Patents by Inventor Thomas Schopp

Thomas Schopp 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: 9846234
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of configuring a laser scanner, as well as to a configuration object for the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Matthias Mezger, Thomas Schopp, Stefan Ruck, Christian Hulm
  • Publication number: 20150212202
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of configuring a laser scanner, as well as to a configuration object for the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Matthias MEZGER, Thomas Schopp, Stefan RUCK, Christian HULM
  • Patent number: 8311342
    Abstract: A method for the classification of objects (16) and/or the recognition of their position and/or their orientation in space is set forth, wherein measurement object data points of a measurement object surface are generated using a distance resolving receiver unit (18) and, with the aid of model object data determined in advance, hypotheses on the class, the position and/or the orientation of a measurement object (16) are proposed and verified from the measurement object data points. A plurality of different hypothesis tests can be executed cascaded in such a way that only on verification of a hypothesis through a hypothesis test is a subsequent hypothesis test carried out within this cascade, until either a hypothesis is falsified by the failure of a hypothesis test or a hypothesis is verified as a whole through a complete run through a cascade without falsification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schopp, Alexander Tomm, Frank Erb
  • Patent number: 7932485
    Abstract: An object geometry measurement apparatus (10, 20) for the dynamic generation and transmission of geometrical data of objects (14) moved on a conveying device (12) is set forth, wherein the apparatus has a first optoelectronic sensor (10) which is made for the detection of the object geometry in a section of the object (14) with reference to intervals and/or of the remission behavior, as well as a first control (20) which can calculate geometrical data from the object geometry of each section and can output them via a first interface. In this respect, the first control (20) is made to adapt the information density of the output geometrical data to a measure for changes of the object geometry from section to section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Achim Nübling, Thomas Schopp
  • Patent number: 7721964
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the sensing of objects moved through the field of view of an optical sensor comprising a device for the selection of regions of interest which are each associated only with a part of the field of view of the optical sensor, wherein a distance measurement device and/or a remission measurement device is/are integrated into the optical sensor or is/are connected in front of it or after it in the direction of movement of the objects, with the distance measurement device and/or the remission measurement device being designed for the determination of the spacing and/or of the remission of the object surfaces facing the distance measurement device and/or the remission measurement device and being coupled to an evaluation circuit for the calculating of the regions of interest in dependence on the determined spacings and/or remissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Reichenbach, Thomas Schopp, Hans-Werner Pierenkemper
  • Publication number: 20090110301
    Abstract: A method for the classification of objects (16) and/or the recognition of their position and/or their orientation in space is set forth, wherein measurement object data points of a measurement object surface are generated using a distance resolving receiver unit (18) and, with the aid of model object data determined in advance, hypotheses on the class, the position and/or the orientation of a measurement object (16) are proposed and verified from the measurement object data points. A plurality of different hypothesis tests can be executed cascaded in such a way that only on verification of a hypothesis through a hypothesis test is a subsequent hypothesis test carried out within this cascade, until either a hypothesis is falsified by the failure of a hypothesis test or a hypothesis is verified as a whole through a complete run through a cascade without falsification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schopp, Alexander Tomm, Frank Erb
  • Publication number: 20090048705
    Abstract: An object geometry measurement apparatus (10, 20) for the dynamic generation and transmission of geometrical data of objects (14) moved on a conveying device (12) is set forth, wherein the apparatus has a first optoelectronic sensor (10) which is made for the detection of the object geometry in a section of the object (14) with reference to intervals and/or of the remission behavior, as well as a first control (20) which can calculate geometrical data from the object geometry of each section and can output them via a first interface. In this respect, the first control (20) is made to adapt the information density of the output geometrical data to a measure for changes of the object geometry from section to section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventors: Achim Nubling, Thomas Schopp
  • Patent number: 7346213
    Abstract: A method for optically recognizing alphanumeric characters which involves storing polygonal outer contours and inner contours of reference characters and their relative geometrical positions as normalized reference curves transformed into a tangent space. Outer and inner contours of a character to be recognized are optically scanned and the scanned data is converted into binary data. The outer and inner contours of the character to be recognized are approximated as a polygon, and straight line segments of the polygon are normalized and transformed into a tangent space to generate character curves. The character to be recognized is compared to the reference characters in a rotation-invariant manner by shifting at least its character curve for the outer curve and the reference curves of the outer contours relative to each other in the tangent space until a surface area enclosed by the character curve and a given reference curve is at a minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Juergen Reichenbach, Achim Nuebling, Thomas Schopp
  • Publication number: 20070237382
    Abstract: An object is optically evaluated by moving it in a transport direction through the detection zone of an analyzing unit. A first sensor optically determines at least one of a position of the object, a shape of the object, and a brightness or a contrast value of light remitted by the object. Areas of the object which are at least one of interest and of no interest are identified and the at least one of the areas of interest or of no interest are transmitted to a second optical sensor of the analyzing unit. The analyzing unit works the object and senses the areas of interest with a higher resolution than the areas of no interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventors: Achim Nuebling, Thomas Schopp
  • Patent number: 7214954
    Abstract: A method for operating an optical sensor for measuring a physical quantity with a defined scale value that is subject to a calibration certification. The measurement accuracy of the quantity being measured is dependent on at least one external condition, and a given scale value is used for the measurement according to the desired measurement accuracy. The scale value is appropriately changed when the measurement accuracy changes due to a change of external condition. An optoelectronic sensor has a switching arrangement for changing the scale value. The sensor is more diversified and can cover larger measurement ranges without requiring new certifications or authorizations for the different measurement ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventor: Thomas Schopp
  • Publication number: 20060076415
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the sensing of objects moved through the field of view of an optical sensor comprising a device for the selection of regions of interest which are each associated only with a part of the field of view of the optical sensor, wherein a distance measurement device and/or a remission measurement device is/are integrated into the optical sensor or is/are connected in front of it or after it in the direction of movement of the objects, with the distance measurement device and/or the remission measurement device being designed for the determination of the spacing and/or of the remission of the object surfaces facing the distance measurement device and/or the remission measurement device and being coupled to an evaluation circuit for the calculating of the regions of interest in dependence on the determined spacings and/or remissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Applicant: Sick AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Reichenbach, Thomas Schopp, Hans-Werner Pierenkemper
  • Publication number: 20050041870
    Abstract: A method for optically recognizing alphanumeric characters which involves storing polygonal outer contours and inner contours of reference characters and their relative geometrical positions as normalized reference curves transformed into a tangent space. Outer and inner contours of a character to be recognized are optically scanned and the scanned data is converted into binary data. The outer and inner contours of the character to be recognized are approximated as a polygon, and straight line segments of the polygon are normalized and transformed into a tangent space to generate character curves. The character to be recognized is compared to the reference characters in a rotation-invariant manner by shifting at least its character curve for the outer curve and the reference curves of the outer contours relative to each other in the tangent space until a surface area enclosed by the character curve and a given reference curve is at a minimum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: Sick AG
    Inventors: Juergen Reichenbach, Achim Nuebing, Thomas Schopp
  • Publication number: 20040184041
    Abstract: A method for operating an optical sensor for measuring a physical quantity with a defined scale value that is subject to a calibration certification. The measurement accuracy of the quantity being measured is dependent on at least one external condition, and a given scale value is used for the measurement according to the desired measurement accuracy. The scale value is appropriately changed when the measurement accuracy changes due to a change of external condition. An optoelectronic sensor has a switching arrangement for changing the scale value. The sensor is more diversified and can cover larger measurement ranges without requiring new certifications or authorizations for the different measurement ranges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: Sick AG
    Inventor: Thomas Schopp