Patents Examined by Ronnie Mancho
  • Patent number: 10099555
    Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for performing vehicle control. Multiple target rotation rates for a vehicle shaft may be identified. A first actual rotation rate may be determined to exceed a first target rotation rate. In response, a computing system may send a first signal in order to cause a first component of a vehicle to limit the rate of rotation of the vehicle shaft. A second actual rotation rate may be determined to be below a second target rotation rate. In response, the computing system may send a second signal in order to cause the first component of the vehicle or a second component of the vehicle to increase the rate of rotation of the vehicle shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Davis Intellectual Properties LLC
    Inventor: Shannon R. Davis
  • Patent number: 10055995
    Abstract: In one embodiment an event likely to be attended by a plurality of users of a taxi service is identified. A location of the event is determined and an end time of the event is estimated. Prior to the end time of the event, a plurality of drivers associated with the taxi service are directed to drive to the location of the event to transport passengers from the location of the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GT Gettaxi Limited
    Inventors: Talmon Marco, Ziv Haparnas, David Agasi
  • Patent number: 10052762
    Abstract: A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot for gripping two workpieces includes an upper limit value changing unit for changing at least one of the upper speed limit value and the upper acceleration limit value of the robot depending on the type and number of workpieces gripped, and an operation controlling unit for controlling the operation of the robot such that at least one of the speed and the acceleration of the robot does not exceed the changed upper speed limit value and upper acceleration limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Shunsuke Abiko
  • Patent number: 10040195
    Abstract: A method for recognizing a location of a robotic device includes collecting first environmental data corresponding to a first current location of the robotic device, generating a first location signature based on the first environmental data, driving the robotic device to enter a standby mode at a first time, driving the robotic device to wake up from the standby mode after a predetermined time elapses at a second time after the driving the robotic device to enter the standby mode, collecting second environmental data corresponding to a second current location of the robotic device, generating the second location signature generated based on the second environmental data, comparing the first and second location signatures, and determining whether a location of the robotic device has been changed between the first and second times based on a comparison result between the first and second location signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edward T. Geraghty, Steven L. Lubars, John C. Nelson, Tolga Oral
  • Patent number: 10029368
    Abstract: A domestic robotic system including a robot having a payload for carrying out a domestic task within a working area. The robot also includes a plurality of sensors, including one or more local environment sensors that are configured to receive signals from exterior sources local to the robot. The system further includes data storage, which is operable to store boundary information that defines the path of a predetermined boundary within which the robot is permitted to move. The robot is programmed to operate in at a reference trail recording mode and a navigation mode. In the reference trail recording mode, the robot moves along a reference trail while receiving sensor information from its sensors, with the path of the reference trail being calculated by the system based on the stored boundary information so as to be spaced apart from the path of the predetermined boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: F Robotics Acquisitions Ltd.
    Inventors: Karni Wolowelsky, Shai Abramson
  • Patent number: 10011017
    Abstract: An industrial robot system includes a first deviation calculation unit calculating a first deviation between a first force detection value and a first force estimation value, a first command output unit outputting an operation command, a stop command, a deceleration command, or a deceleration stop command to a robot when a first deviation is larger than a first threshold value, and a fourth command output unit outputting the operation command, the stop command, the deceleration command, or the deceleration stop command according to a deviation pattern when the first deviation includes a common deviation pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuro Matsudaira, Shuntaro Toda
  • Patent number: 10011284
    Abstract: A method jointly estimates a state of a vehicle including a velocity and a heading rate of the vehicle and a state of stiffness of tires of the vehicle including at least one parameter defining an interaction of at least one tire of the vehicle with a road on which the vehicle is traveling. The method uses the motion and measurement models that include a combination of deterministic component independent from the state of stiffness and probabilistic components dependent on the state of stiffness. The method represents the state of stiffness with a set of particles. Each particle includes a mean and a variance of the state of stiffness defining a feasible space of the parameters of the state of stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Berntorp, Stefano Di Cairano
  • Patent number: 10000124
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods to multiple levels of redundancy in torque steering control and propulsion control of an autonomous vehicle include determining that a powertrain unit of the autonomous vehicle is non-operational and disabling propulsion operation of the non-operational powertrain unit and implementing torque steering operation in another powertrain unit while propelling the autonomous vehicle using other powertrain units that are configured to implement torque steering operation and propulsion operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy David Kentley-Klay
  • Patent number: 9981558
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a motor control unit. The motor control unit is configured to repeatedly execute a communication disruption determination for determining whether communication with a main control unit is disrupted; output a communication disruption signal when the motor control unit determines that the communication is disrupted; change a determination procedure of the communication disruption determination such that the communication disruption determination is completed in a shorter time when a crash possibility signal is received prior to the communication disruption determination, than when the crash possibility signal is not received prior to the communication disruption determination; and control a discharge circuit to discharge the electric charge of the smoothing capacitor, when the crash possibility signal is received prior to the communication disruption determination and the communication disruption signal is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhito Imai
  • Patent number: 9974621
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to automatically adjust the angle of an end effector to improve on the operability of medical treatment tools. The medical system of the invention comprises a slave medical treatment tool to be controlled and including a moving joint for adjusting the angle of a first end effector relative to a first shaft; a master medical instrument serving as a master control instrument and including a second end effector located at a distal end of a second shaft; a sensor that produces a sensor signal including at least an angle of the second end effector; and a controller that enables follow-up processing for driving a driver such that the angle of the first end effector follows a follow-up criterion set on the basis of a sensor signal produced out of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shintaro Inoue
  • Patent number: 9975572
