Patents by Inventor Thomas Ertl

Thomas Ertl 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: 20120133742
    Abstract: The invention relates to generating a total data set of at least one segment of an object for determining at least one characteristic by merging individual data sets determined by means of an optical sensor moving relative to the object and of an image processor, wherein individual data sets of sequential images of the object contain redundant data that are matched for merging the individual data sets. In order that the data obtained by scanning the object are of sufficient quantity for performing an optimal analysis, but without being too great an amount of data for processing, the invention proposes that individual data sets determined per unit of time be varied as a function of the relative motion between the optical sensor and the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: DEGUDENT GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Ertl
  • Patent number: 8142383
    Abstract: A fluid distribution module (1) for causing and monitoring the circulation of fluids from and to a patient through an extracorporeal blood treatment device, comprises a degassing device (11) connected to a connecting structure (10). The degassing device (11) comprises a first chamber (12) having a lower inlet (13) for a liquid and a second chamber (14) having an upper opening (79) closed by a hydrophobic membrane (78) and an outlet (15) for discharging the liquid. The connecting structure (10) has at least a first and a second conduits (20, 21) defined therein, wherein the first conduit (20) comprises a first end for connection to a discharge tube (7) from the treatment device and a second end connected to the inlet (13) of the first chamber (12) of the degassing device (11), and the second conduit (21) comprises a first end connected to the outlet (15) of the second chamber (14) of the degassing device (11) and a second end for connection to a blood return tube (6) to a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Gambro AB
    Inventors: Jürgen Dannenmaier, Hermann Goehl, Thomas Ertl, Jacques Chevallet, Francesco Ribolzi
  • Publication number: 20120040305
    Abstract: The present application relates to an apparatus and method in the field of dentistry and in particular to optical tools for diagnosis and imaging. It is a problem of the prior art that the use of fibre optic components yield a bulky dental camera with poor resolution. It is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging device (55) for dental instruments comprising a chamber adapted to be secured to the head of a dental instrument and for receiving and removing an imaging device (1), the chamber also adapted for isolating said imaging device from said dental instrument without compromising sterility of the dental instrument, comprising an optical window (53). The imaging device is easily removable from the dental instrument and electronic image detection occurs at the instrument head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: DENSTPLY INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Naim Karazivan, Thomas Ertl, Kenneth R. Guaragno, Eugene J. Novak
  • Patent number: 8115766
    Abstract: A system and method for rendering flows and volumes includes the steps of generating a preintegrated table, the preintegrated table having a plurality of entries, each of the plurality of entries having color information and opacity information, generating illustrative effects based on the plurality of entries of the preintegrated table and displaying the illustrative effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Nikolai Svakhine, Yun Jang, David S. Ebert, Kelly P. Gaither, Thomas Ertl, Eduardo Tejada-Gamero
  • Patent number: 8048209
    Abstract: A degassing device (203) comprises a first chamber (21) having an inlet for a liquid, and a second chamber (22) having an opening (23) closed by a hydrophobic membrane (24) and an outlet (25) for discharging the liquid. The first chamber (21) has a downstream portion that partially extends within the second chamber (22) and communicates therewith by a passageway (28). The second chamber (22) has a downstream portion that extends below the passageway (28) and asymmetrically surrounds the downstream portion of the first chamber (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Jürgen Dannenmaier, Hermann Goehl, Thomas Ertl, Jacques Chevallet, Francesco Ribolzi
  • Publication number: 20110194121
    Abstract: A method for detecting contour data of a three-dimensional object, where a grid of illumination points of a multi-point illumination is projected onto the object using an optical device and the illumination points are then projected back onto a sensor containing pixels. In order to improve signal-noise ratio and reduce background signal, it is proposed that a grid of illumination points of at least two multi-point illuminations are projected onto the object, that the beams of the illuminating points of are modulated in intensity and that a frequency-selective and/or phase-selective detection is performed of mutually associated first and second illumination points back-projected onto the sensor. The first illumination points derive from a first of the multipoint illuminations and the second illumination points derive from a second of the multipoint illuminations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: DEGUDENT GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Ertl
  • Patent number: 7872760
