Multiple Axis Motion Or Path Control Patents (Class 700/61)
  • Patent number: 11860628
    Abstract: To determine a path through a pose configuration space, trajectories of poses may be evaluated in parallel based at least on translating the trajectories along at least one axis of the pose configuration space (e.g., an orientation axis). A trajectory may include at least a portion of a turn having a fixed turn radius. Turns or turn portions that have the same turn radius and initial orientation can be translatively shifted along and processed in parallel along the orientation axis as they are translated copies of each other, but with different starting points. Trajectories may be evaluated based at least on processing variables used to evaluate reachability as bit vectors with threads effectively performing large vector operations in synchronization. A parallel reduction pattern may be used to account for dependencies that may exist between sections of a trajectory for evaluating reachability, allowing for the sections to be processed in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: David Nister, Yizhou Wang, Jaikrishna Soundararajan, Sachit Kadle
  • Patent number: 11635998
    Abstract: A system and method for embedding a tool into an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is disclosed. The system includes a special application programming interface (API) that is used to embed any tool into any IDE. The API provides a way for the tool to indicate what functions are supported by the tool. These functions may include save, print, edit and others. The API also provides a mechanism for the IDE to communicate to the tool that one of the supported functions is to be executed. Finally, the API provides a mechanism for the tool to report information to the IDE as necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Timotej Ecimovic, Jing Teng
  • Patent number: 11469827
    Abstract: A wireless communications and imaging system is described. The system includes a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver includes a synchronized array of clocks, wherein a speed of time measured by each one of the clocks in the synchronized array of clocks relative to the other clocks is tracked. The transmitter includes a constellation of masses. A relative position of individual ones of the masses of the constellation of masses (with respect to one another) encodes digital data that is sensed by the receiver in the form of a gravity field change that causes a difference in the speed of clocks measured and utilized by the quantifiable receiver which clock speed differential corresponds to and enables the replication of the original digital data set that was input into the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: Timothy B. Higginson
  • Patent number: 11357997
    Abstract: Methodologies and mechanisms are provided for introducing one or more magnetizable particles introduced non-invasively into one or more body structures containing nervous tissue in a subject, directing, guiding, transporting, focusing and/or concentrating the one or more particles using at least one image-guidance component in proximity to the one or more body structures which can direct the one or more particles within the one or more body structures, and modulating, using at least one activation component, the one or more particles to modulate neuronal function in the one or more body structures of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: WEINBERG MEDICAL PHYSICS INC.
    Inventor: Irving N. Weinberg
  • Patent number: 11338855
    Abstract: A three-point-turn is planned and executed in the operation of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV). A candidate route from a start point and going through an end point is determined, the start point and the end point being in lanes associated with opposite travel directions. The candidate route is categorized into partially overlapping first, second, and third segments. A total cost associated with the candidate route is determined based at least in part on the first and second segments. Whether the total cost is below a threshold cost is determined. In response to a determination that the total cost is below the threshold cost, the three-point-turn is planned based on the candidate route. Further, driving signals are generated based at least in part on the planned three-point-turn to control operations of the ADV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: BAIDU USA LLC, BAIDU.COM TIMES TECHNOLOGY (BELING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lin Ma, Fan Zhu, Xin Xu
  • Patent number: 11280640
    Abstract: A position measuring device includes a scale carrier with a measuring scale. A scanner is configured to generate position signals by scanning the measuring scale. A processor is configured to process the position signals into a digital position value. An interface is configured to communicate with downstream electronics. At least one collision sensor is assigned to the position measuring device, and is configured to generate analog or digital measured values from a time characteristic of which collision events are determinable. The measured values are fed to an evaluator configured to determine the collision events by evaluating the time characteristic of the measured values in a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Ingo Joachimsthaler, Johannes Soier
  • Patent number: 11117569
