Patents by Inventor Stefan Volnhals

Stefan Volnhals 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: 11881885
    Abstract: The application relates to an antenna device for transmitting high-frequency signals from or to a motor vehicle. The antenna device comprises a first radio module and a second radio module, which provide high-frequency signals for transmission via an antenna, and an antenna module comprising the antenna and a compensator. The antenna module is connected to the first radio module via a first antenna cable, and to the second radio module via a second antenna cable. The compensator is designed to modify a signal strength of the high-frequency signals in accordance with a control signal. The first radio module and the second radio module are designed to generate the control signal for controlling the compensator, wherein in order to control the compensator, the second radio module modulates the control signal for the first radio module onto the second antenna cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Lars Reichardt, Stefan Volnhals
  • Publication number: 20220216888
    Abstract: The application relates to an antenna device for transmitting high-frequency signals from or to a motor vehicle. The antenna device comprises a first radio module and a second radio module, which provide high-frequency signals for transmission via an antenna, and an antenna module comprising the antenna and a compensator. The antenna module is connected to the first radio module via a first antenna cable, and to the second radio module via a second antenna cable. The compensator is designed to modify a signal strength of the high-frequency signals in accordance with a control signal. The first radio module and the second radio module are designed to generate the control signal for controlling the compensator, wherein in order to control the compensator, the second radio module modulates the control signal for the first radio module onto the second antenna cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Lars REICHARDT, Stefan VOLNHALS
  • Patent number: 10445952
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle including a communication unit, which includes at least one wireless module and is configured to operate a respective wireless link, by way of the at least one wireless module, to at least one vehicle-external object for exchanging communication data. A plurality of function programs are provided in the motor vehicle, which are each configured to provide a vehicle functionality that is based on the communication data. A plurality of control units are provided, which are different from the communication unit, of which each includes a service module which is configured, independently of the function programs, to exchange the communication data from the respective control unit via the communication unit. The function programs are distributed among the control units and are configured to exchange the communication data with the respective service module of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christoph Voigt, Stefan Volnhals, Gerald Stöckl
  • Patent number: 10395531
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a control device for coupling an antenna assembly of a motor vehicle to at least one vehicle component of the motor vehicle for an exchange of messages with vehicle-external objects. The control device comprises a first radio module for providing a first radio link to at least one of the objects on the basis of a first radio standard, a second radio module for providing a second radio link to at least one other of the objects on the basis of a second radio standard, and a processor device for receiving some of the messages via the first radio link and some other of the messages via the second radio link. The processor device includes a synchronization unit configured to forward the received messages in a sequence determined by the time data to the at least one vehicle component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Christoph Voigt, Stefan Volnhals, Gerald Stöckl, Herbert Ehrentraut, Ralf Riplinger, Aurel Papp, Jürgen Spehl
  • Publication number: 20190088124
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a control device for coupling an antenna assembly of a motor vehicle to at least one vehicle component of the motor vehicle for an exchange of messages with vehicle-external objects. The control device comprises a first radio module for providing a first radio link to at least one of the objects on the basis of a first radio standard, a second radio module for providing a second radio link to at least one other of the objects on the basis of a second radio standard, and a processor device for receiving some of the messages via the first radio link and some other of the messages via the second radio link. The processor device includes a synchronization unit configured to forward the received messages in a sequence determined by the time data to the at least one vehicle component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Christoph VOIGT, Stefan VOLNHALS, Gerald STÖCKL, Herbert EHRENTRAUT, Ralf RIPLINGER, Aurel PAPP, Jürgen SPEHL
  • Publication number: 20190073840
