Patents by Inventor Thorben Günzel

Thorben Günzel 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: 20200182957
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for establishing the presence of a misalignment of at least one sensor within a sensor group with two or more sensors which detects objects in the surroundings of a motor vehicle, wherein at least two of the sensors differ from each other in their measuring principle and the measurement signals from the sensors are compared with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thorben Günzel, Philipp Hüger, Jana Seeland
  • Patent number: 10571555
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a blocked state of an ultrasonic sensor (3) of a motor vehicle (1), in which at least one oscillation parameter of the ultrasonic sensor (3) is recorded and an evaluation device (4) of the motor vehicle (1) carries out a detection algorithm which is used to evaluate the at least one oscillation parameter for the purpose of detecting the blocked state. An object (9) in an area surrounding the motor vehicle (1) is detected by the evaluation device (4) on the basis of sensor data from at least one sensor (3, 8) of the motor vehicle (1), in which case, when a distance (D) between the object (9) and the ultrasonic sensor (3) falls below a predefined threshold value (G), the detection algorithm is not carried out by the evaluation device (4) or a blocked state of the ultrasonic sensor (3), as detected using the detection algorithm, is ignored by the evaluation device (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Thorben Günzel, Mario Schwarze, Paul-David Rostocki, Michael Hallek, Ulrich Bressler
  • Patent number: 10569762
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle, in which by at least one ultrasonic sensor, operated in the active operation mode, of an ultrasonic sensor device of the motor vehicle ultrasonic waves are emitted into an environmental region of the motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle as hybrid vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine (and an electric drive machine and in the active operation mode of the ultrasonic sensor arranged on a rear part of the motor vehicle the motor vehicle at least temporarily is operated by means of the electric drive machine. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignees: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Paul-David Rostocki, Michael Hallek, Ulrich Bressler, Armin Bartsch, Thorben Guenzel
  • Patent number: 10557938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor system for distance measuring for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor with a sensor housing and at least one membrane with a membrane diameter that is capable of being electrically stimulated into vibrations and a control unit for controlling the at least one membrane as well as for detecting vibrations of the at least one membrane, wherein the control unit is configured to stimulate in a measuring mode the at least one membrane into vibrations with a measuring frequency and a measuring amplitude. The control unit is configured to stimulate the at least one membrane in a cleaning mode into such vibrations that the sensor housing is set into vibrations with a housing amplitude that amounts to at least 1% of the membrane diameter. Further, the invention relates to a motor vehicle and a method for cleaning an ultrasonic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignees: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thorben Guenzel, Alice Frapsauce, Martin Winter, Jan Rotenburg
  • 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: 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: 10254390
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) of a motor vehicle (1), in which method ultrasound waves are emitted into a surrounding region (9) of the motor vehicle (1) by at least one ultrasonic sensor (3) of the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) in order to carry out a distance measurement, wherein an exhaust gas cloud (22) which is emitted into the surrounding region (9) by an exhaust system (11) of the motor vehicle (1) and at which the ultrasound waves are reflected is detected by the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) on the basis of sensor data from at least one sensor (18, 19, 20, 21) of the motor vehicle (1), which at least one sensor is different from the ultrasonic sensor (3), and the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) is operated depending on the detection of the exhaust gas cloud (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Bartsch, Thorben Günzel, Paul-David Rostocki, Michael Hallek, Ulrich Bressler
  • Publication number: 20180362024
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for assisting a maneuvering procedure of a motor vehicle in a parking garage, wherein the motor vehicle moves within the parking garage during the maneuvering procedure from a drop-off site in the parking garage to a predetermined position in the parking garage, wherein the maneuvering procedure of the motor vehicle is monitored by at least one sensor of the motor vehicle, comprising the steps: establishing a communication link between a controller of the motor vehicle and a vehicle-external unit of the parking garage; transmitting climate-specific measured data that are acquired by at least one measuring point in the parking garage from the at least one measuring point to the vehicle-external unit, and calibrating the at least one sensor of the motor vehicle depending on the climate-specific measured data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Tilo Ernesti, Thorben Günzel, Daniel Mossau
