Patents Examined by Bhavesh V Amin
  • Patent number: 11209823
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to arranging a pick up and drop off locations between a driverless vehicle and a passenger. As an example, a method of doing so may include receiving a request for a vehicle from a client computing device, wherein the request identifies a first location. Pre-stored map information and the first location are used to identify a recommended point according to a set of heuristics. Each heuristic of the set of heuristics has a ranking such that the recommended point corresponds to a location that satisfies at least one of the heuristics having a first rank and such that no other location satisfies any other heuristic of the set of heuristics having a higher rank than the first rank. The pre-stored map information identifying a plurality of pre-determined locations for the vehicle to stop, and the recommended point is one of the plurality of pre-determined locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Salil Pandit, Nirmal Patel, Tacettin Dogacan Guney, Kevin Rawlings, Laurens Andreas Feenstra
  • Patent number: 11198221
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides technology of changing behavioral characteristics when clothing is put on a robot. An autonomously acting robot includes an operation control unit that controls an operation of the robot, a drive mechanism that executes an operation specified by the operation control unit, and an equipment detecting unit that detects clothing worn by the robot. The robot refers to action restriction information correlated in advance to the clothing, and regulates an output of the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: GROOVE X, INC.
    Inventor: Kaname Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11199139
    Abstract: An engine system for an aircraft includes a first gas turbine engine, a second gas turbine engine, and a control system. The control system is configured to operate the first gas turbine engine with an idle fuel burn schedule in a taxi mode of the aircraft and dry crank the second gas turbine engine in a first pre-takeoff portion of the taxi mode to cool the second gas turbine engine absent fuel burn by the second gas turbine engine. The control system operates the second gas turbine engine with a sub-idle fuel burn schedule in a second pre-takeoff portion of the taxi mode of the aircraft. The sub-idle fuel burn schedule includes a reduction of the idle fuel burn schedule. A fuel flow of the first gas turbine engine and the second gas turbine engine is increased above the idle fuel burn schedule prior to takeoff of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ramesh Rajagopalan, Subhradeep Chowdhury, Stephen A Witalis, William C. Lamberti
  • Patent number: 11192243
    Abstract: A method and system for determining geometric properties of a manipulator (2). The manipulator (2) is controlled to perform constrained motions exhibiting force interaction with the environment, or between different links of the manipulator (2), such that a kinematic chain is formed mechanically. The chain may include peripherals and external axes of motion. A constraining device, enables motions that facilitate the determination of geometric properties. A unified model of joint and link compliances facilitates determination of stiffness parameters. The force interaction is controlled with awareness of friction such that non-geometric properties are possible to identify, thereby enabling separation of non-geometric effects from the geometric ones, which improves accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: COGNIBOTICS AB
    Inventors: Klas Nilsson, Adam Nilsson, Andreas Stolt, Olof Sornmo, Martin Holmstrand, Niklas Nilsson
  • Patent number: 11188046
    Abstract: One or more video gateway devices configured to: access pre-configured criteria including at least a first condition, a second condition, and a first event; access video content captured by cameras configured to capture video of areas of a manufacturing facility; determine, based on an analysis of the video content, that the first condition is satisfied; access sensor data from one or more sensors; determine, based on an analysis of the sensor data, that the second condition is satisfied; and based on determining that the first and second conditions are satisfied, cause the first event to be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Samsara Inc.
