Patents by Inventor Stephan Max

Stephan Max 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: 20210034072
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for producing swarm trajectories for a specified lane of a roadway section, wherein a plurality of vehicles driving in the specified lane transmits the respective driving trajectories of the vehicles to a back-end computer, which determines a swarm trajectory for the specified lane from the transmitted trajectories. The vehicles determine specified constraints during driving in the lane, and the determined constraints are transmitted to the back-end computer together with the trajectory in question. The back-end computer determines at least one swarm trajectory for the specified lane as a function of at least one constraint from the transmitted trajectories and the constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Sebastian Hamel, Timur Aminev
  • Publication number: 20200408517
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, to a computer program comprising instructions and to a device for determining a vehicle spacing for an observation period. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle and to a back end, in which a method according to the invention, or device according to the invention, is used. In a first step, measurement values relating to an average vehicle spacing for a plurality of measurement times are received. These values may be stored for later use. The situation may arise in which an unusable measurement value is identified at an error time. In this case, a vehicle spacing for a current observation period that contains the error time is determined based on a vehicle spacing determined from the recorded measurement values for a previous observation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Martin Wegner, Sabina Alazzawi, Richard Niestroj
  • Patent number: 10846428
    Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a computer-readable storage medium having instructions for processing data captured by a motor vehicle. In a first operation, a datum captured by a motor vehicle is received. Subsequently, location-oriented or time-oriented masking is applied to the received datum. Alternatively or additionally, the received datum is separated from other data captured by the motor vehicle. The masked or separated datum is forwarded for evaluation. The location-oriented or time-oriented masking or the separating of the received datum from other data captured by the motor vehicle is effected inside the motor vehicle or in a reception system with a connection to the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Toralf Hessel
  • Publication number: 20200298703
    Abstract: A method, device, and computer-readable storage medium with instructions for controlling a display of an augmented-reality head-up display device for a transportation vehicle. A position of the transportation vehicle is determined relative to a map; at least one reference point is extracted from the map, the at least one reference point is obtained from an area within a visual range of a driver of the transportation vehicle; transforming the at least one reference point into transportation vehicle coordinates; generating a virtual object for display by the augmented-reality head-up display device, considering the at least one transformed reference point; and outputting the virtual object for display by the augmented-reality head-up display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Stephan MAX, Ulrich WUTTKE
  • Publication number: 20200292345
    Abstract: A method for collecting transportation vehicle-based data and transferring the data to a backend computer, wherein the respective data sets relate to predefined route sections travelled along by a swarm of data-collecting vehicles, wherein parameterized orders for the acquisition of transportation vehicle-based data are stored in the backend computer and each order includes the parameter of route section, which defines the route section for which transportation vehicle-related data is to be collected; the parameter of swarm size, which defines how many transportation vehicles per unit of time are to collect data for the specified route section; and the parameter time interval, which defines the time interval in which data is to be acquired for the route section. Route-related data is continuously transferred to the backend computer from each transportation vehicle of the swarm, wherein a header constitutes an overview of the transportation vehicle-based data stored temporarily in the transportation vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Stephan MAX, Edson William FANGWA NZEYA
  • Publication number: 20200208990
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a destination for a motor vehicle that is different from an intended location, comprising the following steps: specifying an intended location; determining a usage rate at the intended location by means of a computing apparatus on the basis of data provided on the intended location; determining a plurality of possible alternative destinations different from the intended location on the basis of the data provided on the intended location if the usage rate exceeds a predefined usage rate threshold value; determining a predicted usage rate at the possible alternative destinations by means of the computing apparatus on the basis of data provided on the possible alternative destinations; and selecting a destination from the plurality of possible alternative destinations while taking into consideration the predicted usage rate at the alternative destinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Thorben Günzel
  • Publication number: 20200201334
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for assisting a driver of a vehicle with driving of the vehicle, in which the surroundings of the vehicle are detected, the detection of the surroundings comprising the course of driving paths as well as movement data relating to other road users. The method provides that historic data obtained at least from past driving maneuvers by road users in the detected surroundings are called up for said surroundings, the detected surroundings of the vehicle are analyzed and a traffic situation of the vehicle in relation to at least one second road user of the other detected road users is determined, a likely driving maneuver of the second road user is predicted based on the called-up historic data and the current traffic situation, and a control signal for assisting the driver with driving of the vehicle is generated depending on the predicted driving maneuver of the second road user. The disclosure further relates to a driver assistance system for carrying out said method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Thorben Günzel