    Abstract: A method and device for detecting the contour data and/or optical characteristics of an object, such as a tooth or a tooth restoration, based on an interference and/or autocorrelation measurement using an image sensor. To permit an exact surface detection in addition to a determination of the optical characteristics of the object, individual light beams strike the object, which are located at a distance from one another in such a way that no impact of reflected individual light beams takes place on immediately adjacent pixels of the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Degudent GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Ertl
  • Publication number: 20100239996
    Abstract: A method for determining the position of an intraoral measuring device which is to be moved relative to an organ of mastication of a patient and with which positions in the organ of mastication or areas of the organ of mastication are measured. To be able to carry out measurements without a fixed reference, it is proposed that, independently of a reference that is independent of the patient, the position of the measuring device is measured by means of a position-determining sensor that is in a fixed relationship to the measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: DEGUDENT GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Ertl
  • Publication number: 20100186827
    Abstract: A device for processing compressed air for a commercial vehicle is provided. The device includes an inlet connection for connecting a compressor, an air dryer unit, a first solenoid valve for pneumatically shutting off the compressor and blocking a pipe that is connected to the compressor, and a second solenoid valve for controlling a backflow of air to regenerate the air filter unit. Loss of compressed air during regeneration in the pressure in a pipe located between the compressor and a stop valve upstream of the air filter unit is minimized by exciting the first solenoid valve. Different methods for operating the compressed air processing device are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas Ertl
  • Patent number: 7718274
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for welding two welding parts (1, 3) by means of a fillet weld (11), wherein a first welding part (1), with a bearing surface at least in an edge area of an edge that is to be welded by means of a fillet weld, is brought into contact with a bearing surface of a welding part (3) and the welding energy (5) is supplied in an energy supply area during the welding process, exclusive of a surface (7) of the first welding part facing away from the bearing surface, said energy supply area being located at a predetermined distance from the edge of the first welding part. The welding energy is supplied in a direction, whereby the direction component thereof points perpendicular to the course of the fillet weld that is to be produced in the direction of an inner area of the first welding part, forming a welding angle of less than 90° with the contact plane of the bearing surfaces of the first and second welding parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Ertl, Hardy Wilkendorf
  • Publication number: 20100074764
    Abstract: A compressed air supply system for a utility vehicle includes a compressed air inlet that can be coupled to a compressor, a filter unit that can be coupled to the compressed air inlet via a supply line, a discharge valve element that is coupled to a discharge outlet and the supply line, an energy-saving control outlet that can be coupled to a control inlet of the compressor, a supply line locking valve element interposed between the compressor and the filter unit and a first valve element and a second valve element, the discharge valve element, the energy saving control outlet, the regeneration of the filter unit and the supply line locking valve element being controllable by the valve elements. The energy saving control outlet can be controlled by the first valve element and the discharge valve element and the regeneration of the filter unit can be controlled by the second valve element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventors: Karsten SCHNITTGER, Thomas ERTL
  • Publication number: 20090278937
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to systems and methods for dynamically detecting and visualizing actions and/or events in video data streams. In one embodiment, a method involves dynamically detecting and extracting objects and attributes relating to the objects from a video data stream by using action recognition filtering for attribute detection and time series analysis for relation detection among the extracted objects. In addition, the method may involve dynamically generating a multi-field video visualization along a time axis by depicting the video data stream as a series of frames at a relatively sparse or dense interval, and by continuously rendering the attributes relating to the objects with substantially continuous abstract illustrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Universitat Stuttgart
    Inventors: Ralf Botchen, Daniel Weiskopf, Thomas Ertl, Min Chen
  • Patent number: 7610712
    Abstract: An adjustable rear pistol sight has a sight base and a sight block. The sight block is secured in a recess in the sight base and has both windage and elevation adjustment capabilities. The sight base has a dovetail that will be receivable in a cooperatively shaped notch in a slide of a pistol with which the adjustable rear sight is intended for use. The sight has no sharp edges or surfaces and is essentially snag-free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Keng's Firearms Specialty, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Ertl
  • Publication number: 20090268208
