Patents Examined by McDieunel Marc
  • Patent number: 11584014
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a robot body, at least one sensor coupled to the robot body and positioned to receive stimuli from a passenger cabin of a vehicle, an actuatable component coupled to the robot body, and a computer coupled to the robot body and communicatively coupled to the sensor and the actuatable component. The computer is programmed to predict an imminent anomalous event in the vehicle based on data from the at least one sensor, and in response to the determination, actuate the actuatable component to remediate the anomalous event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sari Kassar, Tony Tae-Jin Pak, Sarra Awad Yako, Mark Douglas Malone
  • Patent number: 11585660
    Abstract: Inertial measurement units (IMUs) and methods with adaptations to eliminate or minimize sensor error, offset, or bias shift. More particularly, such IMUs and methods for gun-fired projectiles and particularly adapted to accurately measure forces and to prevent or minimize the error, offset, or bias shift associated with events exhibiting high g shock, and/or high levels of vibration, and/or rotation. Even more particularly, such IMUs and methods utilizing novel IMU packaging adapted to prevent or minimize sensor error, offset, or bias shift, and recalibration adaptations and methods adapted to correct or reset the error, offset, or bias shift from such an event. Ultimately relates to IMUs that are adapted to provide accurate measurements prior to, during and after such event, and to provide continuous accurate measurements during flight of gun-fired projectiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Orbital Research Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Opperman, Frederick J. Lisy, Edward J. Rapp, Angela M. Lisy, Scott Suren, Douglas E. Russell
  • Patent number: 11586179
    Abstract: An operator control unit for a field device used in automation technology includes a first operating system that includes an application program executable on the first operating system, and an emulation algorithm designed to execute, on the application program, application software executed on a second operating system. The application software has at least one communication protocol for coding/decoding telegrams transmitted to/from the field device and is designed to operate the field device, in particular to read, display and modify parameters of the field device, and/or to read and display measured values of the field device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Process Solutions AG
    Inventors: Ingomar Sotriffer, Vincent de Groot
  • Patent number: 11581712
    Abstract: A switch-gear or control-gear system for medium or high voltage use includes an external housing containing the switch-gear or control-gear system, which is configured for unmanned operation and maintenance. The switch-gear or control-gear system is configured for unmanned operation and maintenance with a robotic system or manipulator and the robotic system or manipulator is provided with a camera system and an image recognition system. The robotic system is provided with a data network or an external data communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Tomas Kozel, Thomas Schmidtchen, Martin Stefanka
  • Patent number: 11576544
    Abstract: A method for operating a cleaning system that comprises at least one self-traveling cleaning device that travels in an environment based on an environment map and carries out cleaning activities. The cleaning device accesses a database, in which multiple cleaning activities are stored. A user accesses the database and defines in advance at least one randomly occurring event, depending on the occurrence of which at least one certain cleaning activity is carried out. The user defines an event-dependent activity scenario and the activity scenario is carried out upon the subsequent occurrence of the defined event. At least one cleaning activity is also scheduled time-dependently, and predefined rules determine whether only the event-dependent activity scenario or only the time-dependently scheduled cleaning activity is carried out if the time of an occurrence of a defined event falls short of a predefined minimum time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Papenheim, Andrej Mosebach
  • Patent number: 11577385
    Abstract: A robot control device for a robot comprises a case and a connector board which is coupled to the case and includes a plurality of connectors which are disposed in a first region and a second region adjacent laterally to the first region. The plurality of the connectors may comprise a power connector which is disposed at a bottom of one of the first region or the second region and is coupled with a power supplier; and a processor connector which is disposed in a region different from that of the power supplier and is coupled with a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jongkwon Yi, Sunho Yang, Sunuk Kim, Chungin Jung, Chunho Cho, Byunghyuk Lee
  • Patent number: 11577380
