Patents Examined by Bao Long T Nguyen
  • Start-of-route map navigation with suppression of off-route feedback
    Patent number: 9835469
    Abstract: A map navigation tool provides a start-of-route buffer area in which off-route feedback (e.g., audio or visual warnings or alerts) can be suppressed in some circumstances. For example, a mobile computing device implements a map navigation tool that can output off-route feedback when the user strays from a route, but also can suppress off-route feedback when the user is within a start-of-route buffer area. Off-route feedback can continue to be suppressed until some other event, such as the user leaving the start-of-route buffer area, occurs. Off-route feedback can be suppressed even if the user is not within a start-of-route buffer area, such as when the map navigation tool generates a route when the user is at an initial location that is far away from any part of the route and then joins the route later (e.g., at the start location or downstream from the start location).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Chien-Wen Danny Su, Mudassir Alam, Aarti Bharathan, Juan Pablo Candelas Gonzalez
  • Calibration and programming of robots
    Patent number: 9833897
    Abstract: Methods includes calibrating robots without the use of external measurement equipment and copying working programs between un-calibrated robots. Both methods utilize the properties of a closed chain and the relative position of the links in the chain in order to update the kinematic models of the robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Universal Robots A/S
    Inventors: Rune Søe-Knudsen, Esben Hallundbæk Østergaard, Henrik Gordon Petersen
  • Vehicle control system for an at least partially electrically operated vehicle
    Patent number: 9827866
    Abstract: A drive device of an at least partially electrically operated vehicle includes at least two vehicle wheels, each wheel being mechanically coupled to an electrical drive unit. Each electrical drive unit obtains electrical energy from an electrical energy storage device during motor operation, and/or supplies the electrical energy storage device with electrical energy during generator operation. When operating as intended, the electrical drive units provide a torque according to a drive-unit-specific torque of a vehicle control system. A maximum total torque is determined by taking into consideration a maximum available output of the electrical energy storage device, wherein the sum formed of the drive-unit-specific torques is limited using the maximum total torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Clemens Burow, Florian Then
  • Robot, robot system, and robot control device
    Patent number: 9829878
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot arm, a force sensor, and a control unit configured to control the operation of the robot art. The control unit initializes the force sensor while the robot arm is moving at uniform speed. It is preferable that the control unit initializes the force sensor while the robot arm is moving at the uniform speed and the amplitude of a detection value of the force sensor is smaller than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Shimodaira
  • Adaptive robotic interface apparatus and methods
    Patent number: 9821457
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for training of robotic devices. A robot may be trained by a user guiding the robot along target trajectory using a control signal. A robot may comprise an adaptive controller. The controller may be configured to generate control commands based on the user guidance, sensory input and a performance measure. A user may interface to the robot via an adaptively configured remote controller. The remote controller may comprise a mobile device, configured by the user in accordance with phenotype and/or operational configuration of the robot. The remote controller may detect changes in the robot phenotype and/or operational configuration. User interface of the remote controller may be reconfigured based on the detected phenotype and/or operational changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Brain Corporation
    Inventors: Patryk Laurent, Jean-Baptiste Passot, Mark Wildie, Eugene M. Izhikevich, Vadim Polonichko
  • Methods and systems for food preparation in a robotic cooking kitchen
    Patent number: 9815191
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods, computer program products, and computer systems for instructing a robot to prepare a food dish by replacing the human chef's movements and actions. Monitoring a human chef is carried out in an instrumented application-specific setting, a standardized robotic kitchen in this instance, and involves using sensors and computers to watch, monitor, record and interpret the motions and actions of the human chef, in order to develop a robot-executable set of commands robust to variations and changes in the environment, capable of allowing a robotic or automated system in a robotic kitchen to prepare the same dish to the standards and quality as the dish prepared by the human chef.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: MBL LIMITED
    Inventor: Mark Oleynik
  • Dive computer incorporating stored dive site information
    Patent number: 9813678