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle including a communication unit, which includes at least one wireless module and is configured to operate a respective wireless link, by way of the at least one wireless module, to at least one vehicle-external object for exchanging communication data. A plurality of function programs are provided in the motor vehicle, which are each configured to provide a vehicle functionality that is based on the communication data. A plurality of control units are provided, which are different from the communication unit, of which each includes a service module which is configured, independently of the function programs, to exchange the communication data from the respective control unit via the communication unit. The function programs are distributed among the control units and are configured to exchange the communication data with the respective service module of the control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christoph VOIGT, Stefan VOLNHALS, Gerald STÖCKL
  • Publication number: 20130336427
    Abstract: A radio system comprises a front-end receiver for receiving an RF signal and converting the RF signal into a digital payload signal. The system further comprises a base-band processor for processing the digital payload signal, and a serial data interface over which the front-end communicates the digital payload signal and meta data to the base-band processor. The meta data may comprise information indicating whether a corresponding digital payload signal communicated over the serial data interface is valid and additional information of the front-end status, e.g. gain or state of tuning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: CSR Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Volnhals
  • Patent number: 8542775
    Abstract: A radio system comprises a front-end receiver for receiving a RF signal and converting the RF signal into a digital payload signal. The system further comprises a base-band processor for processing the digital payload signal, and a serial data interface over which the front-end communicates the digital payload signal and meta data to the base-band processor. The meta data may comprise information indicating whether a corresponding digital payload signal communicated over the serial data interface is valid and additional information of the front-end status, e.g. gain or state of tuning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: CSR Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Volnhals
  • Publication number: 20120121041
    Abstract: A radio system comprises a front-end receiver for receiving a RF signal and converting the RF signal into a digital payload signal. The system further comprises a base-band processor for processing the digital payload signal, and a serial data interface over which the front-end communicates the digital payload signal and meta data to the base-band processor. The meta data may comprise information indicating whether a corresponding digital payload signal communicated over the serial data interface is valid and additional information of the front-end status, e.g. gain or state of tuning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Microtune (Texas), L.P.
    Inventor: Stefan Volnhals
  • Patent number: 7852251
    Abstract: A digital radio system comprises a mixer and an analog-to-digital converter communicative coupled to the mixer. The mixer generates an intermediate frequency signal based at least in part upon a radio frequency signal and a local oscillator signal, wherein the intermediate frequency signal comprises a signal of interest having a particular bandwidth. The analog-to-digital converter generates a digital signal by quantizing the intermediate frequency signal using a sampling frequency that is greater than twice the bandwidth of the signal of interest and less than the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Microtune (Texas), L.P.
    Inventor: Stefan Volnhals
  • Publication number: 20090058706
    Abstract: A digital radio system comprises a mixer and an analog-to-digital converter communicative coupled to the mixer. The mixer generates an intermediate frequency signal based at least in part upon a radio frequency signal and a local oscillator signal, wherein the intermediate frequency signal comprises a signal of interest having a particular bandwidth. The analog-to-digital converter generates a digital signal by quantizing the intermediate frequency signal using a sampling frequency that is greater than twice the bandwidth of the signal of interest and less than the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: Microtune, Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Volnhals
  • Patent number: 7446692
    Abstract: A digital radio system comprises a mixer and an analog-to-digital converter communicative coupled to the mixer. The mixer generates an intermediate frequency signal based at least in part upon a radio frequency signal and a local oscillator signal, wherein the intermediate frequency signal comprises a signal of interest having a particular bandwidth. The analog-to-digital converter generates a digital signal by quantizing the intermediate frequency signal using a sampling frequency that is greater than twice the bandwidth of the signal of interest and less than the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Microtune (Texas), L.P.
    Inventor: Stefan Volnhals
  • Publication number: 20080238751
    Abstract: A digital radio system comprises a mixer and an analog-to-digital converter communicative coupled to the mixer. The mixer generates an intermediate frequency signal based at least in part upon a radio frequency signal and a local oscillator signal, wherein the intermediate frequency signal comprises a signal of interest having a particular bandwidth. The analog-to-digital converter generates a digital signal by quantizing the intermediate frequency signal using a sampling frequency that is greater than twice the bandwidth of the signal of interest and less than the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Stefan Volnhals