Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Hess
Wolfgang Hess 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: 9075127Abstract: A head tracking system for determining a head position of a user may include a light source configured to emit light onto a rectangular position sensitive device supported by a support structure such as headphones. The light emitted by the light source may generate a light spot on the position sensitive device. A head position determining module may determine the head position using the position of the light spot on the position sensitive device. The support structure may be configured to support the position sensitive device such that a head rotation results in rotation of the position sensitive device and a displacement of the light spot toward a corner of the rectangular position sensitive device.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2011Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Hess, Thorsten Mayer
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Patent number: 9030465Abstract: A vehicle user interface unit for a vehicle electronic device. The vehicle user interface unit includes a three-dimensional (“3D”) display unit having a display, and is configured to display an image for perception by a user as a virtual 3D image. The virtual 3D image is at least partially located in front of the display when the user observes the display. A display control unit is configured to control the generation of the image by the 3D display unit. The virtual 3D image includes a 3D object having at least two regions located in different spatial planes. Each region includes a plurality of interaction elements. An input unit is configured to detect the location of a user-controlled object and to interpret the detection of a predefined variation of the user-controlled object as a selection of one of the interaction elements in the virtual 3D image.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2011Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Publication number: 20150069280Abstract: In an electromagnetic actuator for a solenoid valve, the electromagnetic actuator has a magnetic coil and a first electrical connector adapted to receive a control signal which determines a switching position of the electromagnetic actuator. The electromagnetic actuator further has a second electrical connector which is provided directly on the electromagnetic actuator and is separate with respect to the first electrical connector. The magnetic coil and the first electrical connector are coupled by an electrical connection which is interrupted at the second electrical connector. Further proposed are a valve terminal having at least one solenoid valve, and a module arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Inventors: Werner Bennek, Kai-Ulrich Seifer, Heiko Kurtz, Wolfgang Hess, Andreas Grau
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Patent number: 8958583Abstract: An audio processing system may modify an input surround sound signal to generate a spatially equilibrated output surround sound signal that is perceived by a user as spatially constant for different sound pressures of the surround sound signal. The audio processing system may determine based on a psychoacoustic model of human hearing, a loudness and a localization for a combined sound signal. The loudness and the localization may be determined by the system for a virtual user located between the front and the rear loudspeakers that has a predetermined head position in which one ear of the virtual user is directed towards one of front or rear loudspeakers and the other ear of the virtual user being directed towards the other of the front or rear loudspeakers. The audio processing system may adapt the front and/or rear audio signal channels based on the determined loudness and localization.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2012Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Patent number: 8594345Abstract: Systems and method for adapting a gain of an audio signal containing at least two different tracks with different signal level ranges. An example system includes a loudness determination unit for determining a perceived loudness of the audio input signal based on a psychoacoustic model of a human hearing. The system further includes a loudness adaptation unit configured to determine a loudness adaptation indicator based on the perceived loudness and a predetermined loudness, and to introduce the loudness adaptation indicator into the audio signal to generate an adapted gain signal. A gain determination unit is configured to adapt the gain for outputting the audio signal containing the at least two tracks based on the loudness adaptation indicators in the adapted gain signal at about the predetermined loudness.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2011Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Patent number: 8498430Abstract: Systems and method for adapting a gain of an audio signal containing at least two different tracks with different signal level ranges. An example system includes a loudness determination unit for determining a perceived loudness of the audio input signal based on a psychoacoustic model of a human hearing. The system further includes a loudness adaptation unit configured to determine a loudness adaptation indicator based on the perceived loudness and a predetermined loudness, and to introduce the loudness adaptation indicator into the audio signal to generate an adapted gain signal. A gain determination unit is configured to adapt the gain for outputting the audio signal containing the at least two tracks based on the loudness adaptation indicators in the adapted gain signal at about the predetermined loudness.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2011Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Hess, Frank Bähren
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Patent number: 8340908Abstract: A tracking device may be used to detect a position or movement of an object. The tracking device may include a housing that supports an emitter. The emitter may transmit a first signal. A measurement device within the housing may measure rotational movement of an object. Circuitry may receive a second signal in response to the first signal. The circuitry may reset an angle value to a predetermined value based on the second signal. The angle value may be determined by a measurement of the rotational movement of the object.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2008Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Hess, Tobias Münch, Hans-Jürgen Nitzpon
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Publication number: 20120314873Abstract: A system quantifies listener envelopment in a loudspeakers-room environment. The system includes a binaural detector that receives frequency modulated audible noise signals from multiple loudspeakers. The binaural detector generates detected signals that are analyzed to determine an objective listener envelopment. The envelopment is based on binaural activity of one or more sub-bands of the detected signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2012Publication date: December 13, 2012Applicant: HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Publication number: 20120243713Abstract: An audio processing system may modify an input surround sound signal to generate a spatially equilibrated output surround sound signal that is perceived by a user as spatially constant for different sound pressures of the surround sound signal. The audio processing system may determine based on a psychoacoustic model of human hearing, a loudness and a localisation for a combined sound signal. The loudness and the localisation may be determined by the system for a virtual user located between the front and the rear loudspeakers that has a predetermined head position in which one ear of the virtual user is directed towards one of front or rear loudspeakers and the other ear of the virtual user being directed towards the other of the front or rear loudspeakers. The audio processing system may adapt the front and/or rear audio signal channels based on the determined loudness and localisation.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2012Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Patent number: 8275135Abstract: A method for adjusting a loudness of an announcement sound signal relative to a loudness of an entertainment sound signal, the method including the steps of determining the loudness of the entertainment sound signal, and adjusting the loudness of the announcement sound signal relative to the entertainment sound signal by determining a self-adaptive gain offset of the announcement sound signal relative to the entertainment sound signal, the self-adaptive gain offset adapting to the auditory perception of a user to which the entertainment sound signal and the announcement sound signal are output.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2009Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Seyed-Ali Azizi, Wolfgang Hess, Michael Zeller
