Patents Assigned to HRL Laboratories, LLC
  • Patent number: 11928585
    Abstract: Described is a system for training a neural network for estimating surface normals for use in operating an autonomous platform. The system uses a parallelizable k-nearest neighbor sorting algorithm to provide a patch of points, sampled from the point cloud data, as input to the neural network model. The points are transformed from Euclidean coordinates in a Euclidean space to spherical coordinates. A polar angle of a surface normal of the point cloud data is estimated in the spherical coordinates. The trained neural network model is utilized on the autonomous platform, and the estimate of the polar angle of the surface normal is used to guide operation of the autonomous platform within the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Serrano, Michael A. Warren, Aleksey Nogin
  • Patent number: 11926334
    Abstract: Described is a system for human-machine teaching for vehicle operation. The system determines currently enabled status reporting modes on a vehicle interface of a vehicle. The currently enabled status reporting modes are compared to a set of preferred status reporting modes of previous users. Based on the comparison, a status reporting mode is selected. A current operational status of the vehicle is reported to a current user, via the vehicle interface, using the selected status reporting mode. The system then determines preferred solutions of previous users to address the current operational status of the vehicle. Suggestions to address the current operational status of the vehicle based on the preferred solutions are reported to the user via the vehicle interface. A vehicle action corresponding to a solution selected by the current user is implemented via a vehicle component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Tiffany Hwu, David J. Huber, Steven W. Skorheim, Jaehoon Choe
  • Patent number: 11929186
    Abstract: In some variations, an interferometric frequency-reference apparatus comprises: an atom source configured to supply neutral atoms; a collimator configured to form a collimated beam of the neutral atoms; one or more probe lasers; and a Doppler laser configured to determine a ground-state population of the neutral atoms. Other variations provide a method of creating a stable frequency reference, comprising: forming a collimated beam of neutral atoms; illuminating the neutral atoms with first and second probe lasers; adjusting the frequencies of the first probe laser and second probe laser using Ramsey spectroscopy to an S?D transition of the neutral atoms; and determining a ground-state population of the neutral atoms with another laser. The interferometric frequency-reference apparatus may provide an optical frequency reference or a microwave frequency reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Travis Autry, Ian Counts, Jennifer Ellis, Danny Kim, Christopher Roper
  • Patent number: 11919085
    Abstract: Some variations provide a process for additive manufacturing of a nanofunctionalized metal alloy, comprising: providing a nanofunctionalized metal precursor containing metals and grain-refining nanoparticles; exposing a first amount of the nanofunctionalized metal precursor to an energy source for melting the precursor, thereby generating a first melt layer; solidifying the first melt layer, thereby generating a first solid layer; and repeating many times to generate a plurality of solid layers in an additive-manufacturing build direction. The additively manufactured, nanofunctionalized metal alloy has a microstructure with equiaxed grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: John H. Martin, Brennan Yahata, Tobias A. Schaedler, Jacob M. Hundley
  • Patent number: 11907815
    Abstract: Described is a system for improving generalization of an agent, such as an autonomous vehicle, to unanticipated environmental changes. A set of concepts from the agent's experiences of an environment are extracted and consolidated into an episodic world model. Using the episodic world model, a dream sequence of prospective simulations, based on a selected set of concepts and constrained by the environment's semantics and dynamics, is generated. The dream sequence is converted into a sensor data format, which is used for augmented training of the agent to operate in the environment with improved generalization to unanticipated changes in the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Praveen K. Pilly, Nicholas A. Ketz, Michael D. Howard
  • Patent number: 11907307
    Abstract: Described is a system for producing a causal map from a body of text. The system receives multiple textual documents as input. Pairs of cause-effect phrases are extracted from the textual documents and embedded into a vector space. The embedded data is clustered into clusters using a probabilistic technique. A causal map having nodes and edges is generated from the clusters. Using the causal map, causal connections between clusters are obtained, where each node represents an event and each edge represents a causal relationship between events. The causal map is provided as an interactive graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sasha Strelnikoff, Aruna Jammalamadaka, Dana M. Warmsley
  • Patent number: 11899839
    Abstract: Described is a system for multimodal machine-aided comprehension analysis. The system can be implemented in an augmented reality headset that, in conjunction with a processor, generates an initial scene graph of a scene proximate the user. Items and labels are presented, with the headset tracking eye movements of the user as the user gazes upon the subject labels, item labels, and relationship labels. A resulting scene graph (having relationship triplets) is generated based on the eye movements of the user and an amount of time the user spends gazing upon each of the display components. A comprehension model is generated by estimating a user's comprehension of the relationship triplets, with a knowledge model being generated based on a known knowledge graph and the comprehension model. Cues are then presented to the user based on the comprehension and knowledge models to assist the user in their comprehension of the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Steven W. Skorheim, Tiffany Hwu