    Abstract: A parking system for autonomous driving vehicles optimizes a solution to a parking problem. The ADV detects a parking lot and selects a parking space. The ADV defines constraints for the parking lot, parking space, and kinematic constraints of the ADV, and generates a plurality of potential parking paths to the parking space, taking into account the constraints of the parking lot, parking space, and kinematics of the ADV, but without taking into any obstacles that may be surrounding the ADV. The ADV determines a cost for traversing each of the parking paths. One or more least cost candidate paths are selected from the parking paths, then one or more candidate paths are eliminated based on obstacles surrounding the ADV. Remaining candidates can be analyzed using a quadratic optimization system. A best parking path can be selected from the remaining candidates to navigate the ADV to the parking space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Qi Luo, Dong Li, Yajia Zhang, Liangliang Zhang, Yifei Jiang, Jiaming Tao, Kecheng Xu, Jiangtao Hu
  • Patent number: 11073810
    Abstract: Techniques to facilitate programming industrial control systems to operate machinery in an industrial automation environment are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, a user interface is displayed for a control program editor comprising programming logic associated with at least one machine system. Operational data associated with operating the at least one machine system controlled by an industrial controller executing the programming logic is received. The programming logic and the operational data are processed to determine contextual associations between the programming logic and the operational data. In the user interface for the control program editor, the operational data is displayed in context with the programming logic associated therewith based on the contextual associations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew R. Ericsson, Christopher E. Stanek, Douglas J. Reichard, Benjamin Henderson, Christopher W. Como
  • Patent number: 10792114
    Abstract: In a remote control robot system including a plurality of slave arms, slave arm has a plurality of control modes of an automatic mode in which slave arm is operated based on a task program, a manual mode in which slave arm is operated based on an operator's operation received by a master device, and correctable automatic mode in which slave arm is operated based on task program while operation is sequentially corrected by the operator's operation received by master device. Operation sequence information includes an automatic part in which slave arm performs a work in the automatic mode, and a selected part in which slave arm performs a work in one selected from plurality of control modes, and the selected parts do not overlap with each other in time among the plurality of slave arms. Based on the operation sequence information, the plurality of slave arms are operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Nobuyasu Shimomura, Masayuki Kamon, Yasushi Kurosawa, Shigetsugu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10784799
    Abstract: An electric motor capacity selection device includes: a multi-axis system model holding unit that holds a plurality of types of multi-axis system models each representing a configuration of a multi-axis system constructed by combination of a plurality of machine elements and a plurality of electric motors; a capacity selection unit that selects, based on a selected multi-axis system model that is one multi-axis system model selected from among the plurality of types of multi-axis system models held by the multi-axis system model holding unit, capacities of the electric motors constituting the multi-axis system model represented by the selected multi-axis system model; and a selection result notification unit that makes notification of a selection result by the capacity selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shota Nemoto
  • Patent number: 10674168
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with a novel structure is provided. Input neuron circuits, hidden neuron circuits, and output neuron circuits are hierarchically connected to one another through plural synapse circuits. Each synapse circuit includes an analog memory which stores data corresponding to a connection strength between the input neuron circuit and the hidden neuron circuit or between the hidden neuron circuit and the output neuron circuit, a writing circuit which changes the data in the analog memory, and a weighting circuit which outputs an output signal obtained by weighting an input signal in accordance with data in the analog memory. The analog memory is formed using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor having extremely low off-state current. It is not necessary to mount a large-scale capacitor for holding data and to recover analog data by regular refresh operation; thus, reduction in a chip area and reduction in power consumption are possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 10284138
    Abstract: The solar tracker having a bidirectional limit switch device comprises at least one solar panel (10) supported on a pivoting structure (12) tiltable in opposite first and second directions about a rotation axis (13) by a DC electric motor (M) a controller (14) and an actuator (15) controlling actuation of the electric motor (M), an inclinometer (16) fixed to the pivoting structure (12) and connected to the controller (14) to detect an actual physical positive or negative tilt angle of the solar panel (10) with respect to a horizontal plane, and a feed circuit (17) to apply a voltage having a selected polarity to the actuator (15) to produce rotation of the electric motor (M) either in the first direction or in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Inventors: Samir Chaouki Almagro, Javier Castejon Munoz, Francisco Jesus Fernandez Luque
