Patents Examined by Stephen Holwerda
  • Patent number: 11192247
    Abstract: A robot controller controls an arc motion of a robot. The robot controller includes an interpolation point setting unit that sets an interpolation point between movement points in an operation program. The robot controller includes a movement-point angle calculation unit that calculates an angle relating to a reference direction for determining the orientation of the robot, and an interpolation-point angle calculation unit that calculates an angle relating to the reference direction at an interpolation point by interpolating angles relating to the reference direction at the movement points. The reference direction is a direction independent from the positions of the movement points and is set in an operation program in a predetermined coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomonori Matsushima
  • Patent number: 11179219
    Abstract: A surgical robot system for stereotactic surgery, according to the present disclosure, may include: a stereotactic surgery unit to move and rotate a surgical instrument; a controller to receive the first imaging data that represents a three-dimensional image of a surgical portion that includes a surgical target; one or more markers to be attached to, or disposed near, the surgical portion; an imaging unit to create the second imaging data that represents a three-dimensional external image of the surgical portion; and a tracking unit to track the positions and postures of the imaging unit and the markers. The controller may create the coordinate conversion relationships for converting a coordinate from the first coordinate system of the first imaging data into the fourth coordinate system of the stereotactic surgery unit and control the stereotactic surgery unit by using the coordinate conversion relationships above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: KOH YOUNG TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Eun Hyoung Seong, Young Sik Kwon, Jae Heon Chung
  • Patent number: 11148284
    Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for controlling moveable robot blocks to dynamically form a barrier. A barrier plan is generated indicating a placement of moveable robot blocks at locations in a coordinate system to form a barrier in a geographical area, wherein the coordinates system indicates locations for the moveable robot blocks to form the barrier. Commands are transmitted to the moveable robot blocks deployed in the geographical area where the barrier is to be formed to cause the moveable robot blocks to move to the locations in the coordinate system in the barrier plan to form the barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Luyao Li, Ramesh Raj, Kyle D. Robeson, Zhao Cheng
  • Patent number: 11135726
    Abstract: A guest robot acquires a right of access to a resource a host robot can access after accreditation by the host robot. The host robot accredits the guest robot on condition that the guest robot is positioned within a predetermined distance. The guest robot receives behavioral characteristic information from a server that determines behavioral characteristics of the host robot, and selects a motion in accordance with the behavioral characteristic information. A behavioral restriction that is not imposed on the host robot may be imposed on the guest robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: GROOVE X, INC.
    Inventor: Kaname Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11132045
    Abstract: A vehicle communication system facilitates hands-free interaction with a mobile device in a vehicle or elsewhere. Users interact with the system by speaking to it. The system processes text and processes commands. The system supports wireless technology for hands-free use. The system handles telephone calls, email, and SMS text messages. The user can customize the device via a user profile stored on an Internet web server. The system also includes a plurality of power conservation features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Appy Risk Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Otman A. Basir, William Ben Miners, Vladimir Filipov
  • Patent number: 11123881
    Abstract: A surgical system includes a motor, a first link movable by operation of the motor, a plurality of non-driven, revolute joints coupled to the first link such that the first link separates the plurality of revolute joints from the motor, and an end effector coupled to the first link via the plurality of non-driven, revolute joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: MAKO Surgical Corp.
    Inventor: Hyosig Kang
  • Patent number: 11117569
    Abstract: A parking system for autonomous driving vehicles optimizes a solution to a parking problem. The ADV detects a parking lot and selects a parking space. The ADV defines constraints for the parking lot, parking space, and kinematic constraints of the ADV, and generates a plurality of potential parking paths to the parking space, taking into account the constraints of the parking lot, parking space, and kinematics of the ADV, but without taking into any obstacles that may be surrounding the ADV. The ADV determines a cost for traversing each of the parking paths. One or more least cost candidate paths are selected from the parking paths, then one or more candidate paths are eliminated based on obstacles surrounding the ADV. Remaining candidates can be analyzed using a quadratic optimization system. A best parking path can be selected from the remaining candidates to navigate the ADV to the parking space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Qi Luo, Dong Li, Yajia Zhang, Liangliang Zhang, Yifei Jiang, Jiaming Tao, Kecheng Xu, Jiangtao Hu
  • Patent number: 11104002
    Abstract: A plurality of robot arms are each provided with indication devices that have indicators which indicate operability states of at least one other robot arm different from the robot arm on which the indication device is provided. Alternatively or in addition, the indication devices have indicators which indicate operability states of a respective robot arm upon which the indication devices are provided. Robot control devices which control operations of the robot arms communicate through a local area network (LAN) to share information regarding the states of the robot arms. Indication drive signals for the indication devices are generated based on states of servo control signals and/or brake control signals for the robot arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinsuke Iizuka
  • Patent number: 11090805
    Abstract: A robot includes a first arm that rotates around the first axis, a second arm that rotates around a second axis in a direction different from the first axis, a third arm that rotates around a third axis parallel to the second axis, a first inertia sensor that is installed at the first arm, a second (a) inertia sensor that is installed at the third arm, first to third angle sensors, a posture detection unit that detects the posture of the third arm with the second arm as a reference and derives a feedback gain, and a second drive source control unit that feeds back a second correction component, which is obtained by multiplying a value, which is obtained by subtracting the angular velocity ?A2m and the angular velocity ?A3m from the angular velocity ?A3, by the feedback gain, and controls the second drive source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventors: Akihiro Gomi, Masaki Motoyoshi, Shunsuke Toshimitsu
  • Patent number: 11081007
    Abstract: There are provided a road shape predictor predicts the shape of a road, based on positional information pieces, on other vehicles existing in the vicinity of a reference vehicle, that are obtained from the communicator and a road shape prediction priority determiner that determines the priorities of areas in the vicinity of the reference vehicle in the case where the road shape predictor predicts the shape of the road for the predicted route of the reference vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Morita
  • Patent number: 11055986
