Patents Examined by Basil T Jos
  • Patent number: 11969876
    Abstract: A processor determines, by referring to a memory, which of a plurality of behavior types a behavior type executed by a robot when a first sensor detects an obstacle is; determines a type of the obstacle detected by the first sensor; decides whether first behavior for increasing opportunities of interaction with the user or second behavior for handling the obstacle is performed, based on the behavior type executed by the robot when the first sensor detects the obstacle and the type of the obstacle detected by the first sensor; and controls the robot to cause the robot to execute the decided behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kento Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11957423
    Abstract: A robotic surgery system comprising a plurality of motorized robotic arms of a surgical robot configured to perform surgical steps on a patient and a display system for multi-user control of the robot of a surgical procedure. The display system includes a console including left and right hand-operated input devices physically manipulatable by a first user and a viewer configured to display one or more instruments carried by the plurality of robotic arms to the second user. The display system also includes a second user device configured to display a graphical user interface having patient data of the patient and an authorization input for a second user to be authorized to switch control of at least one of the robotic arms from the first user to the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: IX Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roh, Justin Esterberg, John Cronin, Seth Cronin, Michael D'Andrea
  • Patent number: 11950868
    Abstract: A method is provided for a robotic endoscope system. The method comprises: generating a 3D depth map of an environment surrounding the robotic endoscope system; autonomously actuating a self-propelled base of a robotic support system to a desired location relative to a patient bed based on the 3D depth map, wherein the robotic support system comprises a robotic arm coupled to the self-propelled base at a proximal end and coupled to a flexible endoscope apparatus via an instrument driving mechanism (IDM) at a distal end; and actuating the robotic arm to align the IDM to a component coupled to or part of the patient bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Noah Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Carol Kayee Hung, Piotr Robert Slawinski, Hendrik Thompson, Maziyar Keshtgar
  • Patent number: 11945059
    Abstract: A robot is provided with a first base, a robot arm having a rotation arm member, and a second base. A bottom end portion of the first base is fixed to an upper end portion of the second base using a fixing member, the rotation arm member includes an arm member opening, the second base includes an upper surface having an upper opening and a side surface having a side opening, the rotation arm member and the first base are configured to allow the conduit containing the welding wire and introduced into an interior of the rotation arm member through the arm member opening to reach the upper opening, the side opening allows the conduit introduced into an interior of the second base through the upper opening to come out of the second base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Tomoyuki Motokado
  • Patent number: 11945382
    Abstract: A system including: one or a plurality of sensors correspondingly connected to each of a plurality of devices; a reception unit configured to receive sensor information corresponding to a detection signal of each of the one or plurality of sensors, the sensor information being transmitted from the plurality of devices; a plurality of processing units configured to process the sensor information received by the reception unit; and a control unit configured to input the sensor information received by the reception unit, to any of the plurality of processing units, on the basis of information about delay in communication of the sensor information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Akihiro Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11915318
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling autonomous vehicles to optimize traffic characteristics. A computing platform may receive vehicle guidance data from autonomous vehicle control systems of vehicles. Subsequently, the computing platform may identify a number of the vehicles currently operating in an autonomous mode based on the vehicle guidance data. Thereafter, the computing platform may identify a target number of the vehicles to be operated in an autonomous mode in order to optimize traffic characteristics. Then, the computing platform may generate messages directing selected vehicles to switch into autonomous mode in order to achieve the target number. Subsequently, the computing platform may send the messages directing the selected vehicles to switch into autonomous mode in order to receive incentives. Thereafter, the computing platform may award the incentives to the selected vehicles that switch into the autonomous mode as directed by the messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Mark Slusar, Surender Kumar, Sunil Chintakindi
  • Patent number: 11904473
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for performing transformation mode switching in a robotics control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Sean Alexander Cassero, Michael Beardsworth
  • Patent number: 11906971
    Abstract: Spatiotemporal robotic navigation may include providing a set of robots non-conflicting access to the same shared resources at different times so that the robots may operate without continually accounting for the locations of the other robots and workers operating in the particular site, without continually planning or updating paths after determining an initial path, and without continuously adjusting movements as the robots near one another. The spatiotemporal robotic navigation involves generating spatiotemporal plans. Each plan has a set of objectives that a robot is to execute by different time intervals. Each plan is generated so as to not conflict with the resources being accessed by other robots at time intervals set in the plans of other robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: inVia Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: William Shane Simpson Grant, Randolph Charles Voorhies, Lior Elazary, Daniel Frank Parks, II
