Patents Examined by Ronnie Mancho
  • Patent number: 9283047
    Abstract: A control device for surgical system that controls a surgical tool attached to a slave arm in accordance with manipulation input values for a position and an orientation from a remote control device, comprising a control unit that stores setting information for setting the position and the orientation of a first target portion of the surgical tool, corrects the manipulation input values in accordance with the setting information, and controls a position and an orientation of a post-correction second target portion of the surgical tool in compliance with corrected manipulation input values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirotaka Namiki
  • Patent number: 9288627
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for triggering events is described. A plurality of zones of influence is defined. Each zone of influence is an enclosed space defined by geolocational data. At least one of the zones of influence is associated with an event for performance by a user and a time for the event to occur. A location of the user is identified and compared with the geolocational data for each of the zones of influence. The event and the time for the event to occur for one of the zones of influence are provided to the user when the geolocational data of that zone of influence matches the location of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy A. Irish, Elias Alvord
  • Patent number: 9285237
    Abstract: A method and system for representing traffic control signals in a road network database is provided. The database may include lane-level modeling, intersection modeling, and traffic signal modeling of a road network. An individual traffic signal is represented in the database with data indicating the traffic signal's geographic location and other attributes of the traffic signal such as an arrangement of lenses in the signal, an indication as to whether the signal is vertically or horizontally oriented, a height of the traffic signal over the roadway, and others. The database can be used by a system in a vehicle that provides convenience features to the vehicle's driver. The system may attempt to warn or control a vehicle that is determined to be at imminent risk of violating a traffic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Michael Weiland, Gregory Nyczak, William McDonough, Michael Tsengouras, David Shuman, Paul Ford
  • Patent number: 9271741
    Abstract: The robotic mechanism may include a programmable computer which is connected with a drive member by a motor. In addition to the motor, a force measurement assembly may be connected with the drive member and computer. The force measurement assembly has an output to the computer indicating the magnitude of resistance encountered. The force measurement device may be a piezoelectric cell or a spring assembly which controls energization of the electric motor. A position sensor is connected with drive member and the computer. The position sensor has an output which is indicative of the position. The output from the position sensor may indicate the depth or distance. Ultrasonic vibratory energy may be transmitted to the force transmitting member from a source or generator of ultrasonic vibratory energy. The force transmitting member may function as a horn and apply the ultrasonic vibratory energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: P Tech, LLC
    Inventor: Peter M Bonutti
  • Patent number: 9260198
    Abstract: A system including a switching device for switching an auxiliary display unit between a first state, corresponding to nominal operation, for which a screen of said auxiliary display unit is controlled by a control assembly of a main display unit, and a second, standby state, corresponding to a situation in which the main display unit has broken down, for which state said screen is controlled by a control assembly of said auxiliary display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)
    Inventors: Raphael Andre, Yannick Deleris
  • Patent number: 9248569
    Abstract: A robotic device may comprise an adaptive controller configured to learn to predict consequences of robotic device's actions. During training, the controller may receive a copy of the planned and/or executed motor command and sensory information obtained based on the robot's response to the command. The controller may predict sensory outcome based on the command and one or more prior sensory inputs. The predicted sensory outcome may be compared to the actual outcome. Based on a determination that the prediction matches the actual outcome, the training may stop. Upon detecting a discrepancy between the prediction and the actual outcome, the controller may provide a continuation signal configured to indicate that additional training may be utilized. In some classification implementations, the discrepancy signal may be used to indicate occurrence of novel (not yet learned) objects in the sensory input and/or indicate continuation of training to recognize said objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Brain Corporation
    Inventors: Patryk Laurent, Jean-Baptiste Passot, Filip Ponulak, Eugene Izhikevich
  • Patent number: 9242371
    Abstract: To enable a recovery control program to be executed quickly by a robot controller without needing to equip the robot controller with a large-capacity storage device, provided is a robot system, including a first robot controller for controlling a first robot. The first robot controller includes a posture information obtaining unit for obtaining information indicating a posture of the first robot when an anomaly occurs in the first robot. The robot system further includes a recovery control program generating unit for generating, by computing, based on the posture of the first robot, a recovery control program for changing the posture of the first robot to a given standby posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yukio Hashiguchi, Shinji Murai, Tomoyuki Shiraki