    Abstract: An in-vehicle device controller has at least two redundant operating condition detection units. Under normal circumstances, the controller performs actuator drive control based on an operating condition detection signal of one of the operating condition detection units. Upon detection of an abnormality in the signal transmission state, data state or operating status of one of the at least two operating condition detection units, the controller performs actuator drive control based on an operating condition detection signal of another one of the at least two operating condition detection units in which no abnormality is present. By this control, the actuator function is preserved even in the event of the abnormality in the operating condition detection unit or operating condition detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVES SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Sasaki, Takumi Hisazumi
  • Patent number: 9969429
    Abstract: A method performs an automated process for parking a motor vehicle in a longitudinal parking space, wherein the vehicle automatically controls the longitudinal and transverse movement of the vehicle and the vehicle is moved, in one or more moves, into a position in the longitudinal parking space in which the vehicle is aligned in the longitudinal direction substantially parallel to a lateral delimitation line of the longitudinal parking space and is at a permissible distance from the lateral delimitation line of the longitudinal parking space. The method is characterized in that the distance from a front delimiting object of the parking space is determined in the aligned position and, depending on the distance, the vehicle performs an additional correction move, in which the vehicle is moved in the forward or reverse direction under automatic control with a steering angle of substantially zero degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Goldmann
  • Patent number: 9958862
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an industrial robot relative to an intuitive motion coordinate system. The current 3D position of a touch-screen teach pendant relative to the robot is sensed, and an operator-centric frame of reference is developed relative to the robot-centric frame of reference. A simulacra of the robot is generated, oriented so as to correspond with an operator view of the robot from the current position of the controller, and displayed on the pendant. A motion-control construction, generated and displayed on the pendant, is adapted to receive jog commands from the operator indicative of a respective incremental movement of the simulacra in the operator-centric frame of reference. Each jog command is transformed from the operator-centric frame of reference to the robot-centric frame of reference, and the robot moved in accordance with the transformed jog command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Yaskawa America, Inc.
    Inventors: Chetan Kapoor, Ratheesh Rajan
  • Patent number: 9956687
    Abstract: Technologies pertaining to human-robot interaction are described herein. The robot includes a computer-readable memory that comprises a model that, with respect to successful completions of a task, is fit to observed data, where at least some of such observed data pertains to a condition that is controllable by the robot, such as position of the robot or distance between the robot and a human. A task that is desirably performed by the robot is to cause the human to engage with the robot. The model is updated while the robot is online, such that behavior of the robot adapts over time to increase the likelihood that the robot will successfully complete the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Dinei A. Florencio, Douglas GuimarĂ£es Macharet, Dan Bohus
  • Patent number: 9950427
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot arm and an inertial sensor provided in the robot arm. The robot arm is controlled using a weighting value for weighting output from the inertial sensor. In at least apart of a range in which the robot arm is movable, the weighting value is a first value when acceleration of the robot arm is first acceleration, and changes from the first value to a second value higher than the first value when the acceleration of the robot arm changes from the first acceleration to second acceleration lower than the first acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Gomi, Shunsuke Toshimitsu
  • Patent number: 9950425
    Abstract: A robot control apparatus, which controls motions of an industrial robot based on processing results of an image processing apparatus which images the robot or objects around the robot, includes: a first communication unit which communicates with a computer for development as an external computer; a second communication unit which is connected to the image processing apparatus via a network; and a command processing unit which opens a communication port of the second communication unit and causes the second communication unit to start communication with the image processing apparatus via a server on the network in response to an open command received by the first communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Setsuda
  • Patent number: 9944189
    Abstract: A system for using a solar cell includes a solar cell module configured to convert sunlight into electric energy, an engine operating circuit configured to convert mechanical energy generated by an engine operation of a vehicle into electric energy and provide the electric energy, a solar cell circuit configured to provide the electric energy generated through the solar cell module, a battery configured to be charged by electric energy provided by the solar cell circuit or the engine operating circuit, a load, and a controller of a vehicle. The controller is configured to control a connection of the circuits to the battery or to the load depending on a measured state of charge of the battery, driving of the vehicle, and acceleration of the vehicle. A method for using a solar cell is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Hae Yoon Jung, Won Jung Kim, Moon Jung Eo, Sung Geun Park, Sang Hak Kim, Mi Yeon Song
  • Patent number: 9944392
    Abstract: In an approach to hazard detection, one or more computer processors receive a request from a first vehicle user for assistance from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The one or more computer processors locate a UAV. The one or more computer processors determine the location of the first vehicle. The one or more computer processors deploy the UAV to the location of the first vehicle. The one or more computer processors determine whether one or more hazards associated with a path of the first vehicle are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kelly Abuelsaad, Gregory J. Boss, Kevin C. McConnell, Shane B. McElligott
  • Patent number: 9943968
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method or a system for the dependable stopping of axes of an industrial robot. The industrial robot comprises a control device (501, 502), power electronics (201, 202, 203) and a DC source (300), as well as at least one axis (700), which is assigned to an electric motor (100) and to a mechanical brake (600). In order to stop the axis a direct current is supplied by the DC source in at least one motor phase of the motor, which generates a braking torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Geiler, Richard Rudolf
  • Patent number: 9937621
    Abstract: An example method includes receiving, by a mobile robotic device, power from a battery of a first battery pack in order to operate within an environment. The method further includes establishing a first data channel between the mobile robotic device and the first battery pack. The method also includes using the first data channel to transfer sensor data acquired by the mobile robotic device during operation to a local data storage component of the first battery pack. The method additionally includes navigating, by the mobile robotic device, to a battery exchange station to transfer the first battery pack containing the battery and the local data storage component with the sensor data to the battery exchange station. The method further includes after transferring the first battery pack to the battery exchange station, receiving a second battery pack from the battery exchange station to continue operation within the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: John William Zevenbergen, Ethan Rublee