    Inventors: Saleh ElHattab, Kathryn Siegel, Noah Paul Gonzales, Etienne Jean-Claude Dejoie, Maxwell Coleman Goldberg, Joyce Tian Chen, Kelsey Michelle Lam, Adam Eric Funkenbusch, Karthikram Rajadurai, Rhea Lin, Sebastian Richard Sangervasi, Aidan Siobhan Madigan-Curtis, William Arthur Hughes
  • Patent number: 11185207
    Abstract: Various embodiments include processing devices and methods for managing cleaning behavior by a cleaning robot. In some embodiments, a processor of the cleaning robot may obtain user planning information and user location information from one or more information sources external to the cleaning robot. The processor may analyze the user planning information and the user location information. The processor may determine one or more cleaning parameters for the cleaning robot based on the analysis of the user planning information and the user location information. The processor may generate an instruction for the cleaning robot to schedule an operation of the cleaning robot based on the one or more cleaning parameters. The processor may execute the generated instruction to perform the operation of the cleaning robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel Warren Mellinger, III, Stephen Marc Chaves, Michael Joshua Shomin, Matthew Hyatt Turpin, John Anthony Dougherty, Ross Eric Kessler, Jonathan Paul Davis, Travis Van Schoyck
  • Patent number: 11185204
    Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Ziegler, Christopher John Morse, Duane L. Gilbert, Jr., Andrew Jones, Scott Pratt, Paul E. Sandin, Nancy Dussault-Smith
  • Patent number: 11179221
    Abstract: A computer-assisted device includes an articulated arm with a plurality of joints and a control unit coupled to the articulated arm. The control unit is configured to send one or more first commands to a plurality of brakes in the articulated arm to begin a release of the plurality of brakes in a predetermined staggered manner, detect a disturbance in a point of interest of the computer-assisted device caused by each brake of the plurality of brakes as the brake is released, and send one or more second commands to the plurality of joints to compensate for the disturbance. In some embodiments, the one or more first commands prevent simultaneous release of two or more brakes of the plurality of brakes. In some embodiments, the one or more first commands cause brakes of the plurality of brakes to release within a predetermined time of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Nitish Swarup, Paul G. Griffiths, Goran A. Lynch, Daniel N. Miller
  • Patent number: 11175654
    Abstract: A remote vehicle control system includes a vehicle mounted sensor system including a video camera system for producing video data and a distance mapping sensor system for producing distance map data. A data handling system is used to compress and transmit both the video and distance map data over a cellular network using feed forward correction. A virtual control system acts to receive the video and distance map data, while providing a user with a live video stream supported by distance map data. Based on user actions, control instructions can be sent to the vehicle mounted sensor system and the remote vehicle over the cellular network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: DoorDash, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Oliver Ryan, Usman Ghani, Tobenna Arodigobu
  • Patent number: 11167422
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. Systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions are disclosed for interactions with and control of robotic systems, in particular, pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SOFT ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Rosenstein, Jeff Curhan, Joshua Aaron Lessing, Ryan Knopf, Daniel Harburg, Mark Chiappetta
  • Patent number: 11162799
    Abstract: A request for navigation directions for travelling from a source location to a destination location is received. Using data that was stored in a memory of a computing device prior to the request, first navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location are generated, and a request for navigation directions for travelling from the source location to the destination location is transmitted to an online server. After second navigation directions for travelling from the source to the destination are received, it is determined whether a difference between the first navigation directions and the second navigation directions exceeds a threshold level. When the difference between the first navigation directions and the second directions route does not exceed the threshold level, the second navigation directions are merged into the first navigation directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Jennifer Maurer, Sean Chuan Wen
  • Patent number: 11154170
    Abstract: An automated cleaning device includes a chassis, a controller operably connected to a drive assembly and configured to move the chassis within an area to be cleaned in repeated cleaning cycles, a cleaning unit carried by the chassis, a sensor configured to detect material drawn into the cleaning unit and provide a debris signal corresponding to an amount of material drawn into the cleaning unit, the controller being operably connected to the sensor and configured to generate a high-material indicator in response to the debris signal exceeding a predetermined debris threshold, and determining whether the autonomous cleaner is in a high traffic area when the chassis moves within the area to be cleaned based on locations of high-material indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventor: Kevin L. Thomas
  • Patent number: 11154991
    Abstract: An interactive autonomous robot is configured for deployment within a social environment. The disclosed robot includes a show subsystem configured to select between different in-character behaviors depending on robot status, thereby allowing the robot to appear in-character despite technical failures. The disclosed robot further includes a safety subsystem configured to intervene with in-character behavior when necessary to enforce safety protocols. The disclosed robot is also configured with a social subsystem that interprets social behaviors of humans and then initiates specific behavior sequences in response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Andrew Mika, Michael Richard Honeck, Michael Fusco
  • Patent number: 11146638
