Patents by Inventor Allison Thackston

Allison Thackston has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11989835
    Abstract: A computing device configured to display a virtual representation of an environment of a robot includes a display device, a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to receive data from the one or more sensors of the robot with respect to an object within an environment of the robot. The processor is also configured to display a virtual representation of the object within a virtual mapping of the environment based on the data received from the one or more sensors. The processor is further configured to receive input data selecting the virtual representation of the object. The processor is also further configured to send instructions to the robot to act in response to the received input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Amacker, Arshan Poursohi, Allison Thackston
  • Publication number: 20230030104
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for controlling an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a trajectory for the autonomous vehicle to traverse in order to follow a route to a destination may be generated. A first error value for a boundary of an object, a second error value for a location of the autonomous vehicle, a third error value for a predicted future location of the object may be received. An uncertainty value for the object may be determined by combining the first error value, the second error value, and the third error value. A lateral gap threshold for the object may be determined based on the uncertainty value. The autonomous vehicle may be controlled in an autonomous driving mode based on the lateral gap threshold for the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Victor Puchkarev, Alexander Ruben Stacey McCarthy, Aleix Paris i Bordas, Jennifer Iglesias, Allison Thackston, Xinrui Wang
  • Patent number: 11548154
    Abstract: A method includes providing a virtual representation of an environment of a robot, the virtual representation including an object representation of an object in the environment. The method further includes receiving manipulation input from a user to teleoperate the robot for manipulation of the object. The method also includes alerting the user to an alignment dimension based upon the manipulation input, receiving confirmation input from the user to engage the alignment dimension, and constraining at least one dimension of movement of the object according to the alignment dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Sam Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Publication number: 20220258351
    Abstract: A method performed by an autonomous device includes identifying a current movement of an operator based on monitoring the operator of the autonomous device. The method also includes inferring an intended direction of travel for the autonomous device based identifying the current movement. The method further includes identifying one or more objects in a current environment and limitations of the current environment. The method still further includes determining the action to be performed based on inferring the intended direction of travel and also identifying the one or more objects and the limitations of the current environment. The method also includes performing, by the autonomous device, the action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicants: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Allison THACKSTON, Samuel ZAPOLSKY, Katarina MILLER, Laura STELZNER, Ron GOLDMAN
  • Patent number: 11351671
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robotic device includes monitor an action of an operator of the robotic device. The method also includes inferring an intended target based on the monitored action. The method further includes determining an intended action for the intended target. The method still further includes controlling the robotic device to perform the intended action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Samuel Zapolsky, Katarina Miller, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Patent number: 11279036
    Abstract: A teleoperation system includes a robot comprising an actuator configured to move at least a portion of the robot, and a remote computing device comprising: one or more processors, one or more sensors communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, a non-transitory memory component communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, and machine readable instructions stored in the non-transitory memory component. The remote computing device obtains information about a user proximate to the remote computing device, identifies the user based on the obtained information, obtains an action of a user, retrieves an individual profile for the user based on the identified user, determines an intended instruction related to a task based on the action of the user related to the task and the individual profile for the user, and instructs the robot to implement the task with the actuator based on the intended instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Samuel Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Patent number: 11192253
    Abstract: A method includes providing a virtual representation of an environment of a robot. The virtual representation includes an object representation of an object in the environment. The method further includes determining an attribute of the object within the environment of the robot. The attribute includes at least one of occupancy data, force data, and deformation data pertaining to the object. The method further includes receiving a user command to control the robot to move with respect to the object, and modifying a received user command pertaining to the representation of the object based upon the attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Sam Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Patent number: 11110603
    Abstract: A method includes detecting an object in a real environment of a robot. The method further includes inferring an expected property of the object based upon a representation of the object within a representation of the real environment of the robot. The method also includes sensing, via a sensor of the robot, a presently-detected property of the object in the real environment corresponding to the expected property. The method still further includes detecting a conflict between the expected property of the object and the presently-detected property of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Sam Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Patent number: 11037264
    Abstract: A method for operating an arrival notification system at a location includes receiving a request to generate a notification from an arrival notification system. The method also includes receiving, in response to the request, a token. The method further includes enabling an output from a component of the arrival notification system when the token is validated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Samuel Zapolsky, Katarina Miller, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Patent number: 11027430