  • Patent number: 11891341
    Abstract: This disclosure provides resin formulations which may be used for 3D printing and thermally treating to produce a ceramic material. The disclosure provides direct, free-form 3D printing of a preceramic polymer, followed by converting the preceramic polymer to a 3D-printed ceramic composite with potentially complex 3D shapes. A wide variety of chemical compositions is disclosed, and several experimental examples are included to demonstrate reduction to practice. For example, preceramic resin formulations may contain a carbosilane in which there is at least one functional group selected from vinyl, allyl, ethynyl, unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, ester group, amine, hydroxyl, vinyl ether, vinyl ester, glycidyl, glycidyl ether, vinyl glycidyl ether, vinyl amide, vinyl triazine, vinyl isocyanurate, acrylate, methacrylate, alkacrylate, alkyl alkacrylate, phenyl, halide, thiol, cyano, cyanate, or thiocyanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Zak C. Eckel, Andrew P. Nowak, Ashley M. Dustin, April R. Rodriguez, Phuong Bui, Tobias A. Schaedler
  • Patent number: 11891538
    Abstract: This disclosure provides corrosion-resistant coatings that significantly improve corrosion resistance compared to the prior art. The corrosion protection system senses gradients in electrical potential, pH, and metal ion concentration, and then automatically halts corrosion. Some variations provide a gradient-responsive corrosion-resistant coating comprising: a first layer comprising a transition metal oxide and mobile cations; a second layer comprising a biphasic polymer, wherein the biphasic polymer contains ionic groups, wherein the biphasic polymer comprises a discrete phase and a continuous transport phase, wherein the continuous transport phase is capable of delivering oligomers in response to corrosion byproducts, and wherein the oligomers are ionically crosslinkable with metal cations from a base metal substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Gross, John Vajo, Jason Graetz
  • Publication number: 20240039517
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for coupling two nonlinear resonators via a nonlinear element to generate phononic frequency combs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Walter S. WALL, Randall L. KUBENA
  • Patent number: 11881851
    Abstract: A signal processing circuit. In some embodiments, the signal processing circuit includes a first sample and hold circuit and a second sample and hold circuit. The first sample and hold circuit may include: a hold capacitor; an input switch connected between a common input node and the hold capacitor; a signal path amplifier having an input connected to the hold capacitor; and an output switch connected between an output of the signal path amplifier and a common output node. An input of a voltage feedback amplifier may be connected to the hold capacitor, and an output of the voltage feedback amplifier may be operatively coupled to an internal node of the input switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Chan-Tang Tsen, Donald Hitko, Susan Morton
  • Patent number: 11872590
    Abstract: Some variations provide a method of forming a transparent icephobic coating, comprising: obtaining a hardenable precursor comprising a first component and a plurality of inclusions containing a second component, wherein one of the first component or the second component is a low-surface-energy polymer, and the other is a hygroscopic material; applying mechanical shear and/or sonication to the hardenable precursor; disposing the hardenable precursor onto a substrate; and curing the hardenable precursor to form a transparent icephobic coating. The coating contains a hardened continuous matrix containing regions of the first component separated from regions of the second component on an average length scale of phase inhomogeneity from 10 nanometers to 10 microns, such as less than 1 micron, or less than 100 nanometers. The transparent icephobic coating may be characterized by a light transmittance of at least 50% at wavelengths from 400 nm to 800 nm, through a 100-micron coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: April R. Rodriguez, Andrew P. Nowak, Adam F. Gross
  • Patent number: 11865641
    Abstract: Some variations provide a method of making an additively manufactured single-crystal metallic component, comprising: providing a feedstock comprising a first metal or metal alloy; providing a build plate comprising a single crystal of a second metal or metal alloy; exposing the feedstock to an energy source for melting the feedstock, generating a melt layer on the build plate; and solidifying the melt layer, generating a solid layer (on the build plate) of a metal component. The solid layer is also a single crystal of the first metal or metal alloy. The method may be repeated many times to build the part. Some variations provide a single-crystal metallic component comprising a plurality of solid layers in an additive-manufacturing build direction, wherein the plurality of solid layers forms a single crystal of a metal or metal alloy with a continuous crystallographic texture. The crystal orientation may vary along the additive-manufacturing build direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: John H. Martin, Jacob M. Hundley, Brennan D. Yahata
  • Patent number: 11869679
