Relative Attitude Indication Along 3 Axes With Photodetection Patents (Class 356/139.03)
  • Patent number: 11614528
    Abstract: A setting method of a monitoring system including a light projecting and receiving unit having an emitting section and a scanning section to make light flux scan within a monitoring space, a processing section to measure a distance to an object by processing signals from the light projecting and receiving unit and to output a measurement point marker group provided with three-dimensional distance information for each measurement point, a display device, and a user interface to perform input of temporary attitude information, includes: inputting the temporary attitude information via the user interface to adjust an attitude or position of the measurement point marker group displayed on the display device; performing coordinate conversion for at least the measurement point marker group on a basis of the temporary attitude information having been input; and displaying the measurement point marker group after having been subjected to the coordinate conversion on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Junichi Fujita
  • Patent number: 11543249
    Abstract: An assistive navigational system for deployment in a facility having a global frame of reference includes: a server including a memory storing: a plurality of anchor definitions each containing (i) an anchor position in the global frame of reference, and (ii) a feature set corresponding to physical characteristics of the facility at the anchor position; and a task definition containing (i) a task position defined relative to the anchor position, and (ii) task overlay data; the server further including a communications interface, and a processor configured to: select one of the anchor definitions for association with the task definition; and transmit the selected anchor definition and the task definition to a mobile computing device, the mobile computing device configured to receive the selected anchor definition and the task definition; the mobile computing device further configured to present the task overlay data on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrenahalli M. Narendra, Joseph R. White
  • Patent number: 11397264
    Abstract: A system simultaneously tracks multiple objects. All or a subset of the objects includes a wireless receiver and a transmitter for providing an output. The system includes one or more wireless transmitters that send commands to the wireless receivers of the multiple objects instructing different subsets of the multiple objects to output (via their respective transmitter) at different times. The system also includes object sensors that receive output from the transmitters of the multiple objects and a computer system in communication with the object sensors. The computer system calculates locations of the multiple objects based on the sensed output from the multiple objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SPORTSMEDIA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard H. Cavallaro, James Orville McGuffin, John Roy Borton
  • Patent number: 11327162
    Abstract: The technology relates to fiducials for calibrating or validating a vehicle's sensors. One or more computing devices receive a plurality of data sets captured by the sensors from the plurality of fiducials. Each of the data sets corresponds to a respective sensor of the plurality of sensors. The one or more computing devices determine whether data in each of the plurality of data sets contains expected data representative of a respective fiducial of the plurality of fiducials. For each of the respective sensors, the one or more computing devices output a calibration status or a validation status associated with each data set that contains the expected data representative of the respective fiducial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Volker Grabe, Andrew Crawford
  • Patent number: 11266530
    Abstract: A route guidance and obstacle avoidance system for the visually impaired includes a main body assembly worn around the body of the user and a headset assembly worn around the head of the user. The system incorporates obstacle avoidance technology and navigation technology to generate a 3D audio output to a user so as to generate an audible virtual environment reflective of the physical environment of the user. The assemblies include line of sight sensors, a central processing unit, a navigation module, and a camera assembly. Obstacles are detected and classified with a location and distance, and are concurrently processed with real time navigation that is adjusted to instruct not only how to get to a location but also how to avoid obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventor: Jennifer Hendrix
  • Patent number: 11243074
    Abstract: A system and method for aligning a target to a vehicle for calibration of a sensor equipped on the vehicle includes multiple non-contact wheel alignment sensors configured for use in determining the orientation of tire and wheel assemblies of the vehicle. A target adjustment frame includes a target mount moveably mounted on a base frame, and includes multiple actuators configured to selectively move the target mount relative to the base frame, where the base frame is in a known orientation to the non-contact wheel alignment sensors. A computer system selectively actuates the actuators to position a target relative to the vehicle, with the target mount being moveable about a plurality of axes based on the determination of the orientation of the vehicle relative to the target adjustment frame to position the target relative to a sensor of the vehicle whereby the sensor is able to be calibrated using the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: BPG Sales and Technology Investments, LLC
    Inventors: David M. DeBoer, Brecht Desmet, Ryan M. Jefferies, Jon D. Lawrence, Thijs Pirmez, Ward Van de Walle, Fredriek Vanneste, Ben Wahlstrom, Nicholas R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 11186365
    Abstract: A service system and method using flying service equipment are disclosed. In the service system, flying service equipment such as a drone can be remotely piloted by an operator to perform activities such as installing, configuring, and testing distributed devices such as fire detection devices in a fire alarm system. The service system performs these activities upon distributed devices of a building management system. For this purpose, the service system includes a drone, and a service payload carried by the drone for performing the activities on the distributed devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: BENTEL SECURITY S.R.L.
