Patents Examined by Sarah A Tran
  • Patent number: 11407104
    Abstract: A tooth contact position adjustment amount estimation device that performs processing with respect to estimating a tooth contact position adjustment amount for dimensional data of parts constituting a power transmission mechanism according to the present invention, comprising: a machine learning device that performs processing with respect to estimating the tooth contact position adjustment amount for the dimensional data of parts constituting the power transmission mechanism, wherein the machine learning device observes part dimensional data, which is the dimensional data of parts constituting the power transmission mechanism, as a state variable indicating a current state of an environment, and performs processing with respect to estimating the tooth contact position adjustment amount for the dimensional data of parts constituting the power transmission mechanism in assembling the power transmission mechanism by performing processing with respect to machine learning based on the observed state variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuusuke Watanabe, Shinji Mizokami
  • Patent number: 11407112
    Abstract: A method for predicting collision of a machining path includes: a step of reading an NC program; a step of translating a plurality of block information in the NC program; a step of, prior to perform interpolation upon each of the plurality of block information, calculating a safety distance of a next block information with respect to a block information to be interpolated; a step of searching a number of individual block information having an accumulated distance greater than or equal to the safety distance; and a step of performing an anti-collision detection upon each of the individual block information contributing the accumulated distance. In addition, a system for predicting collision of a machining path is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Shu-Yu Lin, Ming-Chun Ho, Chu-Kai Huang, Chao-Chuang Mai
  • Patent number: 11396246
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for energy-consumption detection of vehicles in an off state. An example vehicle includes a controller area network (CAN) including CAN buses, a gateway module, and electronic control units (ECUs) that are each connected to one of the CAN buses. Upon activating while the vehicle is in an off state, a first of the ECUs sends a message via a corresponding one of the CAN buses to activate the gateway module. The message includes activation data and the gateway module stores the activation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert G. Oestreich, David Celinske, John Anthony DeMarco
  • Patent number: 11383737
    Abstract: An automatic parking system instructs a plurality of autonomous driving vehicles in a parking lot such that each autonomous driving vehicle travels along a target route and parks in a target parking space within the parking lot. The automatic parking system includes: a vehicle instruction unit configured to direct the autonomous driving vehicle the target route for reaching the target parking space, and to issue a pause instruction and an advance instruction to the autonomous driving vehicle autonomously traveling along the target route. The vehicle instruction unit issues an autonomous travel reservation instruction for causing the autonomous driving vehicle to autonomously travel along the target route when communication with the autonomous driving vehicle is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tatsuya Sugano
  • Patent number: 11364630
    Abstract: An industrial robot having a manipulator and a robot controller configured to control the motions of the manipulator. The robot controller is configured during lead-through programming of the robot to compare a robot position or a robot orientation (TCP) with at least one virtual position or virtual orientation defined in space, and to actively control the motions of the robot in relation to the at least one virtual position or virtual orientation when the difference between the robot position or robot orientation and the least one virtual position or virtual orientation is smaller than an offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Adam Henriksson, Alvaro Aranda Munoz, Elina Vartiainen, Jonatan Blom, Maria Ralph
  • Patent number: 11340576
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for estimating a systematic error of a commissioning tool of an industrial robot, the industrial robot including an operational tool and an application camera, the commissioning tool including a touchscreen and a stylus, the method including: a driving step of driving the operational tool to rotate around a preset rotation axis; a first image obtaining step of obtaining a plurality of first images of the operational tool during rotation; and a first offset calculating step of calculating a first offset of the stylus relative to the operational tool according to the plurality of first images, so as to obtain the systematic error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Cheng Li, Hao Gu, Jihuan Tian
  • Patent number: 11338445
    Abstract: An automated positioning system and methods of controlling the same. The positioning system includes a multi-joint positioning arm, an end effector coupled to a distal end of the positioning arm, a force-moment sensor (FMS) coupled to the end effector and a controller coupled to communicate with the positioning arm and the FMS. Using signals from the FMS, at least one external force or torque applied to the end effector is determined. A drive velocity for moving the end effector is determined, based on the at least one external force or torque. One or more joint movements of the positioning arm for moving the end effector is calculated, according to the drive velocity. The positioning arm is moved according to the one or more calculated joint movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: MACDONALD, DETTWILER AND ASSOCIATES INC.