  • Patent number: 9232980
    Abstract: An operation input device that has multi jointed arms includes: a holding unit that holds proximal ends of the multi-jointed arms in a state in which a relative positional relationship between the proximal ends is fixed; a detection unit that detects a joint movement amount that represents a movement of a joint by a rotation angle or a translational displacement from an unknown initial joint value; engagement units that are provided in distal ends of the multi jointed arms; a data acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of sets of joint movement amounts detected by the detection unit in a time series when engaging and moving the distal ends; and an initial value calculation unit that calculates the unknown initial joint value under a condition that a relative positional relationship between the distal ends is fixed via the engagement units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kosuke Kishi
  • Patent number: 9221174
    Abstract: Disclosed is a technique that reduces the amount of calculation necessary for time optimal control. An interpolation function calculating part 361 calculates an interpolation function that passes through a plurality of interpolated teach points for interpolation between respective teach points. Further, a differential coefficient calculating part 362 calculates each differential coefficient obtained by differentiating each vector component included each interpolated teach point by a variable number of the interpolation function. Further, an estimated value calculating part 365 calculates an estimated velocity of each joint in each interpolated teach point on the basis of each pass velocity and each differential coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Mahito Negishi
  • Patent number: 9221349
    Abstract: A power source for vehicles according to the present disclosure includes a secondary battery pack to support power required to start up a vehicle and power required for an electronic device equipped in the vehicle together, and having an operating voltage range of 9V to 19V in which a maximum operating voltage ranges from 16V to 19V and an average voltage is higher than or equal to 12V, and an alternator to produce a charging power for the secondary battery pack in response to operation of an engine of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Sung-Jong Kim, Soon-Ho Ahn, Joong-Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 9216739
    Abstract: A vehicle travel control apparatus that can stop a subject vehicle at an optimum position, and at a subsequent restart time, suitably avoid an obstacle without imposing a burden on a driver is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeo Shibata
  • Patent number: 9211643
    Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to automatic in-situ calibration and registration of a depth sensor and a robotic arm, where the depth sensor and the robotic arm operate in a workspace. The robotic arm can include an end effector. A non-parametric technique for registration between the depth sensor and the robotic arm can be implemented. The registration technique can utilize a sparse sampling of the workspace (e.g., collected during calibration or recalibration). A point cloud can be formed over calibration points and interpolation can be performed within the point cloud to map coordinates in a sensor coordinate frame to coordinates in an arm coordinate frame. Such technique can automatically incorporate intrinsic sensor parameters into transformations between the depth sensor and the robotic arm. Accordingly, an explicit model of intrinsics or biases of the depth sensor need not be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Grigor Shirakyan, Michael Revow, Mihai Jalobeanu, Bryan Joseph Thibodeau
  • Patent number: 9189008
    Abstract: An apparatus interacting with an external device by using a pedal module is provided. The apparatus includes: a pedal module; a parallel position-measuring sensor for sensing a degree of a parallel motion; a rotary position-measuring sensor for sensing a degree of a rotary motion; and a control part for ordering the external device to be driven by referring to at least either of the degree of the parallel motion sensed by the parallel position-measuring sensor or that of the rotary motion sensed by the rotary position-measuring sensor or for receiving a control signal from the external device and driving a motor group including at least one motor to apply force feedback to the pedal module by referring to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Center Of Human-Centered Interaction For Coexistence
    Inventors: Dae Keun Yoon, Kwang Kyu Lee, Shin Young Kim, Jai Hi Cho, Bum Jae You
  • Patent number: 9188980
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus for processing sensor data and controlling the movement of a vehicle. In an illustrative embodiment, an operating environment around the vehicle is identified and sensor data is selected from a set of sensors. The movement of the vehicle is controlled based on the operating environment identified. In another illustrative embodiment, a sensor system has some sensors that are more accurate in a particular environment than other sensors. A dynamic condition is identified by the sensor system and commands are sent to the steering system, the propulsion system, and the braking system to move the vehicle using the sensor data detected by the sensor system. The environment is identified using the plurality of different types of sensors on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Patent number: 9177429