    Inventors: Paolo Illuminati, Gianfranco Locantore
  • Patent number: 11030897
    Abstract: A communication device, notably for motor vehicles, including a transmission system equipped with a light source designed to emit an initial light beam, the transmission system being configured for generating a first light beam polarized in a first direction starting from the initial light beam, the transmission system furthermore including a modulator of the direction of polarization of the first polarized light beam in such a manner as to transmit information, the device furthermore including a receiver system configured for detecting the first polarized light beam when it is polarized in the first direction and for transmitting the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: David Hue, Marine Courcier, Vanesa Sanchez, Kostadin Beev, Pierre Albou
  • Patent number: 11015938
    Abstract: An assistive navigational system for deployment in a facility having a global frame of reference includes: a server including a memory storing: a plurality of anchor definitions each containing (i) an anchor position in the global frame of reference, and (ii) a feature set corresponding to physical characteristics of the facility at the anchor position; and a task definition containing (i) a task position defined relative to the anchor position, and (ii) task overlay data; the server further including a communications interface, and a processor configured to: select one of the anchor definitions for association with the task definition; and transmit the selected anchor definition and the task definition to a mobile computing device, the mobile computing device configured to receive the selected anchor definition and the task definition; the mobile computing device further configured to present the task overlay data on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrenahalli M. Narendra, Joseph R. White
  • Patent number: 11015956
    Abstract: A method for in-line sensor calibration are provided, comprising: obtaining sensor data from a plurality of sensors of different types coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while the UAV is in flight, wherein the plurality of sensors have an initial spatial configuration relative to one another; detecting, with aid of a processor, a change in a spatial configuration of the plurality of sensors relative to one another from the initial spatial configuration to a subsequent spatial configuration, based on the sensor data; determining the subsequent spatial configuration; and adjusting data, while the UAV is in flight, from at least one of the plurality of sensors based on the subsequent spatial configuration. The disclosure also relates to an apparatus for sensor calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ketan Tang, Yongjian Zhao, Bing Li, Guyue Zhou
  • Patent number: 10969493
    Abstract: A technique is provided for measuring attitude of an aerial vehicle without using a highly accurate IMU. A total station (TS) for tracking a UAV includes a laser scanner. The laser scanner is made to emit laser scanning light to the UAV that is flying. The UAV has four identifiable targets, and identification and locating of the four targets are performed by means of laser scanning. The attitude of the UAV is calculated on the basis of the locations of the four targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOPCON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nishita, You Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10884551
    Abstract: An integrated gesture sensor module includes an optical sensor die, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) die, and an optical emitter die disposed in a single package. The optical sensor die and ASIC die can be disposed in a first cavity of the package, and the optical emitter die can be disposed in a second cavity of the package. The second cavity can be conical or step-shaped so that the opening defining the cavity increases with distance from the upper surface of the optical emitter die. The upper surface of the optical emitter die may be higher than the upper surface of the optical sensor die. An optical barrier positioned between the first and second cavities can include a portion of a pre-molded, laminate, or ceramic package, molding compound, and/or metallized vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Dipak Sengupta, Shrenik Deliwala, Ying Zhao, Bruce Fried, William Schoppee, Woodrow Beckford
  • Patent number: 10816813
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing the accuracy of spatial location and rotational orientation determination of a wearable head-mounted display device while in a motion simulating vehicle are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: generate output signals conveying vehicle information; generate output signals conveying user information of a user; obtain presentation information; determine, based on the user information and the vehicle information, spatial location and rotational orientation of the wearable head-mounted display device with respect to a reference frame such that accuracy of the determination is enhanced with respect to only using the user information; determine a view of the virtual space that corresponds to the spatial location and the rotational orientation of the wearable head-mounted display device determined; and effectuate, via the wearable head-mounted display device, presentation of the view of the virtual space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Goslin, Timothy M. Panec, Corey D. Drake, Jason Yeung
