Patents Examined by Aaron G Cain
  • Patent number: 11970157
    Abstract: An automotive electronic dynamics control system for a motor-vehicle equipped with and automotive automated driving system designed to cause the motor-vehicle to perform low-speed manoeuvres in automated driving. The automotive automated driving system comprises an automotive sensory system designed to detect motor-vehicle-related quantities, and automotive actuators comprising an Electric Power Steering, a Braking System, and a Powertrain. The electronic dynamics control system is designed to implement a Driving Path Planner designed to: receive data representative of static obstacles in the surroundings of the motor-vehicle and representing static space constraints to the motion of the motor-vehicle, and compute, based on the received data, a planned driving path for the motor-vehicle during a low-speed manoeuvre performed in automated driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: C.R.F. SOCIETA' CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Giulio Borrello, Enrico Raffone, Claudio Rei, Massimo Fossanetti
  • Patent number: 11946231
    Abstract: An improved system and method for controlling turf grading equipment is described. The system comprises a turf grading device wherein the turf grading device is moved longitudinally over an area and the turf grading device comprises a left side and a right side with each side being able to independently move vertically and in concert provide a motion of pitch and yaw. The system includes a control system wherein the control system controls movement of the left side and the right side independently. The control system comprises a controller interface capable of selecting between a manual override mode and a module selection mode wherein the module selection mode selected from a grade adjust laser mode, a grade adjust autograde mode, a grade adjust autodepth mode and a grade adjust slope mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: G2 Turftools, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric L. Merkt
  • Patent number: 11921513
    Abstract: A moving robot includes: a boundary signal detector configured to detect a proximity boundary signal generated in a proximity boundary area in which a portion of a first travel area and a portion of a second travel area are proximal to each other; and a controller configured to define a proximity boundary line based on the proximity boundary signal, and control the travelling unit such that the body performs a homing travel which indicates travelling along the proximity boundary line. The moving robot may be included in a system that includes boundary wires to define the first and second travel areas. The system may further include a docking unit to dock with and charge the moving robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaehoon Lee, Jongjin Woo, Dongseong Kim, Dongkyun Nam
  • Patent number: 11911914
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method that automatically decides motion parameters of hand-eye calibration, and conducts the calibration procedure with minimal human intervention. It automatically computes hand-eye calibration motion parameters and spatial positions during pre-calibration, whereby the calibration pattern can continuously remain inside, and covering, the entire field of view FOV of the vision system camera, providing a fully automatic hand-eye calibration process. This system and method advantageously operates in a robot-based hand-eye calibration environment and can compensate for a cantilever effect between the calibration target and the FOV. A hand-eye calibration computes the transformation from the robot coordinate space to the camera coordinate space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Bernhard Drixler, Yingchuan Hu
  • Patent number: 11906972
    Abstract: Provided is a moving robot system including a moving robot and a charging station. The charging station includes a camera formed to capture the moving robot, a communication unit configured to communicate with the moving robot, a charging contact unit configured to charge the moving robot, and a control unit configured to control the camera to receive a preview image obtained by capturing the moving robot on the basis that the moving robot having been in contact with the charging contact unit is separated from the charging contact unit. The control unit performs different types of control on the basis of whether information indicating that the moving robot is being separated from the charging contact unit is received before the moving robot is separated from the charging contact unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaehoon Lee, Hyunsup Song, Jongjin Woo
  • Patent number: 11858130
    Abstract: A controller of a robot includes an operation device for an operator to perform an operation of manually changing a position and an orientation of the robot. The operation device includes a movable part configured to perform a pushing operation, a pulling operation, and a tilting operation in a predetermined direction, and an operation detection unit configured to detect the operation of the movable part. The processing device includes a manual control unit that controls an inching operation that changes the position and the orientation of the robot by a predetermined minute amount. The manual control unit determines whether or not the inching operation is performed based on the magnitude of the force with which the movable part is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Gu Yihua, Takashi Satou
  • Patent number: 11828616
    Abstract: To provide a user with more appropriate information on the spot around the route. A search system includes an acquisition unit, a determining unit, a search unit, and an output unit. The acquisition unit acquires a current position of a moving body and information on a route from the current position to a position of a destination. The determining unit determines a width of a search range dynamically changed along the route, based on the current position and the information on the route. The search unit searches for a spot present within the search range. The output unit outputs information on a searched spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: MICWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sumito Yoshikawa, Michihiro Nishida
