Patents by Inventor Thomas Ruchatz

Thomas Ruchatz 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: 20220120874
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor assembly and a method for a vehicle for detecting distance information, wherein the detection information is detected based on strip-shaped areas and distance histograms formed therefor, more precisely, with reference to intersecting areas of these strip-shaped areas. It is provided that the detected strip-shaped areas of a scene each correspond to strip-shaped areas of a sensor of the sensor assembly, and for a plurality of the corresponding strip-shaped areas, the light received therein is determined simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Ruchatz, Stefan Wohlenberg
  • Patent number: 11041942
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lidar sensor (1) comprising at least one transmitting unit (S1-S4) and at least one receiving unit (E1-E4), wherein the transmitting unit (S1-S4) is designed to pivot a light signal in a horizontal direction, wherein the light signal is tilted at an angle ? relative to a ground surface (5), wherein the transmitting unit (S1-S4) and the receiving unit (E1-E4) are designed as an assembly (2) and the lidar sensor (1) has an adjusting device (2) that is designed so that the assembly (2) can be tilted by at least one angle ? in a vertical direction, and a method for optically scanning an environment by means of a lidar sensor (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Ruchatz, Thorsten Bagdonat
  • Publication number: 20180113202
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lidar sensor (1) comprising at least one transmitting unit (S1-S4) and at least one receiving unit (E1-E4), wherein the transmitting unit (S1-S4) is designed to pivot a light signal in a horizontal direction, wherein the light signal is tilted at an angle ? relative to a ground surface (5), wherein the transmitting unit (S1-S4) and the receiving unit (E1-E4) are designed as an assembly (2) and the lidar sensor (1) has an adjusting device (2) that is designed so that the assembly (2) can be tilted by at least one angle ? in a vertical direction, and a method for optically scanning an environment by means of a lidar sensor (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ruchatz, Thorsten Bagdonat
  • Patent number: 6807475
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling the speed of a motor vehicle and the distance of the motor vehicle to least one motor vehicle driving ahead, where at least the speed v of the motor vehicle and the distance a to the motor vehicle driving ahead are determined with the aid of a detector having a distance sensor, where the traveling speed v is adjusted in response to the measured distance a deviating from a setpoint trailing distance as, and where the engineering problem of controlling the speed and the distance of a motor vehicle to least one preceding motor vehicle is solved in both a simple and reliable manner, in that an intervention distance ai′ is determined which is less than the range of the distance sensor, and that the traveling speed v is adjusted at a distance a which is less than the intervention distance ai.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Peter Andreas, Thomas Ruchatz, Wolfgang Baeker, Heiko Rabba
  • Patent number: 6768937
    Abstract: A method is for regulating the speed of an automobile and the distance of the automobile from at least one automobile driving in front during a docking process, the driving speed of the automobile being greater than that of the automobile in front. According to the method, a detection device with a distance sensor is used to determine at least the speed of the automobile, the relative speed and the distance from the automobile in front, and the value of a normal acceleration for a braking operation of the vehicle is calculated according to the difference between a predetermined normal desired following distance and the distance and the relative speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Peter Andreas, Thomas Ruchatz, Heiko Rabba, Thomas Bizenberger
  • Publication number: 20030132046
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling the speed of a motor vehicle and the distance of the motor vehicle to least one motor vehicle driving ahead, where at least the speed v of the motor vehicle and the distance a to the motor vehicle driving ahead are determined with the aid of a detector having a distance sensor, where the traveling speed v is adjusted in response to the measured distance a deviating from a setpoint trailing distance as, and where the engineering problem of controlling the speed and the distance of a motor vehicle to least one preceding motor vehicle is solved in both a simple and reliable manner, in that an intervention distance ai′ is determined which is less than the range of the distance sensor, and that the traveling speed v is adjusted at a distance a which is less than the intervention distance ai.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Peter Andreas, Thomas Ruchatz, Wolfgang Baeker, Heiko Rabba
  • Publication number: 20030014175