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a match application identifies an edge corresponding to a road segment based on an observational point specifying an estimated position and an estimated heading. The match application performs search operations on a road network graph based on the estimated position to identify multiple candidate edges. For a first candidate edge, the match application computes a first quality level based on at least a distance between the estimated position and the first candidate edge and an angle between the estimated heading and a direction associated with the first candidate edge. Subsequently, the match application determines that the first quality level indicates that the first candidate edge has a higher quality than any other candidate edge. Finally, the match application transmits the first candidate edge to an application that associates content specified in relation to the estimated position with the first candidate edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Volodymyr Ivanov, Alexey Pryakhin, Ievgenii Borshch
  • Patent number: 11048610
    Abstract: A system, method and tangible memory provides a monitoring system for a fleet of vehicles. A monitoring server may receive a set of trace data associated with a vehicle application. The fleet of vehicles may include a plurality of vehicles that are communicatively coupled to the monitoring server via a wireless network. Each of the vehicles may include a copy of the vehicle application. The set of trace data may describe operations that are executed responsive to an onboard computer executing the copy of the vehicle application. The set of trace data and model data may be input into an RV-Predict application. The model data may describe a formal model of the vehicle application. A prediction application may be executed with a processor to generate predictive data describing a predictive analysis of whether the vehicle application includes an error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Inventors: Shinichi Shiraishi, Grigore Rosu, Philip Daian, Akihito Iwai, Yuki Mae
  • Patent number: 11046307
    Abstract: A parking control apparatus includes an input device configured to acquire an operation command acquired from inside or outside of a vehicle and a control device configured to control the vehicle in accordance with the operation command. The control device is configured to make a determination whether or not an occupant is present inside a vehicle interior of the vehicle and control the vehicle to park in accordance with a result of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suzuki, Yasuhisa Hayakawa, Yohei Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 11045269
    Abstract: A system for use in surgery includes a central body, a visualization system operably connected to the central body, a video rendering system, a head-mounted display for displaying images from the video rendering system, a sensor system, and a robotic device operably connected to the central body. The visualization system includes at least one camera and a pan system and/or a tilt system. The sensor system tracks the position and/or orientation in space of the head-mounted display relative to a reference point. The pan system and/or the tilt system are configured to adjust the field of view of the camera in response to information from the sensor system about changes in at least one of position and orientation in space of the head-mounted display relative to the reference point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: VICARIOUS SURGICAL INC.
    Inventors: Adam Sachs, Sammy Khalifa, Barry Stuart Greene
  • Patent number: 11034556
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring at least one crane, preferably two or more cranes, in particular revolving tower cranes, on a construction site, wherein one or more optical detection means are provided, and wherein a collision monitoring unit analyzes the recorded optical data to recognize a possible collision between at least one crane and one further crane and/or another projecting edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: LIEBHERR-WERK BIBERACH GMBH
    Inventor: Joachim Mayer
  • Patent number: 11027415
    Abstract: A robotic device includes a control system. The control system receives a first measurement indicative of a first distance between a center of mass of the machine and a first position in which a first leg of the machine last made initial contact with a surface. The control system also receives a second measurement indicative of a second distance between the center of mass of the machine and a second position in which the first leg of the machine was last raised from the surface. The control system further determines a third position in which to place a second leg of the machine based on the received first measurement and the received second measurement. Additionally, the control system provides instructions to move the second leg of the machine to the determined third position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Nelson, Benjamin Stephens
  • Patent number: 11021173
    Abstract: A system for automated execution of a maneuver or behavior determines at first a situation in which the system currently is based on environment sensing. Then, based on the determined situation, maneuver options or behavior options are determined. Such options are maneuvers or behaviors which potentially can be executed by the system in the determined situation. Then information on at least one of the determined maneuver options or behavior options are output using a haptic display. The system receives an input selecting one of the options from a user. On the basis of the selected option then the selected option or maneuver is executed in an automated fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventor: Christian Goerick
  • Patent number: 11002552
    Abstract: A slope sample value at a sample point on a target route and a distance sample value from a reference point on the target route to the sample point are calculated based on three-dimensional position data of the target route. Undetermined elements contained in a model formula for the approximation formula representing relation between the slope sample value and the distance sample value are determined using an error evaluation formula for the model formula. The error evaluation formula contains a slope error evaluation component for evaluating a slope error between the slope sample value and a slope model value that is calculated using the model formula, and an altitude error evaluation component for evaluating an altitude error between an altitude model value that is obtained through integration of the slope model value and an altitude value that is obtained from the three-dimensional position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Watanabe, Katsuyuki Kamei, Hiroyuki Fujibayashi
  • Patent number: 10996682
    Abstract: A method for performing a cleaning operation with a cleaning device includes: determining whether the cleaning device and a terminal are located in a same general area; acquiring a first geographical location at which the terminal is currently located; and performing the cleaning operation according to the first geographical location and a specified cleaning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yan Xie
  • Patent number: 10993777
    Abstract: A holding arm for medical purposes, in particular for holding a mechatronic assistance system, includes a proximal end for attaching the holding arm to a base and a distal end for receiving the surgical mechatronic assistance system, an assistance interface at the distal end for coupling the holding arm to the assistance system to control the assistance system, an assistance operating device designed to detect an operator action by an operator which is directed at controlling the assistance system and if necessary to transmit a request signal representing the operator action to the assistance interface for the purpose of controlling the surgical mechatronic assistance system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Brainlab Robotics GMBH
    Inventors: Stephan Nowatschin, Maximilian Krinninger, Dominikus Gierlach