  • Patent number: 11904470
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods are described for robotic learning and execution of skills. A robotic apparatus can include a memory, a processor, sensors, and one or more movable components (e.g., a manipulating element and/or a transport element). The processor can be operatively coupled to the memory, the movable elements, and the sensors, and configured to obtain information of an environment, including one or more objects located within the environment. In some embodiments, the processor can be configured to learn skills through demonstration, exploration, user inputs, etc. In some embodiments, the processor can be configured to execute skills and/or arbitrate between different behaviors and/or actions. In some embodiments, the processor can be configured to execute skills and/or behaviors using cached trajectories or plans. In some embodiments, the processor can be configured to execute skills requiring navigation and manipulation behaviors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Diligent Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Lockerd Thomaz, Vivian Yaw-Wen Chu, Peter Worsnop, Reymundo Gutierrez, Lauren Hutson, Shuai Li, Anjana Nellithimaru, Frank Mathis
  • Patent number: 11896329
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for performing machine learning (ML) for robotic arthroscopic surgery are disclosed. The disclosed systems use ML to provide recommendations and methods for automated robotic ankle arthroscopic surgery. Historical patient data is filtered to match particular parameters of a patient. The parameters are correlated to the patient. A robotic surgical system or a surgeon reviews the historical patient data to select or adjust the historical patient data to generate a surgical workflow for a surgical robot to perform the robotic arthroscopic surgery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: IX Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roh, Mihir Patel, Justin Esterberg, John Cronin, Seth Cronin, Michael John Baker
  • Patent number: 11896328
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems performing robotic arthroscopic surgery for extensor retinaculum are disclosed. The disclosed surgical robot receives user inputs, workflow objects, and data files containing surgical actions for robotic movements from a surgery network. The surgical tools required for performing the robotic arthroscopic surgery are displayed on a user interface for the surgical tools to be enabled or disabled. The robotic arthroscopic surgical steps are displayed on the user interface in a sequence to enable execution of the data files containing the robotic movements. The robotic movements are used to perform surgical steps or assist a surgeon in performing surgical steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: IX Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Roh, Mihir Patel, Justin Esterberg, John Cronin, Seth Cronin, Michael John Baker
  • Patent number: 11897132
    Abstract: A technology is described for redundant network communication in a robot. An example of the technology can include a main robotic controller, a local controller in network communication with the main robotic controller, and instructions that, when executed by the processor, transfer first and second data signals between the main robotic controller and the local controller via first and second network channels. The first data signal is sent over the first network channel, and the second data signal is sent over the second network channel. The instructions compare the first data signal with the second data signal to determine signal integrity of the data signals; determine degradation of the first data signal if the signal integrity is less than the signal integrity of the second data signal; and select the second data signal for processing if degradation of the first data signal is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Sarcos Corp.
    Inventors: Fraser M. Smith, Marc X. Olivier
  • Patent number: 11884367
    Abstract: A multi-anchor depth control system for a boat or other watercraft having a line for securing anchors to the boat, at least two anchors attached at or near opposing ends of the line, a depth finder, and a controller configured to automatically adjust the amount of line released from the boat to maintain the anchors on the floor of the body of water in which the boat is floating, based upon information obtained from the depth finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: CUTTING EDGE INNOVATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: William Mawson, Stephen V. Weigman
  • Patent number: 11866256
    Abstract: An automated order fulfillment system and mobile robot are disclosed, where the mobile robot includes a compliant drive for moving between levels of a multilevel storage structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: William J. Fosnight, John G. Lert, Jr., Michael Duquette, Martin R. Elliott, Julian Warhurst, Charles W. Su, Alan Grant
  • Patent number: 11865696
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a multi-tiered computing environment for balancing compute resources in support of robot operations. In an example, a robot is tasked with performing an operation associated with an airplane having an airplane model. To do so, the robot may need another operation that is computationally complex to be performed. An on-premises server can execute a process that corresponds to this computationally-complex operation based on sensor data of the robot and can output the resulting data to the robot. Next, the robot can use the resulting data to execute another process corresponding to its operation and can indicate performance of this operation to the on-premises network. The on-premises network can send the indication about the operation performance to a top-tier server that is also associated with the airplane model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Wilder Systems Inc.