  • Patent number: 11820014
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for using simulated local demonstration data for robotic demonstration learning. One of the methods includes receiving perceptual data of a workcell of a robot to be configured to execute a task according to a skill template, wherein the skill template specifies one or more subtasks required to perform the skill, wherein at least one of the subtasks is a demonstration subtask that relies on learning visual characteristics of the workcell. A virtual model is generated of a portion of the workcell. A training system generates simulated local demonstration data from the virtual model of the portion of the workcell and tunes a base control policy for the demonstration subtask using the simulated local demonstration data generated from the virtual model of the portion of the workcell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Bala Venkata Sai Ravi Krishna Kolluri, Stefan Schaal, Ralf Oliver Michael Schönherr, Benjamin M. Davis, Ning Ye
  • Patent number: 11813751
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating paths for a robot based on optimizing multiple objectives. One of the methods includes: receiving, by a motion planner, request to generate a path for a robot between a start point and an end point in a workcell of the robot, wherein the workcell is associated with one or more soft margin values that define spaces in which the robot should avoid when transitioning between points in the workcell; classifying path segments within the workcell as being inside the soft margin or outside the soft margin; generating a respective cost for each of the plurality of path segments within the workcell; generating a plurality of alternative paths; evaluating the plurality of alternative paths according to the respective costs; and selecting an alternative path based on respective total costs of the plurality of alternative paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Butterfoss, Jean-Francois Dupuis
  • Patent number: 11806876
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes an operation unit that teaches the robot a position, a posture changing instruction unit that instructs a position change when the robot passes through a singularity or its vicinity, a singularity passing motion request unit that instructs the robot to change its posture, a robot drive information request unit that acquires robot drive information, and a robot G-code generation unit that inserts a G-code from the robot drive information into a program. A robot includes a drive control unit that drives the robot, a singularity determination unit that determines passage through the singularity or its vicinity, a singularity passing pattern generation unit that generates a motion plan for passage through the singularity or its vicinity based on the changed posture, and a robot drive information output unit that transmits the robot drive information to the control apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazutaka Imanishi
  • Patent number: 11774970
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for controlling an array of multiple autonomous robots. In particular, the methods addresses an issue of controlling the multiple autonomous robots with to-be-controlled object units (units) when there is a non-contact portion in a common location between a set of initial locations of the units and a set of target locations of the units. The methods include: selecting a head to-be-controlled object unit (head object) based on a object unit at a location inside a set of locations and adjacent to a destination location, selecting a tail to-be-controlled object unit (tail object) based on a unit at a location outside the set and inside the initial location, moving a series of units from the head unit to the tail unit so as to follow operation of the head unit, and updating the set based on the destination location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kawano
  • Patent number: 11747828
    Abstract: A vehicle remote instruction system includes a remote instruction point situation recognition unit configured to recognize a remote instruction point situation on a target route preset for an autonomous vehicle, based on the target route, location information of the autonomous vehicle, and map information; a time prediction unit configured to predict monitoring start and end times of a remote commander for the remote instruction point situation on the target route, from a preset vehicle speed or a vehicle speed plan of the autonomous vehicle, based on the target route, the location information, the map information, and the remote instruction point situation; and a monitoring time allocation unit configured to allocate a monitoring time to a plurality of remote commanders based on the monitoring start and end times of the remote instruction point situation in a plurality of autonomous vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Urano, Sho Otaki, Hojung Jung
  • Patent number: 11703881
    Abstract: A method of controlling a guide machine and a navigation system. The navigation system includes: a plurality of signal sources deployed in a predetermined area; a guide machine including a signal receiver arranged to receive electromagnetic signals emitted from one or more of the plurality of signal sources; and a processor arranged to process the electromagnetic signals to identify the locations of the signal sources, and thereby to determine a current position of the guide machine with reference to the locations of the signal sources; and the processor is further arranged to determine a path for the guide machine to travel from the current position to a destination location in the predetermined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Logistics and Supply Chain Multi Tech R&D Centre Limited
    Inventors: Xiao Sheng Chen, Guang Bo Li, Kin Keung Lee, Leung Chiu