  • Patent number: 10751152
    Abstract: In this invention, a high-accuracy jaw motion tracking system and method using the same are disclosed. The jaw motion tracking system of the invention mainly comprises an eyewear facebow static positioning device, a lower jaw dynamic tracking device and a stereo-vision charge-coupled device (CCD) and can provide information regarding the locations and relative movement of lower and upper jaws. The eyewear facebow static positioning device has several passive and active reflective markers. The lower jaw dynamic tracking device equips with a plural of lightweight light emitting devices. Using OpenCV-based self-developed algorithm and post-iterative compensator, the disclosed system can record the dynamical jaw movement with a high accuracy. The disclosed jaw motion tracking system and related method have minimal occlusal disturbance and provide smooth motion-tracking performance. The disclosed system can be used in clinical dentistry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL YANG-MING UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Liang-Yuan Cheng, Chih-Yu Hsu, Shyh-Yuan Lee, Yuan-Min Lin
  • Patent number: 10654170
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot arm having a first joint part and a second joint part located closer to a distal end side than the first joint part, an optical fiber the performs optical communications within the first joint part, and a first optical space transmission section that performs optical space transmission within the second joint part. The robot arm has a plurality of joint parts, and the second joint part is the joint part located on the most distal end side of the plurality of joint parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Hara
  • Patent number: 10634494
    Abstract: A method for taking partially overlapping images of a ground surface from a camera arranged in an aircraft or a spacecraft, the method including: while the aircraft or the spacecraft is moving, acquiring images at different instants in time, separated by time intervals; detecting, during the moving, position information representative of a position and orientation information representative of an orientation of the aircraft of the spacecraft; using the position information, the orientation information, and the camera's viewing angle to determine maximal values of time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap can be obtained; and adjusting the intervals towards the maximal values so as to minimize the number of the acquired images while maintaining the predetermined amount of spatial overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Stefan Livens, Bavo Delaure
  • Patent number: 10578434
    Abstract: A method for taking partially overlapping images of a ground surface from a camera arranged in an aircraft or a spacecraft, the method including: while the aircraft or the spacecraft is moving, acquiring images at different instants in time, separated by time intervals; detecting, during the moving, position information representative of a position and orientation information representative of an orientation of the aircraft of the spacecraft; using the position information, the orientation information, and the camera's viewing angle to determine maximal values of time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap can be obtained; and adjusting the intervals towards the maximal values so as to minimize the number of the acquired images while maintaining the predetermined amount of spatial overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: VITO NV
    Inventors: Stefan Livens, Bavo Delaure
  • Patent number: 10571277
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a charger, and a method, an apparatus and a system for finding charger based on map constructing, which are performed by means of: when a map for an area to be localized with a charger arranged in is constructed in real time by a mobile electronic device, the constructed map is updated based on coordinate values of a shift position of the charger when the mobile electronic device receives the coordinate values of the shift position of the charger transmitted by the charger which has shifted. Therefore, when the charger has shifted, it only needs to update the position of the charger on the constructed map without reconstructing map, which has the advantages of low cost, simple operation and effective technical results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU AIROB ROBOT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Beichen Li
  • Patent number: 10557750
    Abstract: A calibration system is provided including an aperture layer, a lens layer, an optical filter, a pixel layer and a regulator. The aperture layer defines a calibration aperture. The lens layer includes a calibration lens substantially axially aligned with the calibration aperture. The optical filter is adjacent the lens layer opposite the aperture layer. The pixel layer is adjacent the optical filter opposite the lens layer and includes a calibration pixel substantially axially aligned with the calibration lens. The calibration pixel detects light power of an illumination source that outputs a band of wavelengths of light as a function of a parameter. The regulator modifies the parameter of the illumination source based on a light power detected by the calibration pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: OUSTER, INC.