  • Patent number: 9962837
    Abstract: A system for controlling a robot by brain electrical signal, includes a screen, an electronic signal detection device, and a host computer. The screen shows a plurality of icons thereon, and the plurality of icons flashes at different frequencies. The electrical signal detection device detects brain electrical signal when one of the plurality of icons is stared. The host computer stores a plurality of personal reference parameters corresponding to the plurality of icons of the screen. The host computer processes the brain electrical signal to get parameters of use, and compares the parameters of use with the plurality of personal reference parameters to choose and execute the icon which is stared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignees: HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (WuHan) CO., I, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsung-Han Chen, Shou-Han Chung, Chin-Teng Lin, Li-Wei Ko, Shi-An Chen
  • Patent number: 9568904
    Abstract: Among a plurality of synchronous control programs each configured to include a plurality of output software modules with respect to one driving software module, a synchronous control program of a multi-axis configuration, in which driving software modules are coupled together into a same axis, is displayed on one screen. On this display screen, display is switched between a parameter setting screen, status information on respective software modules, and a waveform graph of the driving software module and the output software modules, in order to enable work ranging from software designing to debugging to be efficiently performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Keiji Suematsu
  • Patent number: 9436176
    Abstract: In order to provide a numerical control method and a device thereof capable of avoiding interference of a tool with a rotary table or a workpiece, without worker's manual operation for performing an interference avoiding operation, there is provided an avoidance-height calculating unit that calculates an interference avoidance height of the tool at which the tool does not interfere with the rotary table and the workpiece over an entire movable range of a rotary shaft to which the movement command is input, an interference determining unit that determines whether the tool will interfere with the rotary table and the workpiece by comparing a current height of a tip of the tool with the interference avoidance height, and an avoiding-operation generating unit that generates a command for movement in a tool shaft direction to the interference avoidance height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9393691
    Abstract: An industrial robot system may enable a reduction in an installation/adjustment period, and an increase in a no-error continuous operation period. The system includes an action planning section for temporary halts, an error-inducing-task restraining section, a section for teaching task, an operation mastering section, a hand library, an optimum-task-operation generating section, a specific task library, an error-recovery-task teaching section, an error recovery library, a finger-eye-camera measurement section including an omnidirectional mirror, a three-dimensional recognition section, a controller, a manipulator, and a hand with a plurality of fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, KYOTO UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Akio Noda, Haruhisa Okuda, Kenichi Tanaka, Tetsuo Sawaragi, Hiroshi Matsuhisa, Yasuyoshi Yokokouji, Hideo Utsuno, Masaharu Komori, Hajime Mizuyama, Hiroaki Nakanishi, Yukio Horiguchi, Takehisa Kouda, Kazuhiro Izui
  • Patent number: 9063534
    Abstract: A method of relatively positioning a workpiece and a reference axis comprising effecting relative displacements of the workpiece and the reference axis along orthogonal axes so that an intersection of the reference axis with the workpiece is moved at substantially constant speed along a curvilinear path. The method is particularly applicable to SEE sensitivity mapping of a microchip memory using a pulsed laser, relative to the axis of which the chip is moved in a spiral path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: MBDA UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Michael Chugg, Jonathan James Ward, James Robert McIntosh
  • Patent number: 9026235
    Abstract: An automation and motion control system for theatrical objects, such as theatrical props, cameras, stunt persons, lighting, scenery, drapery or other similar types of devices or items, is provided to coordinate the movement of the objects on a large scale and/or to control the operation of the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Tait Towers Manufacturing LLC
    Inventor: Scott Fisher
  • Publication number: 20150088280
    Abstract: A system for balancing an input device, the system comprising: a spherical device having an outer spherical wall and an inner spherical wall the system further comprising: an internal circuitry module housing internal circuits and positioned in the center of the spherical device and balanced in the center in order hold the spherical device still on a flat surface; a cavity formed between the outer spherical wall and the inner spherical wall; a rheological fluid disposed in the cavity wherein the volume of the rheological fluid is below 50% of the volume of the cavity and such that the weight of the rheological fluid is above the weight of the spherical device without the rheological fluid; wherein al least one of the outer spherical wall and the inner spherical wall comprises a rheological fluid activation means configured to change the state of the rheological fluid; and a rheological fluid activation controller configured to control the rheological fluid activation means in response to occurrence of a prede