    Abstract: A method and device for detecting the contour data and/or optical characteristics of an object, such as a tooth or a tooth restoration, based on an interference and/or autocorrelation measurement using an image sensor. To permit an exact surface detection in addition to a determination of the optical characteristics of the object, individual light beams strike the object, which are located at a distance from one another in such a way that no impact of reflected individual light beams takes place on immediately adjacent pixels of the image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: DEGUDENT GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Ertl
  • Publication number: 20090087811
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting properties or alterations in at least one semitransparent layer of a body of a tooth by applying light escaping from at least one light guide via the front thereof to the body, as well as for recording at least one area of the body by means of a camera and subsequently assessing the image determined by the sensor. In order to be able to detect alterations or properties with high accuracy and a high image quality, it is proposed to place the front of the light guide on the body in order to subject the body to the light of the light guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: DeguDent GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas ERTL
  • Publication number: 20090084720
    Abstract: A degassing device (203) comprises a first chamber (21) having an inlet for a liquid, and a second chamber (22) having an opening (23) closed by a hydrophobic membrane (24) and an outlet (25) for discharging the liquid. The first chamber (21) has a downstream portion that partially extends within the second chamber (22) and communicates therewith by a passageway (28). The second chamber (22) has a downstream portion that extends below the passageway (28) and asymmetrically surrounds the downstream portion of the first chamber (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Jurgen Dannenmaier, Hermann Goehl, Thomas Ertl, Jacques Chevallet, Francesco Ribolzi
  • Publication number: 20090057225
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a ultrafiltration membrane that is capable for the retention of endotoxines and cytokine inducing substances (CIS) including bacterial DNA and/or DNA fragments from fluid and/or liquid media. The invention is further directed to a method of manufacturing such ultrafiltration membranes in a high quality and in an effective and time saving procedure, and to the use of such membranes for the retention of substances from fluids or liquids. The ultrafiltration membrane of the invention consists of a polymer blend comprising at least one hydrophobic polymer containing sulfur in its back bone, at least one hydrophilic, uncharged homo-polymer of polyvinylpyrrolidone and at least one polymer containing cationic charges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Bernd Krause, Markus Hornung, Thomas Ertl, Markus Storr
  • Publication number: 20090008310
    Abstract: An integrated blood treatment module comprises a blood treatment device (1) having a housing (2) and a first end-cap (4) and a second end-cap (5) closing both ends of the housing (2). A pump hose (17) for a peristaltic pump has a first end (18) that is secured to the housing (2) and a second end (16) that is connected to a blood inlet port (15) of the first end-cap (4) so as to form a loop. A degassing device (30) is connected to the second end-cap (5). The degassing device (30), which, in use, is full of liquid, comprises a hydrophobic membrane through which bubbles and micro-bubbles escape the degassing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Jurgen Dannenmaier, Hermann Goehl, Thomas Ertl, Jacques Chevallet, Francesco Ribolzi, Bjorn Frederik Seidler, Lennart Jonsson, Eddie Nilsson
  • Publication number: 20080245844
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for welding two welding parts (1, 3) by means of a fillet weld (11), wherein a first welding part (1), with a bearing surface at least in an edge area of an edge that is to be welded by means of a fillet weld, is brought into contact with a bearing surface of a welding part (3) and the welding energy (5) is supplied in an energy supply area during the welding process, exclusive of a surface (7) of the first welding part facing away from the bearing surface, said energy supply area being located at a predetermined distance from the edge of the first welding part. The welding energy is supplied in a direction, whereby the direction component thereof points perpendicular to the course of the fillet weld that is to be produced in the direction of an inner area of the first welding part, forming a welding angle of less than 90° with the contact plane of the bearing surfaces of the first and second welding parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Ertl, Hardy Wilkendorf
  • Publication number: 20080124677
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a dental restoration for at least one section of a dental arch on the basis of digital overall data which are calculated in relation to individual data, which are based on three-dimensional optical individual measurements that are performed intra-orally of an area that contains at least one section of the dental arch. In order to ensure that the overall data, which have been received from individual measurements, represent the measured section of the dental arch and/or the dental arch in its entirety without any distortions, it is proposed that at least one area of the dental arch be measured together with a reference, which supplies three-dimensional information, and calculated from the individual data while considering the reference of the overall data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: DEGUDENT GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Ertl