Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Niem

Wolfgang Niem 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: 11485373
    Abstract: A method for a position determination of a vehicle, at least one camera and one sensor unit for a global satellite navigation system being situated on the vehicle. The method includes: acquiring at least one camera image of the environment of the vehicle with the aid of the camera, generating a transformed image as a function of the acquired camera image, with the transformed image having a virtual perspective pointing perpendicularly in the downward direction, determining a satellite position of the vehicle through a satellite-based position determination, and providing an aerial image of the environment of the vehicle as a function of the determined satellite position. A detection of a position of the transformed image in the supplied aerial image, and an ascertainment of a vehicle position as a function of the detected position of the transformed image in the supplied aerial image take place subsequently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Niem, Hanno Homann, Jan Wolter
  • Publication number: 20220299992
    Abstract: A method for the at least assisted crossing of a junction by a motor vehicle. The method includes: receiving signals from the surroundings, which represent surroundings of the motor vehicle that at least partially include a junction, generating remote control signals for remotely controlling a lateral guidance and/or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle based on the signals from the surroundings in such a way that when remotely controlling the lateral guidance and/or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle based on the remote control signals, the motor vehicle crosses the junction in an at least assisted manner, outputting the generated remote control signals. A device, a computer program, and a machine-readable memory medium, are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan Nordbruch, Carolin Noack, Di Zhang, Kurt Eckert, Michael Kram, Rolf Nicodemus, Ruediger-Walter Henn, Ulrich Schulmeister, Wolfgang Niem
  • Publication number: 20220289201
    Abstract: A method for the at least assisted merging of a motor vehicle into a traffic lane. The method includes: determining that a motor vehicle is to be merged into the traffic lane, receiving signals from the surroundings, which represent surroundings of the motor vehicle including at least partially the traffic lane, generating remote control signals for remotely controlling a lateral guidance and/or a longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle based on the signals from the surroundings, in order to at least assist the motor vehicle during the remote control on the basis of the remote control signals in merging into the traffic lane, outputting the generated remote control signals. A device, a computer program, and a machine-readable memory medium, are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan Nordbruch, Carolin Noack, Di Zhang, Kurt Eckert, Michael Kram, Rolf Nicodemus, Ruediger-Walter Henn, Ulrich Schulmeister, Wolfgang Niem
  • Publication number: 20210188292
    Abstract: A method for a position determination of a vehicle, at least one camera and one sensor unit for a global satellite navigation system being situated on the vehicle. The method includes: acquiring at least one camera image of the environment of the vehicle with the aid of the camera, generating a transformed image as a function of the acquired camera image, with the transformed image having a virtual perspective pointing perpendicularly in the downward direction, determining a satellite position of the vehicle through a satellite-based position determination, and providing an aerial image of the environment of the vehicle as a function of the determined satellite position. A detection of a position of the transformed image in the supplied aerial image, and an ascertainment of a vehicle position as a function of the detected position of the transformed image in the supplied aerial image take place subsequently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Wolfgang Niem, Hanno Homann, Jan Wolter
  • Patent number: 10068143
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a camera for a gaze direction detection in a vehicle, to a device for a motor vehicle having a camera and at least one further element, and to a computer program product. The at least one further element is situated in a fixed geometric relationship with the camera the calibration takes place by detecting, in images of the camera, at least one relative change in the gaze direction in which a user changes his gaze in the direction of the further element. The method is characterized in that it is detected by at least one action of the user that the gaze change of the user has taken place or will take place. For the gaze direction then offers an advantage as a result of a dual benefit: it is used both for the calibration and for the action of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Niem
  • Patent number: 9606537
