Patents by Inventor Tilo Ferchland

Tilo Ferchland 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: 10117045
    Abstract: A circuit of a node in a radio network and method for transit time measurement between a first node and a second node of a radio network is provided. A frame is transmitted by the first node, wherein the frame requires an acknowledgment of reception by the second node. A first point in time of the transmission of the frame is established by the first node by a time counter. The frame is received by the second node at a second point in time. The acknowledgment is transmitted by the second node to the first node at a third point in time, wherein the third point in time depends on the second point in time by a predetermined time interval between the second point in time and the third point in time. A fourth point in time is established by the first node by the time counter when the acknowledgment is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Michael Schmidt, Eric Sachse
  • Patent number: 10085112
    Abstract: A circuit of a node in a radio network and method for transit time measurement between a first node and a second node of a radio network is provided. A frame is transmitted by the first node, wherein the frame requires an acknowledgment of reception by the second node. A first point in time of the transmission of the frame is established by the first node by a time counter. The frame is received by the second node at a second point in time. The acknowledgment is transmitted by the second node to the first node at a third point in time, wherein the third point in time depends on the second point in time by a predetermined time interval between the second point in time and the third point in time. A fourth point in time is established by the first node by the time counter when the acknowledgment is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Michael Schmidt, Eric Sachse
  • Patent number: 9479952
    Abstract: A first node of a radio network initiates a mode for finding the range to a second node. The first node transmits to the second node, with the address of the second node, a range finding command, which switches the second node into the range finding mode and controls a sequence. The first node transmits in a transmission time window a first signal, which is received by the second node in an associated reception time window, a first phase value of the first signal being measured. The second node transmits in a transmission time window a second signal, which is received by the first node in an associated reception time window, a second phase value of the second signal being measured. The first frequency is changed by a frequency difference and the second frequency is changed by the frequency difference in a subsequent time window of the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Sachse, Tilo Ferchland, Wolfram Kluge
  • Patent number: 9398533
    Abstract: In one embodiment, setting, by a first node, a settable data rate for a first part of a data frame, the data frame also having a second part having a defined second data rate, and transmitting, by the node, the first part at the set data rate and the second part at the second data rate, the first part including at least a portion of a payload of the data frame and the second part including an identifier based on the set data rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Sascha Beyer, Michael Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20160135003
    Abstract: A circuit of a node in a radio network and method for transit time measurement between a first node and a second node of a radio network is provided. A frame is transmitted by the first node, wherein the frame requires an acknowledgment of reception by the second node. A first point in time of the transmission of the frame is established by the first node by a time counter. The frame is received by the second node at a second point in time. The acknowledgment is transmitted by the second node to the first node at a third point in time, wherein the third point in time depends on the second point in time by a predetermined time interval between the second point in time and the third point in time. A fourth point in time is established by the first node by the time counter when the acknowledgment is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Michael Schmidt, Eric Sachse
  • Patent number: 9326260
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for operating a node in a radio network, whereby nodes of the same radio network have a common network ID and each node individually is assigned a node ID, wherein during the reception of a current packet by a receiving circuit of the node, an address contained in the packet is determined, wherein reception of the current packet is continued when the determined address agrees with the network ID of the node and the node ID of the node, and wherein during reception of the current packet, the reception of the current packet is terminated and the receiving circuit is controlled based on a case decision, when the determined address does not agree with the network ID of the node or the node ID of the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Soeren Schneider, Udo Walter
  • Patent number: 9264128
    Abstract: A receiving circuit, method for receiving a signal, and use of a detection circuit and a control circuit of a receiving circuit of a node of a radio network is provided to deactivate an analog signal processing and/or determination of digital data from a signal received over an antenna of the node, when a stored current frame of the digital data has been recognized as valid, and to activate the analog signal processing and/or the determination, when the transmission of the current frame over an interface of the control circuit has been confirmed, whereby the control circuit is connected to the detection circuit and/or an input circuit for deactivation and activation, and whereby the detection circuit is formed to determine the digital data from the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Sascha Beyer, Tilo Ferchland, Thomas Hanusch