  • Patent number: 11662739
    Abstract: A method in a navigational controller includes: controlling a ceiling-facing camera of a mobile automation apparatus to capture a stream of images of a facility ceiling; activating a primary localization mode including: (i) detecting primary features in the captured image stream; and (ii) updating, based on the primary features, an estimated pose of the mobile automation apparatus and a confidence level corresponding to the estimated pose; determining whether the confidence level exceeds a confidence threshold; when the confidence level does not exceed the threshold, switching to a secondary localization mode including: (i) detecting secondary features in the captured image stream; (ii) updating the estimated pose and the confidence level based on the secondary features; and (iii) searching the image stream for the primary features; and responsive to detecting the primary features in the image stream, re-activating the primary localization mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Mehdi Mazaheri Tehrani, Mahyar Vajedi, Feng Cao, Tze Fung Christopher Chan
  • Patent number: 11662721
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention disclose a method for routing one or more autonomous vehicles to minimize a density of autonomous vehicles and passengers passing through network areas with oversubscribed bandwidth. The method includes one or more processors determining a bandwidth requirement of a first autonomous vehicle. The method further includes determining respective bandwidth requirement for one or more additional autonomous vehicles utilizing a wireless network. The method further includes determining a total bandwidth capacity of one or more nodes of the wireless network. The method further includes determining routing instructions from a current location of the first autonomous vehicle to a destination of the first autonomous vehicle based at least in part on the bandwidth requirement of the first autonomous vehicle and the total bandwidth capacity of the one or more nodes of the wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Bender, Shikhar Kwatra, Martin G. Keen, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 11613013
    Abstract: A robot control device includes the following: a main control unit; a servo control unit, which receives a position command ?c from the main control unit; and a bending correction block (24), which corrects the bending of the reduction gear connected to the servo motor. The bending correction block (24) includes the following: a first position-correction-value calculation means (63), which finds a first position-command correction value ?sgc based on the position command ?c; and a second position-command-correction-value calculation means (64), which finds a second position-command correction value ?skc based on the interference torque ?a. The servo control unit drives the servo motor based on a new position command obtained by adding the first position-command correction value ?sgc and the second position-command correction value ?skc to the position command ?c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nakata, Hiroyoshi Ueda, Atsumi Hashimoto, Ryosuke Yamamoto, Yasuyoshi Honuchi
  • Patent number: 11565419
    Abstract: A method and device for controlling a robot, and a robot. The device detects whether there is an article being put into or taken out from a storage container of a robot, and if it is detected that an article is put into or taken out from the storage container, an information list is updated according to the article being put into or taken out, the information list recording relevant information about articles in the storage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignees: BEIJING JINGDONG SHANGKE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BEIJING JINGDONG CENTURY TRADING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hui Cheng
  • Patent number: 11554481
    Abstract: A workpiece transport apparatus for transporting a workpiece includes: a hand device; a moving device that includes a movable part mounted with the hand device and that includes at least one drive axis configured to operate the movable part; a current measurement section configured to measure a current value of a motor that drives the drive axis; and a workpiece number detection section configured to detect that a number of workpieces held by the hand device is different from an expected number based on a comparison result between the current value measured by the current measurement section when the hand device holds the workpiece, and a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Kato
  • Patent number: 11548148
    Abstract: A robot control device includes: a creep-information storage unit that stores an amount of bending in correspondence with a cumulative time, the bending occurring in a robot due to creep deformation; a mastering-data storage unit that stores mastering data of the robot; a timer that measures the cumulative time; and a correction unit that corrects the mastering data stored in the mastering-data storage unit based on the amount of bending stored in the creep-information storage unit in correspondence with the cumulative time measured by the timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutaka Nakayama, Kenichiro Oguri
  • Patent number: 11520330
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sweeping robot obstacle avoidance treatment method based on free move technology, step 1 and step 2 are as following. Step 1: predetermining a sweeping robot provided with a six-axis gyroscope, a grating signal sensor, and a left-and-right-wheel electric quantity sensing unit. Step 2: performing a real-time sensing and data acquisition on an operation state of the sweeping robot by utilizing the six-axis gyroscope, the grating signal sensor, and the left-and-right wheel electric quantity sensing unit to obtain a real-time data information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN UMOUSE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chaohui Tang, Haiming Zuo, Tao Xie