Patents by Inventor Volker Senft

Volker Senft 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: 11507202
    Abstract: A 3D input device, in particular a mobile 3D input device, has a housing and an input element arranged within the housing. The input element has at least a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The 3D input device has a sensor device. The input element is movable relative to the housing in six components. The sensor device detects the movements and/or the positions of the input element relative to the housing. The first side of the input element or the second side of the input element or the first side and the second side of the input element are together configured in such a way that a user can complete a movement of the input element along the six components via an action on the input element. A mobile device and a 3D remote-control each have at least one such 3D input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Volker Senft, Josef Reill, Armin Wedler, Nikolaus Seitz
  • Patent number: 11402924
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a magnetic arrangement for detecting the relative movement and/or relative position of a first and a second object to each other in six components, namely three displacements and three angular rotations in and about three axes of the Cartesian coordinate system respectively with at least six sensor units to detect the three displacements and the three angular rotations, wherein each sensor unit has at least one magnet and a magnetoresistive sensor, wherein the at least one magnet of the sensor unit can be moved relative to the magnetoresistive sensor of the sensor unit, and wherein each sensor unit has a sensor direction, wherein the magnetoresistive sensor measures a position of the at least one magnet along the sensor direction. The present disclosure also relates to an input device and a mobile input device that has a magnetic arrangement of this kind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Volker Senft, Josef Reill, Armin Wedler, Nikolaus Seitz
  • Publication number: 20210103344
    Abstract: A 3D input device, in particular a mobile 3D input device, has a housing and an input element arranged within the housing. The input element has at least a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The 3D input device has a sensor device. The input element is movable relative to the housing in six components. The sensor device detects the movements and/or the positions of the input element relative to the housing. The first side of the input element or the second side of the input element or the first side and the second side of the input element are together configured in such a way that a user can complete a movement of the input element along the six components via an action on the input element. A mobile device and a 3D remote-control each have at least one such 3D input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Volker Senft, Josef Reill, Armin Wedler, Nikolaus Seitz
  • Publication number: 20200117283
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a magnetic arrangement for detecting the relative movement and/or relative position of a first and a second object to each other in six components, namely three displacements and three angular rotations in and about three axes of the Cartesian coordinate system respectively with at least six sensor units to detect the three displacements and the three angular rotations, wherein each sensor unit has at least one magnet and a magnetoresistive sensor, wherein the at least one magnet of the sensor unit can be moved relative to the magnetoresistive sensor of the sensor unit, and wherein each sensor unit has a sensor direction, wherein the magnetoresistive sensor measures a position of the at least one magnet along the sensor direction. The present disclosure also relates to an input device and a mobile input device that has a magnetic arrangement of this kind.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Volker Senft, Josef Reill, Armin Wedler, Nikolaus Seitz
  • Patent number: 8243024
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optoelectronic device for determining relative movements or relative positions of two objects, comprising a first object fixed relative to a frame of the device; a second object mounted in spaced relation to the first object and adapted for movement relative thereto; and a plurality of measuring cells for determining movement or displacement of the second object relative to the first object. Each measuring cell comprises a light-emitting element and a detector for detecting light from the light-emitting element. The invention provides a light shield for the optoelectronic device, the light shield comprising a plurality of channels which together define a non-planar or three-dimensional array of light beam paths between the first and second objects of the optoelectronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Societe Civile “Galileo 2011”
    Inventors: Volker Senft, Antonio Pascucci
  • Patent number: 8089039
    Abstract: The invention concerns an opto-electronic arrangement for capturing relative movements or relative positions of two objects, including at least one position-sensitive detector. The opto-electronic arrangement is characterized in that the position-sensitive detector is illuminated by at least two light emission devices, to form two measuring cells with a common detector. The invention also concerns an opto-electronic arrangement to capture relative movements or relative positions of two objects, which can mainly capture only translatory movements. This invention also concerns a force and/or moment sensor, and a pan/zoom sensor with a first plate and a second plate, which are elastically joined to each other and movable relative to each other, characterized by such an opto-electronic arrangement to capture relative movements or relative positions of two objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Societe Civile “Galileo” 2011
    Inventors: Antonio Pascucci, Volker Senft
  • Patent number: 8063883
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optoelectronic device (100) for determining relative movements or relative positions of two objects, comprising a first object (10) fixed relative to a frame (1) of the device; a second object (20) mounted in spaced relation to the first object (10) and adapted for movement relative thereto; and at least one measuring cell for determining movement or displacement of the second object (20) relative to the first object (10). In one aspect, the invention provides a stop arrangement (40) for limiting the movement or displacement of the second object relative (20) to the first object (10), wherein the stop arrangement (40) comprises a mounting part (44) to be fixed relative to the frame (1) of the optoelectronic device (100), and at least one generally elongate stop member (41) arranged laterally of and substantially rigidly connected with the mounting part (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: 3DConnection Holding SA
    Inventors: Volker Senft, Antonio Pascucci
  • Publication number: 20100171704
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optoelectronic device for determining relative movements or relative positions of two objects, comprising a first object fixed relative to a frame of the device; a second object mounted in spaced relation to the first object and adapted for movement relative thereto; and a plurality of measuring cells for determining movement or displacement of the second object relative to the first object. Each measuring cell comprises a light-emitting element and a detector for detecting light from the light-emitting element. The invention provides a light shield for the optoelectronic device, the light shield comprising a plurality of channels which together define a non-planar or three-dimensional array of light beam paths between the first and second objects of the optoelectronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventors: Volker Senft, Antonio Pascucci
