Patents by Inventor Volker Uffenkamp

Volker Uffenkamp 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: 11473906
    Abstract: A method for aligning a calibration device for calibrating a vehicle environmental sensor of a vehicle, and a device for carrying out such a method. The method includes: measuring a temporal curve of at least one measurement point using the camera, determining the geometrical driving axis from the temporal curve of the at least one measurement point, measuring a first and a second lateral distance value of the vehicle using the distance sensors at a measurement time, determining a center of a vehicle axle at the measurement time on the basis of the ascertained lateral distance values, correlating the geometrical driving axis to the center of the vehicle axle at the measurement time and determining an axially centric geometrical driving axis, and aligning the calibration device in correspondence to the ascertained axially centric geometrical driving axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Volker Uffenkamp
  • Publication number: 20210356262
    Abstract: A method for aligning a calibration device for calibrating a vehicle environmental sensor of a vehicle, and a device for carrying out such a method. The method includes: measuring a temporal curve of at least one measurement point using the camera, determining the geometrical driving axis from the temporal curve of the at least one measurement point, measuring a first and a second lateral distance value of the vehicle using the distance sensors at a measurement time, determining a center of a vehicle axle at the measurement time on the basis of the ascertained lateral distance values, correlating the geometrical driving axis to the center of the vehicle axle at the measurement time and determining an axially centric geometrical driving axis, and aligning the calibration device in correspondence to the ascertained axially centric geometrical driving axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventor: Volker Uffenkamp
  • Patent number: 10482347
    Abstract: A method for providing an image of a contoured surface includes: a) recording images of one or a plurality of regions of the surface using different light exposure and/or illumination; b) generating an optimized image for each of the regions from the plurality of recorded images; and c) assembling the optimized images generated for the individual regions of the surface to form an optimized total image of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: BEISSBARTH GMBH
    Inventors: Volker Uffenkamp, Masato Takami, Guenter Nobis
  • Patent number: 10352688
    Abstract: A device for measuring the tread depth of a tire includes measuring modules situated transversely with respect to the running direction of the tire and connected to a shared evaluation device. Each measuring module includes (i) an illumination device which is configured and situated in such a way that during operation it projects at least one light line onto the tread to be measured, and (ii) at least one image recording device recording at least one image of at least one area of the tread to be measured. The at least one illumination device and the at least one image recording device are configured and situated in such a way that the illumination direction of the illumination device and the image recording direction of the image recording device are oriented neither in parallel to one another nor orthogonally with respect to the tread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Beissbarth GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Uffenkamp, Jochen Wingbermuehle, Guenter Nobis, Marc Luther
  • Patent number: 10313574
    Abstract: A device for recognizing the inscription on the wall of a tire, including a driving surface plane, at least one directional light source to illuminate the tire; at least one camera to record multiple images of a wall of the tire rolling on the driving surface plane; and an evaluation device to synthesize an image of the wall of the tire from the multiple recorded images and to evaluate the synthesized image with the aid of a text recognition method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Beissbarth GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Hanel, Volker Uffenkamp, Michael Klar, Guenter Nobis
  • Patent number: 9903712
    Abstract: A measuring station system for calibrating a reference system for vehicle measurement has at least one image recording device, a calibration device having multiple calibration device reference features, and a calibration frame having at least three support points which are designed for accommodating a reference system carrier for the reference system to be calibrated. The calibration frame has at least three calibration frame reference features. The positions of the support points and of the calibration frame reference features in a shared coordinate system are known.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Darko Pucnik, Christian Wagmann, Jochen Backes, Sven Hodissen, Volker Uffenkamp
  • Patent number: 9846031
    Abstract: A method for testing a vehicle underbody of a motor vehicle includes: recording at least one image of at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle using a camera device; producing a three-dimensional depth image with the aid of the at least one recorded image of the at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle; and testing the at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle with the aid of the produced three-dimensional depth image of the vehicle underbody using optical image recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Guenter Nobis, Volker Uffenkamp, Masato Takami
  • Patent number: 9476801
    Abstract: A device for measuring the profile of the tread of a tire (12) comprises: a running surface (16), which is provided for the tire (12) to roll on and in which at least one measurement slot (14) is formed; at least one illumination apparatus (4), which is formed and arranged in such a manner that during operation it projects a plurality of light lines (6) through the measurement slot (14) onto the profile to be measured; and at least one image capture apparatus (18), which is formed to capture at least one image of at least one region of the profile to be measured. At least one monitoring and calibration device (22) is formed at at least one measurement slot (14), said monitoring and calibration device having at least one channel-shaped depression (24), which faces the illumination apparatus (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Uffenkamp, Guenter Nobis
  • Publication number: 20160148073
    Abstract: A method for providing an image of a contoured surface includes: a) recording images of one or a plurality of regions of the surface using different light exposure and/or illumination; b) generating s an optimized image for each of the regions from the plurality of recorded images; and c) assembling the optimized images generated for the individual regions of the surface to form an optimized total image of the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Volker Uffenkamp, Masato Takami, Guenter Nobis
  • Publication number: 20160127625
    Abstract: A device for recognizing the inscription on the wall of a tire, including a driving surface plane, at least one directional light source to illuminate the tire; at least one camera to record multiple images of a wall of the tire rolling on the driving surface plane; and an evaluation device to synthesize an image of the wall of the tire from the multiple recorded images and to evaluate the synthesized image with the aid of a text recognition method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Christian HANEL, Volker Uffenkamp, Michael Klar, Guenter Nobis
