Patents by Inventor Ralf Muller

Ralf Muller 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: 20240392471
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicon carbide substrate for use as a crystal seed, comprising a monocrystalline silicon carbide disk covered with a protective oxide layer. The protective oxide layer is intended to be removed to expose an ideal, clean surface of the monocrystalline silicon carbide disk. The present invention also relates to a method of producing at least one bulk silicon carbide single-crystal by sublimation growth using the silicon carbide substrate with protective oxide layer as a seed crystal. The protective oxide layer is removed from the seed crystal surface to expose the underlying monocrystalline silicon carbide disk by a back-etching process performed in-situ in the crystal growth crucible, i.e. after the seed crystal is arranged inside the growth crucible and before the sublimation deposition on the growth surface starts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Inventors: Bernhard ECKER, Ralf MÜLLER, Philipp SCHUH, Matthias Stockmeier
  • Publication number: 20240318352
    Abstract: Thermal post-treatment of a silicon carbide (SiC) volume monocrystal which has a substantially cylindrical basic shape with a crystal length in an axial direction, a crystal diameter in a radial direction, a crystal central longitudinal axis extending in the axial direction, and with three boundary surfaces, namely, a bottom surface, a top surface and a circumferential edge surface. The SiC volume monocrystal is brought to a post-treatment temperature in order to reduce mechanical stresses present in the SiC volume monocrystal after completion of the previous growth, wherein an inhomogeneous temperature profile with a radial thermal gradient is set in the SiC volume monocrystal, which rises continuously from the crystal central longitudinal axis to the circumferential edge surface, and a heat exchange of the SiC volume monocrystal with a surrounding free space takes place via free heat radiation on at least two of the three boundary surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Bernhard Ecker, Maximilian Kowasch, Ralf Müller, Philipp Schuh, Matthias Stockmeier, Daisuke Takegawa, Michael Vogel, Arnd-Dietrich Weber
  • Publication number: 20240309546
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for growing bulk semiconductor single crystals, and more specifically, for growing bulk semiconductor single crystals, such as silicon carbide, based on physical vapor transport. The sublimation system comprises a crucible (102) having a longitudinal axis (120) and a sidewall (116) extending along the longitudinal axis (120), wherein the crucible comprises a fixing means for at least one seed crystal (110) and at least one source material compartment (104) for containing a source material (108), and a heating system being formed to generate a temperature field around a circumference of the crucible along the longitudinal axis of the crucible, wherein the crucible (102) comprises at least one first heat radiation cavity (118), which is arranged opposite to the fixing means and adjacent to the source material compartment (104), the first heat radiation cavity (118) being closed on all of its sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Philipp Schuh, Bernhard Ecker, Ralf Müller, Matthias Stockmeier, Michael Vogel
  • Publication number: 20240309545
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for growing bulk semiconductor single crystals, and more specifically, for growing bulk semiconductor single crystals, such as silicon carbide, based on physical vapor transport. The sublimation system comprises a crucible (202) having a longitudinal axis (212) and a sidewall (218) extending along the longitudinal axis (212), wherein the crucible (202) comprises a fixing means for at least one seed crystal (210) and at least one source material compartment (204) for containing a source material (208); and a heating system for generating a temperature field around a circumference of the crucible (202) along the longitudinal axis (212) of the crucible (202); a thermally insulating unit (214) arranged within the source material compartment (204) at the sidewall (218) of the crucible (202).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Ralf MÜLLER, Bernhard Ecker, Philipp SCHUH, Matthias Stockmeier, Michael Vogel
  • Publication number: 20240303773
    Abstract: An image processing device has circuitry, which is configured to obtain input image data being represented by a number of color channels and to input the input image data into a neural network for generating output multispectral image data, wherein the neural network is configured to generate at least first and second multispectral image data on the basis of the input image data, wherein a number of spectral channels of the second multispectral image data is larger than the number of spectral channels of the first multispectral image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Piergiorgio SARTOR, Alexander GATTO, Takeshi UEMORI, Zoltan FACIUS, Vincent PARRET, Ralf MÜLLER
  • Publication number: 20240284091
    Abstract: An ambient sound controlled assembly includes a pair of earmuffs is wearable on a user's head for covering each of the user's ears. Each of the earmuffs is comprised of an acoustically insulating material thereby inhibiting ambient sound from reaching the user's ears when the earmuffs are worn to protect the user's hearing. An audio unit is integrated into the earmuffs and the audio unit has sound detecting capabilities thereby facilitating the audio unit to detect the ambient sound. The audio has sound emitting capabilities for emitting the ambient sound at an adjustable volume. In this way the user can hear the ambient sound in real time at a volume of the user's choosing thereby enhancing comfort for the user in a loud environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventor: Ralf Muller
  • Publication number: 20240263346