    Abstract: A method is for regulating the speed of an automobile and the distance of the automobile from at least one automobile driving in front during a docking process, the driving speed of the automobile being greater than that of the automobile in front. According to the method, a detection device with a distance sensor is used to determine at least the speed of the automobile, the relative speed and the distance from the automobile in front, and the value of a normal acceleration for a braking operation of the vehicle is calculated according to the difference between a predetermined normal desired following distance and the distance and the relative speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Peter Andreas, Thomas Ruchatz, Heiko Rabba, Thomas Bizenberger
  • Patent number: 6496108
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for regulating clearance for a vehicle, in which a relative velocity (vrel) and a relative distance (a) between the vehicle and a second vehicle driving ahead are detected, and a control signal for an adaptive cruise control device is generated from these quantities. The control signal being derived from a danger criterion (G) is determined from the relative velocity (vrel) and the relative distance (a), this danger criterion which is weighted with an adaptive factor (AF) representing the individual driving behavior of a vehicle driver, and a control signal initiating a deceleration of the vehicle is generated when the danger criterion (GF), weighted with the adaptive factor and adapted to the vehicle driver, falls below a defined threshold value (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bäker, Thomas Ruchatz
  • Patent number: 6493625
    Abstract: A method for controlling the speed of a motor vehicle and the distance of a motor vehicle to at least one motor vehicle driving ahead includes the steps of: inputting a setpoint trailing distance to the motor vehicle driving ahead; determining, in accordance with at least one detector, at least the speed of the motor vehicle, the distance, and the speed relative to the motor vehicle driving ahead; decelerating or accelerating the motor vehicle in response to the detected distance deviating from the setpoint trailing distance; calculating, in response to the motor vehicle driving ahead being lost from the detection range of the detector (target loss), the speed of the motor vehicle driving ahead from the relative speed determined prior to losing the target; and calculating the actual distance from the driving speed of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Peter Andreas, Thomas Ruchatz, Wolfgang Baeker, Thomas Bizenberger, Heiko Rabba
  • Patent number: 6353788
    Abstract: A method and device for regulating speed and/or distance of a first vehicle to at least one other vehicle driving ahead of the first vehicle in connection with a passing maneuver. The method or device provides a detection system associated with the first vehicle which continuously detects the vehicle directly in front and the position of the turn signal lights, as well as the yaw rate and/or steering position of the first vehicle. The method or device of the present invention further provides an evaluation unit which continuously ascertains setpoint value data for regulating the speed of the first vehicle and its distance to the at least one other vehicle directly in front from this data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bäker, Thomas Ruchatz, Peter Andreas
  • Publication number: 20020018003
    Abstract: A method for controlling the speed of a motor vehicle and the distance of a motor vehicle to at least one motor vehicle driving ahead includes the steps of: inputting a setpoint trailing distance to the motor vehicle driving ahead; determining, in accordance with at least one detector, at least the speed of the motor vehicle, the distance, and the speed relative to the motor vehicle driving ahead; decelerating or accelerating the motor vehicle in response to the detected distance deviating from the setpoint trailing distance; calculating, in response to the motor vehicle driving ahead being lost from the detection range of the detector (target loss), the speed of the motor vehicle driving ahead from the relative speed determined prior to losing the target; and calculating the actual distance from the driving speed of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: Peter Andreas, Thomas Ruchatz, Wolfgang Baeker, Thomas Bizenberger, Heiko Rabba
  • Patent number: 6246313
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for operating a braking system in motor vehicles including both a service brake and a parking brake in which an acoustic signal is given when the vehicle is held in the stopped condition exclusively by the service brake for a predetermined period of time, and further providing for integration of driver actions to prevent dangerous situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bäker, Thomas Ruchatz
  • Patent number: 6094616
    Abstract: In the method for automatically controlling the spacing of motor vehicles described in the specification, a lane width for a controlled vehicle which is defined for evaluation is varied as a function of transverse velocities of vehicles detected ahead of the controlled vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Peter Andreas, Wolfgang Baker, Thomas Ruchatz