Patents Assigned to Dynamics Inc.
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Patent number: 10360890Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for an electronic handheld musical instrument that generates electronic signals for processing by a processor-based module to generate musical sounds adapted to replicate non-electronic traditional hand percussion and other handheld instruments, is provided. A piezoelectric-based trigger is secured in an enclosed volume or enclosure formed in the electronic handheld musical instrument. When manipulated by a musician in a normal fashion, freely moving beads float or travel within the enclosure of the electronic handheld musical instrument and strike against a sensitive face of the piezoelectric transducer device to create a desired sound effect.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2018Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Rare Earth Dynamics, Inc.Inventor: Stephen Suitor
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Publication number: 20190221323Abstract: Controlled-debris elements inhibit the formation of a fibrous/particulate debris bed that unduly increases the pressure head loss through the perforated plates of strainers in a nuclear power plant emergency core cooling system. In a loss of cooling accident, pumps draw cooling water through the plates, which retain on their surfaces fibrous material in the circulating water to prevent it from reaching the pumps while permitting entrained particulate matter to pass through the perforations. The controlled-debris elements have a specific gravity substantially the same as the circulating water so they are entrained in the cooling water that is drawn toward the strainers and intimately intermix with the fibrous and particulate matter in the cooling water. The elements are configured to provide open structures in the bed formed on the plate surfaces to distribute fibers in the flow away from the surface and maintain cavities between the elements for the particulates.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2017Publication date: July 18, 2019Applicant: Continuum Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Alan J. Bilanin, Andrew E. Kaufman, Raymond Tiberge
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Patent number: 10352481Abstract: An ER fluid valve includes a housing and a plurality of parallel flow passages through the housing each defined by spaced electrodes at least one of which is controllable independently of other flow passages electrodes. A controller is configured to selectively establish electrical fields for all of the independently controllable electrodes to close all of the flow passages to ER fluid flowing through the housing. By removing the fields from all of the independently controllable electrodes, all the flow passages are open to the ER fluid flowing through the housing. By establishing fields for select independently controllable electrodes to close their associated flow passages and by leaving other flow passages open, restricted flow of the ER fluid through the housing is accomplished to vary the flow rate through the housing.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2017Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Michael Murphy, Robert Playter
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Patent number: 10351189Abstract: A robot system includes: an upper body section including one or more end-effectors; a lower body section including one or more legs; and an intermediate body section coupling the upper and lower body sections. An upper body control system operates at least one of the end-effectors. The intermediate body section experiences a first intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on an end-effector force acting on the at least one end-effector. A lower body control system operates the one or more legs. The one or more legs experience respective surface reaction forces. The intermediate body section experiences a second intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on the surface reaction forces. The lower body control system operates the one or more legs so that the second intermediate body linear force balances the first intermediate linear force and the second intermediate body moment balances the first intermediate body moment.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Blankespoor, Benjamin Stephens, Nicolas Hudson, Yeuhi Abe, Jennifer Barry
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Publication number: 20190210673Abstract: A legged robot may seek to operate according to a target gait. The legged robot may include leg members and leg joints. Possibly based on the target gait and state of the legged robot, an ordered list of gait controllers may be obtained. The gait controllers in the ordered list may define respective gaits of the legged robot, and may include respective validity checks and output parameters for the respective gaits. The ordered list may begin with a target gait controller that defines the target gait. The ordered list may be traversed in order from the target gait controller until a validity check associated with a particular gait controller passes. The legged robot may be instructed to actuate the leg members and/or leg joints according to output parameters of the particular gait controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2019Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Swilling, Eric Whitman, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi, Alex Yu Khripin, Gina Christine Fay
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Patent number: 10344742Abstract: A wind-driven power generating system with a hybrid wind turbine mounted on a floating platform that heels relative to horizontal in the presence of a prevailing wind. The hybrid turbine has a turbine rotor with at least two rotor blades, each mounted to a turbine shaft by at least one strut, and the system is configured so that the shaft forms a predetermined non-zero operating heel angle relative to vertical in the presence of a prevailing wind at a predetermined velocity. The blades and struts are airfoils with predetermined aerodynamic characteristics that generate lift forces with components in the direction of rotation around the shaft of the blades and struts at the operating heel angle to drive an electrical generator carried by the platform. The system can be designed to generate maximum power at the predetermined heel angle or essentially constant power over a range of heel angles.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2016Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Continuum Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Glen R. Whitehouse, Alan J. Bilanin, Alexander H. Boschitsch, Daniel A. Wachspress
