) is excited with a predetermined excitation signal, wherein the excitation signal has a predetermined current amplitude, an electrical test voltage (U) at the sound transducer element (11) resulting from the excitation signal is measured, and a diagnosis of the ultrasonic sensor (4) is carried out on the basis of the test voltage (U), wherein the ultrasonic sensor (4) is excited with the excitation signal in a measuring mode for the transmission of an ultrasonic signal, the electrical test voltage (U) is measured during the transmission, on the basis of the electrical test voltage (U) a reduced diagnosis is carried out, wherein the ultrasonic sensor (4) either continues to be operated in the measuring mode or is operated in a diagnostic mode for a complete diagnosis, depending on a result of the reduced diagnosis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a damping device (5) for an exterior part (3) of a motor vehicle (1) for damping oscillations of the exterior part (3) which are caused by way of an ultrasonic sensor (4) during the emitting and/or receiving of ultrasonic signals, the damping device (5) having at least two damping elements (7, 8), a first one of the damping elements (7) being configured for increasing a degree of damping of the exterior part (3) in a first temperature range (T1) of the exterior part (3) and/or in a first frequency range of the oscillations, and a second one of the damping elements (8) being configured for increasing a degree of damping of the exterior part (3) in a second temperature range (T2) of the exterior part (3), which second temperature range (T2) is different from the first temperature range (T1), and/or in a second frequency range of the oscillations, which second frequency range is different from the first frequency range.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a sensor arrangement (2) in a motor vehicle (1) based on a DSI protocol, wherein the sensor arrangement (2) has a central processing unit (3) as a master and a plurality of sensor units (S1, S2, S3) as slaves controlled by the master, the central processing unit (3) and the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) are connected to a bus line (4) and communication between the central processing unit (3) and the sensor units (S1, S2, S3) takes place via the bus line (4), characterized by the following method steps: sending a first message from the central processing unit (3) to a first sensor (S1) and subsequently sending a second message from the central processing unit (3) to a second sensor (S2) without the central processing unit (3) waiting to receive a response message from the first sensor (S1).

Abstract: The present invention is related to a structural protein of a parvovirus with an amino acid insertion at the insertion site I-453, a library comprising the protein, a multimeric structure comprising the protein, a nucleic acid encoding the protein, a vector, virus or cell comprising the nucleic acid, a process for the preparation of the protein, a medicament comprising the protein, nucleic acid or multimeric structure as well as methods and uses involving the protein, nucleic acid or multimeric structure.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for identifying a parvovirus mutated structural protein capable of specifically binding to a binder for an antigen, a parvovirus mutated structural protein which comprises at least one B-cell epitope heterologous to the parvovirus, a multimerc structure comprising the protein, a nucleic acid encoding the protein, a virus or cell comprising the protein, a method of preparing the protein, a medicament comprising the protein, nucleic acid or multimeric structure and its use.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic sensor arrangement (8) for a motor vehicle (14), with a panel part (9) of the motor vehicle (14) and an ultrasonic sensor (2) which has a front side (3) and is designed for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasonic signals via the front side (3), wherein the ultrasonic sensor (2) is arranged within a continuous recess (10) in the panel part (9) and the recess (10) is covered by a covering (11) which does not impair the transmission and/or reception of the ultrasonic signals, wherein the panel part (9) has a material (M) and/or a material thickness (d2), by means of which the transmission and/or the reception of the ultrasonic signals is blocked at least in a region of the panel part (9) surrounding the recess (10). The invention also relates to a motor vehicle (14) and to a method for installing an ultrasonic sensor (2) in a panel part (9) of a motor vehicle (14).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a blocked state of an ultrasonic sensor (3) of a motor vehicle (1), in which at least one oscillation parameter of the ultrasonic sensor (3) is recorded and an evaluation device (4) of the motor vehicle (1) carries out a detection algorithm which is used to evaluate the at least one oscillation parameter for the purpose of detecting the blocked state. An object (9) in an area surrounding the motor vehicle (1) is detected by the evaluation device (4) on the basis of sensor data from at least one sensor (3, 8) of the motor vehicle (1), in which case, when a distance (D) between the object (9) and the ultrasonic sensor (3) falls below a predefined threshold value (G), the detection algorithm is not carried out by the evaluation device (4) or a blocked state of the ultrasonic sensor (3), as detected using the detection algorithm, is ignored by the evaluation device (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle, in which by at least one ultrasonic sensor, operated in the active operation mode, of an ultrasonic sensor device of the motor vehicle ultrasonic waves are emitted into an environmental region of the motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle as hybrid vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine (and an electric drive machine and in the active operation mode of the ultrasonic sensor arranged on a rear part of the motor vehicle the motor vehicle at least temporarily is operated by means of the electric drive machine. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting at least one object (9a, 9b, 9c) in a surrounding area (7) of a motor vehicle (1) by means of a driver assistance system (2), in which a transmission signal is transmitted in each of chronologically consecutive measurement cycles via a distance sensor (4), and a first and a second echo of the transmission signal reflected by the at least one object (9a, 9b, 9c) are received; and, by means of a control device (3), a first distance value (a1) is determined based on the first echo, a second distance value (a2) is determined based on the second echo, and a height of the at least one object (9a, 9b, 9c) is determined based on the first and the second distance value (a1, a2); wherein the measurement cycles are carried out during a relative movement of the motor vehicle (1) with respect to the at least one object (9a, 9b, 9c); in at least two of the measurement cycles, a difference value is determined in each case, which describes a difference between the second distan