    Inventors: Brent Andrew Bailey, Trevor James Dell, Bart Verzijlenberg, Adam Philip, Sean Dowling
  • Patent number: 11338849
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for analyzing and/or at least partially compensating steering wheel torsional vibrations, particularly during operation of a steering device in a vehicle, wherein at least one sensing signal is acquired and at least one interference characteristic variable which is correlated to the steering wheel torsional vibration is extracted from the sensing signal. It is proposed that during a monitoring time interval a change over time in the interference characteristic variable and a change over time in a wheel frequency which is correlated to a current wheel rotational speed characteristic variable is monitored and said changes are combined in order to analyze and/or to at least partially compensate steering wheel torsional vibrations to form a common evaluation dataset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Abele, Thomas Seibold
  • Patent number: 11318621
    Abstract: An in-vehicle building material processing system including: a flat cargo bed formed on a vehicle; rigid members for ensuring flatness with respect to a workpiece-receiving table formed at predetermined section of the cargo bed; clampers for fixing a building material on the workpiece-receiving table; a multi-joint robot provided with a freely swingable cutting means at its tip, which is capable of protruding in a range wider than outer periphery of the workpiece-receiving table; and a control unit having an operation unit for making the multi-joint robot to cut and process the building material desirably, wherein the control unit controls the cutting means to cut and process the building material while controlling at least either of the cutting means and the clampers to avoid a contact of the cutting means and the clampers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: IIDA GROUP HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Mori, Yoichi Nishikawa, Ayumu Watanabe, Yusuke Minagawa
  • Patent number: 11318606
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an automation assembly which has a robot assembly with at least one robot (10) and a detection means assembly with at least one detection means (21-23), said method having the following at least partly automated steps: providing (S10) a first sequence of first ordinate data (q1, q2, dq2/dt, ?1, ?2) assigned to successive first abscissa points (t) on the basis of first training data (q1, q2, ?1, X2); identifying (S20) a first event point (tE) within the first abscissa points of the first sequence; and determining (S30) a first event criterion on the basis of the first sequence and the first event point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Helmuth Radrich
  • Patent number: 11305431
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a system (1) and method for instructing a robot. The system (1) comprising an immersive haptic interface, such that operator interaction with a master robot arm (2) is reflected by a slave robot arm (3) arranged for interaction with a workpiece (4). The interaction of the slave robot arm (3) is reflected back to the master robot arm (2) as haptic feedback to the operator. The dynamic system is continually simulated forward and new commands are calculated for the master robot arm and the slave robot arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: COGNIBOTICS AB
    Inventors: M. Mahdi Ghazaei Ardakani, Klas Nilsson
  • Patent number: 11260907
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving lane centering performance of an operator of a vehicle after transitioning from an automated mode of operation to a manual mode of operation. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to detecting a transition to the manual mode of operation, modifying a sensitivity level of a lane positioning system from a first value to a second value to induce finer path following by the operator. The method includes controlling the lane positioning system according to the sensitivity level. The method also includes resetting the sensitivity level to the first value upon determining that a deviation score satisfies a stability threshold. The deviation score characterizes deviations of the vehicle from a centerline resulting from operator control inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Lenneman, Joshua E. Domeyer, Benjamin P. Austin
  • Patent number: 11247725
    Abstract: A steering controller is disclosed, wherein the steering controller is configured in such a way as to obtain input signals from at least one sensor for detecting a steering request of a motor vehicle driver and at least one driver assistance system, wherein the steering controller is also configured to generate an actuating signal for a power electronics unit. The actuating signal is assembled from two components, wherein the steering controller is configured so that the first component is ascertained from the input signal from the at least one sensor. The signals from the driver assistance system have no influence on the first component. The second component is ascertained from the input signals from the at least one driver assistance system, wherein the signals from the sensor are taken into account in the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Johannes Maria Schäfer
  • Patent number: 11130454
