Patents by Inventor Christopher Vernon Jones
Christopher Vernon Jones 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).
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Publication number: 20160378111Abstract: A system for controlling one or more remote vehicles. The system includes an operator control unit with a touch-screen user interface comprising an initial screen including a map view window that facilitates operator entry of mission commands to one or more remote vehicles, a remote vehicle selection/detection window allowing the operator to see which remote vehicles have been detected by the operator control unit and select among those vehicles to display a detailed window for the selected remote vehicle, the detailed window including status information regarding the remote vehicle, and a button or icon for launching a control application including the initial screen and the remote vehicle selection/detection window. The map view window displays a map of a remote vehicle environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2013Publication date: December 29, 2016Applicant: iRobot CorporationInventors: Scott R. Lenser, Christopher Vernon Jones, Brian Masao Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8727410Abstract: A method for manipulating an object with a remote vehicle having a manipulator attached to a manipulator arm. The manipulator comprises a jamming or other phase change material in a housing. The method comprises pressing the manipulator housing to the object, activating the jamming or other phase change material to cause the manipulator to grasp the object, and moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle to manipulate the object.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2010Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Christopher Vernon Jones, Erik Edward Steltz, Annan Michael Mozeika
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Patent number: 8577538Abstract: A system for controlling more than one remote vehicle. The system comprises an operator control unit allowing an operator to receive information from the remote vehicles and send commands to the remote vehicles via a touch-screen interface, the remote vehicles being capable of performing autonomous behaviors using information received from at least one sensor on each remote vehicle. The operator control unit sends commands to the remote vehicles to perform autonomous behaviors in a cooperative effort, such that high-level mission commands entered by the operator cause the remote vehicles to perform more than one autonomous behavior sequentially or concurrently. The system may perform a method for generating obstacle detection information from image data received from one of a time-of-flight sensor and a stereo vision camera sensor.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2007Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Scott Raymond Lenser, Christopher Vernon Jones, Brian Masao Yamauchi
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Patent number: 8577126Abstract: A method for facilitating cooperation between humans and remote vehicles comprises creating image data, detecting humans within the image data, extracting gesture information from the image data, mapping the gesture information to a remote vehicle behavior, and activating the remote vehicle behavior. Alternatively, voice commands can by used to activate the remote vehicle behavior.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2008Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Christopher Vernon Jones, Odest Chadwicke Jenkins, Matthew M. Loper
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Patent number: 8548626Abstract: A method and device for manipulating an object is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a gripping device configured to grasp the object includes a housing, a jamming material inside the housing, a first actuator to actuate the jamming material, a first pressure activation device disposed on a first outer portion of the housing and configured to exert a constricting force on the first outer portion of the housing, and a second actuator to actuate the first pressure activation device. After the end effector is pressed against the object, the second actuator actuates the first pressure activation device to exert an inward force on the first outer portion of the housing and the first actuator actuates the jamming material to grasp the object.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2011Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Erik Edward Steltz, Annan Michael Mozeika, Christopher Vernon Jones, Nicholas Roy Corson
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Publication number: 20120290152Abstract: A method for controlling unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one unmanned vehicle. The method comprises: providing an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track the target; communicating and exchanging data to and among the unmanned ground vehicles; controlling the unmanned air vehicle and the unmanned ground vehicle to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned air vehicles; geolocating the predetermined target with the unmanned air vehicle using information regarding a position of the unmanned air vehicle and information regarding a position of the target relative to the unmanned air vehicle; and transmitting information defining the geolocation of the predetermined target to the unmanned ground vehicle so that the unmanned ground vehicle can perform path planning based on the geolocation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2012Publication date: November 15, 2012Inventors: Carol Carlin Cheung, Brian Masao Yamauchi, Christopher Vernon Jones, Mark Bourne Moseley, Sanjiv Singh, Christopher Michael Geyer, Benjamin Peter Grocholsky, Earl Clyde Cox