  • Publication number: 20200193731
    Abstract: A method, a device and a computer-readable storage medium with instructions for processing data in a motor vehicle for forwarding to a back end. In a first step, sensor data are detected along a route of the motor vehicle. On the basis of the sensor data, features and context information on the features are then identified within segments of the route. Finally, the features and the context information on the features are combined into a message for the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Vladislavs Serebro
  • Patent number: 10663304
    Abstract: A method for creating or augmenting a map for a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle establishes its location in a surrounding environment by comparing environment data acquired by at least one sensor with map data stored in the map. The method provides a base map of a surrounding environment of the motor vehicle; provides at least one base segment, wherein the at least one base segment has at least one characteristic feature; and creates or augments the map by generating map data, wherein the map data is generated by a map creation unit by assigning the at least one provided base segment to an associated position in the provided base map. Also disclosed is a corresponding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wege, Stephan Max, Kristian Weiß, Sascha Bauer, Mehmet Eylem Kirlangic, Robert Konnopka, Lars Krüger, Jesko Klandt, Christian Tendyck
  • Publication number: 20200143680
    Abstract: A method and a device for transmitting vehicle-based environment data of a transportation vehicle travelling on a predetermined section of a road to a backend device for collecting data records relating to the specified section of the road, wherein the backend includes a master data backend and a vehicle data backend that are independent of each other, including registration of the transportation vehicle with the actual vehicle identification number with the master data backend via a wireless communication, transmitting a pseudo-vehicle identification number that is different from the actual vehicle identification number to the transportation vehicle on the part of the master data backend, wherein the allocation of the pseudo-vehicle identification number to the actual vehicle identification number is known outside the transportation vehicle exclusively to the master data backend, and submitting data records or summaries of data records to the vehicle data backend using the pseudo-vehicle identification numbe
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Stephan MAX, Edson William FANGWA NZEYA
  • Publication number: 20200143679
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods, devices and a computer-readable medium comprising instructions for determining applicable traffic regulations for a motor vehicle. Firstly, the position and direction of movement of the motor vehicle are determined. The position and direction of movement of the motor vehicle are then transmitted to a back end by a transmission apparatus of the motor vehicle. In response to the information transmitted to the back end, information concerning traffic regulations applicable to the position of the motor vehicle is received by means of the transmission apparatus. The transmission of the position and direction of movement of the motor vehicle to the back end is carried out in a cyclical manner or in accordance with information concerning the validity of the traffic regulations, which is included in the information concerning the traffic regulations applicable at the position of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kai Franke, Stephan Max, Peter Baumann
  • Publication number: 20200143676
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting vehicle-based environmental data relating to at least one transportation vehicle traveling on a predefined road section to a backend for the purpose of collecting data records relating to the road section. The method generates data relating to the environment of the transportation vehicle by an environment sensor system; generates quality parameters relating to the sensors in the environment sensor system, wherein the quality parameters enable a statement regarding the performance of the sensors; combines the quality parameters and the measurement data to form a data record and creating a summary relating to the data record; transmits the header to the backend; checks the quality parameters of the header; and rejects the header in response to the quality parameters not complying with a predetermined quality standard or retains the header for further processing in response to the quality parameters complying with the predetermined quality standard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Stephan MAX, Edson William FANGWA NZEYA
  • Publication number: 20200108772
    Abstract: A method for activating at least one device from a transportation vehicle wherein the at least one device is activated by the transportation vehicle at least as a function of global position data of at least one pedestrian and/or at least one cyclist. The position data of the at least one pedestrian and/or the at least one cyclist is transmitted to a remotely located computer unit and is made available to a computer unit of the transportation vehicle. The activation of the at least one device as a function of the position data of pedestrians and/or cyclists is made possible in a simple and economic way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Stephan MAX, Kristian WEISS
  • Publication number: 20200039318
