Patents Assigned to Apprentice FS, Inc.
  • Patent number: 12586037
    Abstract: A method for automatically generating a digital procedure includes, during a set-up period: aggregating an equipment manual and instructional blocks associated with an equipment unit into a data container; correlating data, in the data container, with a set of language signals; and aggregating the set of language signals into a procedure authoring model characteristic of a procedure convention for performing steps of instructional blocks by an operator at the equipment unit. The method also includes, during a deployment period: receiving an authoring request; detecting the set of language signals in the authoring request; correlating text, in the authoring request, to an action signal related to the equipment unit; and based on the action signal and the procedure authoring model, generating a sequence of instructional blocks predicted to yield an outcome of the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2026
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Quoc Duong, Michael Keels
  • Patent number: 12493276
    Abstract: One variation of a system includes: a chassis located over a physical user interface of a production equipment unit that includes a set of physical input fields; a set of actuators coupled to the chassis; a selector manipulated by the set of actuators and interfacing with the set of physical input fields; a communication module configured to receive a command—corresponding to a virtual input entered by a remote operator at a virtual user interface representing the physical user interface and depicted within an operator portal remote from the production equipment unit—during a procedure at the production equipment unit; and a controller configured to: drive the set of actuators according to the command to manipulate the selector across a physical input field on the physical user interface and thus physically reproduce the virtual input at the physical user interface of the production equipment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2025
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Maggiore
  • Patent number: 12468876
    Abstract: A method for modifying a procedure includes: accessing an instructional block library containing a set of verified instructional blocks associated with approved digital procedures performed within a facility; accessing an unverified instructional block, authored by an operator, for a new digital procedure at the facility; detecting a set of language signals in the unverified instructional block; correlating an equipment unit language signal, in the set of language signals, with an equipment unit located within the facility; correlating an action language signal, in the set of language signals, with an action prompt related to the equipment unit; identifying a verified instructional block, in the set of verified instructional blocks in the instructional block library, as analogous to the unverified instructional block in response to the verified instructional block including language signals associated with the equipment unit and the action prompt; and inserting the verified instructional block in the new digi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2025
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Obay Alchorbaji, Emilee Cook, Karl Baranov, Josh Morgan, John Zimmerman, Ahmed Bekhit, Matthew Hall, Younge Qu, Jonathan Borgia
  • Patent number: 12452490
    Abstract: One variation of the method for distributing censored videos of manufacturing procedures performed within a facility includes: accessing a video feed captured by a local device interfacing with a local operator during performance of a procedure within the facility; interpreting a set of objects depicted in the video feed based on features extracted from the video feed; accessing a minimum censorship specification for the procedure, the minimum censorship specification defining a set of object types corresponding to a first degree of censorship; identifying a subset of objects, in the set of objects, depicted in the video feed related to the procedure based on the set of object types defined in the minimum censorship specification; fogging the subset of objects in the video feed to generate a censored video feed; and serving the censored video feed to a remote viewer portal accessed by a remote viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2025
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Maggiore
  • Patent number: 12374062
    Abstract: One variation of a method for automatically capturing data from non-networked production equipment includes: detecting a location of a mobile device within a facility, the mobile device manipulated by an operator while performing a step of an augmented digital procedure at a machine in the facility; estimating a position of a display on the machine relative to a field of view of an optical sensor in the mobile device based on the location of the mobile device and a stored location of the machine within the facility; in response to the position of the display falling within the field of view of the optical sensor, selecting an image captured by the optical sensor; extracting a value, presented on the display, from a region of the image depicting the display; and storing the value in a procedure file for the augmented digital procedure completed at the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Milan Bradonjic, Nabil Chehade
  • Patent number: 12288396
    Abstract: One variation of a method for augmenting a digital procedure for production of pharmacological materials with automatic verification of objects includes: initializing a digital procedure containing a sequence of instructional blocks; and populating a instructional block with a instruction in a set of formats and a set of target objects. The method further includes, in response to an operator initiating an instance of the instructional block: accessing video feeds of the operator performing the instructional block; identifying a target object in a target frame from the video feeds; extracting visual features from the target frame; calculating an identification score for the target object based on the visual features; in response to the identification score falling below a confidence threshold, applying a fiducial to the target object; and linking the target object to the fiducial in the instructional block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Maggiore