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Patent number: 8244469Abstract: A collaborative engagement system comprises: at least two unmanned vehicles comprising an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track a target; and a controller facilitating control of, and communication and exchange of data to and among the unmanned vehicles, the controller facilitating data exchange via a common protocol. The collaborative engagement system controls the unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned vehicles.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Carol Carlin Cheung, Brian Masao Yamauchi, Christopher Vernon Jones, Mark Bourne Moseley, Sanjiv Singh, Christopher Michael Geyer, Benjamin Peter Grocholsky, Earl Clyde Cox
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Publication number: 20120038180Abstract: A method and device for manipulating an object is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a gripping device configured to grasp the object includes a housing, a jamming material inside the housing, a first actuator to actuate the jamming material, a first pressure activation device disposed on a first outer portion of the housing and configured to exert a constricting force on the first outer portion of the housing, and a second actuator to actuate the first pressure activation device. After the end effector is pressed against the object, the second actuator actuates the first pressure activation device to exert an inward force on the first outer portion of the housing and the first actuator actuates the jamming material to grasp the object.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2011Publication date: February 16, 2012Inventors: Erik Edward Steltz, Annan Michael Mozeika, Christopher Vernon Jones, Nicholas Roy Corson
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Publication number: 20100217436Abstract: A method for manipulating an object with a remote vehicle having a manipulator attached to a manipulator arm. The manipulator comprises a jamming or other phase change material in a housing. The method comprises pressing the manipulator housing to the object, activating the jamming or other phase change material to cause the manipulator to grasp the object, and moving one or more of the manipulator arm and the remote vehicle to manipulate the object.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2010Publication date: August 26, 2010Inventors: Christopher Vernon Jones, Erik Edward Steltz, Annan Michael Mozeika
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Publication number: 20100066587Abstract: A system for controlling a remote vehicle comprises: a LIDAR sensor, a stereo vision camera, and a UWB radar sensor; a sensory processor configured to process data from one or more of the LIDAR sensor, the stereo vision camera, and the UWB radar sensor; and a remote vehicle primary processor configured to receive data from the sensory processor and utilize the data to perform an obstacle avoidance behavior.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Inventors: Brian Masao Yamauchi, Christopher Vernon Jones, Scott Raymond Lenser
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Publication number: 20100054903Abstract: A method for manipulating an object with a remote vehicle having an end effector attached to a manipulator arm. The end effector comprises a jamming material in a housing. The method comprises pressing the end effector housing to the object, activating the jamming material to grasp the object, and moving the manipulator arm to manipulate the object.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2009Publication date: March 4, 2010Inventors: Christopher Vernon Jones, Erik Edward Steltz, Annan Michael Mozeika
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Publication number: 20100017046Abstract: A collaborative engagement system comprises: at least two unmanned vehicles comprising an unmanned air vehicle including sensors configured to locate a target and an unmanned ground vehicle including sensors configured to locate and track a target; and a controller facilitating control of, and communication and exchange of data to and among the unmanned vehicles, the controller facilitating data exchange via a common protocol. The collaborative engagement system controls the unmanned vehicles to maintain line-of-sight between a predetermined target and at least one of the unmanned vehicles.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2009Publication date: January 21, 2010Inventors: Carol Carlin Cheung, Brian Masao Yamauchi, Christopher Vernon Jones, Mark Bourne Moseley, Sanjiv Singh, Christopher Michael Geyer, Benjamin Peter Grocholsky, Earl Clyde Cox
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Publication number: 20090180668Abstract: A method for facilitating cooperation between humans and remote vehicles comprises creating image data, detecting humans within the image data, extracting gesture information from the image data, mapping the gesture information to a remote vehicle behavior, and activating the remote vehicle behavior. Alternatively, voice commands can by used to activate the remote vehicle behavior.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2009Publication date: July 16, 2009Inventors: Christopher Vernon Jones, Odest Chadwicke Jenkins, Matthew M. Loper
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Publication number: 20080253613Abstract: A method for facilitating cooperation between humans and remote vehicles comprises creating image data, detecting humans within the image data, extracting gesture information from the image data, mapping the gesture information to a remote vehicle behavior, and activating the remote vehicle behavior. Alternatively, voice commands can by used to activate the remote vehicle behavior.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2008Publication date: October 16, 2008Inventors: Christopher Vernon Jones, Odest Chadwicke Jenkins, Matthew M. Loper