Patents by Inventor Robert Sullivan
Robert Sullivan 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: 20240149125Abstract: A portable outdoor game that may include a ramp, a target, and one or more projectiles. The ramp may include an elongated runner and an elevation structure. The elevation structure may be positioned at one end of the runner and lift that end of the runner from a playing surface, creating an angled incline in the runner relative to the playing surface. Projectiles may roll or slide across the runner in the direction of the elevation structure. The projectiles may become airborne after traveling over the elevation structure and land within or near the target.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2023Publication date: May 9, 2024Inventors: Jason Bohman, Haley Bohman, Autumn Sullivan, Robert Sullivan
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Patent number: 11973908Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: OPEX CorporationInventors: Michael Sullivan, John Allen, David Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt, Michael York, Robert Esche, Kerry D. O'Mara, Gary Miller
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Patent number: 11952214Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle including a transfer arm including at least one finger and a movable finger support member, at least one sensor configured to detect movement of the at least one finger, the at least one sensor having a registration member and a detection member where one of the registration member and detection member is mounted to each of the at least one finger so as to be movable with a respective one of the at least one finger and the other one of the registration member and detection member is stationary relative to the at least one finger, and a controller in communication with the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to determine a position of the at least one finger along the second direction based on a proximity of the registration member relative to the detection member.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes
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Patent number: 11939158Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2021Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: John Lert, Stephen C Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Publication number: 20240067029Abstract: A charging system for autonomous transport vehicles including at least one charging contact disposed on each pick floor level of a storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a transfer station, at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact, and a controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging contact for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer and located at the transfer station, wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the charging contacts simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at the transfer station.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, Dmitry VASILYEV
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Patent number: 11884487Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a storage structure having storage shelves, each storage shelf having slats for supporting stored items where the slats are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, an autonomous transport vehicle including at least one sensor configured to sense each of the slats and output a signal indicating when a slat is sensed, and a controller for verifying a location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage structure based on at least the output signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Michael Cyrulik, Stephen C. Toebes
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Patent number: 11887178Abstract: A message management platform receives API payloads including past confirmed transactions carried out by an application builder platform and available item offerings of an application operator. The message management platform launches, at an instant messaging platform, a chat session between an agent and a user, a subscriber to the message management platform and an end-user of the application operator. The message management platform displays, for the agent, at the instant messaging platform, the past confirmed transactions of the user and the available item offerings of the application operator. The message management platform receives a selection of a set of items from the agent based on the chat session with the user and creates a virtual instance of a shopping cart representation. The message management platform generates a materialization link of the shopping cart and transmits the materialization link to the user through the instant messaging platform.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2023Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Stodge Inc.Inventors: Colin Douglas Turner, Evan Andrew Romano, Nicole Marie Perry, John Barott Fox, Nathan Patrick Killea, Mark Robert Sullivan, Rohan Bhatia, David Dennison Lacho, Tyler Jameson Reiff, Alexander Nathan Seibel, Steadman Stoness Dinning, Owen David Romano
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Patent number: 11858740Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having storage locations, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport confined to each storage level, the at least one autonomous transport being configured to transport the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to effect operation of the multilevel vertical conveyor system and at least one autonomous transport for assembling orders of uncontained case units of different types without moving bundles of the same uncontained case unit type throughout the storage and retrieval system.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2022Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes
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Publication number: 20230382655Abstract: A pickface builder for a storage and retrieval system for storing goods units and having an in-feed conveyor and a picking device, each goods unit holding at least one product package therein, the pickface builder including a frame, a pusher member movably coupled to the frame, and a snugger member movably coupled to the frame, wherein the pickface builder is configured to receive goods units from the in-feed conveyor and the pusher member and snugger member are movable at least in a direction transverse to a direction of goods unit travel on the in-feed conveyor and configured to form the goods units into a pickface picked by the picking device as a unit and having a predetermined reference datum relating the pickface to a placement position of goods units forming the pickface along a storage surface of the storage and retrieval system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, Stephen C. TOEBES
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Patent number: 11807127Abstract: A charging system for autonomous transport vehicles including at least one charging contact disposed on each pick floor level of a storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a transfer station, at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact, and a controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging contact for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer and located at the transfer station, wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the charging contacts simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at the transfer station.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2023Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Dmitry Vasilyev
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Publication number: 20230303329Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