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Jaroslaw MICEWICZ, Adam Macugowski
  • Patent number: 8989396
    Abstract: An auditory display apparatus is provided that places sounds such that sounds whose fundamental frequencies are close to each other are not adjacent to each other. A sound transmission/reception section receives sound data. A sound analysis section analyzes the sound data, and calculates a fundamental frequency of the sound data. A sound placement section compares the fundamental frequency of the sound data with a fundamental frequency of adjacent sound data, and places the sound data such that a difference in fundamental frequency is maximized. A sound management section manages a placement position of the sound data. A sound mixing section mixes the sound data with the adjacent sound data. A sound output section outputs the sound data obtained by the mixture to a sound output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Kambe
  • Patent number: 8977377
    Abstract: In various embodiments, digital manufacturing of jewelry items is provided, including a physical process and software automation for implementing the physical process. Further, models formed during the process, as well as the resultant jewelry items, are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises forming a digital model of the jewelry item, forming a physical model of the jewelry item based on the digital model, and manufacturing the jewelry item in a lost wax process using the physical model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Jostens, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Saarela, Kevin Abernathy, Richard Wells, Lev Neyman, Jon Joriman
  • Patent number: 8970156
    Abstract: A path display apparatus includes a first position command acquiring unit that acquires first position command for motors, a first position feedback acquiring unit that acquires first position feedback of each of the motors, a correction data acquiring unit that acquires correction data generated for each of the motors, a second position command calculating unit that subtracts the correction data from the first position command to calculate a second position command, a second position feedback calculating unit that subtracts the correction data from the first position feedback to calculate second position feedback, a command path display unit that displays a command path of the tip point of the tool, based on the second position command; and a feedback path display unit that displays a feedback path of the tip point of the tool, based on the second position feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Tezuka, Hajime Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8957960
    Abstract: A machine vision system program editing environment includes near real time context generation. Rather than requiring execution of all preceding instructions of a part program in order to generate a realistic context for subsequent edits, surrogate data operations using previously saved data replace execution of certain sets of instructions. The surrogate data may be saved during the actual execution of operations that are recorded in a part program. An edit mode of execution substitutes that data as a surrogate for executing the operations that would otherwise generate that data. Significant time savings may be achieved for context generation, such that editing occurs within an operating context which may be repeatedly refreshed for accuracy in near real time. This supports convenient program modification by relatively unskilled users, using the native user interface of the machine vision system, rather than difficult to use text-based or graphical object-based editing environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Barry Saylor, Dahai Yu, Ryan Northrup, Gyokubu Cho, Akira Takada
  • Patent number: 8897901
    Abstract: A positive & negative jerk interval parameter setting section divides an acceleration & deceleration interval of an acceleration command curve into an acceleration increasing interval, a constant acceleration interval, and an acceleration decreasing interval, and sets the length of time of each interval independently of each other. A positive & negative jerk interval trigonometric command generating section employs an acceleration command curve generated based on a trigonometric function of a ½ cycle, thereby generating a position command or a speed command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Maekawa, Yuko Takehana, Masahiko Hirano
  • Patent number: 8855691
    Abstract: A radiographic imaging device has: a generating unit that generates image data expressing a radiographic image formed by irradiated radiation; a first communicating unit at which wireless communication is possible selectively in either of a direct communication mode or an indirect communication mode; a storing unit that stores a setting of a communication mode; and a control unit that, if a setting to carry out communication in the direct communication mode has been made, controls the first communicating unit to carry out wireless communication in the direct communication mode, and, if a setting to carry out communication in the indirect communication mode has been made, controls the first communicating unit to attempt wireless communication in the indirect communication mode with a control device that controls the radiographic imaging device, and, if communication is impossible, controls the first communicating unit to carry out wireless communication in the direct communication mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kamiya, Yusuke Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8847179