    Abstract: In some variations, an interferometric frequency-reference apparatus comprises: an atom source configured to supply neutral atoms to be ionized; an ionizer configured to excite the neutral atoms to form ionized atoms; an ion collimator configured to form a collimated beam of the ionized atoms; probe lasers; and a Doppler laser configured to determine a ground-state population of the ionized atoms, wherein the atom source, the ionizer, and the ion collimator are disposed within a vacuum chamber. Other variations provide a method of creating a stable frequency reference, comprising: forming ionized atoms from an atomic vapor; forming a collimated beam of ionized atoms; illuminating ionized atoms with first and second probe lasers; adjusting the frequencies of the first probe and second probe lasers using Ramsey spectroscopy to an S?D transition of ionized atoms; and determining a ground-state population of the ionized atoms with another laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Travis Autry, Ian Counts, Jennifer Ellis, Danny Kim, Christopher Roper
  • Patent number: 11862653
    Abstract: An imaging sensor package includes: an imaging sensor; and an architected substrate coupled to a bottom surface of the imaging sensor. The architected substrate has local stiffness variations along an in-plane direction of the architected substrate, and the imaging sensor and the architected substrate are curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mark O'Masta, Jacob Hundley, Eric Clough, Christopher Roper, Geoffrey McKnight
  • Patent number: 11862369
    Abstract: Some variations provide a permanent-magnet structure comprising: a region having a plurality of magnetic domains and a region-average magnetic axis, wherein each of the magnetic domains has a domain magnetic axis that is substantially aligned with the region-average magnetic axis, and wherein the plurality of magnetic domains is characterized by an average magnetic domain size. Within the region, there is a plurality of metal-containing grains characterized by an average grain size, and each of the magnetic domains has a domain easy axis that is dictated by a crystallographic texture of the metal-containing grains. The region has a region-average easy axis based on the average value of the domain easy axis within that region. The region-average magnetic axis and the region-average easy axis form a region-average alignment angle that has a standard deviation less than 30° within the plurality of magnetic domains. Many permanent-magnet structures are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Brennan Yahata, Eric Clough, Christopher Henry, Amber Sucich, Darby Laplant, Tobias Schaedler
  • Patent number: 11859098
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shelf-stable, two-part formula for making an antimicrobial biphasic polymer. Some variations provide a two-part formula for fabricating a biphasic polymer, wherein the two-part formula consists essentially of (A) a first liquid volume, wherein the first liquid volume comprises: a structural phase containing a solid structural polymer; a transport phase containing a solid transport polymer; a chain extender; a curing catalyst; a first solvent; and (B) a second liquid volume that is volumetrically isolated from the first liquid volume, wherein the second liquid volume comprises: a crosslinker that is capable of crosslinking the solid structural polymer with the solid transport polymer; and a second solvent. An antimicrobial agent (e.g., quaternary ammoniums salts) may be contained in the first liquid volume or in the second liquid volume. Methods of making and using the antimicrobial biphasic polymer are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Ventuleth, Andrew Nowak, Adam Gross
  • Patent number: 11861488
    Abstract: A neuron circuit, comprising first and second NDR devices biased each with opposite polarities, said first and second NDR devices being coupled to first and second grounded capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventor: Wei Yi
  • Patent number: 11863194
    Abstract: An atomic clock stabilized or disciplined by tooth selected from a phononic comb of frequency teeth. A method of stabilizing an atomic clock having a reference oscillator, the method comprising selecting a particular tooth from a phononic comb of frequency teeth and applying a correction signal to said reference oscillator, the correction signal being based the selected tooth of said phononic comb. The disclosed technology is not limited to stabilizing reference oscillators associated with atomic clocks and thus may be utilized to stabilize reference oscillators whether or not they are interfaces with an atomic clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Randall Kubena, Walter Wall
  • Patent number: 11863221
    Abstract: Described is a Neuromorphic Adaptive Core (NeurACore) cognitive signal processor (CSP) for wide instantaneous bandwidth denoising of noisy signals. The NeurACore CSP includes a NeurACore block, a globally learning layer, and a neural combiner. The NeurACore block is operable for receiving as an input a mixture of in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) signals and mapping the I/Q signals onto a neural network to determine complex-valued output weights of neural states of the neural network. The global learning layer is operable for adapting the complex-valued output weights to predict a most likely next value of the input I/Q signal. Further, the neural combiner is operable for combining a set of delayed neural state vectors with the weights of the global learning layer to compute an output signal, the output signal being separate in-phase and quadrature signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: HRL LABORATORIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sanaz Adl, Peter Petre, Gabriel L. Virbila, Austin F. Garrido, Bryan H. Fong, Adour V. Kabakian