Patents by Inventor Min-Ren Jean
Min-Ren Jean 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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Patent number: 11472035Abstract: An augmented reality (AR) system for production-tuning of parameters for a visual tracking robotic picking system. The robotic picking system includes one or more robots configured to pick randomly-placed and randomly-oriented parts off a conveyor belt and place the parts in an available position, either on a second moving conveyor belt or on a stationary device such as a pallet. A visual tracking system identifies position and orientation of the parts on the feed conveyor. The AR system allows picking system tuning parameters including upstream, discard and downstream boundary locations to be visualized and controlled, real-time robot pick/place operations to be viewed with virtual boundaries, and system performance parameters such as part throughput rate and part allocation by robot to be viewed. The AR system also allows virtual parts to be used in simulations, either instead of or in addition to real parts.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: FANUC AMERICA CORPORATIONInventors: Ganesh Kalbavi, Derek Jung, Leo Keselman, Min-Ren Jean, Kenneth W. Krause, Jason Tsai
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Patent number: 11163295Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a continuous machining process includes a robot, a machining tool, a table, and a raw parts supply mounted inside a machining cell enclosure. The table has first and second vises for holding parts. The machining tool is operated to machine a raw part in one of the vises while the robot is operated to pick a machined part from the other vise and then place another raw part into the other vise. The table can be fixed or rotatable. The robot places the picked machined parts on an exit conveyor to remove the machined parts from the enclosure.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2018Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: FANUC AMERICA CORPORATIONInventors: Paul Skrna, Min-Ren Jean, William Lawson, Bryan Thomas, Kyle Thornley
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Publication number: 20200159192Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a continuous machining process includes a robot, a machining tool, a table, and a raw parts supply mounted inside a machining cell enclosure. The table has first and second vises for holding parts. The machining tool is operated to machine a raw part in one of the vises while the robot is operated to pick a machined part from the other vise and then place another raw part into the other vise. The table can be fixed or rotatable. The robot places the picked machined parts on an exit conveyor to remove the machined parts from the enclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Paul Skrna, Min-Ren Jean, William Lawson, Bryan Thomas, Kyle Thornley
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Publication number: 20190389069Abstract: An augmented reality (AR) system for production-tuning of parameters for a visual tracking robotic picking system. The robotic picking system includes one or more robots configured to pick randomly-placed and randomly-oriented parts off a conveyor belt and place the parts in an available position, either on a second moving conveyor belt or on a stationary device such as a pallet. A visual tracking system identifies position and orientation of the parts on the feed conveyor. The AR system allows picking system tuning parameters including upstream, discard and downstream boundary locations to be visualized and controlled, real-time robot pick/place operations to be viewed with virtual boundaries, and system performance parameters such as part throughput rate and part allocation by robot to be viewed. The AR system also allows virtual parts to be used in simulations, either instead of or in addition to real parts.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2019Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventors: Ganesh Kalbavi, Derek Jung, Leo Keselman, Min-Ren Jean, Kenneth W. Krause, Jason Tsai
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Patent number: 10414043Abstract: A method for controlling motion of a robot relative to a conveyor flow direction of a moving conveyor includes the steps of: establishing a tracking frame for coordinating a position and movement of the robot relative to an object support surface of the conveyor; setting an upstream boundary perpendicular or skewed to a conveyor flow direction of the conveyor; setting a downstream boundary perpendicular or skewed to the conveyor flow direction; optionally setting a circular boundary partially overlapping the upstream boundary and the downstream boundary, wherein the upstream boundary, the downstream boundary and the circular boundary are positioned to define a picking area relative to the support surface; and operating the robot to pick objects from the picking area.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2017Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: FANUC AMERICA CORPORATIONInventors: Min Ren Jean, Ganesh Kalbavi, Sai-Kai Cheng
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Publication number: 20180215034Abstract: A method for controlling motion of a robot relative to a conveyor flow direction of a moving conveyor includes the steps of: establishing a tracking frame for coordinating a position and movement of the robot relative to an object support surface of the conveyor; setting an upstream boundary perpendicular or skewed to a conveyor flow direction of the conveyor; setting a downstream boundary perpendicular or skewed to the conveyor flow direction; optionally setting a circular boundary partially overlapping the upstream boundary and the downstream boundary, wherein the upstream boundary, the downstream boundary and the circular boundary are positioned to define a picking area relative to the support surface; and operating the robot to pick objects from the picking area.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Min Ren Jean, Ganesh Kalbavi, Sai-Kai Cheng
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Patent number: 9186794Abstract: A robot controller capable of easily speeding up the motion of a robot by learning, without using a special device and teaching know-how. The robot controller has a storing part which stores a reference motion pattern of the robot; an inputting part which designates at least one of a working start region where a motion of the robot based on the reference motion pattern is initiated and a working end region where the motion of the robot is terminated; an automatic generating part which automatically generates a plurality of motion patterns of the robot based on the reference motion pattern and divided regions formed by dividing a working region at a predetermined resolution; and a learning control part which learns a motion speed-up ratio for speeding up the motion by changing a velocity or acceleration in relation to each of the automatically generated motion patterns.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2014Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: FANUC CORPORATIONInventors: Hajime Suzuki, Shinichi Washizu, Min-Ren Jean
