Patents by Inventor Jacob Thomson

Jacob Thomson 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: 10614588
    Abstract: A method for vehicle positioning or navigation utilizing associated feature pairs may include creating a plurality of associated feature pairs by retrieving an initial set of camera data from the camera comprising two-dimensional UV space information, forming pairs from the UV space information, and associating each pair from the UV space information with pairs from each of the plurality of three-dimensional global feature points of the industrial facility map, calculating a best estimate poses from calculated vehicle poses of the associated feature pairs, using an accumulated odometry to update the best estimate pose to a current localized position and setting a seed position as the current localized position. The navigation of the materials handling vehicle is tracked and/or navigated along the inventory transit surface navigate in at least a partially automated manner utilizing the current localized position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: CROWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kashyap Chandrasekar, Ryan Estep, Jacob Thomson, Lucas Waltz
  • Publication number: 20180247428
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for vehicle positioning or navigation utilizing associated feature pairs may include creating a plurality of associated feature pairs by retrieving an initial set of camera data from the camera comprising two-dimensional UV space information, forming pairs from the UV space information, and associating each pair from the UV space information with pairs from each of the plurality of three-dimensional global feature points of the industrial facility map, calculating a best estimate poses from calculated vehicle poses of the associated feature pairs, using an accumulated odometry to update the best estimate pose to a current localized position and setting a seed position as the current localized position. The navigation of the materials handling vehicle is tracked and/or navigated along the inventory transit surface navigate in at least a partially automated manner utilizing the current localized position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Kashyap Chandrasekar, Ryan Estep, Jacob Thomson, Lucas Waltz
  • Patent number: 9984467
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for vehicle positioning or navigation utilizing associated feature pairs may include creating a plurality of associated feature pairs by retrieving an initial set of camera data from the camera comprising two-dimensional UV space information, forming pairs from the UV space information, and associating each pair from the UV space information with pairs from each of the plurality of three-dimensional global feature points of the industrial facility map, calculating a best estimate poses from calculated vehicle poses of the associated feature pairs, using an accumulated odometry to update the best estimate pose to a current localized position and setting a seed position as the current localized position. The navigation of the materials handling vehicle is tracked and/or navigated along the inventory transit surface navigate in at least a partially automated manner utilizing the current localized position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Kashyap Chandrasekar, Ryan Estep, Jacob Thomson, Lucas Waltz
  • Patent number: 9606540
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for environmental based localization may include capturing an input image of a ceiling comprising a plurality of skylights. Features can be extracted from the input image. The features can be grouped into a plurality of feature groups such that each of the feature groups is associated with one of the skylights. Line segments can be extracted from the features of each feature group, automatically, with one or more processors executing a feature extraction algorithm on each feature group separately. At least two selected lines of the line segments of each feature groups can be selected. A centerline for each of the feature groups can be determined based at least in part upon the two selected lines. The center line of each of the feature groups can be associated with one of the skylights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Bell, Kashyap Chandrasekar, Lucas B. Waltz, Jacob Thomson
  • Patent number: 9349181
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for lost vehicle recovery utilizing associated feature pairs may include, for a materials handling vehicle determined to be lost, creating a plurality of associated feature pairs by retrieving a subsequent set of camera data from a camera comprising two-dimensional UV space information, forming pairs from the UV space information, and associating each formed pair with pairs from each of a plurality of three-dimensional global feature points of an industrial facility map. The method may further include calculating a best estimate pose from calculated vehicle poses of the associated feature pairs based on a highest-rated pair of the plurality of associated feature pairs, using an accumulated odometry to update the best estimate pose to a current localized position, updating the seed position as the current localized position, and operating the materials handling vehicle utilizing the updated seed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Limited
    Inventors: Kashyap Chandrasekar, Ryan Estep, Jacob Thomson, Lucas Waltz
  • Publication number: 20160011595
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for environmental based localization may include capturing an input image of a ceiling comprising a plurality of skylights. Features can be extracted from the input image. The features can be grouped into a plurality of feature groups such that each of the feature groups is associated with one of the skylights. Line segments can be extracted from the features of each feature group, automatically, with one or more processors executing a feature extraction algorithm on each feature group separately. At least two selected lines of the line segments of each feature groups can be selected. A centerline for each of the feature groups can be determined based at least in part upon the two selected lines. The center line of each of the feature groups can be associated with one of the skylights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: CROWN EQUIPMENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Mark Bell, Kashyap Chandrasekar, Lucas B. Waltz, Jacob Thomson
  • Publication number: 20150379704
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for lost vehicle recovery utilizing associated feature pairs may include, for a materials handling vehicle determined to be lost, creating a plurality of associated feature pairs by retrieving a subsequent set of camera data from a camera comprising two-dimensional UV space information, forming pairs from the UV space information, and associating each formed pair with pairs from each of a plurality of three-dimensional global feature points of an industrial facility map. The method may further include calculating a best estimate pose from calculated vehicle poses of the associated feature pairs based on a highest-rated pair of the plurality of associated feature pairs, using an accumulated odometry to update the best estimate pose to a current localized position, updating the seed position as the current localized position, and operating the materials handling vehicle utilizing the updated seed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: CROWN EQUIPMENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Kashyap Chandrasekar, Ryan Estep, Jacob Thomson, Lucas Waltz
  • Publication number: 20150379715
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for vehicle positioning or navigation utilizing associated feature pairs may include creating a plurality of associated feature pairs by retrieving an initial set of camera data from the camera comprising two-dimensional UV space information, forming pairs from the UV space information, and associating each pair from the UV space information with pairs from each of the plurality of three-dimensional global feature points of the industrial facility map, calculating a best estimate poses from calculated vehicle poses of the associated feature pairs, using an accumulated odometry to update the best estimate pose to a current localized position and setting a seed position as the current localized position. The navigation of the materials handling vehicle is tracked and/or navigated along the inventory transit surface navigate in at least a partially automated manner utilizing the current localized position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: CROWN EQUIPMENT LIMITED
    Inventors: Kashyap Chandrasekar, Ryan Estep, Jacob Thomson, Lucas Waltz
  • Patent number: 9170581
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for environmental based localization may include capturing an input image of a ceiling comprising a plurality of skylights. Features can be extracted from the input image. The features can be grouped into a plurality of feature groups such that each of the feature groups is associated with one of the skylights. Line segments can be extracted from the features of each feature group, automatically, with one or more processors executing a feature extraction algorithm on each feature group separately. At least two selected lines of the line segments of each feature groups can be selected. A centerline for each of the feature groups can be determined based at least in part upon the two selected lines. The center line of each of the feature groups can be associated with one of the skylights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Limited
    Inventors: Mark Bell, Kashyap Chandrasekar, Lucas B. Waltz, Jacob Thomson
  • Publication number: 20150094900
    Abstract: According to the embodiments described herein, a method for environmental based localization may include capturing an input image of a ceiling comprising a plurality of skylights. Features can be extracted from the input image. The features can be grouped into a plurality of feature groups such that each of the feature groups is associated with one of the skylights. Line segments can be extracted from the features of each feature group, automatically, with one or more processors executing a feature extraction algorithm on each feature group separately. At least two selected lines of the line segments of each feature groups can be selected. A centerline for each of the feature groups can be determined based at least in part upon the two selected lines. The center line of each of the feature groups can be associated with one of the skylights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Crown Equipment Limited
    Inventors: Mark Bell, Kashyap Chandrasekar, Lucas B. Waltz, Jacob Thomson