Patents by Inventor Ulrich Otto

Ulrich Otto 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: 9864766
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for incrementally updating an existing digital map of a client device in a digital map update system. The digital map update system comprises, for each of one or more baseline digital maps, at least one digital map update repository comprising data which may be communicated to one or more remote client devices for use by the or each remote client device in incrementally updating an existing digital map of the device. Each repository includes one or more digital map forward update journals in respect of a respective given version of the baseline map to which the digital map update repository relates. The forward update journal comprises data indicative of a set of one or more incremental updates that may be used to update the given version of the baseline map to a later version.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOMTOM NAVIGATION B.V.
    Inventors: Hannes Scharmann, Hans-Ulrich Otto, Volker Hiestermann
  • Patent number: 9355063
    Abstract: Parking lot (18, 20) locations and geometries are discerned from probe data (22) and integrated with a digital map (12) for use in navigation and other map-related activities. The steps of this invention include: identifying the positions in the probe data (22) where cars are probably parked, detecting the positions of parking lots (18, 20), determining the extension and shape of the detected parking lots (18, 20), and adjusting the parking lots (18, 20) into the road network (14). Optionally, the parking lot (18, 20) can be classified and additional attributes computed. Finally, a topological connection of the parking lot (18, 20) is made to the road network (14) during which entrances (34) and exits (36) are identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: TomTom Germany GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hannes Scharmann, Heiko Mund, Oleg Schmelzle, Hans-Ulrich Otto
  • Patent number: 9176983
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen of a navigation device or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at compile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: TOMTOM GERMANY GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Volker Hiestermann, Hans-Ulrich Otto
  • Publication number: 20150074068
    Abstract: A digital map update system includes a digital map update server in communication with each one of a plurality of remote client devices for providing data indicative of a set of one or more digital map incremental updates thereto for use by the client devices in incrementally updating respective existing digital maps of the devices. The system comprises two or more digital map update repositories, each update repository comprising data indicative of a plurality of digital map incremental updates for use in incrementally updating a client device, and each being in respect of a different digital map incremental update profile. In use, the digital map update server provides a set of one or more digital map incremental updates from a given one of the update repositories to a remote client device for use by the device in incrementally updating an existing digital map of the device in accordance with the update profile of the given update repository.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Hannes Scharmann, Hans-Ulrich Otto, Volker Hiestermann
  • Publication number: 20150058305
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for incrementally updating an existing digital map of a client device in a digital map update system. The digital map update system comprises, for each of one or more baseline digital maps, at least one digital map update repository comprising data which may be communicated to one or more remote client devices for use by the or each remote client device in incrementally updating an existing digital map of the device. Each repository includes one or more digital map forward update journals in respect of a respective given version of the baseline map to which the digital map update repository relates. The forward update journal comprises data indicative of a set of one or more incremental updates that may be used to update the given version of the baseline map to a later version.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Hannes Scharmann, Hans-Ulrich Otto, Volker Hiestermann
  • Publication number: 20150052149
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen of a navigation device or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at compile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Volker Hiestermann, Hans-Ulrich Otto
  • Patent number: 8918413
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen (12) of a navigation device (10) or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at compile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: TomTom Germany GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Volker Hiestermann, Hans-Ulrich Otto
  • Publication number: 20130211699
    Abstract: Parking lot (18, 20) locations and geometries are discerned from probe data (22) and integrated with a digital map (12) for use in navigation and other map-related activities. The steps of this invention include: identifying the positions in the probe data (22) where cars are probably parked, detecting the positions of parking lots (18, 20), determining the extension and shape of the detected parking lots (18, 20), and adjusting the parking lots (18, 20) into the road network (14). Optionally, the parking lot (18, 20) can be classified and additional attributes computed. Finally, a topological connection of the parking lot (18, 20) is made to the road network (14) during which entrances (34) and exits (36) are identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Hannes Scharmann, Heiko Mung, Oleg Schmelze, Hans-Ulrich Otto
  • Publication number: 20120254263
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen (12) of a navigation device (10) or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at corn-pile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Volker Hiestermann, Hans-Ulrich Otto
  • Publication number: 20100299370
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for combining a first partition from a first digital map database and a second partition from a second digital map database, wherein the first and second digital map database are associated with a coordinate reference system, wherein the first and second partition include an interaction with each other in a common region in the first and second digital map database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Hans Ulrich Otto
  • Publication number: 20090319188
    Abstract: Method for generating a location reference and method for mapping information to a position within a digital map database are disclosed. At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method for generating a location reference for mapping information to a position within a digital map database. The digital map database includes map objects having unique map object references associated therewith. The method includes: selecting a map object in the digital map database based on the information, selecting a unique map object reference of the selected map object, generating the location reference including the unique map object reference of the identified map object. The method further includes: determining a relative position of the position in the digital map database the information relates to with respect to the selected map object, and the location reference further includes the relative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: TELEATLAS N.V.