  • Publication number: 20100164873
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optoelectronic device (100) for determining relative movements or relative positions of two objects, comprising a first object (10) fixed relative to a frame (1) of the device; a second object (20) mounted in spaced relation to the first object (10) and adapted for movement relative thereto; and at least one measuring cell for determining movement or displacement of the second object (20) relative to the first object (10). In one aspect, the invention provides a stop arrangement (40) for limiting the movement or displacement of the second object relative (20) to the first object (10), wherein the stop arrangement (40) comprises a mounting part (44) to be fixed relative to the frame (1) of the optoelectronic device (100), and at least one generally elongate stop member (41) arranged laterally of and substantially rigidly connected with the mounting part (44).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Volker Senft, Antonio Pascucci
  • Publication number: 20080290821
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric circuit. The electric circuit comprises at least six light-emitting elements and at least three switching networks for individually controlling the light-emitting elements. Each switching network is connected with at least four light-emitting elements. The at least three switching networks are connected with each other by parallel connections of respective two of the at least six light-emitting elements. The respective two light-emitting elements have opposite current blocking directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Benedict Brandt, Johannes Dietrich, Antonio Pascucci, Stefan Lugmair, Volker Senft, Stefan Wiest
  • Publication number: 20080291469
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optoelectronic device for determining relative movements or relative positions of two objects, comprising a first object fixed relative to a frame of the device; a second object mounted in spaced relation to the first object and adapted for movement relative thereto; and at least one measuring cell for determining movement or displacement of the second object relative to the first object. The present invention provides a resilient member arranged between the first object and the second object for dampening relative movements, wherein the resilient member substantially surrounds the at least one measuring cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Antonio Pascucci, Volker Senft, Stefan Wiest, Johannes Dietrich, Benedict Brandt, Stefan Lugmair
  • Publication number: 20060086889
    Abstract: The invention concerns an opto-electronic arrangement for capturing relative movements or relative positions of two objects, including at least one position-sensitive detector. The opto-electronic arrangement is characterized in that the position-sensitive detector is illuminated by at least two light emission devices, to form two measuring cells with a common detector. The invention also concerns an opto-electronic arrangement to capture relative movements or relative positions of two objects, which can mainly capture only translatory movements. This invention also concerns a force and/or moment sensor, and a pan/zoom sensor with a first plate and a second plate, which are elastically joined to each other and movable relative to each other, characterized by such an opto-electronic arrangement to capture relative movements or relative positions of two objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Inventors: Antonio Pascucci, Volker Senft
  • Patent number: 6891526
    Abstract: A manually actuated input device for commanding machine- and/or computer-assisted control operations for kinematic motions of a real or virtual multipart object, including a force/moment sensor with which linear displacements in the form of translational movements in the direction of three axes (X, Y, Z), each standing perpendicular on the other, of a three-dimensional rectangular system of coordinates and/or rotational excursions in the form of rotational motions (A, B, C) about these three axes are sensed and converted into commanded motions of the object to be controlled is characterized by the commanded individual linear displacements and/or rotational excursions of the force/moment sensor being assigned specific kinematic motion patterns of parts of the real or virtual object thereby permitting manipulation or animation thereof as a transforming interlink and by the commanded velocities of the corresponding individual linear displacements and/or rotational excursions of the force/moment sensor being addi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Bernd Gombert, Johanndes Dietrich, Volker Senft
  • Patent number: 6583783
    Abstract: To trigger technical control operations and/or to trigger the execution of technical functions, a manually operated input device with a torque-force sensor is used. Pressure is exerted onto a user interface of this input device and results in the generation of a pulse, which is measured with the aid of the force-torque sensor and converted into a pair of vectors formed by a force vector and a moment vector. This vector pair is then checked to determine whether certain predefined characteristic pulse conditions have been met. If these predefined pulse conditions are identified as having been met, at least one technical control operation that is to be performed by means of the input device and linked to a certain object, and/or at least one technical function to be executed by means of the input device, is triggered by switching to an activation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Dietrich, Bernd Gombert, Volker Senft
  • Patent number: 6550346
    Abstract: For sensing the relative movements of an object a force sensing unit (15) comprises a stationary supporting means (6) and a cap (150) located movable relative to said supporting means as well as a force/moment sensor (1) for sensing the three possible translational and three possible rotational movements of the cap relative to said supporting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Bernd Gombert, Johanndes Dietrich, Volker Senft
  • Publication number: 20020056326
    Abstract: For sensing the relative movements of an object a force sensing unit (15) comprises a stationary supporting means (6) and a cap (150) located movable relative to said supporting means as well as a force/moment sensor (1) for sensing the three possible translational and three possible rotational movements of the cap relative to said supporting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Applicant: Deutsches Zentrum Fuer Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Bernd Gombert, Johannes Dietrich, Volker Senft
  • Publication number: 20010053942
    Abstract: A manually actuated input device for commanding machine- and/or computer-assisted control operations for kinematic motions of a real or virtual multipart object, including a force/moment sensor with which linear displacements in the form of translational movements in the direction of three axes (X, Y, Z), each standing perpendicular on the other, of a three-dimensional rectangular system of coordinates and/or rotational excursions in the form of rotational motions (A, B, C) about these three axes are sensed and converted into commanded motions of the object to be controlled is characterized by the commanded individual linear displacements and/or rotational excursions of the force/moment sensor being assigned specific kinematic motion patterns of parts of the real or virtual object thereby permitting manipulation or animation thereof as a transforming interlink and by the commanded velocities of the corresponding individual linear displacements and/or rotational excursions of the force/moment sensor being addi
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Inventors: Bernd Gombert, Johanndes Dietrich, Volker Senft