    Inventors: Angus Pacala, Mark Frichtl
  • Patent number: 10527712
    Abstract: A positioning system includes a steerable laser configured to emit a laser beam, an optical receiver, one or more processors, and a memory device. The optical receiver is configured to detect the presence of the laser beam on the optical receiver, measure a received signal strength of light emitted by a luminaire, or both. The memory device stores instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors cause the positioning system to target the laser beam on the optical receiver, and based on a first angle of the laser beam, a second angle of the laser beam, and an isointense curve associated with the optical receiver and the luminaire, estimate three-dimensional position of the optical receiver relative to the steerable laser source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Emily W. Lam, Thomas D. C. Little
  • Patent number: 10520307
    Abstract: The invention provides a surveying instrument, which comprises a measuring unit for performing a distance measurement by projecting a distance measuring light toward an object to be measured, an image pickup unit for picking up an image including the object to be measured, an attitude detecting unit provided integrally with the image pickup unit, and an arithmetic processing unit, wherein the attitude detecting unit has tilt sensors for detecting a horizontal and a relative tilt angle detecting unit for detecting a tilt angle of the measuring unit with respect to the horizontal, and wherein the arithmetic processing unit calculates a tilting of the image with respect to a vertical based on a detection result of the attitude detecting unit and displays vertical lines in the image acquired by the image pickup unit based on this calculation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOPCON Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Ohtomo, Kaoru Kumagai, Tetsuji Anai
  • Patent number: 10481265
    Abstract: A system having a range-finding laser device (RFLD) is configured to be coupled to an operator performs scans producing range and angle data points on surrounding structures. An attitude inertial measuring unit (IMU) attached to the RFLD measures pitch and roll of the RFLD and at least one zero-velocity update (zupt) IMU coupled to the operator is used to estimate the position, velocity and yaw of the operator. The system has computer logic that transforms data points from sensor frames of reference to a global frame of reference and merges transformed data points in a point cloud that can be used to generate images of scanned environments on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Coddington, Lynn Coddington Gilbert
  • Patent number: 10477356
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, assemblies and devices useful for identifying the location and/or motion of a mobile device in a specified area, for assisting in mapping a specified area and also to methods, assemblies and devices for determining a location of anchors found at fixed locations in a specified area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ariel-University Research and Development Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Boaz Ben-Moshe, Nir Shvalb
  • Patent number: 10451413
    Abstract: An optical method for determining an orientation of surface texture of a mechanical part includes: i) acquiring data for a first areal surface topography image using a surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the first image corresponds to a first field of view of the mechanical part for the surface topography measurement instrument; ii) rotating the mechanical part with respect to a rotation axis provided by a rotatable mount used to secure the mechanical part to provide a second field of view of the mechanical part for the surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the first and second fields of view overlap to provide image information about a common region of the mechanical part; iii) acquiring data for a second areal surface topography image using the surface topography measurement instrument, wherein the second image corresponds to the second field of view; and iv) processing the data from the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Zygo Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. de Groot, Leslie L. Deck
  • Patent number: 10417520
    Abstract: A detection system comprises an analysis unit for analyzing successive images generated by a monitoring sensor to determine in an image a position of an axis representative of the displacement of the aircraft between two successive images, the so-called real position, a computation unit for computing, on the basis of data relating to a displacement of an aircraft between the generations of these two images and of the positioning of the monitoring sensor on the aircraft, a position in an image of an axis representative of the displacement of the aircraft, the theoretical position, an estimation unit for estimating the angular disparity between the real position and the theoretical position, and a comparison unit for comparing this angular disparity with at least one predefined tolerance value so as to detect a misalignment when this angular disparity is greater than this tolerance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventor: Stephane Gauthier
