Patents Examined by Arslan Azhar
  • Patent number: 11464160
    Abstract: A lawn mower robot may include a plurality of distance sensor units. Each distance sensor unit detects distance information between the lawn mower robot and a fence for partitioning a region. A controller calculates adjacent direction information using each detected distance information. In addition, the lawn mower robot includes a position sensor module. The position sensor module detects position information related to the lawn mower robot. The controller detects whether the lawn mower has deviated from a preset region by using the position information. When the lawn mower robot has deviated, the lawn mower robot can be moved in a direction according to the calculated adjacent direction information and return along the shortest path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kyungman Yu, Hyunsup Song, Hungkook Joo
  • Patent number: 11465279
    Abstract: A method includes receiving sensor data representative of surfaces in a physical environment containing an interaction point for a robotic device, and determining, based on the sensor data, a height map of the surfaces in the physical environment. The method also includes determining, by inputting the height map and the interaction point into a pre-trained model, one or more candidate positions for a base of the robotic device to allow a manipulator of the robotic device to reach the interaction point. The method additionally includes determining a collision-free trajectory to be followed by the manipulator to reach the interaction point when the base of the robotic device is positioned at a selected candidate position of the one or more candidate positions and, based on determining the collision-free trajectory, causing the base of the robotic device to move to the selected candidate position within the physical environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Holson
  • Patent number: 11458626
    Abstract: A trajectory generating method includes a first generating process of generating a plurality of trajectories between a start teaching point and a target teaching point, an evaluation process of evaluating a motion of the robot arm on each trajectory to calculate an evaluation value of each trajectory, a selection process of selecting one of the plurality of trajectories based on calculated evaluation values, and an update process of updating the trajectory by repeating the processes of generating a plurality of new trajectories by changing a selected trajectory in the selection process, of calculating an evaluation value of a motion of the robot arm on each changed trajectory and of selecting a trajectory based on calculated evaluation values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Gen Kimura
  • Patent number: 11458630
    Abstract: Mitigating the reality gap through utilization of technique(s) that enable compliant robotic control and/or compliant robotic contact to be simulated effectively by a robotic simulator. The technique(s) can include, for example: (1) utilizing a compliant end effector model in simulated episodes of the robotic simulator; (2) using, during the simulated episodes, a soft constraint for a contact constraint of a simulated contact model of the robotic simulator; and/or (3) using proportional derivative (PD) control in generating joint control forces, for simulated joints of the simulated robot, during the simulated episodes. Implementations additionally or alternatively relate to determining parameter(s), for use in one or more of the techniques that enable effective simulation of compliant robotic control and/or compliant robotic contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventors: Yunfei Bai, Yuchen Wu
  • Patent number: 11454981
    Abstract: Provided is a robotic device, including: a chassis; a set of wheels; one or more motors to drive the set of wheels; a suspension system; a controller in communication with the one or more motors; at least one sensor; a camera; one or more processors; a tangible, non-transitory, machine readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors effectuate operations including: capturing, with the camera, spatial data of surroundings; generating, with the one or more processors, a spatial model of the surroundings based on the spatial data; generating, with the one or more processors, a movement path based on the spatial model of the surroundings; inferring, with the one or more processors, a location of the robotic device; and updating, with the one or more processors, the movement path to exclude locations of the movement path that the robotic device has previously been located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Lukas Fath, Chen Zhang
  • Patent number: 11446820
    Abstract: To generate a more appropriate path, provided is a robot path generation device including circuitry configured to: hold a track planning module learning data set, in which a plurality of pieces of path data generated based on a motion constraint condition of a robot, and evaluation value data, which corresponds to each of the plurality of pieces path data and is a measure under a predetermined evaluation criterion, are associated with each other; and generate, based on a result of a machine learning process that is based on the track planning module learning data set, a path of the robot between a set start point and a set end point, which are freely set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKA WA DENKI
    Inventors: Koji Sokabe, Masaru Adachi
  • Patent number: 11449071
    Abstract: A system includes: a receiving unit configured to wirelessly receive a modulated electromagnetic signal leaked by a mains power line, the mains power line carrying a modulated alternating current signal, a demodulator configured to demodulate the modulated electromagnetic signal and extract one or more data signals from the demodulated electromagnetic signal, a processor configured to generate control data based on the one or more data signals, a control unit configured to control one or more actuators based on the control data, a processor configured to generate control data for controlling one or more actuators, and a modulator configured to modulate an alternating current signal of a mains power line using the generated control data to create a modulated alternating current signal, thereby causing the mains power line to leak a modulated electromagnetic signal comprising the control data that is wirelessly detectable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Eder, Robert Keith John Withey