    Abstract: A charged particle beam reduces treatment time in the uniform scanning or in the conformal layer stacking irradiation. In the uniform scanning, an optimum charged particle beam scan path for uniformly irradiating a collimator aperture area is calculated. In the conformal layer stacking irradiation, an optimum charged particle beam scan path for uniformly irradiating a multi-leaf collimator aperture area of each layer for each of the layers obtained by partitioning the target volume is calculated. Alternatively, a minimum irradiation field size that covers the multi-leaf collimator aperture area of each layer is calculated, and a scan path corresponding to the irradiation field size, prestored in a memory of a particle therapy control apparatus, is selected. The charged particle beam scan path is optimally changed in the lateral directions in conformity with the collimator aperture area in the uniform scanning or in each layer in the conformal layer stacking irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Fujitaka, Yusuke Fujii, Rintaro Fujimoto, Kazuo Hiramoto, Hiroshi Akiyama
  • Patent number: 8844132
    Abstract: A method of flank and/or point milling an integrally bladed rotor is conducted with an automatic tool path generator which generates a new created tool path including smooth transitions merging between an actual finished surface and a nominal surface of the integrally bladed rotor. The actual finished surface is presented in a mathematical transformation matrix which may be obtained in a 3-D scanning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Mario Blais, Michel Bellerose
  • Patent number: 8805583
    Abstract: A robot, which performs natural walking similar to a human with high energy efficiency through optimization of actuated dynamic walking, and a control method thereof. The robot includes an input unit to which a walking command of the robot is input, and a control unit to control walking of the robot by calculating torque input values through control variables, obtaining a resultant motion of the robot through calculation of forward dynamics using the torque input values, and minimizing a value of an objective function set to consist of the sum total of a plurality of performance indices through adjustment of the control variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bok Man Lim, Kyung Shik Roh, Woong Kwon, Ju Suk Lee
  • Patent number: 8768492
    Abstract: An automation and motion control system for theatrical objects, such as theatrical props, cameras, stunt persons, lighting, scenery, drapery or other similar types of devices or items, is provided to coordinate the movement of the objects on a large scale and/or to control the operation of the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Tait Towers Manufacturing LLC
    Inventor: Scott Fisher
  • Patent number: 8768491
    Abstract: A method for axis correction in a processing machine, in particular a shaftless printing machine, has at least one axis for processing and/or transporting a material, at least one detection device for detecting a processing parameter and at least one controller device for calculating a controller output variable for axis correction of the at least one axis using the detected processing parameter. The method is implemented iteratively, with the result that feedforward control output values for the feedforward control of the axis correction are determined during an (n+1)-th change in rotation speed of the at least one axis using observation of the controller output variable and/or the processing parameter during an n-th change in rotation speed of the at least one axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Schultze, Holger Schnabel, Joachim Thurner
  • Patent number: 8706268
    Abstract: A method of machine control can include providing at least a system master signal, selectively synchronizing at least sub-system master signal to the system master signal based on the value of the system master signal, and carrying out at least one operation based on the value of the other master signal. For example, a machine controller may provide a system virtual master signal and synchronize one or more module virtual master signals to the system virtual master based on the system virtual master count value. One or more components of the module may operate based on the count value of the module virtual master signal. The use of an asynchronous control method may advantageously increase the flexibility of the machine. Because the operation of the components of the machine may depend on respective virtual master signals, a machine using asynchronous control methods may advantageously continue operating one component or module in the event of a fault involving other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Allen Pigsley
  • Patent number: 8645305
    Abstract: According to certain embodiments, paths are identified from path data. One or more sensors are assigned to each path. The following are performed: at least one sensor is moved to a path intersection and excess sensors are removed. An excess sensor is a sensor that is not required to satisfy the desired number of sensors of one or more paths. According to certain embodiments, a combined array comprising combined entries is accessed. Each combined entry represents a location and has a value indicating a number of paths at the location. The following are performed to yield a sensor arrangement: a maximum value of the combined array is identified, a sensor is assigned to a location associated with the maximum value, and the paths are removed from the combined array. A result associated with the sensor arrangement is reported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Juan E. Sandoval, Nicholas I. Sapankevych, Sara R. Lemley