  • Patent number: 10352725
    Abstract: A sensor calibration method and system dynamically compute a bias offset which is subtracted from field strength readings generated by a sensor to correct them. The three-dimensional space around a sensor is seeded with orientation targets. As the sensor is rotated to different orientations, field strength readings are generated by the sensor and assigned to different targets based on estimated proximity. Once occupancy of targets conforms to a first state of occupancy, a coarse bias offset is computed for the sensor using readings from occupied targets. Once occupancy of targets conforms to a second state of occupancy, a refined bias offset is computed for the sensor using readings from occupied targets. Multiple sensors may be calibrated concurrently. Moreover, a user interface provides a real-time graphic showing the location and occupancy status of individual targets and highlighting the individual target best aligned with a most recent corrected sensor reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Severt Hallberg
  • Patent number: 10335004
    Abstract: A mobile robot system is provided that includes a docking station having at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. The pose-defining fiducial markers have a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another and/or to a reference point on the docking station such that a docking path to the base station can be determined from one or more observations of the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. A mobile robot in the system includes a pose sensor assembly. A controller is located on the chassis and is configured to analyze an output signal from the pose sensor assembly. The controller is configured to determine a docking station pose, to locate the docking station pose on a map of a surface traversed by the mobile robot and to path plan a docking trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Fong, Jason Meltzer, Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Vazgen Karapetyan, Mario E. Munich
  • Patent number: 10333619
    Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one memory configured to store positioning information, and at least one processing core configured to determine a position estimate for the apparatus based at least in part on the positioning information and on at least one direction of a steerable optical beam, the steerable optical beam being steerable by the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Marc Bailey, David Bitauld
  • Patent number: 10324172
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a calibration apparatus capable of reducing a workload for calibrating a position and a direction of each range sensor. [Solving Means] In the measurement arithmetic unit 100, the social group identification portion 5610 identifies a group candidate that is detected as a group out of moving measuring objects in each laser range finder. The group comparison portion 5612 identifies a group in agreement for each pair of the laser range finder, and calculates the relative position of each pair of the laser range finder according to the position and the directions of the identified matching group. The network position identifying portion 5620 calibrates the position and the direction of each laser range finder in the sensor network coordinate system such that the error of the position of the object observed in common from each pair becomes minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International
    Inventors: Dylan Fairchild Glas, Florent Ferreri, Takahiro Miyashita
  • Patent number: 10175696
    Abstract: An apparatus for guiding an autonomous vehicle towards a docking station including an autonomous vehicle with a camera-based sensing system, a drive system for driving the autonomous vehicle, and a control system for controlling the drive system. The apparatus includes a docking station including a first fiducial marker and a second fiducial marker, wherein the second fiducial marker is positioned on the docking station to define a predetermined relative spacing with the first fiducial marker, wherein the control system is operable to receive an image provided by the camera-based sensing system, the image including a representation of the first and second fiducial markers, and to control the drive system so as to guide the autonomous vehicle towards the base station based on a difference between the representation of the first and second fiducial markers in the received image and the predetermined relative spacing between the first and second fiducial markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Michael David Aldred, Simon Edwards-Parton
  • Patent number: 10129535
    Abstract: An infrared polarizing filter is attached to an infrared synchronization signal radiator of a stereoscopic image display device which alternately displays right and left images by time-division with polarized light in one direction to radiate the polarized-light infrared synchronization signal. The problem with the occurrence of crosstalk is solved. Stereoscopic image appreciation eyeglasses have polarizing plates, visual field opening/closing liquid crystal cells and tilt correcting liquid crystal cells The synchronization signal is received by a receiver mounted on an eyeglass frame. The tilt correcting liquid crystal cells are adjusted based on the eyeglass frame tilt angle detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Inventor: Minoru Inaba
