Patents by Inventor Thorsten Bagdonat
Thorsten Bagdonat 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).
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Patent number: 11935250Abstract: A method, a device and a computer-readable storage medium with instructions for processing sensor data. In a first step, camera images are taken by a camera. Additionally, 3D-checkpoints are detected by at least one 3D-sensor. Optionally, at least one of the camera images can be segmented. The camera images are then merged with the 3D-checkpoints by a data fusion circuit to form data of a virtual sensor. The resulting data are finally output for further processing.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2019Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Simon Steinmeyer, Marek Musial, Carsten Deeg, Thorsten Bagdonat, Thorsten Graf
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Patent number: 11904898Abstract: A method, a computer program, and an apparatus for controlling operation of a transportation vehicle equipped with an automated driving function and a transportation vehicle equipped with an automated driving function which uses the method or apparatus. A first signal state of a traffic light is determined from data of at least one vehicle sensor, the determined first signal state of the traffic light is then validated based on information available in the transportation vehicle, and an operation mode of the transportation vehicle is set as a function of a validation result.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Sandra Kleinau, Bernd Rech, Thorsten Bagdonat
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Patent number: 11874370Abstract: A method for acquiring information in the spatial environment of a vehicle, comprising: providing at least two radar sensors arranged at different positions at the vehicle; transmitting radar signals by the radar sensors, the radar signals being assigned to the radar sensors; receiving reflected components of the radar signals assigned to the radar sensors at the respective radar sensors and further processing these reflected components of the radar signals as reception information; assigning time information to the reception information obtained from the respective radar sensors, the time information forming a time reference for the reception information; assigning location information to the reception information obtained from the respective radar sensors, the location information forming a location reference for the reception information; and processing the reception information obtained from the at least two radar sensors into common environment information by taking into account the time information andType: GrantFiled: September 23, 2019Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTONOMOUS MOBILITY GERMANY GMBH, VOLKSWAGEN AGInventors: Andreas Löffler, Fabian Harrer, Thomas Gisder, Marc-Michael Meinecke, Thorsten Bagdonat
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Patent number: 11500087Abstract: A method for classification of ground conditions in the vicinity of a vehicle using a radar sensor, comprising: receiving reflected portions of a radar signal at a receiver unit of a radar system; calculating information derived from the received portions of the radar signal for discrete spatial regions by the radar system or a control unit connected thereto; assigning the information to data structure units associated with a geographical location and the assignment of the information taking into account movement of the vehicle; collecting pieces of information in the respective data structure units, the pieces of information being obtained from reflected portions of radar signals transmitted at different times; evaluating the information contained in the data structure using a classifier to obtain information regarding the ground condition; assigning ground condition types to the data structure units based on evaluation results obtained by the classifier.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2018Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignees: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH, Volkswagen AGInventors: Thorsten Bagdonat, Marc-Michael Meinecke, Andreas Löffler, Thomas Fechner
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Publication number: 20220231406Abstract: The invention relates to a radar antenna arrangement (1) for a vehicle (2), comprising at least one vehicle component (3), wherein the radar antenna arrangement (1) comprises a plurality of radar devices (4) which are configured to transmit and/or receive a radar beam (12). The radar devices (4) are arranged on a component surface (5) of the vehicle component (3). The invention provides for the radar antenna arrangement (1) to comprise at least one antenna row (6) for determining an azimuthal angle (10) of the radar beam (12), said antenna row comprising a plurality of the radar devices (4). Directly adjacent radar devices (4) have respective horizontal distances (8) from one another. The radar antenna arrangement (1) comprises at least one antenna column (7) for determining an elevation angle (11) of the radar beam (12), said antenna column comprising a plurality of the radar devices (4). Directly adjacent radar devices (4) have respective vertical distances (9) from one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2020Publication date: July 21, 2022Applicants: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, AUDI AG, Sicoya GmbHInventors: Heiko KURZ, Thorsten BAGDONAT, Michael SCHWENKERT, Christoph SCHEYTT, Hanjo RHEE, Thomas SCHNEIDER, Joerg SCHOEBEL, Fabian SCHWARTAU, Stefan PREUSSLER
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Publication number: 20220081011Abstract: A method, a computer program, and an apparatus for controlling operation of a transportation vehicle equipped with an automated driving function and a transportation vehicle equipped with an automated driving function which uses the method or apparatus. A first signal state of a traffic light is determined from data of at least one vehicle sensor, the determined first signal state of the traffic light is then validated based on information available in the transportation vehicle, and an operation mode of the transportation vehicle is set as a function of a validation result.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Inventors: Sandra KLEINAU, Bernd RECH, Thorsten BAGDONAT
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Publication number: 20210396870Abstract: A method for acquiring information in the spatial environment of a vehicle, comprising: providing at least two radar sensors arranged at different positions at the vehicle; transmitting radar signals by the radar sensors, the radar signals being assigned to the radar sensors; receiving reflected components of the radar signals assigned to the radar sensors at the respective radar sensors and further processing these reflected components of the radar signals as reception information; assigning time information to the reception information obtained from the respective radar sensors, the time information forming a time reference for the reception information; assigning location information to the reception information obtained from the respective radar sensors, the location information forming a location reference for the reception information; and processing the reception information obtained from the at least two radar sensors into common environment information by taking into account the time information andType: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2019Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicants: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH, Volkswagen AGInventors: Andreas Löffler, Fabian Harrer, Thomas Gisder, Marc-Michael Meinecke, Thorsten Bagdonat