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method, performed in an apparatus 300 for profile control, for switching profile data in one or more vehicle sub-systems 401, 402 of a vehicle 406. Each vehicle sub-system 401, 402 comprises a vehicle sub-system data storage 403, 404. The method comprises: detecting a presence of an occupant in the vehicle 406, identifying the occupant in the vehicle 406, retrieving from a profile data storage 405 the profile data corresponding to the identified occupant, assigning the retrieved profile data to one or more vehicle sub-systems 401, 402; and sending the retrieved profile data for storage in the vehicle sub-system data storage 403, 404 of the assigned one or more vehicle sub-systems 401, 402.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET L M ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventor: Matthew John Lawrenson
  • Patent number: 9177487
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a method of transmitting position information of a digital map which can enhance matching precision on a receiving side. The invention provides a method of transmitting position information of a digital map in which a transmitting side transmits a vector shape on the digital map and a receiving side specifies the vector shape on a self-digital map by map matching, wherein the transmitting side selects a portion in which a plurality of candidate points are generated with difficulty during the map matching as an endpoint of the vector shape and transmits the vector shape having the endpoint in the portion to the receiving side. Mismatching on the receiving side can be prevented and the position information on the digital map can be transmitted accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventor: Shinya Adachi
  • Patent number: 9168902
    Abstract: A method and a system controls braking of a vehicle. The method includes: detecting a pedal stroke, booster negative pressure, and master cylinder hydraulic pressure; setting target master cylinder hydraulic pressure on the basis of the detected pedal stroke and the detected booster negative pressure in a case in which a magnitude of the detected booster negative pressure is smaller than a magnitude of predetermined reference booster negative pressure; and compensating for the master cylinder hydraulic pressure in a case in which the detected master cylinder hydraulic pressure is smaller than the predetermined target master cylinder hydraulic pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Byoung Soo Yoo
  • Patent number: 9164514
    Abstract: A method of patrolling a perimeter of a geographic area, using two or more unmanned vehicles having means for locomotion along a perimeter path. Each vehicle is equipped with at least the following systems: a navigation system operable to autonomously navigate the unmanned vehicle, an anomaly detection system, a communications system, an anomaly tracking system, operable to track, visually or by following, a detected anomaly, and an alert evaluation system. Each vehicle travels the path on a predetermined route, and is operable to broadcast an alert message to all other vehicles if that vehicle detects an anomaly, to perform an evaluation of any received alert message to determine if it will travel to an anomaly based on stored evaluation rules, and to respond to an alert message based on the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Paul A. Avery, Samuel E. Slocum, Jerry A. Towler
  • Patent number: 9162690
    Abstract: A method includes determining an operational parameter of a first vehicle traveling with a plurality of vehicles in a transportation network and/or a route in the transportation network, identifying a failure condition of the first vehicle and/or the route based on the operational parameter, obtaining plural different sets of remedial actions that dictate operations to be taken based on the operational parameter, simulating travel of the plurality of vehicles in the transportation network based on implementation of the different sets of remedial actions, determining potential consequences on travel of the plurality of vehicles in the transportation network when the different sets of remedial actions are implemented in the travel that is simulated, and based on the potential consequences, receiving a selection of at least one of the different sets of remedial actions to be implemented in actual travel of the plurality of vehicles in the transportation network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: General Electronic Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Paul Houpt, Stephen Mathe, Paul Julich, Jeffrey Kisak, Glenn Shaffer, Scott Nelson, Wolfgang Daum
  • Patent number: 9156166
    Abstract: A robot control device according to an embodiment includes: an observer receiving the angular velocity of the motor and the current command value, and estimating an angular acceleration of the link, and angular velocities of the link and the motor from a simulation model of an angular velocity control system of the motor; a first feedback unit calculating an axis torsion angular velocity from a difference between the angular velocities of the link and the motor estimated by the observer, and giving feedback to the angular velocity control system; a second feedback unit feeding back the angular acceleration of the link estimated by the observer to the angular velocity control system; and a first feedback constant calculating unit compensating an end effector load mass and increases inertia at the second feedback unit when an end effector load in the nonlinear dynamic model has low inertia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Junji Oaki