  • Patent number: 11433541
    Abstract: An automated calibration system for a workpiece coordinate frame of a robot includes a physical image sensor having a first image central axis, and a controller for controlling the physical image sensor adapted on a robot to rotate by an angle to set up a virtual image sensor having a second image central axis. The first and the second image central axes are intersected at an intersection point. The controller controls the robot to repeatedly move back and forth a characteristic point on the workpiece between these two axes until the characteristic point overlaps the intersection point. The controller records a calibration point including coordinates of joints of the robot, then the controller moves another characteristic point and repeats the foregoing movement to generate several other calibration points. According to the calibration points, the controller calculates relative coordinates of a virtual tool center point and the workpiece to the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chwen-Yi Yang, Cheng-Kai Huang, Jan-Hao Chen, Yi-Ying Lin, Bing-Cheng Hsu
  • Patent number: 11435759
    Abstract: A plurality of autonomous mobile robots includes a first mobile robot provided with a transmitting sensor for outputting sound wave of a first frequency, and a first module for transmitting and receiving a signal of a second frequency higher than the first frequency. A second mobile robot is provided with a receiving sensor for receiving the sound wave of the first frequency and a second module for transmitting and receiving the signal of the second frequency. A control unit of the second mobile robot synchronizes an output time of the sound wave of the first frequency from the first mobile robot using the signal of the second frequency, and determines a relative position of the first mobile robot using the sound wave of the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Donghoon Kwak, Jaehwan Ko, Hyukdo Kweon
  • Patent number: 11426867
    Abstract: A virtualization system implemented within a cloud server enables the simulation of robot structure and behavior in a virtual environment. The simulated robots are controlled by clients remote from the cloud server, enabling human operators or autonomous robot control programs running on the clients to control the movement and behavior of the simulated robots within the virtual environment. Data describing interactions between robots, the virtual environment, and objects can be recorded for use in future robot design. The virtualization system can include robot templates, enabling users to quickly select and customize a robot to be simulated, and further enabling users to update and re-customize the robot in real-time during the simulation. The virtualization system can re-simulate a portion of the robot simulation when an intervention by a human operator is detected, positioning robots, people, and objects within the virtual environment based on the detected intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: DUALITY ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Apurva Shah, Michael Allen Taylor, Jason DePerro
  • Patent number: 11426868
    Abstract: An operation device includes operation input circuitry that receives instructions for operating robot having leading end and arm that changes position and posture of the end, and processing circuitry that outputs, to the input circuitry, operation image by which instruction for motion command for the end is input, detects posture of the input circuitry in first coordinate system, rotates second coordinate system relative to the first system based on the posture of the input circuitry, converts the command into first-coordinate-system command, and outputs the first-coordinate-system command based on the first-coordinate-system command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Seishiro Sakaguchi, Kiyoshi Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 11414175
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating an aircraft powerplant comprising an engine coupled to a variable-pitch propeller capable of generating forward and reverse thrust are described herein. A request to enable a mode for automated reverse thrust is received. Reverse thrust conditions are determined to have been met when the aircraft is on-ground, a blade angle of the propeller is below a blade angle threshold and a position of a power lever is at a selected idle region of the power lever. Reverse thrust of the propeller is triggered when the mode for automated reverse thrust is enabled and the reverse thrust conditions have been met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Giancarlo Zingaro, Sean McCarthy, Jasraj Chahal, Benjamin Bregani, Carmine Lisio
  • Patent number: 11353887
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a robot centroid position adjustment method as well as an apparatus and a robot using the same. The method includes: obtaining initial values; obtaining a waist velocity adjustment value; calculating a current value of the centroid position; and determining whether a current value of the centroid position is equal to the planning value of the centroid position; if the current value of the centroid position is not equal to the planning value of the centroid position, obtaining the current value of the centroid position to take as the initial value of the centroid position and returning to the step of obtaining the waist velocity adjustment value until the current value of the centroid position is equal to the planning value of the centroid position. In such a manner, the balance ability of the robot can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD
    Inventors: Youjun Xiong, Yuesong Wang, Mingguo Zhao