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Patent number: 11767167Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including a storage structure with storage racks having a seating surface configured to support case units where a position of each case unit is nondeterministic for each storage location on the storage racks, each case unit has a predetermined storage position and a controller is configured to determine the predetermined storage position, a picking aisle configured to provide access to the case units within the storage structure, and a seismic disturbance restorative system including seismic disturbance motions sensors disposed on the storage racks, a seismic disturbance control module in communication with the seismic disturbance sensors and configured to identify a seismic disturbance, and an automated case mapper configured to traverse the picking aisle, the automated case mapper being in communication with and initialized by the seismic disturbance control module to identify a seated position of at least one case unit within the storage structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2022Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes
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Patent number: 11769104Abstract: An example system includes a computing system having computer memory storing instructions that are executable and one or more processing devices for executing the instructions to perform operations that include receiving data from a user device that identifies goods, and generating information representing the goods based on the data. Bins are configured to hold the good represented by the information. The bins are climate-controllable to accommodate the goods. An autonomous vehicle is configured to transport the bins. The autonomous vehicle is configured to navigate from a loading station where at least some of the goods are received in the bins to a pick-up station where the goods are released from the bins.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2020Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: AUTOGUIDE, LLCInventors: Jeremy Rockman, Robert Sullivan, Justin Holwell
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Patent number: 11724890Abstract: A pickface builder for a storage and retrieval system for storing goods units and having an in-feed conveyor and a picking device, each goods unit holding at least one product package therein, the pickface builder including a frame, a pusher member movably coupled to the frame, and a snugger member movably coupled to the frame, wherein the pickface builder is configured to receive goods units from the in-feed conveyor and the pusher member and snugger member are movable at least in a direction transverse to a direction of goods unit travel on the in-feed conveyor and configured to form the goods units into a pickface picked by the picking device as a unit and having a predetermined reference datum relating the pickface to a placement position of goods units forming the pickface along a storage surface of the storage and retrieval system.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2022Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes
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Publication number: 20230249923Abstract: A maintenance access system for a storage and retrieval system having a storage and retrieval space and automated transport vehicles disposed in the space. The system includes at least one maintenance access control unit associated with a portion of the space, at least one barrier in the space and defining a boundary of the portion of the space and configured to substantially prevent the passage of the vehicles past the at least one barrier, and a controller connected to the control unit, the controller being configured to receive a signal from the at least one control unit for isolating the portion of the space associated with the at least one control unit, where the controller in response to the signal closes the at least one barrier isolating the portion of the space and effects the removal from or shutting down of vehicles within the portion of the space.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2023Publication date: August 10, 2023Inventors: Michael CYRULIK, Robert SULLIVAN
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Publication number: 20230242340Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a transfer deck that defines a transport surface for the vehicle, at least one reciprocating lift, a first and second pickface interface station connected to the deck and spaced apart from each other, each station forming a pickface transfer interfacing between the vehicle on the deck and the lift at each station so that a pickface is transferred between the lift and the vehicle at each station, wherein the vehicle is configured to pick a first pickface at the first station, traverse the deck and buffer the first pickface, or at least a portion thereof, at the second station so that the second station has multiple pickfaces buffered on a common support in an order sequence of pickfaces according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed case pickfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2023Publication date: August 3, 2023Inventors: Juergen D. CONRAD, Robert HSIUNG, Kirill K. PANKRATOV, Robert Sullivan, Larry M. Sweet
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Publication number: 20230219755Abstract: A warehouse storage and retrieval system including an array of multilevel storage racks having at least one transfer deck, picking isles and storage areas disposed along picking isles, the storage areas being configured to hold differing loads, and a controller including a management module configured to variably size the storage areas of the array of multilevel storage rack modules and assign each of the variably sized storage areas to a corresponding one of the differing loads, wherein the storage and retrieval system is arranged to transport the differing loads for placement in the variably sized storage areas assigned by the controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2023Publication date: July 13, 2023Inventors: John LERT, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
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Publication number: 20230173939Abstract: A charging system for autonomous transport vehicles including at least one charging contact disposed on each pick floor level of a storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a transfer station, at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact, and a controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging contact for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer and located at the transfer station, wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the charging contacts simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at the transfer station.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2023Publication date: June 8, 2023Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, Dmitry VASILYEV
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Patent number: 11661279Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: SYMBOTIC LLCInventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
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Patent number: 11629015Abstract: A maintenance access system for a storage and retrieval system having a storage and retrieval space and automated transport vehicles disposed in the space. The system includes at least one maintenance access control unit associated with a portion of the space, at least one barrier in the space and defining a boundary of the portion of the space and configured to substantially prevent the passage of the vehicles past the at least one barrier, and a controller connected to the control unit, the controller being configured to receive a signal from the at least one control unit for isolating the portion of the space associated with the at least one control unit, where the controller in response to the signal closes the at least one barrier isolating the portion of the space and effects the removal from or shutting down of vehicles within the portion of the space.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Symbotic LLCInventors: Michael Cyrulik, Robert Sullivan