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Patent number: 10337561Abstract: An example robot includes: a motor disposed at a joint configured to control motion of a member of the robot; a transmission including an input member coupled to and configured to rotate with the motor, an intermediate member, and an output member, where the intermediate member is fixed such that as the input member rotates, the output member rotates therewith at a different speed; a pad frictionally coupled to a side surface of the output member of the transmission and coupled to the member of the robot; and a spring configured to apply an axial preload on the pad, wherein the axial preload defines a torque limit that, when exceeded by a torque load on the member of the robot, the output member of the transmission slips relative to the pad.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Zachary John Jackowski, Adam Young
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Patent number: 10330823Abstract: An inspection system to measure the condition of at least a wall of a ground opening, the inspection system having a head unit for lowering into a borehole during a data collection phase wherein at least one set of test data is collected concerning one or more physical characteristics of the borehole during the data collection phase, the head unit having an internal measurement system and a sensor arrangement with a plurality of sensors facing radially outwardly of a head axis that is generally parallel to at least a portion of a borehole axis, the plurality of sensors allowing the head unit to be moved during the data collection phase without rotation about the head axis, the plurality of sensors at least partially producing the at least one set of test data collected during the data collection phase.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2016Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Pile Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: George R. Piscsalko, Dean A. Cotton, Richard E. Berris, Jr., Tyler A. Piedimonte
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Publication number: 20190186604Abstract: An example robot includes: a leg having an upper leg member and a lower leg member coupled to the upper leg member at a knee joint; a screw actuator disposed within the upper leg member, where the screw actuator has a screw shaft and a nut mounted coaxial to the screw shaft such that the screw shaft is rotatable within the nut; a motor mounted at an upper portion of the upper leg member and coupled to the screw shaft; a carrier coupled and mounted coaxial to the nut such that the nut is disposed at a proximal end of the carrier; and a linkage coupled to the carrier, where the linkage is coupled to the lower leg member at the knee joint.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2019Publication date: June 20, 2019Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Steven D. Potter, Zachary John Jackowski, Adam Young
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Publication number: 20190176329Abstract: A method for determining a step path involves obtaining a reference step path for a robot with at least three feet. The reference step path includes a set of spatial points on a surface that define respective target touchdown locations for the at least three feet. The method also involves receiving a state of the robot. The method further involves generating a reference capture point trajectory based on the reference step path. Additionally, the method involves obtaining at least two potential step paths and a corresponding capture point trajectory. Further, the method involves selecting a particular step path of the at least two potential step paths based on a relationship between the at least two potential step paths, the potential capture point trajectory, the reference step path, and the reference capture point trajectory. The method additionally involves instructing the robot to begin stepping in accordance with the particular step path.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2019Publication date: June 13, 2019Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventor: Benjamin Swilling
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Patent number: 10300969Abstract: An example method may include i) determining a first distance between a pair of feet of a robot at a first time, where the pair of feet is in contact with a ground surface; ii) determining a second distance between the pair of feet of the robot at a second time, where the pair of feet remains in contact with the ground surface from the first time to the second time; iii) comparing a difference between the determined first and second distances to a threshold difference; iv) determining that the difference between determined first and second distances exceeds the threshold difference; and v) based on the determination that the difference between the determined first and second distances exceeds the threshold difference, causing the robot to react.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Blankespoor, Marco da Silva, Alex Perkins
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Patent number: 10300609Abstract: An example robot includes: a motor disposed within a housing at a joint configured to control motion of a member of a robot; a controller including one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) disposed within the housing and including a plurality of field-effect transistors (FETs) disposed on a surface of a PCB of the one or more PCBs facing the motor; a rotary position sensor mounted on the controller; a shaft coupled to a rotor of the motor and extending therefrom to the controller; and a magnet mounted within the shaft at an end of the shaft facing the controller.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Zachary John Jackowski, Kyle Rogers, Adam Young
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Publication number: 20190154063Abstract: An example valve includes a sleeve having a plurality of openings. A spool is rotatable within the sleeve and includes a respective plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of openings of the sleeve. A rotary actuator coupled to the spool is configured for rotating the spool within the sleeve to one of at least eight rotary positions. The rotary actuator can rotate the spool to a given rotary position in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction to cause at least a partial alignment between a subset of the respective plurality of openings of the spool and a subset of the plurality of openings of the sleeve.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2019Publication date: May 23, 2019Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Steven D. Potter, John Aaron Saunders
