Patents by Inventor Robert Hofer

Robert Hofer 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: 20230104213
    Abstract: In various embodiments. an electronic circuit is provided. The electronic circuit may include at least one memory cell and a control circuit configured to determine a formation state of the at least one memory cell and set a predefined function to a predefined state of executability (e.g., enabled or disabled) based on the determined formation states. For example, the predefined function may be set to the predefined state of executability only if the determined formation states of two or more memory cells match a predefined formation state pattern, or only if a minimum number or fraction of two or memory cells are in a predefined formation state. The formation state is either unformed or formed, wherein the unformed state is an electrically isolated state, and the formed state is a state into which an initially unformed memory cell is transformable and in which the formed memory cell is repeatedly switchable between a state of low electrical resistivity and a state of high electrical resistivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Marcus Janke, Robert Hofer
  • Patent number: 10960573
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a curable light-conducting body (21) in a casting method, in particular for the manufacture of light-conducting bodies (21) of a curable concrete material (36, 56), wherein a light-conducting mat (1) is embedded in a curable casting material (36, 56), and a casting mold (27) with a recessed mold cavity (18) open at the top is filled with the not-yet-cured casting material (36, 56), wherein, in a first method step, a plurality of molding punches (32) moveably arranged in the mold cavity (18) of the casting mold (27) are moved to at least the plane of the upper edge (43) of the mold cavity (18), 1. in a second method step, the space between the molding punches (32) in the mold cavity (18) is filled with a curable casting material (36), 2. in a fifth method step, the light-conducting mat (1) to be embedded in the casting material (36, 56) is placed on the end sides (61) of the molding punches (32) raised in the mold cavity (18), 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Inventors: Dieter Christandl, Josef Christandl, Robert Hofer
  • Publication number: 20200298445
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a curable light-conducting body (21) in a casting method, in particular for the manufacture of light-conducting bodies (21) of a curable concrete material (36, 56), wherein a light-conducting mat (1) is embedded in a curable casting material (36, 56), and a casting mold (27) with a recessed mold cavity (18) open at the top is filled with the not-yet-cured casting material (36, 56), wherein, in a first method step, a plurality of molding punches (32) moveably arranged in the mold cavity (18) of the casting mold (27) are moved to at least the plane of the upper edge (43) of the mold cavity (18), 1. in a second method step, the space between the molding punches (32) in the mold cavity (18) is filled with a curable casting material (36), 2. in a fifth method step, the light-conducting mat (1) to be embedded in the casting material (36, 56) is placed on the end sides (61) of the molding punches (32) raised in the mold cavity (18), 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Dieter CHRISTANDL, Josef CHRISTANDL, Robert HOFER
  • Patent number: 10571116
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ceramic tile (1) with a glaze (11) which covers at least the visible face (10). A light generated by one or more light sources (6, 14) is visible on the visible face (10), and at least one bore (2) and/or recess (22) passes through the body of the ceramic tile (1). The glaze (11) is designed to guide light and at least partly fills the bore (2) and/or the recess (22) in a sealing manner, and the one or more light sources (6, 14) are arranged on the rear face of the ceramic tile (1) and are connected to the bore (2) and/or the recess (22) so as to guide light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Hofer, Dieter Christandl, Josef Christandl
  • Patent number: 10365423
    Abstract: Disclosed is a light guide mat (1) for the production of a block- or cuboid-shaped light guide body (21), which mat is arranged in a casting mold and can be sealed in a pourable, curable casting compound (24), wherein the light guide mat (1) consists of longitudinal and transverse struts (2, 3) connected to one another in the form of a grid, which struts consist at least partially of a light-conducting plastic, wherein profiled light guide elements (4) consisting of an at least partially light-conducting plastic are integrally formed at the point of intersection of the longitudinal and transverse struts (2, 3), an end face (6) of which elements being formed as light-emitting surfaces on the upper face (22) of the light guide body (21), wherein at least the longitudinal struts (2) of the light guide mat (1) are formed as light channels (5) for receiving point-like, light-generating elements, and the light channels (5) are integrally formed on the face of the light guide elements (4) near to the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Inventors: Dieter Christandl, Josef Christandl, Robert Hofer
  • Patent number: 10162099
    Abstract: A light guide block is provided made up of a plurality of light guide rods that are molded in a curable filler material, wherein for manufacturing the light guide block, the curable filler material is fillable into an at least half-open trough, the light guide rods, as plastic injection-molded parts or plastic molded parts, being molded onto surfaces of the trough that is made, at least partially or in sections, of light-conducting plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventors: Dieter Christandl, Josef Christandl, Robert Hofer