  • Patent number: 10088548
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, the orientation of a wireless device, such as an access point (AP) can be determined based on the location of neighboring wireless devices and the observed angle of arrival of signals from the wireless device at the neighboring wireless devices. For example, the angle of orientation can be determined by comparing an observed angle of arrival with the known actual angle between wireless devices. If a plurality of wireless devices measures the signal, the mean or median of the difference between observed angle of arrival of a signal from the wireless device with the actual angle for the plurality of wireless devices may be employed to determine the angular orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Santosh Pandey
  • Patent number: 10054427
    Abstract: Parallel laser light beams are irradiated from different positions into a telescope. Beams of laser light are incident on a secondary minor attitude detection minor from different locations. Laser light detectors detect each beam of laser light reflected by the secondary minor attitude detection minor. A first attitude calculator determines an amount of attitude variation of a secondary minor based on a result detected by the laser light detectors. The laser light detectors detect each beam of the laser light reflected by the primary minor and the secondary minor after entering the telescope. A second attitude calculator determines an amount of attitude variation of the primary minor based on a result detected by the laser light detectors and the result detected by the laser light detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Shimizu, Kazuhide Kodeki, Masaki Haruna
  • Patent number: 9971874
    Abstract: A method including obtaining a first motion signal segment sensed by a motion sensor worn on a user's wrist or forearm; detecting the user performed a first action based on the first motion signal segment; obtaining a second motion signal segment sensed by the motion sensor, wherein the second motion signal segment was sensed by the motion sensor after the first motion signal segment; detecting the user performed a second action based on the second motion signal segment and in response to the detection of the first action; determining that a first medication was taken by the user based on the detection of the second action; and, in response to the determination that the first medication was taken by the user, causing presentation of an indication to the user or transmitting an indication to an external device that the first medication was taken by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Inventors: Roozbeh Jafari, Nasser Kehtarnavaz, Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 9955559
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for commissioning a light source in a lighting system including a plurality of light sources capable of emitting coded light. An autonomous vehicle with one or more light sensors and a location detector navigates throughout the lighting system. The light sensor detects an identifier encoded in a light source and the location detector determines the location of the autonomous vehicle. The location is associated with the encoded identifier, thereby commissioning the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Dirk Valentinus René Engelen, Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis
  • Patent number: 9921453
    Abstract: Various of the disclosed embodiments incorporate wavelength-shifting (WLS) materials to facilitate high data rate communication. Some embodiments employ a waveguide incorporating such WLS materials to receive a wireless signal from a source. The signal may be, e.g., in the optical or ultraviolet ranges, facilitating a ˜10 Gbps data rate. Because the WLS material is sensitive in all directions, the source may be isotropic or wide-angled. The WLS material may be shaped into one or more “bands” that may cover an object, e.g., a head-mounted display. A detector may be coupled with the bands to receive the wavelength-shifted signal and to recover the original signal from the source. The WLS material may be modified to improve the waveguide retention, e.g., by incorporating layers of material having a different reflection coefficient or a Bragg reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Tobias Gerard Tiecke, Kevin Jerome Quirk, Yael Maguire
  • Patent number: 9922454
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for designing a dental appliance for a facial skeleton including dental crowns and the roots corresponding thereto, said method including the following steps: producing a volumetric image of the facial skeleton, in the form an initial digital file, using medical imaging; modifying said volumetric image by means of the computer processing of said initial digital file, and obtaining a modified digital file, said modification including at least one tooth movement with a view to implementing a desired correction of the dentition; designing said dental appliance using said initial digital file and said modified digital file, and producing a file capable of being used by digitally controlled machines capable of manufacturing a dental appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: MODJAW