    Abstract: A method and a device for detecting odor nuisances along a route of a subject transportation vehicle and for predictively initiating measures for preventing the penetration of the odorants of the odor nuisance into the subject transportation vehicle during travel. The method includes collecting swarm data from a plurality of swarm transportation vehicles in the surroundings of the route of the subject transportation vehicle, relating to the odor nuisance of each swarm transportation vehicle, ascertaining locations of an odor nuisance from the collected swarm data, ascertaining the extent of the odor nuisance around the respective location of the odor nuisance, and initiating measures in the subject transportation vehicle when approaching the location of an odor nuisance while taking into account the extent of the odor nuisance along the future route, wherein the measure is implemented at a predefined distance from the extent of the odor nuisance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Thorben GÜNZEL, Stephan MAX
  • Publication number: 20190392706
    Abstract: A method for assigning stoplights of a stoplight system of a traffic lane section controlled by this stoplight system to the traffic lanes of the traffic lane section, wherein the traffic lane section has at least one traffic lane, the traffic lanes of the traffic lane section have a common direction of travel, and a plurality of vehicles are driving on the traffic lane section, comprising the steps: recognizing an oncoming stoplight system by each vehicle that is driving on the traffic lane section and moving toward the stoplight system, continuously detecting the stoplight states of the stoplights of the stoplight system, the driven traffic lane, the vehicle speed and the vehicle position by each vehicle, wherein the detection starts at a predetermined distance from the stoplight system then continues until the stoplight system is passed, transmitting the data recorded by each vehicle on the stoplight states, traffic lane and speed in the form of a data set to a backend computer, the backend computer per
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Thorben Günzel, Sven Klomp
  • Publication number: 20190377057
    Abstract: A method for a transportation vehicle of a transportation vehicle fleet for transmitting data to a data processing system including receiving a message, wherein the message includes information about data to be transmitted and information about a predetermined probability of the data transmission; determining whether the data to be transmitted are transmitted from the transportation vehicle to the data processing system, using a random number generator and the information about the predetermined probability of the data transmission; and sending the data to be transmitted to the data processing system, in response to determining that the data to be transmitted are transmitted from the transportation vehicle to the data processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Stephan MAX, Peter BAUMANN
  • Publication number: 20190359214
    Abstract: A method for assisting an operation at least of one transportation vehicle, a corresponding assist system and the corresponding transportation vehicle. Respective environmental data are collected by transportation vehicles in areas in which two roads meet. A respective priority action is automatically determined from the environmental data for the areas. The determined priority actions are used to automatically determine priority rules for the areas. The determined priority rules are provided to at least one transportation vehicle to be operated to assist the operation of the transportation vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Stephan MAX, Thorben GÜNZEL, Sven KLOMP
  • Patent number: 10466064
    Abstract: A method for determining a location of a motor vehicle, wherein a respective rotational position signal is received from a respective wheel sensor of at least one wheel, and a steering angle signal is received from a steering angle sensor of a steering device, and a wheel-based location estimation is determined, the respective rotational position signal and geometric data of the at least one wheel. A respective relative location of the motor vehicle with respect to at least one object arranged in the surroundings is detected, and a respective relative change in location with respect to the at least one object is determined during a movement of the motor vehicle, and a surroundings-based location estimation is determined, and a combined location estimation of the location is determined from the wheel-based and the surroundings-based location estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Kristian Weiß, Sascha Bauer, Mehmet Eylem Kirlangic, Andreas Wege, Robert Konnopka, Lars Krüger, Jesko Klandt, Christian Tendyck
  • Publication number: 20190334998
    Abstract: A sensor for detecting measured values, a method, a device and a computer-readable storage medium with instructions for processing measured values. In a first step, a measured value is detected by a sensor. The detected measured value is then signed with the assistance of a certificate assigned to the sensor and forwarded to a network. The signed measured value is transmitted to a recipient through the network. Using the certificate, a check of the authenticity of the measured value by the recipient then occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Max, Peter Baumann
  • Patent number: 10452066
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transitioning a motor vehicle from a manual operating mode to an automated or assisting operating mode for driving along a saved trajectory including a memory, in which the trajectory and a tolerance region of the trajectory are saved; a mechanism for ascertaining the location of the motor vehicle relative to the saved trajectory; and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured so that, if a predetermined criterion is met, a transition trajectory from a current instantaneous position to the saved trajectory is calculated and a steering torque is generated that steers the motor vehicle in the direction of the calculated transition trajectory, wherein the at least one criterion is a distance threshold value with respect to the saved trajectory, wherein the distance threshold value is selected so it is outside the tolerance region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Sascha Bauer, Sönke Freter, Stephan Max, Kristian Weiß