Patents Examined by McDieunel Marc
  • Patent number: 11691704
    Abstract: A posture control system for a hull, and a marine vessel including the posture control system, allows crew members to fish more comfortably and includes a posture control tab attached to a stern of the hull to control a posture of the hull, a driver to drive the posture control tab, and a controller to control the driver. When it is determined that the hull has changed to a fishing mode, the controller causes the driver to raise the posture control tab to a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 11692828
    Abstract: Presented herein are systems and methods using inertial measurement units (IMUs) for providing location and guidance, and more particularly for providing location and guidance in environments where global position systems (GPS) are unavailable or unreliable (GPS denied and/or degraded environments), and for such location and guidance being provided to projectiles, munitions, or rounds that are released, fired, or deployed from vehicles or weapons systems. More particularly, this disclosure relates to the use of a series of low-accuracy or low-resolution IMUs, in combination, to provide high-accuracy or high-resolution location and guidance results. This further relates to an electronics-control system for handing off control of the measurement and guidance of a body in flight between groups or subgroups of IMUs to alternate between high dynamic range/lower resolution and lower dynamic range/higher resolution measurement and guidance as the environment dictates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Orbital Research Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jankowski, Edward J. Rapp
  • Patent number: 11685048
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable media storing executable instructions, for enhancing robot learning. In some implementations, a robot stores first embeddings generated using a first machine learning model, and the first embeddings include one or more first private embeddings that are not shared with other robots. The robot receives a second machine learning model from a server system over a communication network. The robot generates a second private embedding for each of the one or more first private embeddings using the second machine learning model. The robot adds the second private embeddings to the cache of the robot and removes the one or more first private embeddings from the cache of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Nareshkumar Rajkumar, Patrick Leger, Abhinav Gupta
  • Patent number: 11686592
    Abstract: In some implementations, a mobile device transmits traffic information to a server for analysis. The traffic information includes movement information including detected stops and durations of detected stops. The traffic information is analyzed to detect traffic patterns that indicate locations of stop signs and/or stop lights. The traffic information is analyzed to determine durations of stops at stop signs and/or stop lights. The durations of stops is associated with a time of day and/or day of the week. In some implementations, navigational routes is determined based stop sign and/or stop light information, including the delays attributable to detected stop signs and/or stop lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jorge S. Fino
  • Patent number: 11684437
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for automatically exchanging a first end-effector on a robot arm with a second end-effector housed in a docking station. The first end-effector has a clamp that either engages or disengages the robot arm based upon an application of force of the robot arm onto the end-effector. The clamp has a spring loaded clip that disengages the first end-effector to allow the robot arm to move away from the released first end-effector. The robot arm is configured to automatically move to a port of a docking station housing the desired second end-effector using magnetic coils on the robot arm and the docking station to guide the robot arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Globus Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Neil R. Crawford, Norbert Johnson
  • Patent number: 11679494
    Abstract: A modular multiple mobility base assembly apparatus is described for transporting an item being shipped having a base adapter plate and two cooperating and coordinating modular mobility bases that are each coupled to the bottom of the base adapter plate and collectively support the base adapter plate. One of the modular mobility bases operations a master autonomous mobile vehicle, while the other operates as a slave autonomous mobile vehicle that receives propulsion and steering control signals from the master while providing feedback sensor data to the master for use in coordinated and cooperative movement of the assembly apparatus. Each of the modular mobility bases also including respective wireless transceivers through which at least the control signals and sensor data are provided between mobility base units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Ole-Petter Skaaksrud, Frank Mayfield, Daniel Gates
  • Patent number: 11679867
    Abstract: A system for flight control in electric aircraft includes a flight controller configured to provide an initial vehicle torque signal including a plurality of attitude commands. The system includes a mixer configured to receive the initial vehicle torque signal and a vehicle torque limit, receive prioritization data including a prioritization datum corresponding to each of the plurality of attitude command, determine a plurality of modified attitude commands as a function of the vehicle torque limit, the attitude commands, and the prioritization data, generate, as a function of modified attitude commands, an output torque command including the initial vehicle torque signal adjusted as a function of the vehicle torque limit, generate, as a function of the output torque command, a remaining vehicle torque. The system includes a display, wherein the display is configured to present, to a user, the remaining vehicle torque and the output torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Giroux, Timothy Gerard Richter, Nicholas Moy