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Patent number: 8270619Abstract: A system quantifies listener envelopment in a loudspeakers-room environment. The system includes a binaural detector that receives frequency modulated audible noise signals from multiple loudspeakers. The binaural detector generates detected signals that are analyzed to determine an objective listener envelopment. The envelopment is based on binaural activity of one or more sub-bands of the detected signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Patent number: 8238589Abstract: A source width estimation system may estimate an auditory source width of a sound. The system detects a first frequency modulated noise signal and a second frequency modulated noise signal. The detected noise signals may be processed to obtain an average value of a lateral width of a binaural activity over time and a plurality of sub-bands. The auditory source width of the noise signals may be determined from the average value of the lateral width of the binaural activity.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2008Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Publication number: 20120065815Abstract: A vehicle computing device and a method of providing a user interface to a vehicle system to control at least one function of the vehicle system are provided. The vehicle computing device communicates with a mobile client device over a wireless data connection. At the vehicle computing device, control instructions are provided. The control instructions comprise instructions for displaying at least one graphical control element at the client device to control the at least one function of the vehicle system. The vehicle computing device can be configured to transmit the control instructions to the client device over the wireless data connection.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2011Publication date: March 15, 2012Inventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Publication number: 20120057150Abstract: A head tracking system for determining a head position of a user may include a light source configured to emit light onto a rectangular position sensitive device supported by a support structure such as headphones. The light emitted by the light source may generate a light spot on the position sensitive device. A head position determining module may determine the head position using the position of the light spot on the position sensitive device. The support structure may be configured to support the position sensitive device such that a head rotation results in rotation of the position sensitive device and a displacement of the light spot toward a corner of the rectangular position sensitive device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2011Publication date: March 8, 2012Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Hess, Thorsten Mayer
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Patent number: 8098138Abstract: A tracking system determines the orientation of an object. A transceiver transmits a signal and detects responses from multiple transponders. A processing unit determines an orientation parameter of the object by comparing the responses from the multiple transponders.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Tobias Münch, Wolfgang Hess, Stefan Beyer
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Publication number: 20120008806Abstract: A vehicle audio system includes at least two loudspeakers incorporated into a headrest of a vehicle. Protective caps are provided for the loudspeakers at the headrest above each of the two loudspeakers and extend at least partially in a direction in which sound is emitted from the loudspeakers. An audio signal processor receives an audio input signal and is configured for generating audio output signals for the two loudspeakers such that the audio output signals are perceived by a user sitting on a seat on which the headrest is provided as a virtual soundfield. A database includes cap compensating information that compensates for an influence by the protective caps on the audio output signals emitted by the two loudspeakers. The audio signal processor is further configured for generating the virtual soundfield for said user taking into account the cap compensating information.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2011Publication date: January 12, 2012Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Publication number: 20110286614Abstract: A system and method provide a user-specific sound signal for each of multiple users in a room, such as a vehicle cabin, on a sound system including at least a pair of loudspeakers for each user. The head position of each user is tracked and a user-specific binaural sound signal is generated based on the tracked head position of at least one user. Crosstalk cancellation and cross-soundfield cancellation are performed on the user-specific binaural sound signal to enable a user-specific sound signal to be output on the respective loudspeaker pair for each user. In this way, different user-specific sound signals, which may include completely different audio programs, can be provided for each user in the room.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2011Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Publication number: 20110242102Abstract: A vehicle user interface unit for a vehicle electronic device. The vehicle user interface unit includes a three-dimensional (“3D”) display unit having a display, and is configured to display an image for perception by a user as a virtual 3D image. The virtual 3D image is at least partially located in front of the display when the user observes the display. A display control unit is configured to control the generation of the image by the 3D display unit. The virtual 3D image includes a 3D object having at least two regions located in different spatial planes. Each region includes a plurality of interaction elements. An input unit is configured to detect the location of a user-controlled object and to interpret the detection of a predefined variation of the user-controlled object as a selection of one of the interaction elements in the virtual 3D image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Publication number: 20110228953Abstract: Systems and method for adapting a gain of an audio signal containing at least two different tracks with different signal level ranges. An example system includes a loudness determination unit for determining a perceived loudness of the audio input signal based on a psychoacoustic model of a human hearing. The system further includes a loudness adaptation unit configured to determine a loudness adaptation indicator based on the perceived loudness and a predetermined loudness, and to introduce the loudness adaptation indicator into the audio signal to generate an adapted gain signal. A gain determination unit is configured to adapt the gain for outputting the audio signal containing the at least two tracks based on the loudness adaptation indicators in the adapted gain signal at about the predetermined loudness.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventor: Wolfgang Hess
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Publication number: 20110222695Abstract: Systems and method for adapting a gain of an audio signal containing at least two different tracks with different signal level ranges. An example system includes a loudness determination unit for determining a perceived loudness of the audio input signal based on a psychoacoustic model of a human hearing. The system further includes a loudness adaptation unit configured to determine a loudness adaptation indicator based on the perceived loudness and a predetermined loudness, and to introduce the loudness adaptation indicator into the audio signal to generate an adapted gain signal. A gain determination unit is configured to adapt the gain for outputting the audio signal containing the at least two tracks based on the loudness adaptation indicators in the adapted gain signal at about the predetermined loudness.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2011Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbHInventors: Wolfgang Hess, Frank Bähren