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for growing bulk semiconductor single crystals, and more specifically, for growing a bulk semiconductor single crystals, such as silicon carbide, based on physical vapor transport. A sublimation system for growing at least one single crystal of a semiconductor material by means of a sublimation growing process comprises a crucible (102) having a longitudinal axis (120) and comprising a fixing means for at least one seed crystal (110) and at least one source material compartment (104) for containing a source material (108); a heating system being formed to generate an irregular temperature field around a circumference of the crucible (102) and/or along the longitudinal axis of the crucible (102); a thermal insulation unit (117) at least partly surrounding the crucible (102), wherein the thermal insulation unit (117) has a radially and/or axially asymmetric form to compensate the irregular temperature field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2024
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Bernhard ECKER, Ralf MÜLLER, Philipp SCHUH, Matthias STOCKMEIER, Michael VOGEL
  • Publication number: 20240263347
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for growing bulk semiconductor single crystals, and more specifically, for growing a bulk semiconductor single crystals, such as silicon carbide, based on physical vapor transport. A sublimation system for growing at least one single crystal of a semiconductor material by means of a sublimation growing process comprises a crucible (102) having a longitudinal axis (120) and comprising a fixing means for at least one seed crystal (110) and at least one source material compartment (104) for containing a source material (108); a heating system being formed to generate an irregular temperature field around a circumference of the crucible at one or more defined heights along the longitudinal axis of the crucible; a rotary drive that is operable to cause a rotational movement of the fixing means around the longitudinal axis relative to the heating system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2024
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Bernhard ECKER, Ralf MÜLLER, Philipp SCHUH, Matthias STOCKMEIER, Michael VOGEL
  • Patent number: 11992593
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a medical condensate trap for use in external blood treatment by means of a blood treatment apparatus. The condensate trap comprises an interior; a first connection for connecting the interior in fluid communication to a gas outlet of the blood treatment apparatus; a second connection for connecting the interior in fluid communication to a gas inlet of the blood treatment apparatus; and a third connection for connecting the interior to an air port of a blood treatment device. The blood treatment device may be, for example, a blood tubing set or a blood cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Müller, Joachim Noack
  • Publication number: 20240116663
    Abstract: A method for producing a capsule, includes providing a base body made of a plastic and having a base region, a circumferential side wall, and a circumferential base body flange adjacent to the circumferential side wall; providing a cover made of a plastic; filling the base body with an extraction material; placing the cover on the base body so that a fastening portion of the cover contacts the base body flange, and fastening the cover flange to the base body flange by ultrasonic welding. When fastening the cover flange, an inner surface of the fastening section makes contact with a flange surface of the base body flange. A sonotrode having mechanical vibrations applied thereto is pressed against an outer surface of the fastening section or of the base body flange, and mechanical vibrations liquefy plastic material of the cover or of the base body flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventor: Ralf Müller
  • Publication number: 20240003054
    Abstract: An SiC volume monocrystal is processed by sublimation growth. An SiC seed crystal is placed in a crystal growth region of a growing crucible and SiC source material is introduced into an SiC storage region. During growth, at a growth temperature of up to 2,400° C. and a growth pressure between 0.1 mbar and 100 mbar, an SiC growth gas phase is generated by sublimation of the SiC source material and by transport of the sublimated gaseous components into the crystal growth region, where an SiC volume monocrystal grows by deposition from the SiC growth gas phase on the SiC seed crystal. A mechanical stress is introduced into the SiC seed crystal at room temperature prior to the start of the growth to cause seed screw dislocations present in the SiC seed crystal to undergo a dislocation movement so that seed screw dislocations recombine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Bernhard Ecker, Ralf Müller, Matthias Stockmeier, Michael Vogel, Arnd-Dietrich Weber
  • Publication number: 20230416939
    Abstract: A SiC volume monocrystal is produced by sublimation growth. An SiC seed crystal is placed in a crystal growth region of a growing crucible and SiC source material is introduced into an SiC storage region. During growth, at a growth temperature of up to 2,400° C. and a growth pressure between 0.1 mbar and 100 mbar, an SiC growth gas phase is generated by sublimation of the SiC source material and by transport of the sublimated gaseous components into the crystal growth region, where an SiC volume monocrystal grows by deposition from the SiC growth gas phase on the SiC seed crystal. Prior to the start of growth, the SiC seed crystal is examined at the growth surface for the presence of seed screw dislocations, nucleation centers are generated, wherein the nucleation centers are starting points for at least one compensation screw dislocation during the growth carried out subsequently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Bernhard Ecker, Ralf Müller, Matthias Stockmeier, Michael Vogel, Arnd-Dietrich Weber
  • Patent number: 11850894
    Abstract: A prime mover, such as a tractor, is disclosed. The prime mover includes a drivetrain, a driver assistance system, and a tire pressure control system. The tire pressure control system is equipped with pneumatic components for setting and adapting a tire pressure of at least one of the tires of the prime mover and an attachment to the prime mover. The drivetrain includes at least one drive motor, one gearbox, at least one power take-off, and at least one ancillary unit. The driver assistance system controls the tire pressure control system and includes a computing unit, a memory unit, and an input/output unit. In particular, the driver assistance system includes an automatic tire pressure controller that operates based on a characteristic curve and is configured for optimized control of the tire pressure control system depending on selectable control strategies and/or optimization target variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: CLAAS Tractor SAS
