Patents by Inventor Thomas Mayer

Thomas Mayer 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).

  • Oscillating Circuit
    Publication number: 20080297264
    Abstract: An oscillating circuit includes an analog oscillation element. The oscillating circuit includes at least one analog-to-digital conversion device. A method is for operating an oscillating circuit, in which a mechanical oscillator oscillates at a natural frequency. The oscillation amplitude is measured and digitized. A digital control signal is generated from this with the aid of a digital amplitude controller. A driving signal is generated, in turn, from the digital control signal, the driving signal driving the mechanical oscillator with the aid of a drive unit. This control loop stabilizes the oscillation amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Hans-Dieter Schwarz, Arnd Gangei, Wolfram Bauer, Gerhard Wucher, Christoph Lang, Ermin Esch, Michael Veith, Thomas Mayer, Markus Brockmann
  • Method and device for the contour and/or deformation measurement, particularly the interference measurement, of an object
    Patent number: 7456973
    Abstract: The invention serves for the contour measurement and/or deformation measurement of an object, particularly a tire or a structural component of a composite material. The object is irradiated with light, particularly structured light, that is emitted by a radiation source and consists, in particular, of coherent light or partially coherent light, especially laser light. The light reflected by the object is picked up by a camera with an imaging sensor. In order to improve the image quality, a first image is produced with a first adjustment of the camera and/or the radiation source which is adapted to a first image region (13). In addition, a second image is produced with a second adjustment of the camera and/or the radiation source which is adapted to a second image region (12). Both images are combined (FIG. 5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Steinbichler Optotechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Steinbichler, Roman Berger, Thomas Mayer
  • Ignitor turn-off switch for HID ballasts
    Patent number: 7449840
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to an ignitor turn-off switch for ballasts for high intensity discharge (HID) lamps to prevent damage to ballasts by disconnecting the ignitor if a lamp has failed or is missing. The ignitor turn-off switch circuit comprises an AC power source, a full-wave bridge rectifier circuit, a voltage regulator circuit, a first solid state integrated circuit as a timer circuit, and a second solid state integrated circuit as a switch circuit. The second solid state integrated circuit comprises an optically-coupled triac and light emitting diode wherein the optically-coupled triac is driven by a beam generated by the light emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Varon Lighting Group, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mayer, Glenn Garbowicz
  • Sigma-delta modulator and method for sigma-delta modulation
    Patent number: 7420485
    Abstract: A sigma-delta modulator is supplied with a data word and includes a first and at least one further modulation stage, each having at least two adders. The adders in the first modulation stage process a low-significance component and a delayed more significant component of the data word and provide a result word and a carry at their respective outputs. The adders in the at least one further modulation stage process a low-significance component and a more significant component of the result word and provide a further result word and a carry at their respective outputs. The low-significance component and the more significant component of the result word are provided to the further modulation stages with an unvarying delay. A bit stream is derived from a carry from final instances of the at least two adders in the first modulation stage and in the further modulation stage respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Volker Neubauer, Thomas Mayer, Tindaro Pittorino, Yangjian Chen, Linus Maurer
  • Auxiliary quartz lamp lighting system for high intensity discharge lamp ballasts
    Patent number: 7397194
    Abstract: The invention comprises an auxiliary lamp controller and related circuits to operate an auxiliary lamp and circuit to light auxiliary lamps at 120 VAC and 50-60 Hz current connected to an electronic HID ballast operating at a frequency of 50-60 Hz to over 400 kHz and voltages of 120-277 VAC or connected to a magnetic HID ballast operating at 120-277 VAC and 50-60 Hz, as provided by a multitap transformer and related circuitry wherein the auxiliary lamp is illuminated during HID lamp phases of being extinguished from loss of power or other reasons, and during cool-down, start-up and warm-up phases of the HID lamp, and the auxiliary lamp is extinguished upon the HID lamp reaching full illumination phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Varon Lighting, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Garbowicz, Thomas Mayer
  • Phase-locked loop and method for operating a phase-locked-loop
    Patent number: 7394320
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop suitable for mobile radio communications and a method for operating the same is disclosed. One embodiment of the phase-locked loop comprises an oscillator, a counter, a comparator, and a delay arrangement. The counter comprises a first input connected to the oscillator, a second input connected to a reference frequency terminal, and an output. An input of the comparator is connected to the output of the counter and an output of the comparator to the oscillator. The delay arrangement is connected between the oscillator and the first input of the counter or between the reference frequency terminal and the second input of the counter. The delay arrangement delays an input signal sent to an input of the delay arrangement, as a function of a sequence signal and makes a delayed signal available at an output of the delay arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Linus Maurer, Thomas Mayer, Burkhard Neurauter, Christian Wicpalek