    Inventor: Maxime Jaisson
  • Patent number: 9902403
    Abstract: A sensory stimulation system for autonomous vehicle (AV) can monitor AV data indicating actions to be performed by the AV. The sensory stimulation system can further provide a user interface the enables riders of the AV to adjust output parameters of the sensory stimulation system. Based at least in part on the AV data, the sensory stimulation system can generate a set of stimulation commands for one or more of the output systems. Based on adjustments made by the at least one rider on the user interface, the sensory stimulation system can execute the stimulation commands on individual output systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Donnelly, David McAllister Bradley, Matthew Sweeney, Emily Bartel
  • Patent number: 9903934
    Abstract: A dimensional measuring device sends a beam of light to a remote probe having a retroreflector and a pitch/yaw sensor. The pitch/yaw sensor passes the light through an aperture and a lens to a position sensor that generates an electrical signal indicative of the position of the received light. A processor uses the electrical signal to determine a pitch angle and a yaw angle of the remote probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Mathieu Antoina, Lawrence B. Brown, Jonathan R. Day, Matthew Frederick Evans, Ricardo Martins, Jacob J. Mertz, John Mountney, Robert Mark Neal, James Schloss, Quintin Stotts, Ding Wang, Robert E. Bridges
  • Patent number: 9885569
    Abstract: A passive altimeter includes an imaging device, a groundspeed system, an image processing device operatively connected to receive an indication of groundspeed from the groundspeed system and to receive at least a first image from the imaging device taken at a first position and a second image from the imaging device taken at a second position spaced apart from the first position. The image processing device is configured to compare the first image and the second image to determine an altitude above ground using the indication of groundspeed from the groundspeed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventor: Richard N. Lane
  • Patent number: 9865059
    Abstract: A medical image processing apparatus includes a data acquirer that scans an object with a fiducial marker attached thereto to acquire volume data, and a data processor that estimates a plane of interest, based on a position of the fiducial marker and a position of a landmark in the volume data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Praveen Gulaka, Young-ha Kim, Soo-in Cho, Jae-moon Jo, Yang-lim Choi
  • Patent number: 9864061
    Abstract: The invention relates to a portable observation device having an observation path for optical targeting of a target object, and comprising an optoelectronic rangefinder for measuring the distance in the direction of the targeting. The rangefinder includes a transmission unit for emitting a temporal sequence of pulses of optical radiation, a reception unit for receiving a portion of the optical radiation cast back by the target object and for determining signal information and an electronic evaluation unit, which a distance to the target object can be determined on the basis of a signal travel time between emission and reception of the optical radiation. When a trigger is actuated manually, the distance is determined including the signal information from a specified minimum number of pulses, which define a minimum length of a time window of the distance measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Safran Vectronix AG
    Inventor: Luca Giacotto
  • Patent number: 9857302
    Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating surface near-field light resulting from light emitted from a light source that passes through a scattering layer is disclosed. Also, a method of finding a phase of incident light to cause constructive interference at a target spot using light scattering to manipulate the surface near-field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yongkeun Park, Jung-Hoon Park, Yong-Hoon Cho, Chunghyun Park
  • Patent number: 9835726
    Abstract: A method for optically scanning, measuring and displaying a point cloud is provided. The method includes emitting, by a laser scanner, an emission light beam and receiving a reflection light beam that is reflected from an object. A control device determines for measurement points projected on a plane corresponding to a screen, wherein at least some measurement points are displayed on a display device. One or more pixels are gap filled to generate a visual appearance of a surface on the display device. Wherein the gap filling includes a first horizontal search in a first direction of a first measured point of the measurement points followed by a second horizontal search in a second direction of the first measured point. The gap filling further includes a first vertical search in a third direction of the measured point, followed by a second vertical search in a fourth direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Martin Ossig, Daniel Flohr, Dag Frommhold, Oliver Knörzer, Martin Heide
  • Patent number: 9813151