  • Patent number: 11673633
    Abstract: A method of controlling a plurality of marine drives on a marine vessel includes detecting that at least one of the plurality of marine drives and that at least one of the plurality of marine drives is not running, and then determining, based on the trim position of each of the at least one non-running marine drives, that at least one non-running marine drive is trimmed down. If so, an output limit restriction is effectuated for each of the at least one running marine drive and an alert is generated to advise an operator of the output limit restriction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Jason S. Arbuckle, Matthew W. Snyder, Travis C. Malouf, Robert R. Osthelder
  • Patent number: 11667030
    Abstract: The machining station can include a table; at least three robots each having a multi-axis mover secured to the table, and a gripper opposite the table, the robots being interspaced from one another on the table; and a controller. The controller controls the robots to hold a workpiece in a coordinated manner. The computer numerical command (CNC) machine-tool system machines the workpiece while the workpiece is held by the robots. The workpiece can be moved into and out from the machining station with a trolley which slidingly engages a trolley path formed within the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: FIVES LINE MACHINES INC.
    Inventors: Louis Jetté, Raymond Chabot
  • Patent number: 11666403
    Abstract: For controlling a robotic surgical system including arms, consoles, and a controller in communication with the arms and consoles, systems and methods are provided that include receiving a request for selection of a first arm for assignment to a first console, and in response to the request, determining whether the first arm is already assigned, assigning the first arm to the first console, if a determination is made that the first arm is not already assigned, determining whether the first arm is to be deselected from a previous assignment, if a determination is made that the first arm is already assigned, generating an error message, if a determination is made that the first arm is not to be deselected, and deselecting the first arm from the previous assignment and assigning the first arm to the first console, if a determination is made that the first arm is to be deselected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: James W. McCormick, Gabriel McHugh, William J. Peine, Renen Bassik
  • Patent number: 11666204
    Abstract: A patient-side support system includes a base, a platform movably coupled to the base, manipulator assemblies coupled to the platform, instruments, each of the instruments being coupled to a different one of the manipulator assemblies, each of the instruments including a body and a shaft extending from the body, and a guide tube common to the instruments. A first part of the shaft of each individual one of the instruments extends distally from the guide tube to the body. a second part of the shaft of each individual one of the instruments extends through at least a portion of the guide tube. The first part of the shaft of a first instrument of the instruments is articulatable between the body of the first instrument and the guide tube. The guide tube and the instruments are collectively rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the guide tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: David Q. Larkin, Thomas G. Cooper, Catherine J. Mohr, David J. Rosa
  • Patent number: 11669785
    Abstract: Computationally implemented methods and systems that are designed for receiving one or more first directives that direct a transportation vehicle unit to transport a first end user; receiving, while the transportation vehicle unit is en route to or is transporting the first end user, one or more second directives that direct the transportation vehicle unit to transport a second end user while transporting the first end user, the transportation vehicle unit having been determined to be able to accommodate transport of the second end user while transporting the first end user; and verifying that compliance with the one or more second directives will not conflict with one or more obligations to transport the first end user by the transportation vehicle unit. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11660741
    Abstract: A robot includes a housing, a body frame disposed inside the housing, a driving motor provided at lower portion of the body frame, a driving wheel rotated by the driving motor and protruding downward of the housing, a control rack mounted to the body frame and positioned above the driving motor, an opening defined in the housing and positioned at a rear side of the control rack, the control rack being insertable into the opening, and a back cover covering the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Iljae Lee, Chungin Jung, Hoseong Kang, Taiwoo Kim, Sunil Cho, Sunghee Han, Seungjong Park, Jaeyoung Kim
  • Patent number: 11660759
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. The systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions described interact with and control robotic systems, in particular pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Soft Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Rosenstein, Jeff Curhan, Joshua Aaron Lessing, Ryan Knopf, Daniel Harburg, Mark Chiappetta