    Abstract: Dive computers in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed that store information concerning a dive site. The stored information can be accessed during the dive to provide information concerning such things as points of interest and/or hazards. One embodiment of the invention includes a processor, memory connected to the processor, a pressure transducer connected to the processor and configured to measure depth, and a display connected to the processor. In addition, the memory contains factual information concerning a dive site, and the processor is configured to display at least a portion of the stored factual information concerning the dive site via the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Pelagic Pressure Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Robert R. Hollis
  • Window control system and control method thereof
    Patent number: 9804776
    Abstract: A window control method includes as follows. Control a vehicle to switch to a window adjusting mode in response to input operations applied on a touch input unit of a vehicle. Recognize a gesture in response to input signals. Therein the input signals are generated by the touch input unit in response to input operations applied thereon. Compare the gesture with a plurality of predefined gestures stored in a storage unit of the vehicle to determine whether the gesture is same as one of the plurality of predefined gestures. Obtain a control order corresponding to the one of the plurality of predefined gestures when the gesture matches the one of the plurality of predefined gestures. Control one or more vehicle windows to rise or go down according to the control order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chung-Nan Ko, Chia-Chieh Cheng
  • Comparative data analytics and visualization tool for analyzing traffic performance data in a traffic management system
    Patent number: 9804756
    Abstract: A comparative traffic data analytics framework and visualization tool utilizes multiple data processing functions to manipulate traffic information from a plurality of sources and enable users to configure comparative analyses in a dashboard-style format for arterial and intersection performance monitoring and management. The comparative visualization tool provides a plurality of user-configurable functions to view corridor travel and delay times, an animated map, overall network statistics, and intersection performance using a graphical user interface to guide decision-making processes for traffic management in an arterial transportation network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: ITERIS, INC.
    Inventors: Ramin Massoumi, Alan Clelland
  • Fuel cell vehicle and control method therefor
    Patent number: 9802505
    Abstract: With a fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell and a secondary battery, a drive motor and a pump motor are connected to each other via an electric power line so that the drive motor and the pump motor are capable of receiving and supplying electric power with each other without involving reception and supply of electric power with the secondary battery. The control device determines an upper-limit guard value of torque of the pump motor based on a dischargeable power of the secondary battery and an output power of the fuel cell, or determines a lower-limit guard value of torque of the pump motor based on a chargeable power of the secondary battery and an output power of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Oda, Yuji Kakeno
  • Self-referencing sensors for aircraft monitoring
    Patent number: 9796479
    Abstract: An aircraft monitoring system includes multiple wireless aircraft sensors and multiple meta sensors mounted on-board an aircraft. Each wireless aircraft sensor is configured to sense an aircraft parameter. Each meta sensor is associated with an aircraft sensor and is configured to determine a location or orientation on the aircraft of the aircraft sensor. A data acquisition system mounted on-board the aircraft and connected to the multiple aircraft sensors and the multiple meta sensors can perform aircraft monitoring operations based on the sensed aircraft parameters and on a location or orientation of the aircraft sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Brian Tucker, Kevin Conrad, Chris Thompson, Brandon Johnson
  • Dynamic routing of transit vehicles
    Patent number: 9786173
    Abstract: Systems and techniques are described to enable the dynamic selection of a transit route through the stop zones of a transit line. Techniques are disclosed for receiving a current location of a transit vehicle on a transit line and determining a transit route through one or more of the vehicle's remaining stop zones by choosing an optimized combination of stop options and route segment options for that specific transit vehicle. Techniques may be performed in some cases by accessing a real-time traffic information service to obtain one or more traffic condition factors on a route segment, determining a dynamic route segment option weight, calculating a dynamic cost function with respect to the weights, and determining an optimized set of the route segments with respect to the cost functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: The Florida International University Board of Trustees
    Inventors: Oliver Ullrich, Naphtali Rishe, Daniel Luckerath
  • Vehicle control apparatus
    Patent number: 9783186
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a first electric motor, a second electric motor, a power storage device, a first consumption amount calculator, a first saving amount calculator, a saving balance calculator, and a display controller. The first consumption amount calculator calculates a first fuel amount consumed by the engine owing to charging when the power storage device is charged. The first saving amount calculator calculates a first fuel amount saved by the engine owing to discharge when the power storage device is discharging. The saving balance calculator calculates, based on the first fuel amount consumed and the first fuel amount saved, a fuel saving balance for each calculation period. The display controller controls, based on the fuel saving balance, fuel saving information to be displayed on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Matsushita, Katsuhiro Aoki, Makoto Nakamoto, Yusuke Komatsu