  • Patent number: 9246605
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal; synchronizing the received RF signal with a preamble to determine a time base; determining a first energy value of the received RF signal by averaging received signal strength indication (RSSI) values of the received RF signal over a first period of time; determining a second energy value of the received RF signal over a second period of time; determining a difference value between the first energy value and the second energy value; comparing the difference value with a predetermined energy threshold value; determining a quality value of the received RF signal; comparing the quality value of the received RF signal with a predetermined quality threshold value; and, if the difference value exceeds the predetermined energy threshold value or the quality value is below the predetermined quality threshold value, then erasing the time base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Rolf Jaehne, Frank Poegel, Eric Sachse
  • Patent number: 9239370
    Abstract: A circuit of a node in a radio network and method for transit time measurement between a first node and a second node of a radio network is provided. A frame is transmitted by the first node, wherein the frame requires an acknowledgment of reception by the second node. A first point in time of the transmission of the frame is established by the first node by a time counter. The frame is received by the second node at a second point in time. The acknowledgment is transmitted by the second node to the first node at a third point in time, wherein the third point in time depends on the second point in time by a predetermined time interval between the second point in time and the third point in time. A fourth point in time is established by the first node by the time counter when the acknowledgment is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Michael Schmidt, Eric Sachse
  • Patent number: 9112587
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes circuitry coupled to a switch between a first and second antenna of a device. The circuitry generates a first control signal for the switch to couple a transceiver of the device to the first antenna for transmission of a first data frame. The circuitry determines whether the transceiver has received, within a pre-determined time interval after transmission of the first data frame, a second data frame containing an acknowledgement message confirming successful receipt of the first data frame by another device. The circuitry generates, if the transceiver has not received the second data frame within the pre-determined time interval, a second control signal for the switch to couple the transceiver to the second antenna for re-transmission of the first data frame. An output line of the apparatus couples the circuitry to the switch and communicates the first or second control signal to the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Sascha Beyer, Frank Poegel, Thomas Hanusch
  • Patent number: 9054718
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a transceiver may set a first receive frequency of a first channel of the transceiver and a second receive frequency of a second channel of the transceiver. The transceiver may receive, during a first time interval, a first radio frequency (RF) signal on the first channel. The transceiver may determine that a first measured value indicative of a first detectable received RF signal on the first channel exceeds a first predetermined threshold, and in response, receive a first data frame on the first channel. The transceiver may receive, during a second time interval, a second RF signal on the second channel. The transceiver determine that a second measured value indicative of a second detectable received RF signal on the second channel exceeds the first predetermined threshold, and in response, receive a second data frame on the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Sascha Beyer, Dietmar Eggert, Udo Walter
  • Patent number: 9015220
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a device includes a first filter. The first filter is operable to produce at least one correlation result by at least correlating an input signal sequence with a link sequence. The first filter includes a delay element. The device also includes a second filter sharing the delay element of the first filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Frank Poegel, Eric Sachse
  • Patent number: 8929264
    Abstract: In one embodiment, receiving a first radio frequency (RF) signal from a first node, generating a first digital data set by decoding the first received RF signal, determining whether a first address in the first digital data set is associated with at least one of a first radio network or a second radio network by comparing the first address to a first set of addresses associated with the first radio network and a second set of addresses associated with the second radio network, appending a first status to the first digital data set indicating that the first address is associated with the first or second radio network, and transmitting an interrupt signal and the first digital data set to a microcontroller for evaluation by the microcontroller in response to determining that the first address is associated with at least one of the first or second radio network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Katja Schwieger, Joerg Wunsch, Dietmar Eggert, Leslie J. Mulder, Fred Fierling
  • Publication number: 20140315508
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal; synchronizing the received RF signal with a preamble to determine a time base; determining a first energy value of the received RF signal by averaging received signal strength indication (RSSI) values of the received RF signal over a first period of time; determining a second energy value of the received RF signal over a second period of time; determining a difference value between the first energy value and the second energy value; comparing the difference value with a predetermined energy threshold value; determining a quality value of the received RF signal; comparing the quality value of the received RF signal with a predetermined quality threshold value; and, if the difference value exceeds the predetermined energy threshold value or the quality value is below the predetermined quality threshold value, then erasing the time base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Rolf Jaehne, Frank Poegel, Eric Sachse