    Abstract: A method of operating a mobile cleaning robot can include receiving a privacy mode setting from a user interface, where the privacy mode setting is based on a user selection between at least two different privacy mode settings for determining whether to operate the mobile cleaning robot in an image-capture-restricted mode. An image stream of an image capture device of the mobile cleaning robot is permitted in an absence of a user-selection of a more restrictive one of the privacy settings. At least a portion of the image stream is restricted or disabled based at least in part on a user-selection of a more restrictive one of the privacy settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg Duthaler, Vincent Edward Colella
  • Patent number: 11576828
    Abstract: A dispenser of feminine pads and tampons activated by a touch sensor or a proximity sensor. The touch of or the proximity of a person's hand closes an electronic circuit causing a motor to rotate. The motor is attached to a shaft which rotates. The shaft retains a feminine product dispenser. The feminine product dispenser transports a feminine napkin or tampon to a retrieval tray. The improved design enables the sanitary napkin rail and tampon rail to be adjacent to each other, thereby reducing the width requirements for the cabinet housing the rails. The activation by a touch screen or a proximity sensor significantly improves the selection and dispensing of the desired feminine napkin product and tampon product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TRANZONIC COMPANIES
    Inventors: Fred I. Morad, Robert A. Acosta
  • Patent number: 11577398
    Abstract: A robot including an arm, a tool attached to the arm, a measurement fixture to be attached to a tip portion of the tool detachably, and a controller that recognizes a reference coordinate system used to control the arm, and that controls the arm. The controller stores data indicating a positional relationship between a tip of the tool and the measurement fixture or data to be used to calculate the positional relationship, and the controller calculates positional coordinates of the tip of the tool in the reference coordinate system based on position data of the measurement fixture and the positional relationship, where the position data is detected by using acquired image data from a visual sensor whose position is associated with the reference coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kyouhei Kokubo
  • Patent number: 11571723
    Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatus and methods for cleaning contaminated tanks without introducing large amounts of free water or liquefier into the tanks. A gathering arm assembly and a bucket assembly is used to remove and break up waste debris from a contaminated tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: AGI Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Alex G. Innes
  • Patent number: 11565425
    Abstract: A robotic device for distributing designated items to designated persons, includes: a motion unit to autonomously move said robotic device; storage means including multiple compartments; an item dispenser to dispense items from said storage means; 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 motion unit, the optical recognition scanners, the memory and the item dispenser. The control unit directs movement of the robotic device, directs the optical recognition scanners to scan persons, and compares images from the optical recognition scanners to optical recognitions in the memory. 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 item dispenser to dispense the designated item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: X-Tend Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Harry Fox, David Azoulay, Sergh Sapojnikov
  • Patent number: 11565747
    Abstract: The rollover prevention apparatus defines an adaptive steering range limiting device comprising a control unit and a pair of opposing unidirectional brake assemblies mounted to a steering column position detection disc. The rollover prevention apparatus prevents the steering wheel of the vehicle from being turned beyond the threshold of vehicle rollover, but otherwise does not restrict the rotational range of motion of the steering wheel of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventor: Michael R. Schramm
  • Patent number: 11565398
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for robot transportation of objects into or out of a home automation system. One example may include determining, by a mobile robotic device, that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system. The method may include deactivating at least a portion of the home automation system. The method also include retrieving, by the mobile robotic device, the object and transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the object across the boundary. The method further includes leaving, by the mobile robotic device, the object at a drop-off location. The method may also include reactivating at least the portion of the home automation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: VIVINT, INC.
