Patents by Inventor Steven Pollack

Steven Pollack 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: 11498217
    Abstract: Methods of calibrating a position of a component include providing a robot with a gripper and crush and crash sensors, a calibration tool coupled to the gripper, and the component, which has a recess and a crush zone. The methods also include moving the gripper in a first direction to sense contact between the calibration tool and the crush zone, recording the contact position, and moving the gripper to insert the tool into the recess. The gripper is then moved in second directions to sense contact between the tool and the recess and moved in third directions to also sense contact between the tool and the recess. The methods further include recording and processing the contact positions to determine a surface location in the first direction and a physical center of the recess. Robot calibration apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Pollack, Steven Pollack
  • Patent number: 11241788
    Abstract: Methods of positioning a gripper to pick or place a specimen container from a sample rack. One method includes providing a robot including the gripper, the gripper moveable in a coordinate system by the robot and including gripper fingers, providing a sample rack including receptacles containing specimen containers, providing data, obtained by imaging, regarding the specimen containers in the sample rack, and dynamically orienting the gripper based upon the data. The data may include population and/or configuration data and the dynamic orientation may include gripper finger opening distance, gripper finger rotational position, and/or gripper offset distance. Gripper positioning apparatus for carrying out the method are disclosed, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Pollack, Steven Pollack
  • Patent number: 11209447
    Abstract: Methods of operating a gripper are provided. The methods include providing a robot including the gripper, the gripper moveable by the robot and including gripper fingers, providing a sample rack including receptacles accessible by the gripper, at least some of the receptacles adapted to contain specimen containers, providing data, obtained by imaging, regarding the sample rack and the specimen containers therein, and determining, based on the data, an accessible target receptacle for one of a pick operation or a place operation. Apparatus and systems configured to carry out the methods are provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Pollack, Steven Pollack
  • Publication number: 20190299415
    Abstract: Methods of calibrating a position of a component using onboard crush and crash sensors. The method includes providing the robot with gripper and crush and crash sensors, providing a calibration tool coupled to the gripper, and providing a component including a recess and crush zone. The method includes moving the gripper in a first Controller direction to sense contact between the calibration tool and crush zone, and recording the contact position. Likewise, the gripper is moved to insert the tool into the recess, followed by moving the gripper in second directions and sensing contact between the tool and recess, and moving the gripper in third directions and sensing contact between the tool and recess. Contact positions are recorded and processed to determine a surface location in the first direction and physical center of the recess. Robot calibration apparatus for carrying out the method are disclosed, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Pollack, Steven Pollack
  • Publication number: 20190250180
    Abstract: Methods of operating a gripper are provided. The methods include providing a robot including the gripper, the gripper moveable by the robot and including gripper fingers, providing a sample rack including receptacles accessible by the gripper, at least some of the receptacles adapted to contain specimen containers, providing data, obtained by imaging, regarding the sample rack and the specimen containers therein, and determining, based on the data, an accessible target receptacle for one of a pick operation or a place operation. Apparatus and systems configured to carry out the methods are provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. POLLACK, Steven POLLACK
  • Publication number: 20190160666
    Abstract: Methods of positioning a gripper to pick or place a specimen container from a sample rack. One method includes providing a robot including the gripper, the gripper moveable in a coordinate system by the robot and including gripper fingers, providing a sample rack including receptacles containing specimen containers, providing data, obtained by imaging, regarding the specimen containers in the sample rack, and dynamically orienting the gripper based upon the data. The data may include population and/or configuration data and the dynamic orientation may include gripper finger opening distance, gripper finger rotational position, and/or gripper offset distance. Gripper positioning apparatus for carrying out the method are disclosed, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Pollack, Steven Pollack
  • Publication number: 20100272117
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide for transfer of data between data modules. At least two crossbar switches are employed, where input nodes and output nodes of each crossbar switch are coupled to corresponding data modules. The ith crossbar switch has an Ni-input by Mi-output switch fabric, wherein Ni and Mi are positive integers greater than one. Each crossbar switch includes an input buffer at each input node, a crosspoint buffer at each crosspoint of the switch fabric, and an output buffer at each output node. The input buffer has an arbiter that reads data packets from the input buffer according to a first scheduling algorithm. An arbiter reads data packets from a crosspoint buffer queue according to a second scheduling algorithm. The output node receives segments of data packets provided from one or more corresponding crosspoint buffers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Ephrem Wu, Ting Zhou, Steven Pollack
  • Patent number: 5018266
    Abstract: A tool changer including male and female flanges for connecting end effectors to robot arms. A male flange having a tapered projection is inserted into a tapered opening in a female flange having a rod coaxial with the diameter of the tapered opening. A rotatable locking stud is aligned within an opening in the male projection and includes a slot having locking grooves at its lower end. The stud is rotated through an angle causing the male and female flanges to be drawn together until the cooperating tapers are seated together. A spring retains the flanges in the locked position. A cooperating pin and pin receiving socket respectively provided on the male and female flanges at locations displaced from the male and female tapers are utilized to assure proper orientation between flanges and to prevent rotation of the flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Megamation Incorporated
    Inventors: James Hutchinson, Brian Hoffman, Steven Pollack
  • Patent number: 4875275
    Abstract: A tool changer including male and female flanges for respectively connecting end effectors to robot arms and the like. A male flange assembly having a tapered projection is inserted into a tapered female flange member having a rod aligned along the diameter of the tapered opening. A rotatably mounted locking stud is aligned within an opening in the male tapered projection and is machined to provide a slot having locking grooves as its lower end. The stud is rotated through a 35 degree angle causing the male and female flanges to be drawn together until the cooperating tapers are seated together. A spring retains the flanges in the locked position. A cooperating pin and pin receiving socket respectively provided on the male and female flanges at locations displaced from the male and female tapers are utilized to assure the proper orientation between flanges and to prevent rotation of the flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: Megamation Incoporated
    Inventors: James Hutchinson, Brian Hoffman, Steven Pollack
  • Patent number: 4835424
    Abstract: A laminated platen for use with linear motors and the like having a laminated substructure comprised of ferromagnetic plates interspersed with insulating plates. Spaced parallel grooves are formed in the subsurface lamination in which a transverse lamination structure of alternating ferromagnetic and insulator plates are arranged to significantly reduce eddy currents in mutually perpendicular directions. A grid-like pattern is machined into the operating surface and cooperates with electromagnets in the linear motor to affect movement of linear motor along said operating surface in mutually perpendicular directions. Plural linear motors may be operated upon a common surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Megamation Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian D. Hoffman, Steven Pollack