    Inventors: Christian Ehlert, Jan Carsten Wieckhorst, Christian Birkmann, Robin Schütte, Ralf Müller
  • Patent number: 11781245
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate with improved mechanical and electrical characteristics. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a bulk SiC crystal in a physical vapor transport growth system. The silicon carbide substrate comprises an inner region (102) which constitutes at least 30% of a total surface area of said substrate (100), a ring shaped peripheral region (104) radially surrounding the inner region (102), wherein a mean concentration of a dopant in the inner region (102) differs by at maximum 5·1018 cm?3, preferably 1·1018 cm?3, from the mean concentration of this dopant in the peripheral region (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: SICRYSTAL GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Vogel, Bernhard Ecker, Ralf Müller, Matthias Stockmeier, Arnd-Dietrich Weber
  • Patent number: 11756282
    Abstract: A system including circuitry configured to process image data of a meal to obtain information on the contents of the meal; generate, based on the obtained information, a query with guidance to change image capture settings: and guide a user to pick up at least a part of the meal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander Gatto, Piergiorgio Sartor, Ralf Müller, Mori Hironori, Oliver Erdler
  • Publication number: 20230193508
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate with improved mechanical and electrical characteristics. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a bulk SiC crystal in a physical vapor transport growth system. The silicon carbide substrate comprises an inner region (102) which constitutes at least 30% of a total surface area of said substrate (100), a ring shaped peripheral region (104) radially surrounding the inner region (102), wherein a mean concentration of a dopant in the inner region (102) differs by at least 1·1018 cm?3 from the mean concentration of this dopant in the peripheral region (104).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Michael VOGEL, Bernhard ECKER, Ralf MÜLLER, Matthias STOCKMEIER, Arnd-Dietrich WEBER
  • Patent number: 11624124
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate with improved mechanical and electrical characteristics. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a bulk SiC crystal in a physical vapor transport growth system. The silicon carbide substrate comprises an inner region (102) which constitutes at least 30% of a total surface area of said substrate (100), a ring shaped peripheral region (104) radially surrounding the inner region (102), wherein a mean concentration of a dopant in the inner region (102) differs by at least 1-1018 cm-3 from the mean concentration of this dopant in the peripheral region (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SICRYSTAL GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Vogel, Bernhard Ecker, Ralf Müller, Matthias Stockmeier, Arnd-Dietrich Weber
  • Publication number: 20230078982
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a chamfered silicon carbide substrate which is essentially monocrystalline, and to a corresponding method of chamfering a silicon carbide substrate. A silicon carbide substrate according to the invention comprises a main surface (102), wherein an orientation of said main surface (102) is such that a normal vector ({right arrow over (O)}) of the main surface (102) includes a tilt angle with a normal vector ({right arrow over (N)}) of a basal lattice plane (106) of the substrate, and a chamfered peripheral region (110), wherein a surface of the chamfered peripheral region includes a bevel angle with said main surface, wherein said bevel angle is chosen so that, in more than 75% of the peripheral region, normal vectors ({right arrow over (F)}_i) of the chamfered peripheral region (110) differ from the normal vector of the basal lattice plane by less than a difference between the normal vector of the main surface and the normal vector of the basal lattice plane of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Bernhard Ecker, Ralf Müller, Matthias Stockmeier, Michael Vogel, Arnd-Dietrich Weber
  • Publication number: 20230011856
    Abstract: An arrangement for operating a biosensor emitting radiation includes an excitation light source, which generates at least one excitation radiation for the biosensor; a coupling fiber, at the entry surface of which the excitation radiation is coupled in; an optical Y-coupler, including an excitation arm, which is connected to the exit surface of the coupling fiber, a detector arm, which is connected to an optical detector, and a sensor foot, which can be connected to the biosensor. The excitation arm has a conical shape. The radiation axis of the excitation arm includes an angle in the range of 5° to 70° with the main radiation axis of the detector arm. The diameter of the excitation arm at the connecting point to the detector arm is less than two thirds the diameter of the detector arm. An arrangement for determining the glucose content blood is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Ralf MÜLLER, Achim MÜLLER, Roland KRIVANÉK
  • Publication number: 20230001648
    Abstract: Two workpieces 30, 40 are joined by means of ultrasound. First, a workpiece 30 with at least one energy direction sensor 31 and a second workpiece 40 are provided. The workpieces are brought into contact with each other in such a way that the energy direction sensor 31 comes into contact with a first surface 41 of the second workpiece 40. Ultrasonic vibrations are then introduced into one of the workpieces 40 via a working surface 11 of a sonotrode 10. A sonotrode 10 is used, which has a contour with contact lines 12 on the working surface 11. The sonotrode 10 is positioned with respect to the first workpiece 30 in such a way that the contact lines 12 run transversely to the energy direction generator 31.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventor: Ralf MÜLLER