    Inventor: Hans Ulrich Otto
  • Publication number: 20090138497
    Abstract: At least one embodiment of a method is described including: (1) collecting probe sensor data in an area containing roads and other drivable features; (2) processing the probe sensor data in a first manner so as to create a geospatial map database including road segments, and in a second manner to derive a subset of data related to at least one segment within the geospatial map database and being indicative of an attribute thereof, (3) statistically processing the subset data per road segment to determine one or more inferred attributes thereof, (4) comparing the created geospatial map database, in particular the road segments identified therein and said inferred attributes thereof with a pre-existing geospatial map database containing road segments and attributes thereof, and where an inconsistency in the presence or absence of a road segment, or in its geometry or topology, or in any of its attributes, is identified, (5) effecting a further action, being one of: (a) Generating a change notification, (b) Gene
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Walter Bruno Zavoli, Hans Ulrich Otto
  • Patent number: 6484090
    Abstract: A digital map with line features is stored on a storage medium into parcels, each covering a certain area of the map. A parcel has around it standard border a border region bounded by an inner border and an outer border. A line feature crossing the standard border between two neighboring parcels is only divided into two new line features if it completely crosses the border region, i.e. if it crosses the outer border of both neighboring parcels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG
    Inventors: Paul Dominique Marie Etienne Lahaije, Ernst-Peter Neukirchner, Hans-Ulrich Otto
  • Patent number: 5474585
    Abstract: A filtering apparatus includes a filter vessel having an inlet and an outlet for fluid. A tube sheet is disposed within the filter vessel and separates the inlet from the outlet. A plurality of elongated filter elements extend nonvertically from the tube sheet, each filter element having a first end and a second end farther from the tube sheet than the first end and being at a different height than the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Pall Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Geibel, Ulrich Otto, Glen Petaja, Eric Simonson
  • Patent number: 5365218
    Abstract: Buildings, vehicles, and persons are protected by means of a laser monitoring device consisting of a laser transmitter and receiver and an associated evaluation unit. A platform with a variably adjustable rotational speed is located in an elevated unobstructed location above the property to be protected, on which platform the area-monitoring laser device is mounted. Also a position and turn gyroscope is connected with the platform to accommodate mobile operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Deutsche Aerospace AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Otto
  • Patent number: 5257835
    Abstract: An arrangement for connecting two parts of a fluid system, preferably an aseptic system, by which the pressure gradient acts from the outside to the inside. The one system part carries an O-ring in a groove open to the other system part and open radially outwardly and the other system part is pressed against the O-ring by an axial holding device. To avoid dead space, in which bacteria could deposit, a space formed by the O-ring, the two system parts and the axial holding device is provided with a communication to the surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: Pall Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Baumbach, Horst Randhahn, Ulrich Otto
  • Patent number: 4935134
    Abstract: A filter housing of synthetic material having a housing head (1) with an inside of synthetic material having an inlet part (3), an outlet part (2) and a cylindrical connector part (b 4) having an outwardly threaded neck (9) and a sealing surface (12), the housing portion (5) having an inside of synthetic material and an open end including a ring-shaped projection (13) and a sealing element (14), the filter housing further having a removable union nut (6) removably engaging the threaded neck (9) of the cylindrical connector part (4) and the ring-shaped projection (13) of the housing portion (5), wherein the inlet part (3) and the outlet part (2) are each cylindrical in form and each have an outwardly threaded neck (7, 8) and a ring-shaped groove (10, 11) in the edge for receiving an elastic sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Pall Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz-Ulrich Hensgen, Ulrich Otto