    Abstract: A system with a first computer unit and with a second computer unit, wherein the first computer unit comprises a first interface to enable connection to at least one sensor and to at least one actuator, wherein the second computer unit comprises a second interface to enable connection to at least one sensor and to at least one actuator, wherein the first and the second computer units can be connected to each other by means of a further interface, wherein the actuator comprises an interface, wherein depending on the first or on the second operating state the interface determines whether a control command for a driving function is adopted by the first or the second computer unit, so that in the first operating state only the first computer unit can activate the actuator and in a second operating state only the second computer unit can activate the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Hogenmueller, Thorsten Huck, Ulrich Kersken, Armin Ruehle, Heinz Tilsner, Carsten Gebauer, Tuelin Baysal, Bernd Mueller, Volker Blaschke, Wolfgang Niem
  • Patent number: 9576335
    Abstract: In a method, a device, and a computer program for reducing the resolution of an input image, wherein input image shows a three-dimensional scene that was recorded by a surveillance camera, the distance between surveillance camera and objects in the three-dimensional scene is referred to as the object distance, and the resolution reduction is adjusted with consideration for the object distance in the three-dimensional scene and/or the perspective distortion of the three-dimensional scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Niem
  • Publication number: 20160267336
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a camera for a gaze direction detection in a vehicle, to a device for a motor vehicle having a camera and at least one further element, and to a computer program product. The at least one further element is situated in a fixed geometric relationship with the camera the calibration takes place by detecting, in images of the camera, at least one relative change in the gaze direction in which a user changes his gaze in the direction of the further element. The method is characterized in that it is detected by at least one action of the user that the gaze change of the user has taken place or will take place. For the gaze direction then offers an advantage as a result of a dual benefit: it is used both for the calibration and for the action of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventor: Wolfgang Niem
  • Publication number: 20160207459
    Abstract: A method for maneuvering a vehicle and a maneuvering assistance system that allows a precise alignment of the vehicle along structures bounding a parking space or existing in a parking space and is realizable in a cost-effective manner. At a first instant, a first region is sensed by means of a first image and at least one first element is detected inside the first region in the first image and at a second instant, a second region is sensed with the aid of a second image and the position of the first element detected in the first image at the first instant is calculated in relation to the second instant, the first element being inserted as virtual first element into the second image at this calculated position and displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Wolfgang Niem, Harmut Loos
  • Publication number: 20160103450
    Abstract: A system with a first computer unit and with a second computer unit, wherein the first computer unit comprises a first interface to enable connection to at least one sensor and to at least one actuator, wherein the second computer unit comprises a second interface to enable connection to at least one sensor and to at least one actuator, wherein the first and the second computer units can be connected to each other by means of a further interface, wherein the actuator comprises an interface, wherein depending on the first or on the second operating state the interface determines whether a control command for a driving function is adopted by the first or the second computer unit, so that in the first operating state only the first computer unit can activate the actuator and in a second operating state only the second computer unit can activate the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas Hogenmueller, Thorsten Huck, Ulrich Kersken, Armin Ruehle, Heinz Tilsner, Carsten Gebauer, Tuelin Baysal, Bernd Mueller, Volker Blaschke, Wolfgang Niem
  • Patent number: 9193356
    Abstract: A lane monitoring method for a vehicle includes: detecting a lane of the vehicle with the aid of a camera of the vehicle; recording driving status measuring signals of the vehicle; evaluating the driving status of the vehicle according to at least one lane departure criterion; upon meeting the lane departure criterion, checking whether decision criteria for detecting an intentional trajectory shortening maneuver have been met; and generating a lane departure warning signal as a function of the evaluation according to the lane departure criterion, the output of the lane departure warning signal being suppressed if an intentional trajectory shortening maneuver is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Niem
  • Patent number: 9025033
    Abstract: A surveillance camera is positioned and positionable at a stationary surveillance position for monitoring. The surveillance camera has a calibration tool that is constructed or configured for ascertaining the stationary surveillance position of the surveillance camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Niem, Wolfgang Niehsen, Hartmut Loos
  • Patent number: 8918277