    Abstract: A method includes presenting a virtual representation of an environment of a robot, receiving a first user command to control the robot within the environment, rendering a predicted version of the virtual representation during a period of latency in which current data pertaining to the environment of the robot is not available, updating the predicted version of the virtual representation based upon a second user command received during the period of latency, and upon conclusion of the period of latency, reconciling the predicted version of the virtual representation with current data pertaining to the environment of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Sam Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Publication number: 20200294175
    Abstract: A method for operating an arrival notification system at a location includes receiving a request to generate a notification from an arrival notification system. The method also includes receiving, in response to the request, a token. The method further includes enabling an output from a component of the arrival notification system when the token is validated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Allison THACKSTON, Samuel ZAPOLSKY, Katarina MILLER, Laura STELZNER, Ron GOLDMAN
  • Patent number: 10723027
    Abstract: Robot systems including a robot, an on-premise computing device, and a cloud services system are disclosed. An on-premise computing device includes a processor and a non-transitory memory device storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive raw sensor data from a robot, pre-process the sensor data to remove unnecessary information from the sensor data and obtain pre-processed data, transmit the pre-processed data to a cloud services system, receive, from the cloud services system, an object type, an object pose, and an object location of an object corresponding to the pre-processed data, and transmit a signal to the robot based on at least one of the object type, the object pose, and the object location of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Amacker, Arshan Poursohi, Allison Thackston
  • Patent number: 10713744
    Abstract: A method for operating an arrival notification system at a location includes receiving a request to generate a notification from an arrival notification system. The method also includes receiving, in response to the request, a token. The method further includes enabling an output from a component of the arrival notification system when the token is validated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Samuel Zapolsky, Katarina Miller, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Publication number: 20200130190
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robotic device includes monitor an action of an operator of the robotic device. The method also includes inferring an intended target based on the monitored action. The method further includes determining an intended action for the intended target. The method still further includes controlling the robotic device to perform the intended action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Allison THACKSTON, Samuel ZAPOLSKY, Katarina MILLER, Laura STELZNER, Ron GOLDMAN
  • Publication number: 20200134768
    Abstract: A method for operating an arrival notification system at a location includes receiving a request to generate a notification from an arrival notification system. The method also includes receiving, in response to the request, a token. The method further includes enabling an output from a component of the arrival notification system when the token is validated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Allison THACKSTON, Samuel ZAPOLSKY, Katarina MILLER, Laura STELZNER, Ron GOLDMAN
  • Publication number: 20200114513
    Abstract: A method includes presenting a virtual representation of an environment of a robot, receiving a first user command to control the robot within the environment, rendering a predicted version of the virtual representation during a period of latency in which current data pertaining to the environment of the robot is not available, updating the predicted version of the virtual representation based upon a second user command received during the period of latency, and upon conclusion of the period of latency, reconciling the predicted version of the virtual representation with current data pertaining to the environment of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Sam Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Publication number: 20200114514
    Abstract: A method includes providing a virtual representation of an environment of a robot, the virtual representation including an object representation of an object in the environment. The method further includes receiving manipulation input from a user to teleoperate the robot for manipulation of the object. The method also includes alerting the user to an alignment dimension based upon the manipulation input, receiving confirmation input from the user to engage the alignment dimension, and constraining at least one dimension of movement of the object according to the alignment dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Sam Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Publication number: 20200114515
    Abstract: A method includes providing a virtual representation of an environment of a robot. The virtual representation includes an object representation of an object in the environment. The method further includes determining an attribute of the object within the environment of the robot. The attribute includes at least one of occupancy data, force data, and deformation data pertaining to the object. The method further includes receiving a user command to control the robot to move with respect to the object, and modifying a received user command pertaining to the representation of the object based upon the attribute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Sam Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Publication number: 20200101610
    Abstract: A method includes detecting an object in a real environment of a robot. The method further includes inferring an expected property of the object based upon a representation of the object within a representation of the real environment of the robot. The method also includes sensing, via a sensor of the robot, a presently-detected property of the object in the real environment corresponding to the expected property. The method still further includes detecting a conflict between the expected property of the object and the presently-detected property of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Sam Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman
  • Publication number: 20200101614
    Abstract: A teleoperation system includes a robot comprising an actuator configured to move at least a portion of the robot, and a remote computing device comprising: one or more processors, one or more sensors communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, a non-transitory memory component communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, and machine readable instructions stored in the non-transitory memory component. The remote computing device obtains information about a user proximate to the remote computing device, identifies the user based on the obtained information, obtains an action of a user, retrieves an individual profile for the user based on the identified user, determines an intended instruction related to a task based on the action of the user related to the task and the individual profile for the user, and instructs the robot to implement the task with the actuator based on the intended instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Allison Thackston, Samuel Zapolsky, Katarina Bouma, Laura Stelzner, Ron Goldman