Patents by Inventor Benjamin E. Nilson

Benjamin E. Nilson 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).

  • Publication number: 20230159284
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, systems, computing devices, and/or the like are provided. An example method may include determining a height value associated with a highest object on a pallet; causing a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor to travel to a height based at least in part on the height value; determining whether a detection signal from the LiDAR sensor indicates a first clear status; in response to determining that the detection signal indicates the first clear status, causing a robotic arm to lift the object until the detection signal indicates a blocked status and then a second clear status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin E. NILSON, Thomas EVANS, Sai Prasanth KRISHNAMOORTHY, Thomas S. SIMONE, Mayank PATHAK, Kevin J. WITWER, Matthew C. GERMER, Katayoon GOSHVADI, Patrick LEWIS
  • Patent number: 10662007
    Abstract: Robotic carton loader or unloader incorporates three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) sensors to detect respectively a 3D point cloud and a 2D image of a carton pile within transportation carrier such as a truck trailer or shipping container. Edge detection is performed using the 3D point cloud, discarding segments that are two small to be part of a product such as a carton. Segments that are too large to correspond to a carton are 2D image processed to detect additional edges. Results from 3D and 2D edge detection are converted in a calibrated 3D space of the material carton loader or unloader to perform one of loading or unloading of the transportation carrier. Image processing can also detect jamming of products sequence from individually controllable zones of a conveyor of the robotic carton loader or unloader for singulated unloading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Yuvaraj, Sriram Pavan Tankasala, Benjamin E. Nilson, Feng Zhang, Matthew R. Wicks
  • Publication number: 20190352110
    Abstract: Robotic carton loader or unloader incorporates three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) sensors to detect respectively a 3D point cloud and a 2D image of a carton pile within transportation carrier such as a truck trailer or shipping container. Edge detection is performed using the 3D point cloud, discarding segments that are two small to be part of a product such as a carton. Segments that are too large to correspond to a carton are 2D image processed to detect additional edges. Results from 3D and 2D edge detection are converted in a calibrated 3D space of the material carton loader or unloader to perform one of loading or unloading of the transportation carrier. Image processing can also detect jamming of products sequence from individually controllable zones of a conveyor of the robotic carton loader or unloader for singulated unloading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Yuvaraj, Sriram Pavan Tankasala, Benjamin E. Nilson, Feng Zhang, Matthew R. Wicks
  • Patent number: 10315866
    Abstract: Robotic carton loader or unloader incorporates three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) sensors to detect respectively a 3D point cloud and a 2D image of a carton pile within transportation carrier such as a truck trailer or shipping container. Edge detection is performed using the 3D point cloud, discarding segments that are two small to be part of a product such as a carton. Segments that are too large to correspond to a carton are 2D image processed to detect additional edges. Results from 3D and 2D edge detection are converted in a calibrated 3D space of the material carton loader or unloader to perform one of loading or unloading of the transportation carrier. Image processing can also detect jamming of products sequence from individually controllable zones of a conveyor of the robotic carton loader or unloader for singulated unloading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Yuvaraj, Sriram Pavan Tankasala, Benjamin E. Nilson, Feng Zhang, Matthew R. Wicks
  • Publication number: 20180111769
    Abstract: Robotic carton loader or unloader incorporates three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) sensors to detect respectively a 3D point cloud and a 2D image of a carton pile within transportation carrier such as a truck trailer or shipping container. Edge detection is performed using the 3D point cloud, discarding segments that are two small to be part of a product such as a carton. Segments that are too large to correspond to a carton are 2D image processed to detect additional edges. Results from 3D and 2D edge detection are converted in a calibrated 3D space of the material carton loader or unloader to perform one of loading or unloading of the transportation carrier. Image processing can also detect jamming of products sequence from individually controllable zones of a conveyor of the robotic carton loader or unloader for singulated unloading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Yuvaraj, Sriram Pavan Tankasala, Benjamin E. Nilson, Feng Zhang, Matthew R. Wicks