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Patent number: 11041942Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 19, 2017Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Thomas Ruchatz, Thorsten Bagdonat
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Publication number: 20210158544Abstract: A method, a device and a computer-readable storage medium with instructions for processing sensor data. In a first step, camera images are taken by a camera. Additionally, 3D-checkpoints are detected by at least one 3D-sensor. Optionally, at least one of the camera images can be segmented. The camera images are then merged with the 3D-checkpoints by a data fusion circuit to form data of a virtual sensor. The resulting data are finally output for further processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2019Publication date: May 27, 2021Applicant: Volkswagen AktiengesellschaftInventors: Simon Steinmeyer, Marek Musial, Carsten Deeg, Thorsten Bagdonat, Thorsten Graf
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Patent number: 10942253Abstract: A radar system having at least one radar transmission unit, at least one radar reception unit, a central unit, and a glass fiber for connecting these units, wherein the central unit has a central optical transmission unit to provide an optical radar driver signal, and wherein the at least one radar transmission unit has an optical reception unit and a radar transmitter, wherein the optical reception unit receives the optical radar driver signal and converts the optical radar driver signal into an electrical radar driver signal and provides the electrical radar driver signal for driving the radar transmitter, wherein the at least one radar reception unit includes a radar receiver, a mixer and an optical modulation unit. Also disclosed is an associated method.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2018Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Inventors: Thomas Schneider, Jörg Schöbel, Fabian Schwartau, Stefan Preußler, Hanjo Rhee, Christoph Scheytt, Michael Schwenkert, Thorsten Bagdonat, Heiko Kurz
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Publication number: 20200256980Abstract: A method for classification of ground conditions in the vicinity of a vehicle using a radar sensor, comprising: receiving reflected portions of a radar signal at a receiver unit of a radar system; calculating information derived from the received portions of the radar signal for discrete spatial regions by the radar system or a control unit connected thereto; assigning the information to data structure units associated with a geographical location and the assignment of the information taking into account movement of the vehicle; collecting pieces of information in the respective data structure units, the pieces of information being obtained from reflected portions of radar signals transmitted at different times; evaluating the information contained in the data structure using a classifier to obtain information regarding the ground condition; assigning ground condition types to the data structure units based on evaluation results obtained by the classifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2018Publication date: August 13, 2020Applicants: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH, Volkswagen AGInventors: Thorsten Bagdonat, Marc-Michael Meinecke, Andreas Löffler, Thomas Fechner
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Patent number: 10710459Abstract: A method for supplying power from at least one power supply unit to transportation vehicles requiring a power supply, in which a position of a transportation vehicle-side power supply interface of a transportation vehicle requiring power is determined for each transportation vehicle and the transportation vehicle-side power supply interface is automatically coupled to a power supply interface of the power supply unit by the power supply interface of the power supply unit being moved by a robot to the transportation vehicle-side power supply interface and coupled thereto. A robot is responsible for coupling transportation vehicles to a suitable power supply interface of the power supply unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignees: VOLKSWAGEN AG, KUKA DEUTSCHLANDInventors: Daniel Schütz, Michael Grote, Jürgen Stieg, Lutz Junge, Sven Horstmann, Thorsten Bagdonat, Sebastian Grysczyk, Andreas Weiser, Norbert Settele
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Publication number: 20190162819Abstract: A radar system having at least one radar transmission unit, at least one radar reception unit, a central unit, and a glass fiber for connecting these units, wherein the central unit has a central optical transmission unit to provide an optical radar driver signal, and wherein the at least one radar transmission unit has an optical reception unit and a radar transmitter, wherein the optical reception unit receives the optical radar driver signal and converts the optical radar driver signal into an electrical radar driver signal and provides the electrical radar driver signal for driving the radar transmitter, wherein the at least one radar reception unit includes a radar receiver, a mixer and an optical modulation unit. Also disclosed is an associated method.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2018Publication date: May 30, 2019Inventors: Thomas SCHNEIDER, Jörg SCHÖBEL, Fabian SCHWARTAU, Stefan PREUSSLER, Hanjo RHEE, Christoph SCHEYTT, Michael SCHWENKERT, Thorsten BAGDONAT, Heiko KURZ
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Publication number: 20190001831Abstract: A method for supplying power from at least one power supply unit to transportation vehicles requiring a power supply, in which a position of a transportation vehicle-side power supply interface of a transportation vehicle requiring power is determined for each vehicle and the transportation vehicle-side power supply interface is automatically coupled to a power supply interface of the power supply unit by the power supply interface of the power supply unit being moved by a robot to the transportation vehicle-side power supply interface and coupled thereto. A robot is responsible for coupling transportation vehicles to a suitable power supply interface of the power supply unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2016Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Daniel SCHÜTZ, Michael GROTE, Jürgen STIEG, Lutz JUNGE, Sven HORSTMANN, Thorsten BAGDONAT, Sebastian GRYSCZYK, Andreas WEISER, Norbert SETTELE
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Publication number: 20190001832Abstract: A method for supplying power from at least one power supply unit to transportation vehicles requiring a power supply, in which a position of a transportation vehicle-side power supply interface of a transportation vehicle requiring power is determined for each transportation vehicle and the transportation vehicle-side power supply interface is automatically coupled to a power supply interface of the power supply unit by the power supply interface of the power supply unit being moved by a robot to the transportation vehicle-side power supply interface and coupled thereto. A robot is responsible for coupling transportation vehicles to a suitable power supply interface of the power supply unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2016Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Daniel SCHÜTZ, Michael GROTE, Jürgen STIEG, Lutz JUNGE, Sven HORSTMANN, Thorsten BAGDONAT, Sebastian GRYSCZYK, Andreas WEISER, Norbert SETTELE
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Publication number: 20180113202Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2017Publication date: April 26, 2018Inventors: Thomas Ruchatz, Thorsten Bagdonat