  • Patent number: 12127076
    Abstract: One variation of a method for assisting execution of manual protocols at production equipment includes: identifying a site occupied by a mobile device based on a geospatial location of a device; identifying a space within the building occupied by the device based on identifiers of a set of wireless access points wirelessly accessible to the device and known locations of wireless access points within the building; loading a protocol associated with an equipment unit in the space; calculating a position of the device within the space based on positions optical features, detected in a field of view of an optical sensor at the device, relative to reference features represented in a space model of the space; and, when the position of the device falls within a threshold distance of a reference location proximal the equipment unit defined in a step of the procedure, rendering guidance for the step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Nabil Hajj Chehade
  • Patent number: 12028574
    Abstract: One variation of the method for distributing censored videos of manufacturing procedures performed within a facility includes: accessing a video feed captured by a local device interfacing with a local operator during performance of a procedure within the facility; interpreting a set of objects depicted in the video feed based on features extracted from the video feed; accessing a minimum censorship specification for the procedure, the minimum censorship specification defining a set of object types corresponding to a first degree of censorship; identifying a subset of objects, in the set of objects, depicted in the video feed related to the procedure based on the set of object types defined in the minimum censorship specification; fogging the subset of objects in the video feed to generate a censored video feed; and serving the censored video feed to a remote viewer portal accessed by a remote viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Maggiore
  • Patent number: 11979685
    Abstract: A method includes: via a user interface of a hub device, receiving a first set of user credentials associated with a first operator, the hub device connected to a set of mobile devices; accessing a first operator schedule defining a first scheduled manufacturing operation and a first observer of the first scheduled manufacturing operation, the first observer characterized by a first set of observer credentials; detecting disconnection of a first mobile device in the set of mobile devices from the hub device, the first mobile device associated with a first device ID; in response to detecting disconnection of the first mobile device from the hub device, associating the first device ID with the first operator; and routing a first video feed from the first mobile device to the first observer based on the first device ID and the first set of observer credentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Ali Jaafar, John Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 11900549
    Abstract: One variation of a method for automatically capturing data from non-networked production equipment includes: detecting a location of a mobile device within a facility, the mobile device manipulated by an operator while performing a step of an augmented digital procedure at a machine in the facility; estimating a position of a display on the machine relative to a field of view of an optical sensor in the mobile device based on the location of the mobile device and a stored location of the machine within the facility; in response to the position of the display falling within the field of view of the optical sensor, selecting an image captured by the optical sensor; extracting a value, presented on the display, from a region of the image depicting the display; and storing the value in a procedure file for the augmented digital procedure completed at the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Milan Bradonjic, Nabil Chehade
  • Patent number: 11810257
    Abstract: One variation of a method for automatically capturing data from non-networked production equipment includes: detecting a location of a mobile device within a facility, the mobile device manipulated by an operator while performing a step of an augmented digital procedure at a machine in the facility; estimating a position of a display on the machine relative to a field of view of an optical sensor in the mobile device based on the location of the mobile device and a stored location of the machine within the facility; in response to the position of the display falling within the field of view of the optical sensor, selecting an image captured by the optical sensor; extracting a value, presented on the display, from a region of the image depicting the display; and storing the value in a procedure file for the augmented digital procedure completed at the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Milan Bradonjic, Nabil Chehade
  • Patent number: 11710100