  • Publication number: 20140293814
    Abstract: A first node of a radio network initiates a mode for finding the range to a second node. The first node transmits to the second node, with the address of the second node, a range finding command, which switches the second node into the range finding mode and controls a sequence. The first node transmits in a transmission time window a first signal, which is received by the second node in an associated reception time window, a first phase value of the first signal being measured. The second node transmits in a transmission time window a second signal, which is received by the first node in an associated reception time window, a second phase value of the second signal being measured. The first frequency is changed by a frequency difference and the second frequency is changed by the frequency difference in a subsequent time window of the sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Eric Sachse, Tilo Ferchland, Wolfram Kluge
  • Patent number: 8831553
    Abstract: A receiver and method for operating a receiver, in particular of a radio network, is provided, whereby the receiver includes circuit blocks in a receive path for detecting a preamble of a received signal, and a controller for controlling a receive mode. Whereby at least some of the circuit blocks are designed to be capable of being turned on for a turn-on duration and turned off for a turn-off duration. Whereby, the controller is configured to alternately turn on at least some of the circuit blocks for the turn-on duration and off for the turn-off duration during the receive mode, wherein the turn-off duration is shorter than the preamble.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Eric Sachse, Rolf Jaehne
  • Patent number: 8755300
    Abstract: A first node of a radio network initiates a mode for finding the range to a second node. The first node transmits to the second node, with the address of the second node, a range finding command, which switches the second node into the range finding mode and controls a sequence. The first node transmits in a transmission time window a first signal, which is received by the second node in an associated reception time window, a first phase value of the first signal being measured. The second node transmits in a transmission time window a second signal, which is received by the first node in an associated reception time window, a second phase value of the second signal being measured. The first frequency is changed by a frequency difference and the second frequency is changed by the frequency difference in a subsequent time window of the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Sachse, Tilo Ferchland, Wolfram Kluge
  • Patent number: 8705670
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal; synchronizing the received RF signal with a preamble to determine a time base; determining a first energy value of the received RF signal by averaging received signal strength indication (RSSI) values of the received RF signal over a first period of time; determining a second energy value of the received RF signal over a second period of time; determining a difference value between the first energy value and the second energy value; comparing the difference value with a predetermined energy threshold value; determining a quality value of the received RF signal; comparing the quality value of the received RF signal with a predetermined quality threshold value; and, if the difference value exceeds the predetermined energy threshold value or the quality value is below the predetermined quality threshold value, then erasing the time base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Rolf Jaehne, Frank Poegel, Eric Sachse
  • Publication number: 20140105206
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for operating a node in a radio network, whereby nodes of the same radio network have a common network ID and each node individually is assigned a node ID, wherein during the reception of a current packet by a receiving circuit of the node, an address contained in the packet is determined, wherein reception of the current packet is continued when the determined address agrees with the network ID of the node and the node ID of the node, and wherein during reception of the current packet, the reception of the current packet is terminated and the receiving circuit is controlled based on a case decision, when the determined address does not agree with the network ID of the node or the node ID of the node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Soeren Schneider, Udo Walter
  • Publication number: 20140050256
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an instruction for a transceiver of a device to transmit a first data frame; in response to the instruction, generating a first control signal for a switch to couple the transceiver to a first antenna for transmission of the first data frame by the transceiver via the first antenna; determining whether the transceiver has received within a pre-determined time interval after the transmission of the first data frame a second data frame containing an acknowledgement message confirming successful receipt of the first data frame by another device; and, if the transceiver has not received within the pre-determined time interval after the transmission of the first data frame the second data frame, then generating a second control signal for the switch to couple the transceiver to the second antenna for re-transmission of the first data frame by the transceiver via a second antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventors: Tilo Ferchland, Sascha Beyer, Frank Poegel, Thomas Hanusch