  • Patent number: 8588958
    Abstract: A computer program product and an apparatus for preparing a moving program for controlling the operation of a working robot which can move a known working apparatus relative to a workpiece and which can perform desired work on the workpiece. Movement information of the working apparatus may be input to a text entry screen on a character basis. Movement information of the working apparatus may also be input via a figure entry screen as a path on a two-dimensional plane in correlation with height information. The movement information that is input on the text entry screen is output in real time as the path on the two-dimensional plane and the height information thereof on the figure entry screen. The movement information that is input on the figure entry screen is output in real time to the text entry screen on the character basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Musashi Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazumasa Ikushima
  • Patent number: 8583270
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gingiva former (1), which has a connecting geometry (5) to an implant (10) and comprises a tailor-made edge (2), a tapering lower part (4) that is located beneath and has a tailor-made shape, and a tapering upper part (8) having a lateral surface (9), wherein the lateral surface (9) has an angle of inclination (?) of between 0.5° and 30° with respect to a longitudinal axis (A) of the connecting geometry (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Sascha Schneider
  • Patent number: 8571840
    Abstract: Methods, program products and systems for preparing a mechanical model for a dynamic simulation. A first plurality of bodies in a mechanical model are identified including at least one grounded body and at least one free body, each of the bodies in the first plurality of bodies being related to at least one other body in the plurality of bodies by at least one constraint that removes or limits at least one degree of freedom for that body in relation to another body. The bodies in the first plurality of bodies are merged into a minimum number of rigid groups needed for a dynamic simulation where the minimum number of rigid groups includes at least one grounded group and at least one mobile group. Constraints that relate bodies within a group are removed from each of the rigid groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: George Hudetz, John Schlansker, Frédéric Tachet, Estelle Pardon, Peter Legate Maxfield
  • Patent number: 8515207
    Abstract: A technique for efficient processing of annotations in images such as panoramic images is herein disclosed. In an embodiment, a first user annotation is received for a feature in a first panorama, and a second user annotation for the same feature is received in a second panorama. The coordinates for the feature can then be generated by computing the intersection between data generated for the first user annotation and for the second user annotations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Chau
  • Patent number: 8483857
    Abstract: A method for producing a dental prosthetic item, including providing a 3D model of the item. The providing includes determining an esthetically relevant designed subregion of a 3D model of the item as part of an exterior surface of the item. The subregion corresponds to a labial surface and/or incisor edge, or to a buccal and/or occlusal surface. Further steps include selecting a suitable blank, specifying a blank having a prefabricated esthetically relevant terminal subsurface of a surface of a tooth, a terminal subsurface of the blank being such as at least approximates the subregion. A further step includes forming the item from the selected blank such that a prefabricated terminal subsurface of the blank remains unmachined in at least a central region thereof. The forming includes machining the blank only in a marginal area of the terminal subsurface and on at least some surfaces outside of the terminal subsurface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Orth
  • Publication number: 20130166044
    Abstract: A machine tool having an onboard measuring device automatically carries out various works which include ultra precision machining, washing and onboard measuring, by a numerical controller, without any interposition of a worker. For achieving this, an operation region of drive axes of the machine tool is previously divided into a machining region, a washing region and a measuring region. Positions of the drive axes are always monitored by the numerical controller, and when the drive axes enter each of the regions, a work allocated to each of the regions is automatically started and the work is continuously carried out until drives axes exit the region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: FANUC CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8392002