  • Publication number: 20180292080
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ceramic tile (1) with a glaze (11) which covers at least the visible face (10). A light generated by one or more light sources (6, 14) is visible on the visible face (10), and at least one bore (2) and/or recess (22) passes through the body of the ceramic tile (1). The glaze (11) is designed to guide light and at least partly fills the bore (2) and/or the recess (22) in a sealing manner, and the one or more light sources (6, 14) are arranged on the rear face of the ceramic tile (1) and are connected to the bore (2) and/or the recess (22) so as to guide light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Hofer, Dieter Christandl, Josef Christandl
  • Publication number: 20180106945
    Abstract: Disclosed is a light guide mat (1) for the production of a block- or cuboid-shaped light guide body (21), which mat is arranged in a casting mould and can be sealed in a pourable, curable casting compound (24), wherein the light guide mat (1) consists of longitudinal and transverse struts (2, 3) connected to one another in the form of a grid, which struts consist at least partially of a light-conducting plastic, wherein profiled tight guide elements (4) consisting of an at least partially light-conducting plastic are integrally formed at the point of intersection of the longitudinal and transverse struts (2, 3), an end face (6) of which elements being formed as light-emitting surfaces on the upper face (22) of the light guide body 21, wherein at least the longitudinal struts (2) of the light guide mat (1) are formed as light channels (5) for receiving point-like, light-generating elements, and the light channels (5) are integrally formed on the face of the light guide elements (4) near to the bottom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Dieter CHRIATANDL, Josef CHRISTANDL, Robert HOFER
  • Patent number: 9874202
    Abstract: A Hall thruster apparatus having walls constructed from a conductive material, such as graphite, and having magnetic shielding of the walls from the ionized plasma has been demonstrated to operate with nearly the same efficiency as a conventional nonmagnetically shielded design using insulators as wall components. The new design is believed to provide the potential of higher power and uniform operation over the operating life of a thruster device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Dan Michael Goebel, Richard Robert Hofer, Ioannis G. Mikellides
  • Publication number: 20180003887
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light guide block made up of a plurality of light guide rods (9) that are molded in a curable filler material, wherein for manufacturing the light guide block (1, 2), the curable filler material is fillable into an at least half-open trough (3), the light guide rods (9), as plastic injection-molded parts or plastic molded parts, being molded onto surfaces (4-8) of the trough (3) that is made, at least partially or in sections, of light-conducting plastic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Dieter CHRISTANDL, Josef CHRISTANDL, Robert HOFER, Alexander HAIDER, Oliver FISCHER
  • Publication number: 20160333866
    Abstract: A Hall thruster apparatus having walls constructed from a conductive material, such as graphite, and having magnetic shielding of the walls from the ionized plasma has been demonstrated to operate with nearly the same efficiency as a conventional nonmagnetically shielded design using insulators as wall components. The new design is believed to provide the potential of higher power and uniform operation over the operating life of a thruster device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Dan Michael GOEBEL, Richard Robert HOFER, Ioannis G. MIKELLIDES
  • Patent number: 9453502
    Abstract: A Hall thruster apparatus having walls constructed from a conductive material, such as graphite, and having magnetic shielding of the walls from the ionized plasma has been demonstrated to operate with nearly the same efficiency as a conventional non-magnetically shielded design using insulators as wall components. The new design is believed to provide the potential of higher power and uniform operation over the operating life of a thruster device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Dan Michael Goebel, Richard Robert Hofer, Ioannis G. Mikellides
  • Patent number: 9211653
    Abstract: Method for producing a heat insulating, light conducting multilayer composite construction element for facades of building structures and the like, in which the multilayer composite construction element consists of at least one layer of a curable casting compound and at least one heat insulating layer of insulating material, and all layers are penetrated by light conducting elements, whereby a.) in a first process step the light conducting elements are fixed in an insulating body forming the heat insulating layer, b.) in a second step the light conducting elements fixed in the insulating body are inserted in a formwork space of a formwork formed by formwork panels and c.) in a third step the formwork space is filled with a curable casting compound, forming at least one support layer, whereby b1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Inventors: Dieter Christandl, Josef Christandl, Robert Hofer
  • Patent number: 8997415