    Inventors: William Wilder, Spencer Voiss
  • Patent number: 11845185
    Abstract: A device and method for electrical testing of a component, the component including a contact point, wherein the device includes: an interface to provide the component; a robot manipulator having an effector configured to pick up, handle, and release the component; a receiving interface into which the component is insertable; a contacting device having a counter contact, the contacting device positioned in a first state so that the robot manipulator is able to insert/remove the component into/from the receiving interface, and positioned in a second state so that the counter contact is connected to the contact point of the component inserted into the receiving interface; an analysis unit connected to the counter contact and configured to perform electrical testing of the component using connection of the counter contact and the contact point in the second state; and a control unit to control the robot manipulator and the contacting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Franka Emika GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Ende, Michael Haas, Saskia Golz, Sven Parusel, Simon Haddadin
  • Patent number: 11845194
    Abstract: To select a picking position of a workpiece in a simpler method. A robot system includes a three-dimensional measuring device for generating a range image of a plurality of workpieces, a robot having a hand for picking up at least one of the plurality of workpieces, a display part for displaying the range image generated by the three-dimensional measuring device, and a reception part for receiving a teaching of a picking position for picking-up by the hand on the displayed range image. The robot picks up at least one of the plurality of workpieces by the hand on the basis of the taught picking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignees: FANUC CORPORATION, PREFERRED NETWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Yamazaki, Daisuke Okanohara, Eiichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11833687
    Abstract: A robot apparatus includes a robot arm having an end effector. The robot apparatus includes a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the end effector, and a control unit configured to control the robot apparatus, wherein the control unit includes a force control unit configured to control the end effector by force control, and information about a plurality of operation ranges in which the end effector operates by the force control, the plurality of operation ranges being set for the plurality of contact works, wherein the control unit controls the end effector using the position detection unit and the force control unit such that one of the plurality of contact works is performed within one of the plurality of operation ranges corresponding to the one of the plurality of contact works.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Ogawara
  • Patent number: 11826916
    Abstract: A system for detecting radial movement of a robotic apparatus on a pipe, comprising distance sensors configured to measure a distance between their respective fixed positions and a surface of the pipe, and a processor configured to detect a change and determine whether the change is indicative of radial movement. A system for tracking a position of a robotic apparatus on a pipe, comprising mirrored, freely-rotating mecanum wheels, a sensor(s) configured to measure rotation of the mecanum wheels, and a processor configured to calculate a linear displacement of each mecanum wheel and resulting axial and circumferential positions of the robotic apparatus. A method for navigating a bend or curve of a pipe, comprising generating computer models of the robotic apparatus and the pipe, performing a computer simulation to identify a combination of wheel speeds that keeps the wheels in constant contact with the pipe, and operating the wheels accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: ARIX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Karl Petter Wehlin, Bryan R. Duerfeldt, Conner S. George, Hassan Zargarzadeh, Dianna D. Liu
  • Patent number: 11813752
    Abstract: A mobile manipulation control method of a quadruped robot with an operation arm, including: obtaining current pose information of the legged mobile manipulator; decomposing a task into subtasks, and prioritizing the subtasks; based on the pose information and a dynamic model, generating a motion trajectory under each subtask; based on the dynamic model, optimizing an optimal plantar force of a supporting leg and an end-of-arm force under each subtask; based on a multi-task spatial projection method, calculating desired control quantity of all joints under different subtasks; and (d) optimizing the optimal plantar force and the desired control quantity with the whole-body dynamic model as a constraint to obtain control torques; and based on the control torques, controlling the legged mobile manipulator's motion. A control system is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Shandong University
    Inventors: Xuewen Rong, Aizhen Xie, Teng Chen, Guoteng Zhang, Yibin Li, Guanglin Lu, Jian Bi, Yong Fan