  • Publication number: 20180081055
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor system for distance measuring for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor with a sensor housing and at least one membrane with a membrane diameter that is capable of being electrically stimulated into vibrations and a control unit for controlling the at least one membrane as well as for detecting vibrations of the at least one membrane, wherein the control unit is configured to stimulate in a measuring mode the at least one membrane into vibrations with a measuring frequency and a measuring amplitude. The control unit is configured to stimulate the at least one membrane in a cleaning mode into such vibrations that the sensor housing is set into vibrations with a housing amplitude that amounts to at least 1% of the membrane diameter. Further, the invention relates to a motor vehicle and a method for cleaning an ultrasonic sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Thorben GUENZEL, Alice FRAPSAUCE, Martin WINTER, Jan ROTENBURG
  • Patent number: 9766138
    Abstract: The invention relates to a temperature measuring device for measurement of the external temperature of the ambient air in a vehicle, wherein the temperature measuring device is disposed in a flow path of an air flow and the air flow can be generated from ambient air of the vehicle both through speed-dependent wind resistance of the vehicle and/or wind and also through a compressor unit disposed in the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Claus Jochemczyk, Thorben Guenzel
  • Publication number: 20170197612
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle, in which by at least one ultrasonic sensor, operated in the active operation mode, of an ultrasonic sensor device of the motor vehicle ultrasonic waves are emitted into an environmental region of the motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle as hybrid vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine (and an electric drive machine and in the active operation mode of the ultrasonic sensor arranged on a rear part of the motor vehicle the motor vehicle at least temporarily is operated by means of the electric drive machine. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Paul-David ROSTOCKI, Michael HALLEK, Ulrich BRESSLER, Armin BARTSCH, Thorben GUENZEL
  • Publication number: 20170052249
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) of a motor vehicle (1), in which method ultrasound waves are emitted into a surrounding region (9) of the motor vehicle (1) by at least one ultrasonic sensor (3) of the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) in order to carry out a distance measurement, wherein an exhaust gas cloud (22) which is emitted into the surrounding region (9) by an exhaust system (11) of the motor vehicle (1) and at which the ultrasound waves are reflected is detected by the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) on the basis of sensor data from at least one sensor (18, 19, 20, 21) of the motor vehicle (1), which at least one sensor is different from the ultrasonic sensor (3), and the ultrasonic sensor apparatus (2) is operated depending on the detection of the exhaust gas cloud (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Bartsch, Thorben Günzel, Paul-David Rostocki, Michael Hallek, Ulrich Bressler
  • Publication number: 20170045611
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a blocked state of an ultrasonic sensor (3) of a motor vehicle (1), in which at least one oscillation parameter of the ultrasonic sensor (3) is recorded and an evaluation device (4) of the motor vehicle (1) carries out a detection algorithm which is used to evaluate the at least one oscillation parameter for the purpose of detecting the blocked state. An object (9) in an area surrounding the motor vehicle (1) is detected by the evaluation device (4) on the basis of sensor data from at least one sensor (3, 8) of the motor vehicle (1), in which case, when a distance (D) between the object (9) and the ultrasonic sensor (3) falls below a predefined threshold value (G), the detection algorithm is not carried out by the evaluation device (4) or a blocked state of the ultrasonic sensor (3), as detected using the detection algorithm, is ignored by the evaluation device (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicant: VALEO Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventors: Thorben Günzel, Mario Schwarze, Paul-David Rostocki, Michael Hallek, Ulrich Bressler
  • Publication number: 20150192479
    Abstract: The invention relates to a temperature measuring device for measurement of the external temperature of the ambient air in a vehicle, wherein the temperature measuring device is disposed in a flow path of an air flow and the air flow can be generated from ambient air of the vehicle both through speed-dependent wind resistance of the vehicle and/or wind and also through a compressor unit disposed in the flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Claus JOCHEMCZYK, Thorben GUENZEL