    Abstract: A method for recognizing road signs in the vicinity of a vehicle and for synchronization thereof to road sign information from a digital map where, in the case of a recognition of road signs, road-sign recognition data are generated, navigation data being provided for localizing the vehicle in digital map data, and the road-sign recognition data being synchronized to the map data. To be able to provide unambiguous and the most accurate possible and thus improved road sign information to be output to the driver in the context of such a method, in the case of a discrepancy between the map data and the road-sign recognition data, the decision is made with the aid of reliability factors for the camera and map as to whether the data from the digital map or the road-sign recognition data are output in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Niem, Philipp Ibele
  • Patent number: 8803694
    Abstract: A driver-assistance system for a motor vehicle includes a recording device for recording an environment of the motor vehicle including a rear environment of the motor vehicle, a warning device for generating a warning signal, and an evaluation device. The evaluation device is configured to analyze a current driving behavior of the driver on the basis of the recorded environment of the motor vehicle, and to induce the warning device to generate a warning signal if the evaluation device detects a deviation of the driving behavior from a predetermined setpoint behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Niem
  • Patent number: 8432450
    Abstract: A surveillance system (1) for monitoring a plurality of surveillance regions (5) is controllable and/or controlled by at least one human observer (4). The system includes a state detection module (8) which is designed and/or situated such that the surveillance state of the observer (4) may be determined on the basis of optically detected state signals of the observer (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Niem, Hartmut Loos
  • Publication number: 20130063595
    Abstract: A lane monitoring method for a vehicle includes: detecting a lane of the vehicle with the aid of a camera of the vehicle; recording driving status measuring signals of the vehicle; evaluating the driving status of the vehicle according to at least one lane departure criterion; upon meeting the lane departure criterion, checking whether decision criteria for detecting an intentional trajectory shortening maneuver have been met; and generating a lane departure warning signal as a function of the evaluation according to the lane departure criterion, the output of the lane departure warning signal being suppressed if an intentional trajectory shortening maneuver is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventor: Wolfgang NIEM
  • Patent number: 8285044
    Abstract: An image-processing device carries out an object segmentation in which the object segmentation is executed and/or is executable through comparison of a camera image to a scene reference image of a surveillance scene, equipped with a learning device for generating the scene reference image; the learning device generates the scene reference image through evaluation of a medium-term and/or long-term observation of the surveillance scene a) that extends over a time period of longer than one day, preferably longer than several days, in particular longer than 1 week, and/or b) that extends over a time period that includes several states of the surveillance scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Niem, Stefan Mueller-Scheiders, Marcel Merkel
  • Publication number: 20120150428
    Abstract: A method for recognizing road signs in the vicinity of a vehicle and for synchronization thereof to road sign information from a digital map where, in the case of a recognition of road signs, road-sign recognition data are generated, navigation data being provided for localizing the vehicle in digital map data, and the road-sign recognition data being synchronized to the map data. To be able to provide unambiguous and the most accurate possible and thus improved road sign information to be output to the driver in the context of such a method, in the case of a discrepancy between the map data and the road-sign recognition data, the decision is made with the aid of reliability factors for the camera and map as to whether the data from the digital map or the road-sign recognition data are output in the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: Wolfgang NIEM, Philipp Ibele
  • Publication number: 20110006903
    Abstract: A driver-assistance system for a motor vehicle includes a recording device for recording an environment of the motor vehicle including a rear environment of the motor vehicle, a warning device for generating a warning signal, and an evaluation device. The evaluation device is configured to analyze a current driving behavior of the driver on the basis of the recorded environment of the motor vehicle, and to induce the warning device to generate a warning signal if the evaluation device detects a deviation of the driving behavior from a predetermined setpoint behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventor: Wolfgang Niem
  • Publication number: 20100265327
    Abstract: A system and method to record the surroundings for a movable device. The system has at least one sensor for the visual recording of the surroundings, as well as respectively at least one sensor for recording the direction of motion and the orientation of the device, the system being developed to process information provided by the sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Wolfgang Niem, Henning Von Zitzewitz, Ulrich-Lorenz Benzler, Wolfgang Niehsen, Anke Svensson, Jochen Wingbermuehle