  • Robot controller for controlling robot which supplies and discharges workpiece
    Patent number: 9778646
    Abstract: A robot controller used in a system having a machine tool and a robot, by which the robot is properly operated corresponding to an operation state of the machine tool. The robot controller has a data communicating part which obtains data representing an operation state of the machine tool at predetermined timing; a motion pattern storing part which stores a plurality of motion patterns of the robot for the machine tool; and a motion controlling part which selects a motion pattern from the stored plurality of motion patterns when an abnormality occurs in the machine tool or when an operation state of the machine tool satisfies a predefined condition, and operates the robot based on the selected motion pattern, the selected pattern being associated with an operation state of the machine tool when an abnormality occurs or when the operation state satisfies the predefined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Ikeda
  • Teleoperative-cooperative robotic system
    Patent number: 9770828
    Abstract: A combined teleoperative-cooperative controllable robotic system includes a robotic actuator assembly, a control system adapted to communicate with the robotic actuator assembly, and a teleoperation unit adapted to communicate with the control system. The control system is configured to control at least a first portion of the robotic actuator assembly in response to at least one of a force or a torque applied to at least a second portion of the robotic actuator assembly by a first user for cooperative control. The control system is further configured to control at least a third portion of the robotic actuator assembly in response to input by a second user from the teleoperation unit for teleoperative control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Russell H. Taylor, Marcin A. Balicki, Peter Kazanzides, Xia Tian
  • Robot, robot system, control device, and control method
    Patent number: 9764467
    Abstract: A robot includes: a hand; and a control unit that operates the hand, in which the control unit generates three-dimensional point group information for a partial image forming a captured image obtained by an imaging unit, and causes the hand to hold an object included in the partial image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoki Harada, Koichi Hashimoto, Shogo Arai
  • Vehicle driver-model controller with energy economy rating adjustments
    Patent number: 9744974
    Abstract: A controller with energy economy rating (EER) calibration logic is configured to adjust a look-ahead time and feed-forward mapping window for vehicle controls according to EER.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence M. Rose, Benjamin L. Pence, Poyu Tsou, Judy H. Che
  • Apparatus and system for scheduling mobile device operations on a power transmission system
    Patent number: 9742165
    Abstract: Described embodiments include a system, apparatus, method, and computer program product. A described apparatus includes a receiver circuit configured to receive data indicative of at least one physical parameter of a power transmission system configured to transport electric power from one place to another. The apparatus includes an analysis circuit configured to assess a potential operational risk to a portion of the power transmission system at least partially based on the received data. The apparatus includes a planning circuit configured to schedule a traverse by a mobile device over a transmission line of the power transmission system at least partially based upon the assessed potential operational risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Creation of an obstacle map
    Patent number: 9738278
    Abstract: A method for creating an obstacle map of an area surrounding a motor vehicle on a road includes preparing a rasterized obstacle map, scanning an area surrounding the motor vehicle, dividing the surrounding into cells, recording those of the cells that are occupied by an obstacle, and identifying grid points of the obstacle map that correspond to occupied cells in the surrounding area. The dimensions of the cells are determined as a function of the position thereof relative to the course of the road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Carsten Hasberg, Karsten Muehlmann, Oliver Pink
  • Automatic passenger airbag switch
    Patent number: 9725061
    Abstract: Techniques described herein include a system and method for switching an airbag on or off based on determining that an object situated in a vehicle seat meets one or more conditions. In some embodiments, the vehicle seat may be fitted with a weight sensor configured to detect an object situated in the vehicle seat. The system may include a camera device configured to capture image information associated with the object situated in the vehicle seat. The image information may be processed to determine if the object is a person meeting one or more threshold conditions for activating the airbag. Upon processing the image information, the airbag may be provided with instructions to either activate or deactivate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: THUNDER POWER NEW ENERGY VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Yong-Syuan Chen, Jen-Chieh Hsiao