  • Distributed process control and excecution
    Publication number: 20080134201
    Abstract: A system and method for process execution in a distributed system. A central instance creates a generic process definition. A relevant portion of the process definition may be distributed to the various constituents of the system so that each constituent can execute a relevant portion of the process locally at runtime. The results of the local execution may be communicated directly between constituents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Hans-Ulrich A. von Helmolt, Thomas A. Mayer
  • Method and an apparatus for the determination of the 3D coordinates of an object
    Publication number: 20080130016
    Abstract: A method serves for the determination of the 3D coordinates of an object (2). A fringe pattern is projected onto the object (2) in the method. The light reflected by the object (2) is recorded and evaluated. To improve such a method, the fringe pattern is projected onto the object (2) by an imaging element (only FIGURE).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Markus Steinbichler, Thomas Mayer, Markus Estermann
  • Systems and methods for automatically providing one or more event driven global available to promise services in a supply chain
    Publication number: 20080114667
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically providing one or more event driven global available to promise services in a supply chain. In one implementation, the system includes an inbound interface for interfacing with a plurality of data storage devices, in at least one of which one or more documents are stored as data, wherein the one or more documents correspond to an activity. The system further includes an execution memory operable to hold a software system and a processor coupled to the inbound interface and the execution memory, the processor being operable to execute the software system such that the software system operates to assign the activity to a follow-up process on the basis of a condition profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Andreas Esau, Hans-Ulrich Von Helmolt, Gerhard Hirth, Thomas Mayer
  • METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MIXING SAMPLES ON A SUPPORT
    Publication number: 20080113450
    Abstract: A method for detecting analytes in a liquid is provided in which the liquid is subjected to a mixing treatment on an area of a support which has in particular immobilized reactants, wherein in the mixing treatment the liquid is impinged upon by a stream of gas that sweeps across at least some areas of the support surface in a scanning manner by means of a jet directed towards the support surface. The invention also concerns a method for mixing a liquid sample comprising an analyte and a device for carrying out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Mann, Thomas Mayer, Friedhelm Vieth
  • Phase Locked Loop, Transceiver Device and Method for Generating an Oscillator Signal
    Publication number: 20080106341
    Abstract: A phase locked loop has a controlled oscillator for outputting an oscillator signal depending on a control signal. A comparator generates a comparison result from a comparison between a reference frequency signal and a feedback signal derived from the oscillator signal. The phase locked loop also has a filter block for filtering the comparison result and for deriving the control signal from the comparison result, where the filter block has a loop filter and a rejection filter for the frequency-selective attenuation of at least one first interference frequency in the comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Mayer, Christian Wicpalek, Thomas Bauernfeind, Linus Maurer
  • PHASE/FREQUENCY DETECTOR, PHASE LOCKED LOOP, METHOD FOR PHASE/FREQUENCY DETECTION AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AN OSCILLATOR SIGNAL
    Publication number: 20080100386
    Abstract: A phase/frequency detector has a modulo counter for outputting a counter word with a predetermined word length depending on an oscillator signal. In addition, a modulo integrator for outputting an integrator word with the predetermined word length as a function of integration of a channel word is provided. The phase/frequency detector also has a difference element for outputting a phase error word with the predetermined word length as a function of a difference between the counter word and the integrator word.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Christian Wicpalek, Thomas Mayer, Linus Maurer, Volker Neubauer, Thomas Bauernfeind
  • Method and Apparatus for False Sync Lock Detection in a Digital Media Receiver
    Publication number: 20080025389
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying a false MPEG-2 packet synchronization lock condition by parsing MPEG-2 packets that may have been incorrectly delineated by a sync-byte checksum-decoder, to detect resulting anomalies. Forcing the restart of the conventional checksum-encoded sync-byte synchronization/lock process upon generating a “resync” command based upon the anomalies detected by a False Lock Detector. Reliably synchronizing and delivering the MPEG-2 stream to the receiver transport layer. The False-Lock Detector circuit compares the content of the currently identified packet header or payload portion of a sync-byte delineated packet with expected values in order to detect a false-lock condition and to eliminate false sync-byte position-candidates from the basis of a “synchronization lock”.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Ivonete Markman, Weixiao Liu, Thomas Edward Horlander, Matthew Thomas Mayer
  • Method and apparatus for providing dual automatic gain control delay settings in a television receiver
    Patent number: 7317493