    Abstract: A light-conducting component, in particular finished concrete part in the form of a masonry brick, for constructions and buildings. The component is produced in a casting mold by casting into at least one casting building material and the optical waveguide is made of a light-conducting building material, e.g. PMMA polymer or glass, which is accessible at at least two positions on the outer surface of the light-conducting component for the input of light and output of light. The optical waveguide is configured as a self-supporting 2D or 3D lattice body composed of rods having a thickness/diameter of greater than 1 mm. The self-supporting 2D or 3D lattice body has approximately the same or an only slightly smaller width (W), or length (L), or base dimensions (W, L), or total external dimensions (W, L, H) than the casting mold itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventors: Dieter Christandl, Josef Christandl, Robert Hofer, Oliver Fischer
  • Publication number: 20140059952
    Abstract: A light-conducting component, in particular finished concrete part in the form of a masonry brick, for constructions and building. The component is produced in a casting mold by casting into at least one casting building material and the optical waveguide is made of a light-conducting building material, e.g. PMMA polymer or glass, which is accessible at at least two positions on the outer surface of the light-conducting component for the input of light and output of light. The optical waveguide is configured as a self-supporting 2D or 3D lattice body composed of rods having a thickness/diameter of greater than 1 mm. The self-supporting 2D or 3D lattice body has approximately the same or an only slightly smaller width (W), or length (L), or base dimensions (W, L), or total external dimensions (W, L, H) than the casting mold itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Robert HOFER, Dieter CHRISTANDL, Josef CHRISTANDL
  • Publication number: 20140053531
    Abstract: A Hall thruster apparatus having walls constructed from a conductive material, such as graphite, and having magnetic shielding of the walls from the ionized plasma has been demonstrated to operate with nearly the same efficiency as a conventional non-magnetically shielded design using insulators as wall components. The new design is believed to provide the potential of higher power and uniform operation over the operating life of a thruster device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Dan Michael Goebel, Richard Robert Hofer, Ioannis G. Mikellides
  • Publication number: 20140030479
    Abstract: Method for producing a heat insulating, light conducting multilayer composite construction element for facades of building structures and the like, in which the multilayer composite construction element consists of at least one layer of a curable casting compound and at least one heat insulating layer of insulating material, and all layers are penetrated by light conducting elements, whereby a.) in a first process step the light conducting elements are fixed in an insulating body forming the heat insulating layer, b.) in a second step the light conducting elements fixed in the insulating body are inserted in a formwork space of a formwork formed by formwork panels and c.) in a third step the formwork space is filled with a curable casting compound, forming at least one support layer, whereby b1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Dieter Christandl, Josef Christandl, Robert Hofer
  • Patent number: 8636239
    Abstract: The invention relates to a belt retractor for winding up and unwinding a safety belt, with at least one force transmission element which is held by a first part of the belt retractor and which can be connected to a second part of the belt retractor, the force transmission element being held in a recess of the first part in such a way that it can be pressed axially into the recess of the first part, with the result that the connection to the second part is broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Takata AG
    Inventors: Robert Fleischmann, Andreas Maunz, Hans-Jürgen Divo, Gerhard Klingauf, Robert Hofer, Hermann Hasse, Wolfgang Schrade, Armin Toth
  • Patent number: 8144017
    Abstract: An RFID transponder having an adjustable response field strength including a determination circuit formed to determine a quantity which is derivable from a field strength of an electromagnetic field prevailing at the location of the RFID transponder, a comparator formed to compare the determined quantity derived from the field strength with a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is based on the adjustable response field strength, which is higher than the minimum field strength required for the operation of the RFID transponder, and a deactivator formed to deactivate a functionality of the RFID transponder if the derived quantity falls below the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Leutgeb, Josef Haid, Walter Kargl, Josef Riegebauer, Thomas Baglin, Albert Missoni, Dietmar Scheiblhofer, Bernd Zimek, Friedrich Skofitsch, Markus Unterlercher, Robert Hofer
  • Publication number: 20120056718
    Abstract: An RFID transponder having an adjustable response field strength including a determination circuit formed to determine a quantity which is derivable from a field strength of an electromagnetic field prevailing at the location of the RFID transponder, a comparator formed to compare the determined quantity derived from the field strength with a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is based on the adjustable response field strength, which is higher than the minimum field strength required for the operation of the RFID transponder, and a deactivator formed to deactivate a functionality of the RFID transponder if the derived quantity falls below the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Thomas Leutgeb, Josef Haid, Walter Kargl, Josef Riegebauer, Thomas Baglin, Albert Missoni, Dietmar Scheiblhofer, Bernd Zimek, Friedrich Skofitsch, Markus Unterlercher, Robert Hofer