Patents by Inventor Michael Huonker

Michael Huonker 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: 9335177
    Abstract: A system including an automotive navigation system; an external drive; a first bus for connecting the external drive with the automotive navigation system; a second bus, which is different from the first bus, for connecting the external drive with the automotive navigation system. The external drive is connectable to the automotive navigation system via the first bus and the second bus. The automotive navigation system is adapted to read data from the external drive via the first bus. The automotive navigation system is adapted to control and to monitor the external drive via the second bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Huonker, Richard Rutschmann
  • Patent number: 9195055
    Abstract: An electronic component is provided that includes a spatial light modulator device, and a circuit board comprising a first major surface, at least one electrically conductive redistribution layer and a first cavity positioned in the first major surface. The spatial light modulator device is positioned within the cavity and is electrically connected to the redistribution layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Wieland Oberst, Guenther Kraft, Valod Noshadi, Michael Huonker, Kelei Shen
  • Publication number: 20140233086
    Abstract: An electronic component is provided that includes a spatial light modulator device, and a circuit board comprising a first major surface, at least one electrically conductive redistribution layer and a first cavity positioned in the first major surface. The spatial light modulator device is positioned within the cavity and is electrically connected to the redistribution layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Wieland OBERST, Guenther KRAFT, Valod NOSHADI, Michael HUONKER, Kelei SHEN
  • Publication number: 20140163881
    Abstract: A system including an automotive navigation system; an external drive; a first bus for connecting the external drive with the automotive navigation system; a second bus, which is different from the first bus, for connecting the external drive with the automotive navigation system. The external drive is connectable to the automotive navigation system via the first bus and the second bus. The automotive navigation system is adapted to read data from the external drive via the first bus. The automotive navigation system is adapted to control and to monitor the external drive via the second bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Michael HUONKER, Richard RUTSCHMANN
  • Patent number: 8223616
    Abstract: A reproducing system reproduces data recorded on an optical record carrier. The system includes a light source driver unit that modulates and controls a light output by a light source, such as a laser, in order to read data from an optical record carrier. The system is configured to operate in two modes: a reading mode and a light source lifetime extension mode. During the reading mode, the light source generates a continuous light output while data is read from the optical record carrier. During the light source lifetime extension mode, the light source generates a pulsed light output which may provide continued tracking and focus of the light on the optical record carrier, even when no data is being read from it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Rutschmann, Michael Huonker
  • Publication number: 20110096646
    Abstract: A reproducing system reproduces data recorded on an optical record carrier. The system includes a light source driver unit that modulates and controls a light output by a light source, such as a laser, in order to read data from an optical record carrier. The system is configured to operate in two modes: a reading mode and a light source lifetime extension mode. During the reading mode, the light source generates a continuous light output while data is read from the optical record carrier. During the light source lifetime extension mode, the light source generates a pulsed light output which may provide continued tracking and focus of the light on the optical record carrier, even when no data is being read from it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Richard Rutschmann, Michael Huonker
  • Patent number: 7821893
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for analyzing abnormal regions on an optical recording medium. The method includes the steps of: detecting the abnormal region; determining the type of the abnormal region; and measuring the length of the abnormal region. Before playback or recording of an optical recording medium inserted in an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media the apparatus determines the positions, lengths and types of abnormal regions on the optical recording medium. The obtained information can then be used, for example, to avoid that during playback or recording a pickup for reading and/or recording unexpectedly encounters an abnormal region. This makes the operation of the apparatus more reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Peter Mahr, Michael Huonker, Christian Vollmer, Wiebke Schone
  • Patent number: 7586817
    Abstract: The invention proposes an appliance for recording or playing back information having means for detecting or moving the position of a scanning device over a disc with a wobble track, said appliance being able to be used both in recorded and in unrecorded areas of the disc and hence being able to be used both for write-once and for rewriteable recording media with a wobble track, and said appliance additionally permitting fast determination of the scanning location without decoding of scanned-location information which is contained in the wobble track. According to the invention, a wobble signal is scanned from the wobble track on the disc using a scanning device, and a wobble frequency contained in the wobble signal detected from the disc is used for detecting or moving the position of the scanning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Peter Mahr, Michael Huonker
  • Publication number: 20070153656
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for analyzing abnormal regions on an optical recording medium. The method includes the steps of: detecting the abnormal region; determining the type of the abnormal region; and measuring the length of the abnormal region. Before playback or recording of an optical recording medium inserted in an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media the apparatus determines the positions, lengths and types of abnormal regions on the optical recording medium. The obtained information can then be used, for example, to avoid that during playback or recording a pickup for reading and/or recording unexpectedly encounters an abnormal region. This makes the operation of the apparatus more reliable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2004
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventors: Peter Mahr, Michael Huonker, Christian Vollmer, Wiebke Schone
  • Patent number: 7136334
    Abstract: The invention proposes an appliance for recording or playing back information having means for signal generation from a wobble signal which is scanned from the undulating track on a recording medium, such as a DVD+RW. According to the invention, a signal scanned from the undulating recording track on the recording medium is supplied to a circuit arrangement for generating a clock signal which is both a square-wave voltage whose phase is synchronous with that of the signal and a signal with an even-numbered multiple of the frequency of the wobble signal contained in the signal. In this regard, the invention provides a phase locked loop which is synchronized with the signal and contains a frequency divider for actuating a digital phase shifter and for providing a clock signal which is a phase-synchronous square-wave voltage having the frequency of the wobble signal. The phase comparator provided is a multiplier which is formed using a changeover switch to which the signal and the inverted signal are applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Peter Mahr, Michael Huonker
  • Publication number: 20050232029
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a circuit for write pulse generation for recording on optical media, and to an apparatus for writing to optical recording media using such method. It is an object of the invention to propose a reliable and accurate method for write pulse generation with low hardware complexity. According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for write pulse generation on the basis of a bit clock, including the steps of: dividing the bit clock by a factor n, multiplying the divided bit clock by a factor n+x or n?x with a phase-locked loop to obtain signal edges which are time-shifted relative to the bit clock, selecting a desired time-shifted signal edge, and multiplying the selected time-shifted signal edge by the factor n with a further phase-locked loop to obtain a time-shifted bit clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Mahr, Michael Huonker, Wiebke Schone
  • Publication number: 20050073922
    Abstract: The invention proposes an appliance for recording or playing back information having means for detecting or moving the position of a scanning device over a disc with a wobble track, said appliance being able to be used both in recorded and in unrecorded areas of the disc and hence being able to be used both for write-once and for rewriteable recording media with a wobble track, and said appliance additionally permitting fast determination of the scanning location without decoding of scanned-location information which is contained in the wobble track. According to the invention, a wobble signal is scanned from the wobble track on the disc using a scanning device, and a wobble frequency contained in the wobble signal detected from the disc is used for detecting or moving the position of the scanning device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Inventors: Peter Mahr, Michael Huonker
  • Publication number: 20040257938
    Abstract: The invention proposes an appliance for recording or playing back information having means for signal generation from a wobble signal which is scanned from the undulating track on a recording medium, such as a DVD+RW. According to the invention, a signal scanned from the undulating recording track on the recording medium is supplied to a circuit arrangement for generating a clock signal which is both a square-wave voltage whose phase is synchronous with that of the signal and a signal with an even-numbered multiple of the frequency of the wobble signal contained in the signal. In this regard, the invention provides a phase locked loop which is synchronized with the signal and contains a frequency divider for actuating a digital phase shifter and for providing a clock signal which is a phase-synchronous square-wave voltage having the frequency of the wobble signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Peter Mahr, Michael Huonker