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Publication number: 20150251312Abstract: A robot controller capable of easily speeding up the motion of a robot by learning, without using a special device and teaching know-how. The robot controller has a storing part which stores a reference motion pattern of the robot; an inputting part which designates at least one of a working start region where a motion of the robot based on the reference motion pattern is initiated and a working end region where the motion of the robot is terminated; an automatic generating part which automatically generates a plurality of motion patterns of the robot based on the reference motion pattern and divided regions formed by dividing a working region at a predetermined resolution; and a learning control part which learns a motion speed-up ratio for speeding up the motion by changing a velocity or acceleration in relation to each of the automatically generated motion patterns.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2014Publication date: September 10, 2015Applicant: FANUC CORPORATIONInventors: Hajime SUZUKI, Shinichi WASHIZU, Min-Ren JEAN
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Patent number: 8315736Abstract: A system for picking and packing applications is provided. The system includes a plurality of robots and a plurality of robot controllers. Each robot controller includes a load re-balance subsystem, a load balance subsystem, a robot state change detector subsystem, a communicator subsystem, and a motion control subsystem. Each of the robot controllers is interconnected and in communication with one another via the communicator subsystems. Each of the robots has a workload that may be selectively balanced. A method for balancing the workloads of the robots using built-in processors which run motion control is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2009Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: Fanuc Robotics America, Inc.Inventors: Genesh Kalbavi, Gordon Geheb, Min-Ren Jean, Gerald A. Ross, Jason Tsai, Rick Wunderlich
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Patent number: 7853356Abstract: An apparatus and a method for optimizing robot performance includes a computer connected to the robot controller for receiving performance data of the robot as the controller executes a path program. The computer uses the performance data, user specified optimization objectives and constraints and a kinematic/dynamic simulator to generate a new set of control system parameters to replace the default set in the controller. The computer repeats the process until the new set of control system parameters is optimized.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2006Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Fanuc Robotics America, Inc.Inventors: Jason Tsai, Yi Sun, Sai-Kai Cheng, Min Ren Jean, Hadi Akeel
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Publication number: 20090271034Abstract: A system for picking and packing applications is provided. The system includes a plurality of robots and a plurality of robot controllers. Each robot controller includes a load re-balance subsystem, a load balance subsystem, a robot state change detector subsystem, a communicator subsystem, and a motion control subsystem. Each of the robot controllers is interconnected and in communication with one another via the communicator subsystems. Each of the robots has a workload that may be selectively balanced. A method for balancing the workloads of the robots using built-in processors which run motion control is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2009Publication date: October 29, 2009Inventors: Genesh Kalbavi, Gordon Geheb, Min-Ren Jean, Gerald A. Ross, Jason Tsai, Rick Wunderlich
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Patent number: 6845295Abstract: A method of controlling a robot (32) includes the steps of selecting an initial configuration from at least one of a first, second, and third sets to position a TCP at a starting point (44) along a path (33) and selecting a final configuration different than the initial configuration to position the TCP at an ending point (46). Next, the TCP moves from the starting point (44) while maintaining the initial configuration, approaches the singularity between a first point (48) and a second point (50), and selects one of the axes in response to reaching the first point (48). The angle for the selected axis is interpolated from the first point (48) to the second point (50). After the interpolation, the angles about the remaining axes are determined and positions the arms in the final configuration when the TCP reaches the second point (50) and moves to the ending point (46) while maintaining the final configuration.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2003Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Assignee: FANUC Robotics America, Inc.Inventors: Sai-Kai Cheng, Di Xiao, Chi-Keng Tsai, H. Dean McGee, Min-Ren Jean
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Publication number: 20030171847Abstract: A method of controlling a robot (32) includes the steps of selecting an initial configuration from at least one of a first, second, and third sets to position a TCP at a starting point (44) along a path (33) and selecting a final configuration different than the initial configuration to position the TCP at an ending point (46). Next, the TCP moves from the starting point (44) while maintaining the initial configuration, approaches the singularity between a first point (48) and a second point (50), and selects one of the axes in response to reaching the first point (48). The angle for the selected axis is interpolated from the first point (48) to the second point (50). After the interpolation, the angles about the remaining axes are determined and positions the arms in the final configuration when the TCP reaches the second point (50) and moves to the ending point (46) while maintaining the final configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2003Publication date: September 11, 2003Applicant: FANUC Robotics America, Inc.Inventors: Sai-Kai Cheng, Di Xiao, Chi-Keng Tsai, H. Dean McGee, Min-Ren Jean
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Patent number: 6070109Abstract: A robot calibration system includes a calibration sensor that provides an indication of when a first reference point that remains fixed relative to a robot base is a fixed distance from a second reference point that is located on the robot arm. The robot arm is moved through a plurality of orientations and each time that the fixed distance between the two reference points is achieved, robot joint position information is determined. The preferred calibration sensor includes a string that extends between the two reference points and activates a signal generator each time that the string is taut as caused by the orientation of the robot arm. The generated signal indicates that the two reference points are separated by the fixed distance. The determined robot joint positions are then used to determine a calibration factor which varies depending on the needs of a particular situation.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 1998Date of Patent: May 30, 2000Assignee: FANUC Robotics North America, Inc.Inventors: H. Dean McGee, Hadi A. Akeel, Chi-Keng Tsai, Eric Lee, Min-Ren Jean, Sai-Kai Cheng