    Abstract: A mobile device intermediary for vehicle adaptation is disclosed. A mobile device intermediary can access driver profile information and vehicle profile information from a remotely located device, determine vehicle adaptation information based on the driver profile information and vehicle profile information, and facilitate access to the vehicle adaptation information to facilitate adapting an aspect of a first vehicle. The mobile device intermediary can further receive other vehicle profile information related to a second vehicle associated with a driver profile and include the other vehicle profile information in determining the vehicle adaptation information. The vehicle adaptation information can be related to adapting a performance aspect of the first vehicle. The vehicle adaptation information can also be related to adapting an amenity aspect of the first vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
    Inventors: James W. Fan, Jennifer K. Lam
  • Patent number: 11136040
    Abstract: A method of determining wheel slippage condition in a work vehicle includes moving the work vehicle from a first position to a second position, determining a drivetrain ground speed of the work vehicle using a drivetrain component, determining a predicted ground speed of the work vehicle using a sensor, detecting a wheel slippage condition by comparing the drivetrain ground speed to the predicted ground speed, and generating a driveline modification command to adjust propulsion power of the drivetrain component until the wheel slippage condition reaches a specified target. A method of adjusting acceleration for a work vehicle includes measuring a drivetrain acceleration, measuring an absolute acceleration, using the absolute acceleration to predict a ground speed, determining a steady state condition based on the commanded machine motion, the drivetrain speed, and the absolute acceleration, and modifying the predicted ground speed based on determination of the steady state condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel M. Kassen, Michael G. Kean
  • Patent number: 11130227
    Abstract: A robot control device that controls a robot including an A arm that is rotatable about an A rotation axis, a B arm that is provided so as to be rotatable around a B rotation axis with respect to the A arm and allowed to be brought into a first state overlapping with the A arm when viewed from an axial direction of the B rotation axis, a C arm that is provided so as to be rotatable around a C rotation axis which is an axial direction intersecting with an axial direction of the B rotation axis with respect to the B arm, the robot control device comprising: a processor, wherein the processor is configured to suppress interference between an object and the B arm by limiting a rotation range of the C arm in a case where the object is attached to the C arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Inventor: Shunsuke Toshimitsu
  • Patent number: 11119485
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for providing functionality that enables automated generation of advisory and guidance data for designing, managing, and executing UAS flight operations. According to the present disclosure, a location analytics engine may perform analysis and provide requirements based on location, and a technology analytics engine may be provided to determine which UAS platform, sensors, and other technology (e.g., other equipment such as parachutes, etc.) that may be required to perform the desired UAS operations. In embodiments, a mission operational relationships engine may correlate various data associated with the industry, mission type, regulatory environment, location, etc., in order to identify relationship between the various data and determine requirements. An operational advisory engine may leverage the other engines in order to generate the advisory and guidance data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Accenture Global Solutions Limited
    Inventor: Paul Barsamian
  • Patent number: 11110914
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to be able to easily complete a parking operation following an aborted manual parking procedure. To this end, the invention proposes a method in which a parking assistant of the vehicle (1) is activated in the parking space (2) and data relating to the area surrounding the vehicle (1) is recorded. A starting region (7) outside the parking space (2) for automatically parking the vehicle (1) in the parking space is determined from the said data. The vehicle (1) is then automatically guided or driven out of the parking space (2) into the starting region (7). From there, the vehicle (1) is automatically parked or guided in/into the parking space (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
    Inventor: Thirumalai Kumarasamy Ayyappan
  • Patent number: 11105644
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for identifying a closed road section. The systems may obtain a first heat map representing a first density of tracked vehicles in a target area over a first time period and a second heat map representing a second density of tracked vehicles in the target area over a second time period; determine a difference map between the first heat map and the second heat map; determine one or more candidate regions based on the difference map; identify one or more candidate links associated with the one or more candidate regions in a road network map; determine one or more confidence levels associated with the one or more candidate links based on the one or more candidate regions; and identify one or more closed road sections based on the one or more confidence levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING DIDI INFINITY TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaiqiang An, Guoping Liu
  • Patent number: 11090814
    Abstract: A control device includes a robot control section that controls a robot including a hand and a force detecting section; and an operation-mode switching section that switches, when storing a position and a posture of the robot, a first mode for moving the robot by the robot control section until an external force applied to the hand satisfies a predetermined condition and a second mode for moving the robot by the robot control section on the basis of an external force applied to a first part included in the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventor: Kaoru Takeuchi