    Abstract: A module driver or a master obtains the load IDs of the respective first loads connected to the downstream side of the module driver, recognizes the classification of areas, such as door, roof and floor areas, or a module according to the obtained load IDs, and allocates an appropriate driver ID to the module driver in each area. Each first load has a load ID. The load IDs are allocated to the respective second loads on the downstream side of the module driver on the basis of the allocated driver ID. The area or the module is recognized on the basis of the combination of the load IDs of the plurality of first loads, whereby malfunctions caused by erroneous assembling of the first loads are suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Ikegaya
  • Patent number: 11065763
    Abstract: A clamp installation apparatus includes a robot arm pedestal having a rotary table; a robot arm installed on the rotary table of the robot arm pedestal and having a plurality of arms and a plurality of joints; a robot hand installed to a forefront arm of the plurality of arms; and a control device. The robot hand includes: a clamp holding section configured to hold the clamp; a fastening section configured to fasten an engaging section of the clamp to give a clamp force to a work; and a measuring section configured to collect position data of a predetermined member of the clamp. The clamp can be automatically installed and removed. Also, the heat curing can be carried out in the condition to have installed the clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Motoo Tachi, Yukiharu Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 11052542
    Abstract: A robot system and a control method of a robot are provided. A robot, a liquid application part, an application thickness measurement part and a control part are provided, the liquid application part being provided on the robot, the application thickness measurement part measuring an application thickness of a liquid applied by the liquid application part, the control part, in a case where the application thickness measured by the application thickness measurement part is greater than a predetermined thickness, driving the robot in a manner of moving the liquid application part closer to an application object, and in a case where the application thickness measured by the application thickness measurement part is less than the predetermined thickness, driving the robot in a manner of moving the liquid application part away from the application object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Takizawa
  • Patent number: 11022441
    Abstract: A marine electronic device is provided including a user interface, a processor, and a memory having computer program code stored thereon. The memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the marine electronic device to receive a first user input defining a minimum water depth value for a route on a body of water, receive a second user input defining a maximum water depth value for the route, cause a chart to be displayed on the user interface, receive a third user input directed to the chart defining an ending point, and generate a continuous route from a starting location to an ending location corresponding to the ending point based on the maximum water depth value and the minimum water depth value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: NAVICO HOLDING AS
    Inventors: Jeremiah D. Clark, Gregory Iverson
  • Patent number: 11014244
    Abstract: Disclosed are a robot system for assembling components and a control method thereof. The control method compares location coordinates of a robot in a vision coordinate system with location coordinates in a robot coordinate system and calculates a first correction value, calculates a second correction value from a difference between location coordinates of a correction tool and a component, and calculates a third correction value from location coordinates of components located at predetermined spaced locations and spacing coordinates, thereby precisely assembling components and performing inspection of the assembling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SUNGWOO HITECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jaekyun Kim, Kwang Wook Jeong, Byung Hag Park
  • Patent number: 10980387
    Abstract: An autonomously traveling floor washer autonomously performs an appropriate cleaning operation so that a washing liquid does not remain on a floor surface. In accordance with a cleaning schedule, the autonomously traveling floor washer autonomously travels and performs cleaning of the floor surface using a squeegee and the washing liquid. If a washing liquid discharge position at a taught data obtaining time is not included in a squeegee movement track calculated based on a position and a width of the squeegee at the taught data obtaining time, the cleaning schedule is modified so that the washing liquid discharge position is included in the squeegee movement track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Shitamoto, Tsuyoshi Nakano
  • Patent number: 10919154
    Abstract: An interference determination method is provided to compute whether or not a robot that operates according to a motion path will interfere with a nearby object. A first orientation, a second orientation, and an intermediate orientation of the robot are set, and a first combined approximated body is generated that is configured by combining a plurality of robot approximated bodies, which are obtained by approximating the shape of the robot in these orientations. If it is determined that the robot will interfere with the nearby object, whether to generate a combined approximated body that is smaller than the first combined approximated body is determined based on the amount indicating the interval between two adjacent robot approximated bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Haruka Fujii, Akane Nakashima, Takeshi Kojima, Kennosuke Hayashi