    Inventors: Wes Frisby, Craig Matsuura, Aaron Davis
  • Patent number: 11556131
    Abstract: A robot includes a base, at least one roller bearing having an inner hub supported to the base and an outer hub rotated about the inner hub, a spacer contacting the outer hub, a spin body to which the spacer is attached, and a spin mechanism coupled to the spin body to rotate the spin body. The spacer separates the spin body from the roller bearing between the spin body and the roller bearing. A surface hardness of the spacer is greater than a surface hardness of the spin body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Moonchan Kim
  • Patent number: 11554479
    Abstract: 5G and especially 6G will enable a multitude of applications for fixed-position and mobile wireless task-devices (“robots”). Most of these applications are based on the assumption that the robots know, or can determine, the locations and wireless identities of other robots in proximity, but this is an unsolved problem. Procedures are provided herein for an arbitrarily large number of fixed-position and mobile robots to autonomously identify each other, determine their locations with speed and precision substantially beyond that provided by navigation satellites, and then to collaborate in performing their tasks, while avoiding interference and collisions. Examples are provided in the fields of automated agriculture, remote oil-spill mitigation, autonomous fire-fighting, hospital management, construction site coordination, manufacturing (including fully autonomous manufacturing), major product warehousing, airport control, and emergency vehicle access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: ULTRALOGIC 6G, LLC
    Inventors: David E. Newman, R. Kemp Massengill
  • Patent number: 11558463
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable storage medium, in one embodiment, associating at least one wireless device and at least one user, requesting audio information from at least one remote source by the at least one wireless device, receiving the audio information from the remote source, broadcasting an audio identifier to the at least one wireless device, using the audio information, authenticating the association between the at least one wireless device and at least one transport, based on the audio information, determining at least one characteristic of the at least one user based on at least one of at least one user search history and at least one user preference selection and determining at least one probable route of the at least one transport based on the at least one characteristic and at least one of at least one route history and at least one input destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: David Gerard Ledet
  • Patent number: 11534922
    Abstract: A riding system of a robot which supports a PUI through user authentication to provide convenience to users, and including a server for exchanging authentication information with the robot; a mobile terminal including an application interlocking with the server and for arranging use information of the user through the application and for calling the robot through the application; and a robot storing the authentication information, to authenticate the user through the authentication information when there is a call from the mobile terminal, and deforming according to a body size of the user included in the use information and to allow the user to ride thereon and to move the user to the destination, and a control method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Boyeon Kim, Bina Kim, Jinsu Kim, Mina Suh, Jungkyu Son, Hyesun Lee, Jinwon Kang
  • Patent number: 11537641
    Abstract: An irrigation subsystem for locating a decoder unit in an irrigation system includes an irrigation controller controlling a plurality of irrigation units installed around branches of one or more water pipes in a field. Each irrigation unit includes a decoder unit placed in a box partially sunk in a ground and a solenoid. The subsystem further includes a memory, a memory control controlling data loading and retrieval into the memory, and an NFC interface having an NFC plate arranged in the box ensuring communication and energy supply with a mobile phone of an installer or searcher when being positioned close to the NFC plate. The communication includes downloading location coordinates of the decoder unit into the memory. The irrigation controller includes a memory for storing location data obtained from the decoder units in the form of a location database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: John Antony Ware
  • Patent number: 11524403
    Abstract: A vacuum-based end effector for engaging parcels includes a base plate, one or more vacuum cups of a first type, and one or more vacuum cups of a second type. Each vacuum cup of the vacuum-based end effector is configured to be placed in fluid communication with a vacuum source to provide the vacuum cup with a suction force which can be used to engage and grasp parcels. Each vacuum cup includes a bellows defining a pathway for a flow of air and a lip connected to the bellows. Each lip of the one or more vacuum cups of the first type comprises a foam lip, and each lip of the one or more vacuum cups of the second type comprises an elastomeric lip. The vacuum-based end effector can be combined with a robot to provide an improved system for engaging parcels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Material Handling Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josiah Douglas, Kurt Michael Wittmer, Michael Alan McCue, David W. Caldwell, II, Gregory Robert Sturm, Derek Robert Sturm, Thomas Anthony Hillerich, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11517383
    Abstract: Manipulator devices are used for computer-assisted tele-operated surgery. In some embodiments, the manipulator devices described herein include an arm with a proximal end that is configured to releasably couple with a set-up structure of a computer-assisted tele-operated surgery system. A first ring is rotatably coupled to a distal end portion the arm and is rotatably driven by a first gear motor within the arm. A second ring that is concentric with the first ring is also rotatably coupled to the distal end portion of the arm. Rotations of the second ring are driven by a second gear motor within the arm. An instrument actuator coupling is pivotably coupled to the second ring. The instrument actuator coupling is configured to releasably couple with a computer-assisted tele-operated surgical instrument actuator, and defines a surgical instrument insertion axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Charles Abbott