    Abstract: A method for augmenting procedures at production equipment includes: linking a first description of a first step in a procedure and a capture type to a first capture field; generating a digital draft procedure comprising descriptions of steps extracted from the procedure and the first capture field specifying data capture of the first capture type from an equipment unit; generating augmented guidance for the first step in the procedure based on visual content recorded by a mobile device—assigned to an exemplary operator—during completion of the first step in the digital draft procedure; linking the augmented guidance to a location proximal the equipment unit based on locations of the first mobile device during completion of the first step in the digital draft procedure; and generating an augmented digital procedure based on steps in the procedure, the augmented guidance, and definitions for data capture according to the first capture field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Angelo Stracquatanio, Nabil Chehade, Frank Maggiore, Ali Jaafar, Milan Bradonjic, Kenny Chapman, Tanya Maroz, Sam Brewton, Kingsley Adarkwah
  • Patent number: 11528582
    Abstract: One variation of a method for assisting execution of manual protocols at production equipment includes: identifying a site occupied by a mobile device based on a geospatial location of a device; identifying a space within the building occupied by the device based on identifiers of a set of wireless access points wirelessly accessible to the device and known locations of wireless access points within the building; loading a protocol associated with an equipment unit in the space; calculating a position of the device within the space based on positions optical features, detected in a field of view of an optical sensor at the device, relative to reference features represented in a space model of the space; and, when the position of the device falls within a threshold distance of a reference location proximal the equipment unit defined in a step of the procedure, rendering guidance for the step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Nabil Hajj Chehade
  • Patent number: 11516438
    Abstract: A method includes: via a user interface of a hub device, receiving a first set of user credentials associated with a first operator, the hub device connected to a set of mobile devices; accessing a first operator schedule defining a first scheduled manufacturing operation and a first observer of the first scheduled manufacturing operation, the first observer characterized by a first set of observer credentials; detecting disconnection of a first mobile device in the set of mobile devices from the hub device, the first mobile device associated with a first device ID; in response to detecting disconnection of the first mobile device from the hub device, associating the first device ID with the first operator; and routing a first video feed from the first mobile device to the first observer based on the first device ID and the first set of observer credentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Ali Jaafar, John Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 11326886
    Abstract: One variation of a method for controlling dissemination of instructional content to operators performing procedures at equipment within a facility includes: at a computing device, accessing a digital procedure containing a first instructional block comprising a first instruction in a set of formats including a text format corresponding to a first degree of guidance, an audio format corresponding to a second degree of guidance different from the first degree, and a visual format corresponding to a third degree of guidance greater than the first and second degrees; accessing a minimum instruction guidance specification for a current instance of the digital procedure; and, in response to initiation of the first instructional block in the digital procedure, presenting the first instruction in a particular format, in the set of formats, corresponding to a particular degree of guidance approximating the minimum instruction guidance specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Sam Brewton Lee Crumpton, Russell Hirschorn, Ali Jaafar, Nabil Hajj Chehade
  • Patent number: 11301793
    Abstract: A method for augmenting procedures at production equipment includes: linking a first description of a first step in a procedure and a capture type to a first capture field; generating a digital draft procedure comprising descriptions of steps extracted from the procedure and the first capture field specifying data capture of the first capture type from an equipment unit; generating augmented guidance for the first step in the procedure based on visual content recorded by a mobile device—assigned to an exemplary operator—during completion of the first step in the digital draft procedure; linking the augmented guidance to a location proximal the equipment unit based on locations of the first mobile device during completion of the first step in the digital draft procedure; and generating an augmented digital procedure based on steps in the procedure, the augmented guidance, and definitions for data capture according to the first capture field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Angelo Stracquatanio, Nabil Chehade, Frank Maggiore, Ali Jaafar, Milan Bradonjic, Kenny Chapman, Tanya Maroz, Sam Brewton, Kingsley Adarkwah
  • Patent number: 11145130
    Abstract: One variation of a method for automatically capturing data from non-networked production equipment includes: detecting a location of a mobile device within a facility, the mobile device manipulated by an operator while performing a step of an augmented digital procedure at a machine in the facility; estimating a position of a display on the machine relative to a field of view of an optical sensor in the mobile device based on the location of the mobile device and a stored location of the machine within the facility; in response to the position of the display falling within the field of view of the optical sensor, selecting an image captured by the optical sensor; extracting a value, presented on the display, from a region of the image depicting the display; and storing the value in a procedure file for the augmented digital procedure completed at the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Apprentice FS, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Maggiore, Angelo Stracquatanio, Milan Bradonjic, Nabil Chehade