  • Patent number: 11660748
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for managing robot resources are described. A robot receives from an application a request to reserve a particular set of physical resources of the robot. The robot then determines that each of the physical resources in the set are available to the application and, based on the determination, allocates exclusive use of the particular set of resources to the application by (i) generating a token corresponding to the set of resources, (ii) providing the token to the application, and (iii) updating token data that associates the token with the set of resources. The robot then controls access to the particular set of resources such that, while token data indicates that the token is valid, commands from applications that involve the set of resources are only executed when provided with the token corresponding to the allocation of access to the particular set of resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Sarah Coe, Nathan Pooley
  • Patent number: 11656623
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle detects a tailgating vehicle and uses various response mechanisms. A vehicle is identified as a tailgater based on whether its characteristics meet a variable threshold. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at slower speeds, the threshold is defined in distance. When the autonomous vehicle is traveling at faster speeds, the threshold is defined in time. The autonomous vehicle responds to the tailgater by modifying its driving behavior. In one example, the autonomous vehicle adjusts a headway buffer (defined in time) from another vehicle in front of the autonomous vehicle. In this regard, if the tailgater is T seconds too close to the autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle increases the headway buffer to the vehicle in front of it by some amount relative to T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Dmitri A. Dolgov, Philip Nemec, Anne Aula
  • Patent number: 11653987
    Abstract: A system comprises a robotic manipulator for control of motion of a medical tool. The robotic manipulator including a joint and a link connected to the joint. The link is configured to connect to the medical tool. A processing unit of the system is configured to receive first data from an encoder of the joint. A first tool tip estimate of a first parameter of a tool tip coupled at a distal end of the medical tool is generated using the first data. The first parameter of the tool tip is a position or a velocity of the tool tip. Second data is received from a sensor system located at a sensor portion of the link or the medical tool. The joint is controlled based on a first difference between the first tool tip estimate and a second tool tip estimate generated using the first and second data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Miller, Dinesh Rabindran, Kollin M. Tierling
  • Patent number: 11648684
    Abstract: An autonomously moving robotic device for distributing designated items includes multiple compartments, a release mechanism to release items from the multiple compartments; a memory module containing optical recognition scans and personal information of persons located within a premises, and substantive information of the designated items, optical recognition scanners, a control module in communication with the optical recognition scanners, the memory and the release mechanism. The control unit directs movement of the device, directs the optical recognition scanners to scan persons, and compares images from the optical recognition scanners to optical recognitions in the memory to identify persons. Upon identifying a person, the control unit searches personal information of the person and identifies designated items specified for that person, and then directs the release mechanism to release the designated item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: X-Tend Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Harry Fox, David Azoulay, Sergh Sapojnikov
  • Patent number: 11650592
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for receiving a reference to an object located in an environment of a robot, accessing mapping data that indicates, for each of a plurality of object instances, respective probabilities of the object instance being located at one or more locations in the environment, wherein the respective probabilities are based at least on an amount of time that has passed since a prior observation of the object instance was made, identifying one or more particular object instances that correspond to the referenced object, determining, based at least on the mapping data, the respective probabilities of the one or more particular object instances being located at the one or more locations in the environment, selecting, based at least on the respective probabilities, a particular location in the environment where the referenced object is most likely located, and directing the robot to navigate to the particular location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Jonas Witt, Elmar Mair
  • Patent number: 11643180
    Abstract: A ship speed control device is provided, which includes a calculator and a throttle command value setter. The calculator calculates a throttle calculation value based on a difference between an actual ship speed and a target ship speed. The throttle command value setter sets, when the actual ship speed is below a first threshold determined based on a given throttle upper limit and the throttle calculation value is at or above the throttle upper limit, a throttle command value to the throttle upper limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Hideki Ueno