    Abstract: Communication bottlenecks, particularly in the downlink direction, are a common problem for many CubeSat developers. As described herein, a CubeSat module for a CubeSat comprises an optical transmitter to transmit data to a remote terminal, a receiver to acquire an optical beacon from a remote terminal, and a fine-pointing module operably and directly coupleable to a coarse-pointing module of the CubeSat. The fine-pointing module is configured to point the optical transmitter toward the remote terminal with an accuracy range that overlaps with an accuracy range of the coarse-pointing module of the CubeSat so as to establish a communications link between the CubeSat and the remote terminal over a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ryan Wallace Kingsbury, Kathleen Michelle Riesing, Kerri Lynn Cahoy, Tam Nguyen Thuc Nguyen, David O. Caplan
  • Patent number: 9797708
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for profiling the depth of a surface of a target object (30), having a two-dimensional array of lasers (5), an optical device (15) for projecting a two-dimensional illumination pattern (31) onto an area of the surface of the target object, an image capture device (10) arranged to capture an image of the two-dimensional illumination pattern projected onto the area of the surface of the target object and a processor (25) configured to process the captured image in order to reconstruct a depth profile of the two-dimensional area of the surface of the target object from the image captured by the image capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Arno Vredenborg, Mark Carpaij, Stephen Gronenborn, Pavel Pekarski, Arnd Ritz
  • Patent number: 9776200
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for applying a liquid to a surface. According to various embodiments, the UAS includes an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) including flight control mechanisms. The UAV is configured to receive first control signals and to adjust an operational configuration of the flight control mechanisms in response to the first control signals. The UAS further includes a delivery assembly coupled to the UAV, where the delivery assembly is configured to receive second control signals and to apply the liquid to the surface located proximately to the UAV in response to the second control signals. The UAS further includes a control unit coupled to the UAV and the delivery assembly, the control unit configured to transmit the first and second control signals to the UAV and the delivery assembly, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: LURYTO, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Andrew Busby, Todd Iverson, Ryan McMaster
  • Patent number: 9739864
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a guidance system determines a location parameter of an object, and includes: at least one oscillating element located at the object for emitting modulated optical radiation; at least two mutually distinct signal-modifying electro-optical sensors, each of the electro-optical sensors having a detector and a demodulator for generating a demodulated electrical signal in response to detection of at least a portion of the modulated optical radiation; and a processor for determining the location parameter from the demodulated electrical signals. In another embodiment, a guidance system has aberration-corrected imaging and includes: a plurality of electro-optical sensors sharing a field of view and mutually distinctly providing a respective plurality of altered images therefrom; and an image generator module for linearly and non-linearly processing spatial frequency properties of the plurality of altered images to synthesize an aberration-corrected image for the imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ASCENTIA IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Edward R. Dowski, Jr., Gregory Johnson
  • Patent number: 9729853
    Abstract: The use of one or more angled or curved and diverging light pipes or reflectors placed in a light source's, e.g. diode's, emission path at appropriate distances, angles and divergence, such that a diode's emission spot size is modified and or redirected from the diode's natural emission path to alternative planes at angle to the diode's natural emission path so that a diode emission safe spot size can be achieved on any plane at angle to the original diode natural emission path at minimum distances from the diode's point of emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Lumentum Operations LLC
    Inventors: Bryed Billerbeck, James Yonghong Guo, An-Chun Tien, Vincent V. Wong, Ferdinand Mendoza
  • Patent number: 9718524
    Abstract: An autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring including a multidisciplinary underwater station including onboard instrumentation, at least one autonomous modular underwater vehicle movable inside an area to be monitored along an assigned route, and at least one external instrumental modulus which can be connected to the vehicle, wherein the multidisciplinary underwater station includes a docking area, an interface system, an equipping system for supplying the vehicle with instrumental moduli, and a management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ENI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Francesco Gasparoni, Mauro Favaretto, Tiberio Grasso