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Patent number: 10295069Abstract: An example valve includes: a sleeve having a plurality of sleeve openings; a first conduit configured to be in hydraulic communication with a first chamber, where a first pressure sensor is disposed in the first conduit and configured to measure a pressure level of fluid in the first chamber; a second conduit configured to be in hydraulic communication with a second chamber, where a second pressure sensor is disposed in the second conduit and configured to measure a pressure level of fluid in the second chamber; a spool rotatable within the sleeve, wherein the spool includes a plurality of spool openings respectively corresponding to the plurality of sleeve openings; a rotary actuator coupled to the spool and configured to rotate the spool within the sleeve in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions; and a controller configured to cause the spool to rotate to one of a plurality of rotary positions.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: John Aaron Saunders, Malik Hansen, Jan Komsta
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Publication number: 20190143531Abstract: Example methods and devices for touch-down detection for a robotic device are described herein. In an example embodiment, a computing system may receive a force signal due to a force experienced at a limb of a robotic device. The system may receive an output signal from a sensor of the end component of the limb. Responsive to the received signals, the system may determine whether the force signal satisfies a first threshold and determine whether the output signal satisfies a second threshold. Based on at least one of the force signal satisfying the first threshold or the output signal satisfying the second threshold, the system of the robotic device may provide a touch-down output indicating touch-down of the end component of the limb with a portion of an environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2019Publication date: May 16, 2019Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Zachary Jackowski, Kevin Blankespoor, John Aaron Saunders, Francis M. Agresti
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Patent number: 10284141Abstract: A load pulled oscillator circuit. The load pulled oscillator circuit comprises: i) an active circuit comprising a load pulled oscillator transistor, the active circuit having an optimal operational bias point; ii) an impedance matching circuit coupled to the active circuit; and iii) a temperature compensation circuit coupled to the active circuit and configured to compensate a bias voltage to the active circuit to thereby maintain the optimal operational bias point. The temperature compensation circuit comprises a thermistor that provides a variable resistance according to an ambient temperature in which the active circuit operates. The variable resistance of the thermistor compensates for changes in the ambient temperature to thereby maintain the optimal operational bias point.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2016Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Phase Dynamics, Inc.Inventor: Bentley N. Scott
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Patent number: 10279482Abstract: An example robot includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder controlling motion of a member of the robot. The hydraulic actuator cylinder comprises a piston, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A valve system controls hydraulic fluid flow between a hydraulic supply line of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the first and second chambers, and a return line. A controller may provide a first signal to the valve system so as to begin moving the piston based on a trajectory comprising moving in a forward direction, stopping, and moving in a reverse direction. The controller may provide a second signal to the valve system so as to cause the piston to override the trajectory as it moves in the forward direction and stop at a given position, and then provide a third signal to the valve system so as to resume moving the piston in the reverse direction based on the trajectory.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Alex Khripin, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi
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Patent number: 10282884Abstract: Inertial damping is used to improve the simulation of deformable bodies for physics-based animation. Using this technique, undesirable dynamics of deformable bodies can be suppressed or completely removed while retaining other, more desirable dynamics. An inertial damping module selectively applies inertial damping to a subset of the dynamic modes of a simulated system (e.g., by using the quasi-static solution for these modes or reducing their magnitude). Thus, when the dynamics are simulated, the interactions between modes can be retained while the undesirable effects of the damped modes are reduced or eliminated. The results of the simulation are used to drive a physics-based animation.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2017Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Ziva Dynamics Inc.Inventor: Essex A. Edwards
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Patent number: 10276140Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for a magnetically and releaseably attachable trigger for an instrument is provided. The trigger and securing device are disposed on either side of a drumhead or other instrument surface via magnetic force, keeping the instrument surface intact and not deforming the instrument surface. Additionally, the trigger provides for an increased sensitivity of sound by being in direct physical contact with the surface on which it is attached.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2018Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Rare Earth Dynamics, Inc.Inventor: Stephen Riley Suitor
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Patent number: 10273986Abstract: An actuation pressure to actuate one or more hydraulic actuators may be determined based on a load on the one or more hydraulic actuators of a robotic device. Based on the determined actuation pressure, a pressure rail from among a set of pressure rails at respective pressures may be selected. One or more valves may connect the selected pressure rail to a metering valve. The hydraulic drive system may operate in a discrete mode in which the metering valve opens such that hydraulic fluid flows from the selected pressure rail through the metering valve to the one or more hydraulic actuators at approximately the supply pressure. Responsive to a control state of the robotic device, the hydraulic drive system may operate in a continuous mode in which the metering valve throttles the hydraulic fluid such that the supply pressure is reduced to the determined actuation pressure.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2017Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.Inventors: Michael Murphy, John Aaron Saunders, Steven D. Potter