    Abstract: Presently disclosed is a method and system for processing standard part description programs in real time into the tool position control data appropriate to a CNC machine's standard and high bandwidth mechanisms, respectively. The result is precise tool tip control that tracks the programmed path at all times while maintaining the appropriate feed rates and accelerations for each type of mechanism. In one exemplary embodiment, a hybrid mechanism employing a high bandwidth mechanism mounted on and moved by a standard mechanism is employed. The command vector for the high-bandwidth mechanism is computed by subtracting the tool tip vector filtered to comprise only the tool tip positions and trajectories realizable by the standard mechanism from an ideal tool tip trajectory vector that represents the complete programmed path. These calculations produce a synchronous set of movements for both standard and high bandwidth mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Delta Tau Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: H. Ali Pak, Curtis S Wilson
  • Patent number: 8364289
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for moving a free-swinging load that is suspended relative to a suspension point, a first path along which the load should be moved from a starting point to a destination, with a first location-dependent velocity, is provided to a processor. In the processor, a second path is automatically determined along which the suspension point should be moved with a second location-dependent velocity to cause the load to move along the first path from the starting point to the destination with the first location-dependent velocity. A movement-imparted mechanism, connected to the suspension point, is automatically controlled from the processor to move the freely-suspended load from the starting point to the destination by moving the suspension point along the second path with the second location-dependent velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 8364288
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of synchronizing and interpolating axes of a multi-system are provide. According to the number M of operating systems, the apparatus analyzes a multi-axis process program of N axes to generate M system process programs, wherein, N?M?2. A synchronous code is added to the M system process programs. According to the specifications of the operating systems, a delay time compensation program is added to the M system process programs to ensure the synchronization of the systems therebetween. The characteristics of the controllers and the servos of the operation systems are adjusted to unify the characteristics of the systems. The M system process programs are outputted to the operating systems correspondingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Wan-Kun Chang, Chin-Chu Sun, Shih-Chang Liang, Chih-Yuan Hsu, Hsin-Chuan Su
  • Patent number: 8260443
    Abstract: A method for the optimized movement co-ordination of measuring machines or machine tools having redundant axles having at translatory action, wherein the longer partial axles in each case permit a relatively slowly accelerated partial movement over a relatively large measuring or processing space and the shorter partial axles in each case essentially carry out the movement components of a total movement at a substantially altogether constant measuring or processing speed, which require an acceleration beyond a maximum set or stipulated for the respective longer partial axles, wherein, when approaching positions that in an undivided movement would otherwise not be attainable, the base axles correspondingly decelerate and can even come to a complete standstill, wherein by simultaneous displacement of the neutral starting point of the additional axles, the respective movement component of the base axles missing from the total movement is compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Andreas Ehlerding
  • Patent number: 8244386
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a motion control system for a machine tool system configured to shape a part with a tool, including an I/O module with machine configuration information that defines limits of a three-dimensional working space of the machine tool system. The I/O module further includes a part program that specifies first and second positions of the tool without reference to the working space limits. The motion control system further includes a software controller configured to internally process moves to determine whether the tool can be repositioned from the first position to the second position while maintaining the tool above a minimum clearance from the part and within the working space limits, output the internally processed moves to the machine tool system to cause movement of the tool if the tool can be safely repositioned, and output an error if the tool cannot be safely repositioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hurco Companies, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul J. Gray
  • Patent number: 8165717
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and medium for correcting a pose of a moving robot are provided. The method includes sensing an entrance using a distance-sensing sensor mounted on the moving robot, storing first distance data of the sensed entrance, after the moving robot travels, newly sensing the entrance using the distance-sensing sensor, and correcting the pose of the moving robot using the first distance data and second distance data corresponding to the entrance newly sensed after the moving robot travels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-jo Kim, Hyong-ki Lee, Dong-ryeol Park, Seok-won Bang
  • Patent number: 8160565