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a blocked state of an ultrasonic sensor (3) of a motor vehicle (1), wherein an actual value of at least one oscillation parameter (fR) of the ultrasonic sensor (3) is sensed and is compared with a reference value by means of an evaluation unit (4) in order to detect a blocked state, wherein a current temperature (T) to which the ultrasonic sensor (3) is exposed is detected by means of a temperature detecting device (8), and the reference value is determined as a function of the current temperature (T) by means of the evaluation unit (4).

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for identifying a parvovirus mutated structural protein capable of specifically binding to a binder for an antigen, a parvovirus mutated structural protein which comprises at least one B-cell epitope heterologous to the parvovirus, a multimeric structure comprising the protein, a nucleic acid encoding the protein, a virus or cell comprising the protein, a method of preparing the protein, a medicament comprising the protein, nucleic acid or multimeric structure and its use.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting target echoes (11) in a reception signal (ES) of an ultrasonic sensor of a motor vehicle by providing a reference signal (RS) for decoding the reception signal (ES), wherein with respect to a multiplicity of predetermined frequency shift values in each case a correlation input signal (RS) is provided by shifting the reference signal (RS) in terms of its frequency by the respective frequency shift value; correlating the reception signal (ES) separately with each of the correlation input signals (RS) and thereby providing respective correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7), as the result of the respective correlation; and by providing a summation signal (SS) as the sum of the correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7), wherein on the basis of the summation signal (SS) one of the correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7) is selected and detecting the target echoes (11) is carried out by evaluating the selected correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7).

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic sensor device for a motor vehicle, comprising a membrane (11) for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, comprising an excitation element (12) designed for providing an electrical reception signal upon reception of the ultrasonic waves and also for exciting the membrane (11) for transmitting the ultrasonic waves, comprising a transmitter (13) for emitting electrical pulses to the excitation element (12) and comprising a receiver (16) for receiving and conditioning the electrical reception signal, wherein the ultrasonic sensor device (2) comprises a diagnosis unit (22), which is designed to carry out a diagnosis of the receiver (16) and in the process to check the receiver (16) with regard to its functionality.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) of a motor vehicle (1), in which method ultrasound waves are emitted into a surrounding region (9) of the motor vehicle (1) by at least one ultrasonic sensor (3) of the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) in order to carry out a distance measurement, wherein an exhaust gas cloud (22) which is emitted into the surrounding region (9) by an exhaust system (11) of the motor vehicle (1) and at which the ultrasound waves are reflected is detected by the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) on the basis of sensor data from at least one sensor (18, 19, 20, 21) of the motor vehicle (1), which at least one sensor is different from the ultrasonic sensor (3), and the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) is operated depending on the detection of the exhaust gas cloud (22).

Abstract: The invention relates to a damping device (5) for an exterior part (3) of a motor vehicle (1) for damping oscillations of the exterior part (3) which are caused by way of an ultrasonic sensor (4) during the emitting and/or receiving of ultrasonic signals, the damping device (5) having at least two damping elements (7, 8), a first one of the damping elements (7) being configured for increasing a degree of damping of the exterior part (3) in a first temperature range (T1) of the exterior part (3) and/or in a first frequency range of the oscillations, and a second one of the damping elements (8) being configured for increasing a degree of damping of the exterior part (3) in a second temperature range (T2) of the exterior part (3), which second temperature range (T2) is different from the first temperature range (T1), and/or in a second frequency range of the oscillations, which second frequency range is different from the first frequency range.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the signal-to-noise ratio (20) of a target echo (11) from a received signal (UE) received from an ultrasonic sensor (3) of a motor vehicle (1), in which: a transmission signal is transmitted in encoded form, the received signal (UE) is decoded and decoding involves the received signal (UE) being correlated with a reference signal and the correlation provides a correlation signal (UK), and the target echo (11) is detected in the correlation signal (UK), wherein the signal-to-noise ratio (20) is determined by determining a value (21) of the noise in the received signal (UE) on the basis of the correlation signal (UK) and, in so doing, dividing the correlation signal (UK) into a multiplicity of signal segments (17a to 17e) and determining the value (21) of the noise solely on the basis of signal values for that one of the signal segments (17a to 17e) that contains the target echo (11).