  • Patent number: 11353885
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method of acquiring an image for recognizing a position and a robot implementing the same. In the method and robot, information value concerning movement of the robot is measured to efficiently acquire images including overlapped areas, and lenses of cameras on both sides of the robot are slided in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the robot based on the measured information value concerning movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Moonsik Nam, Jungsik Kim
  • Patent number: 11353880
    Abstract: Provided is an autonomous moving body configured to move along a planned movement path, including: an external sensor configured to recognize another autonomous moving body and an operation state of the another autonomous moving body; a movement determination unit configured to determine, when it is predicted by the external sensor that the another autonomous moving body is positioned at a via point or a destination point of the own autonomous moving body at the same time that the own autonomous moving body is, whether to continue or suspend movement based on whether a task of the another autonomous moving body estimated from the operation state or a task of the own autonomous moving body has a higher priority; and a movement control unit configured to control a moving unit based on the determination of the movement determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisaku Honda, Tetsuya Taira
  • Patent number: 11331794
    Abstract: An inverse kinematics solution system for use with a robot, which is used for obtaining a joint angle value corresponding to a target pose value on the basis of an inputted target pose value and degree of freedom of a robot and which comprises: a parameters initialization module, an inverse kinematics scheduler, a Jacobian calculating unit, a pose updating unit and a parameters selector. The system is implemented by means of hardware and may quickly obtain motion parameters, which are used for controlling a robot, while reducing power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: INSTITUTE OF COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Hang Xiao, Yinhe Han, Ying Wang, Shiqi Lian
  • Patent number: 11320834
    Abstract: The present application provides methods and systems for mapping, localization, navigation and control and a mobile robot. Through the technical solution of acquiring a first projected image and second projected image of an entity object when the mobile robot moves to a first position and a second position respectively, building a map or localizing the mobile robot based on angle information of the entity object relative to the mobile robot at the first position and at the second position, the first position and the second position, planning a navigation route based on the built map and localization, and controlling the mobile robot to move along the navigation route, position information of the entity object can be determined precisely, and precision of the built map can be improved. Moreover, movement of the mobile robot can be controlled precisely, and operating precision of the mobile robot and human-computer interaction can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignees: ANKOBOT (SHENZHEN) SMART TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD., ANKOBOT (SHANGHAI) SMART TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuwei Cui, Chongxing Li
  • Patent number: 11285603
    Abstract: The information processing apparatus includes an estimation unit to estimate information indicating a holding success possibility from an image of a plurality of the target objects by using a pre-trained model that estimates the information indicating the holding success possibility in at least one or more partial regions, a determination unit to determine a holding region for the robot to hold the target object among the partial regions based on the information indicating the holding success possibility, and a control unit to move the robot based on the holding region and cause the robot to perform a holding operation on the target object. In a case where the holding operation performed on the target object by the robot is failed, the determination unit determines a partial region, among the partial regions, satisfying a predetermined condition as a next holding region based on the information indicating the holding success possibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamada, Masahiro Suzuki, Tomoaki Higo, Yuichiro Hirota
  • Patent number: 11275383
    Abstract: A control device includes control circuitry configured to control a heating device to heat an optical member in response to instruction information fulfilling a predetermined condition. The instruction information causes an increase in altitude of a movable object. The movable object includes an imaging device that includes an image sensor, the optical member, and the heating device. The optical member is arranged in front of the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Honjo, Yongwang Xu
  • Patent number: 11266067
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a moving robot, a control method thereof, and a moving robot system. A moving robot according to the present disclosure includes a main body, a traveling unit configured to move the main body, a communication unit configured to communicate with a terminal and a location information transmitter, and a control unit configured to set a travel area using location information based on a signal received from the location information transmitter. The control unit is configured to recognize a location of the terminal. When location information regarding a target point within the boundary, pointed by the terminal at the recognized location, is received, the control unit is configured to store the location information. Also, the control unit is configured to control a traveling unit to move in the travel area while avoiding a predetermined area comprising coordinates matching the stored location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyoungsuk Ko, Koh Choi, Sungwook Lee, Hyungsub Lee