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for processing a received television signal comprising one of a first type of television signal and a second type of television signal. Specifically, the method comprises amplifying the received television signal in response to a control signal. If the received television signal comprises the first type of television signal, the RF amplifier gain is reduced when the received television signal exceeds a first signal level. If the received television signal comprises the second type of television signal, the RF amplifier gain is reduced when the received television signal exceeds a second signal level. The second signal level is greater than the first signal level. A concomitant apparatus is also provided. As the first signal level is lower for the first type of television signal, reception of the first type of television signal is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Daniel Mark Hutchinson, Gary Dean Grubbs, Matthew Thomas Mayer, Ricardo Haro
  • Sigma-delta modulator and method for sigma-delta modulation
    Publication number: 20070241951
    Abstract: A sigma-delta modulator is supplied with a data word and includes a first and at least one further modulation stage, each having at least two adders. The adders in the first modulation stage process a low-significance component and a delayed more significant component of the data word and provide a result word and a carry at their respective outputs. The adders in the at least one further modulation stage process a low-significance component and a more significant component of the result word and provide a further result word and a carry at their respective outputs. The low-significance component and the more significant component of the result word are provided to the further modulation stages with an unvarying delay. A bit stream is derived from a carry from final instances of the at least two adders in the first modulation stage and in the further modulation stage respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Volker Neubauer, Thomas Mayer, Tindaro Pittorino, Yangjian Chen, Linus Maurer
  • HID ballast and lamp tester
    Patent number: 7282869
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to an HID ballast and lamp tester, which provides visual indication of failure of either the ballast or lamp by continuously monitoring the status of the HID lighting system. The HID ballast and lamp tester detects and utilizes the voltage difference between the open circuit voltage and the operating voltage of the ballast to trigger visual indication of the open circuit voltage output of the ballast when the HID lamp has failed. The tester circuit comprises the ballast source, a full wave bridge rectifier and filter capacitor circuit, a voltage divider network circuit, a trigger circuit of a diac bi-directional silicon switch and a light emitting diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Varon Lighting Group, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Mayer, Glenn Garbowicz
  • Digitally controlled oscillator device and method for generating an oscillating signal with a digitally controlled phase locked loop
    Publication number: 20070222526
    Abstract: A digitally controlled oscillator device includes a programming input, a selection input and an oscillator core with a first capacitive element which is frequency determining and programmable. The first capacitive element is coupled to the programming input that receives a first data word by which an oscillating frequency of the oscillator device is programmed with a predetermined frequency step size. The oscillator device further includes a selection unit for selecting a mode which is coupled to the selection input that receives a mode selection signal. The mode is selectable from a plurality of modes depending on the mode selection signal and each mode from the plurality of modes is characterized by a predetermined frequency step size. The digitally controlled oscillator device also includes a deattenuation amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Mayer, Yangjian Chen, Tindaro Pittorino, Linus Maurer, Volker Neubauer
  • Method and apparatus for isolating IIC bus noise from a tuner in a television receiver
    Patent number: 7268831
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for isolating a noise intolerant device, e.g., a phase-lock loop of a tuner within a television receiver, from source of noise. In one embodiment, the apparatus isolates a phase-lock loop integrated circuit (IC) from the bus, by providing an isolation buffer that allows the receiver to only pass data to the tuner's phase-lock loop IC when a tune command is issued by a processor. When not being tuned, the IIC lines to the tuner are held HIGH by a buffer until needed again to perform the tuning function. This allows the demodulation circuitry to use a setting for a carrier tracking-loop that optimizes bit error rate performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: David Glen White, Matthew Thomas Mayer
  • AUXILIARY QUARTZ LAMP LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE LAMP BALLASTS
    Publication number: 20070205729
    Abstract: The invention comprises an auxiliary lamp controller and related circuits to operate an auxiliary lamp and circuit to light auxiliary lamps at 120 VAC and 50-60 Hz current connected to an electronic HID ballast operating at a frequency of 50-60 Hz to over 400 kHz and voltages of 120-277 VAC or connected to a magnetic HID ballast operating at 120-277 VAC and 50-60 Hz, as provided by a multitap transformer and related circuitry wherein the auxiliary lamp is illuminated during HID lamp phases of being extinguished from loss of power or other reasons, and during cool-down, start-up and warm-up phases of the HID lamp, and the auxiliary lamp is extinguished upon the HID lamp reaching full illumination phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: Varon Lighting, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Garbowicz, Thomas Mayer
  • Security Devices Incorporating Optically Variable Adhesive
    Publication number: 20070206249
    Abstract: A structure for providing an optical effect comprises a first and second substrates hot stamped together by an adhesive. The adhesive comprises an energy activated binder having a plurality of particles distributed therein or thereon for providing the optical effect detectable through the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Roger Phillips, Thomas Mayer, Scott Lamar, Neil Teitelbaum