    Abstract: An electronic device and a telecommunication device that are locally connected and methods of utilizing those devices are described herein. The electronic device detects a pattern or duration of user interactions with a multidirectional control of the electronic device. Based on the pattern or duration and association data mapping patterns or durations to commands, the electronic device selects a command and then transmits the command to the telecommunication device. The telecommunication device enables a user to associate actions to be performed by the telecommunication device with patterns or durations of user interaction with the multidirectional control. Also, the telecommunication device receives a signal from the electronic device that is recognized as a command to perform an action, the recognition being based on association data mapping the signal to a pattern or duration of user interaction. The telecommunication device then performs the action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Winston Wang, Jason W. Valalik, Jonathan L. Mann, Richard Alan Ewing, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8155779
    Abstract: A numerical controller including a storage device for storing tabular data configured to operate one arbitrary axis, in which a position of a spindle or an axis as a control object is caused to correspond to a reference value composed of time or the position of a reference spindle or axis. A reading device is provided for successively reading a reference value in the tabular data and a position of the spindle or the axis as control object corresponding to the reference value from the storage device, and controls the position of the spindle or the axis as control object based on the reference value read by the reading device. An assignment device is provided for assigning the axis to be operated in accordance with the tabular data, and a starting device for starting the tabular data stored in the storage device, thereby causing the axis assigned by the assigning device to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Takahiko Endo, Yasushi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8155781
    Abstract: In order to improve movement control in an automation system for movement control, profiles for movement control are freely defined via functions. Polynomial interpolations or spline interpolations are used for the defined functions, the interpolations being of a higher degree. The profile for movement control has a command variable and a secondary variable, at least one of which is time-based or position-related.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Birzer, Tino Heber, Raimund Kram
  • Publication number: 20110288663
    Abstract: System and method for developing a motion application. A motion manager component implementing a supervisory control function and at least one trajectory generation algorithm is stored on a motion controller. A first application programming interface (API) for interfacing the motion manager component to a user developed motion control application is displayed. A second API for interfacing the motion manager component to a user developed communication interface component is displayed. A user application executable for sequencing motion operations in the motion system is created using the first API is created in response to user input. A first communication interface component is created using the second API in response to user input, where the communication interface component is operable to interface with the motion manager component using the second API, and where the user developed communication interface component is executable to communicate with a motion element, e.g., a drive or simulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: Sundeep Chandhoke
  • Patent number: 8032605
    Abstract: A method of causing movement of at least one target device based on at least one of a plurality of motion programs stored on a content server connected to a network. At least one identified characteristic of the at least one target device is identified. At least one selected motion program is selected from the plurality of motion programs stored on the content server. The at least one identified characteristic and the at least one selected motion program are transferred to the motion server. A motion media data set is generated at the motion server for the target motion device based on the at least one identified characteristic of the target device and the at least one selected motion program. The motion media data set is transferred from the motion server to the target motion device to cause the target device to perform the desired sequence of movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Roy-G-Biv Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Brown, Jay S. Clark
  • Patent number: 8032253
    Abstract: In an automatic machine system comprising a mechanism unit (1) including at least one driving mechanism, a controller (2) for controlling a driving operation of the mechanism unit (1), and a teaching unit (3) for operating the mechanism unit (1), the teaching unit (3) includes a teaching unit communicating portion for carrying out a wireless communication with the controller (2) and a first field intensity monitoring portion (13) for monitoring a field intensity of communication data in the teaching unit communicating portion, and the controller (2) includes a controller communicating portion for carrying out a wireless communication with the teaching unit (3), a second field intensity monitoring portion (26) for monitoring a field intensity of communication data in the controller communicating portion, and a driving portion for driving the mechanism unit (1) based on an operation signal sent from the teaching unit (3) in the controller communicating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Hideo Nagata, Michiharu Tanaka