  • Publication number: 20160069779
    Abstract: A device for measuring the profile of the tread of a tyre (12) comprises: a running surface (16), which is provided for the tyre (12) to roll on and in which at least one measurement slot (14) is formed; at least one illumination apparatus (4), which is formed and arranged in such a manner that during operation it projects a plurality of light lines (6) through the measurement slot (14) onto the profile to be measured; and at least one image capture apparatus (18), which is formed to capture at least one image of at least one region of the profile to be measured. At least one monitoring and calibration device (22) is formed at at least one measurement slot (14), said monitoring and calibration device having at least one channel-shaped depression (24), which faces the illumination apparatus (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Uffenkamp, Guenter Nobis
  • Patent number: 9215453
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calibrating a measurement system having at least one image recording apparatus (12) having at least two measurement cameras (31, 32) that form a stereo camera system, and having an analysis unit (13), wherein the measurement system is calibrated by means of a calibration device (22) having reference features (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Adriano Macchia, Volker Uffenkamp
  • Publication number: 20150330773
    Abstract: A device for measuring the tread depth of a tire includes measuring modules situated transversely with respect to the running direction of the tire and connected to a shared evaluation device. Each measuring module includes (i) an illumination device which is configured and situated in such a way that during operation it projects at least one light line onto the tread to be measured, and (ii) at least one image recording device recording at least one image of at least one area of the tread to be measured. The at least one illumination device and the at least one image recording device are configured and situated in such a way that the illumination direction of the illumination device and the image recording direction of the image recording device are oriented neither in parallel to one another nor orthogonally with respect to the tread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Volker Uffenkamp, Jochen Wingbermuehle, Guenter Nobis, Marc Luther
  • Patent number: 9188419
    Abstract: A calibration frame for calibrating a reference system for vehicle measurement has setting elements, which enable a precise spatial orientation of the calibration frame, and multiple defined points of support, which are designed to accommodate a reference system carrier. In one specific embodiment, the points of support are designed in such a way that the reference system carrier is situatable on the points of support in at least two different orientations. In a second specific embodiment, a leveling element is provided which indicates the spatial orientation of the calibration frame in relation to the earth's gravitation field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Darko Pucnik, Christian Wagmann, Jochen Backes, Sven Hodissen, Volker Uffenkamp
  • Publication number: 20150260511
    Abstract: A method for testing a vehicle underbody of a motor vehicle includes: recording at least one image of at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle using a camera device; producing a three-dimensional depth image with the aid of the at least one recorded image of the at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle; and testing the at least one region of the vehicle underbody of the motor vehicle with the aid of the produced three-dimensional depth image of the vehicle underbody using optical image recognition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Guenter Nobis, Volker Uffenkamp, Masato Takami
  • Patent number: 9127937
    Abstract: A method and device are described for measuring a chassis and for measuring the chassis geometry of a vehicle, which includes providing a chassis measurement system having four measurement heads situated in known positions relative to one another, of which each has a monocular image recording device, the position of the measurement heads relative to one another being known, and the distance of the front measurement heads from one another differing from the distance of the rear measurement heads from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Guenter Nobis, Steffen Abraham, Volker Uffenkamp
  • Patent number: 9001189
    Abstract: A method and a device are provided for the optical axle alignment of wheels of a motor vehicle. At the wheels that are to be aligned, targets are mounted, having optically recordable marks, the targets being recordable by measuring units that have stereo camera devices. In a referencing process, using a referencing device that is integrated into the measuring units, a measuring position reference system is established for the measuring units. In a calibration process, in which a local 3D coordinate system is established using at least three marks of the target, the determination of a reference plane is carried out, using a significant mark of the target. Finally, using the reference plane, a vehicle longitudinal center plane is ascertained, while taking into account the measuring location reference system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Nobis, Stefan Schommer, Adriano Macchia, Christian Wagmann, Jochen Backes, Volker Uffenkamp
  • Publication number: 20150090022
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the pressure in a tire of a rolling vehicle includes determining the length of the tire contact patch of the tire in the driving direction and inferring the pressure in the tire from the length of the tire contact patch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Volker Uffenkamp, Guenter Nobis
  • Patent number: 8948444
    Abstract: A method for determining the tumbling motion of a vehicle wheel and/or a measurement object attached to the vehicle wheel in the context of an axle measurement. The tumbling motion is executed relative to the precise wheel axis of rotation of the vehicle wheel and at least one orientation value is determined between the precise wheel axis of rotation and a reference axis. Using at least one image recording unit, at least two wheel features that are present on the vehicle wheel or are attached for the measurement are acquired as the vehicle travels past and are evaluated by an evaluation device situated downstream. Using the wheel features recorded as the vehicle travels past, a wheel coordinate system and a feature coordinate system are determined. The wheel coordinate system and the feature coordinate system are set into relation to one another in order to determine the orientation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Nobis, Steffen Abraham, Volker Uffenkamp
  • Publication number: 20140083161
    Abstract: A measuring station system for calibrating a reference system for vehicle measurement has at least one image recording device, a calibration device having multiple calibration device reference features, and a calibration frame having at least three support points which are designed for accommodating a reference system carrier for the reference system to be calibrated. The calibration frame has at least three calibration frame reference features. The positions of the support points and of the calibration frame reference features in a shared coordinate system are known.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Darko Pucnik, Christian Wagmann, Jochen Backes, Sven Hodissen, Volker Uffenkamp