Patents Examined by Dalena Tran
  • Patent number: 11072068
    Abstract: A robot apparatus includes a grasping section that grasps an object, a recognition section that recognizes a graspable part and a handing-over area part of the object, and a grasp planning section that plans a path of the grasping section for handing over the object to a recipient by the handing-over area part. The robot apparatus further includes a grasp control section that controls grasp operation of the object by the grasping section in accordance with the planned path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Kawanami, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Tsutomu Sawada, Masakuni Nagano, Akinori Kamoda
  • Patent number: 11072078
    Abstract: A method for measuring a pose of a robotic end tool, including: obtaining a three-dimensional feature of a flange and a three-dimensional feature of the end tool, establishing a first coordinate system and a second coordinate system at the center of the flange and the center of the end tool respectively, calculating a positional offset of the second coordinate system relative to the first coordinate system, and calculating a rotation offset of the second coordinate system relative to the first coordinate system according to each unit vector of the second coordinate system, so as to obtain a pose of the end tool relative to the flange. The method provided in the present application, compared with the manual observation method, the precision and stability of the pose measurement method are high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: YUANMENG PRECISION TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Yongfei Lai, Yan Nie, Junqi Li, Qing Liu
  • Patent number: 11054825
    Abstract: A method and a fault-tolerant computer architecture (FCTA) for fail-safe trajectory planning for a moving entity (MOV). The method and FCTA uses a commander (COM), a monitor (MON), and a safe envelope generating stage (ENV). Based on sensor input, the commander (COM) and the monitor (MON) produce real-time images of objects (OBJ1, OBJ2) detected. A trajectory planning stage (TRJ-PLN) generates trajectories (COM-TRJ1, COM-TRJ2), and the safe envelope generating stage (ENV) generates a safety envelope. The commander (COM) provides the one or more trajectories (COM-TRJ1, COM-TRJ2) to the monitor (MON) and the decision subsystem (DECIDE). A trajectory verification stage (TRJ-VRFY) verifies a trajectory (COM-TRJ1, COM-TRJ2) generated by the commander (COM) only if said trajectory (COM-TRJ1, COM-TRJ2) is completely located inside said safety envelope. A moving entity (MOV) uses a trajectory (COM-TRJ1, COM-TRJ2) generated by the commander (COM) only when said trajectory is verified by the monitor (MON).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: TITECH AUTO AG
    Inventors: Wilfried Steiner, Hermann Kopetz, Mehmed Ayhan, Günther Bauer
  • Patent number: 11052538
    Abstract: The self-movement robot includes a robot body and a control center disposed on the body. The body includes a first distance sensor disposed in a horizontal direction used to collect two-dimensional map information and a second distance sensor disposed in a vertical direction used to collect spatial height information. While obtaining the two-dimensional map information of a working surface, the control center overlays the spatial height information to the two-dimensional map information and obtains three-dimensional map information of a working region. Through the distance sensors disposed on the self-movement robot, based on the generated two-dimensional map, the spatial height information is overlaid and the three-dimensional map information is generated. In a combined state, the robot invokes and plans a walking path in the working region based on the three-dimensional map, thereby helping to ensure smooth, safe and efficient operation of the combined robot in a complex environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: ECOVACS ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jinju Tang
  • Patent number: 11042385
    Abstract: A multiprocessor system used in a car, home, or office environment includes multiple processors that run different real-time applications. A dynamic configuration system runs on the multiple processors and includes a device manager, configuration manager, and data manager. The device manager automatically detects and adds new devices to the multiprocessor system, and the configuration manager automatically reconfigures which processors run the real-time applications. The data manager identifies the type of data generated by the new devices and identifies which devices in the multiprocessor system are able to process the data. A communication system for a mobile vehicle, home, or office environment includes multiple processors. The multiple processors each run an Open Communication system that controls how data is transferred between processors based on data content as opposed to the links that connect the processors together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Micropairing Technologies LLC.
    Inventors: Dan Alan Preston, Robert Pierce Lutter
  • Patent number: 11036236
    Abstract: Provided is a light projection system that can be used to indicate a robot's path of travel, a robot including the light projection system, and methods for projecting light to indicate a robot's path of travel. The light projection system can by mounted to the body of the robot, and can be configured to project light onto the ground in front of the robot. The light projection system can be configured to project different illumination patterns that can indicate whether the robot is moving forward, turning, accelerating, and/or slowing down, among other examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Serve Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Janssen, Ali Haghighat Kashani, Bastian Lehmann, Sean Plaice
  • Patent number: 11027424
    Abstract: A robot hand according to the present invention controls finger units by a central processing unit (CPU) based on two or more types of gripping mode tables for different purposes when a gripping object is gripped by the finger units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Manabu Umeyama
  • Patent number: 11024168
    Abstract: A method for monitoring vehicle usage is described. In one embodiment, the method includes detecting a vehicle event and detecting a query from a mobile device. The query includes a Wi-Fi probe request or Bluetooth inquiry. The method includes identifying a mobile device identifier from the query and associating the mobile device identifier with the vehicle event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy B. Warren
  • Patent number: 11014235
    Abstract: Parameters specific to robot, environment, target objects and their inter-relations need to be considered by a robot to estimate cost of a task. As the existing task allocation methods assume a single utility value for a robot-task pair, combining heterogeneous parameters is a challenge. In applications like search and rescue, manual intervention may not be possible in real time. For such cases, utility calculation may be a hindrance towards automation. Also, manufacturers follow their own nomenclature and units for robotic specifications. Only domain experts can identify semantically similar terms and perform necessary conversions. Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide a structured semantic knowledge model to store and describe data in a uniform machine readable format such that semantics of those data can be interpreted by the robots and utility computation can be autonomous to make task allocation autonomous, semantic enabled and capable of self-decision without human intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Chayan Sarkar, Sounak Dey, Marichi Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11013565
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a surgical robotic system for use in a surgical procedure, including a surgical arm having a movable arm part for mounting of a surgical instrument having at least one degree-of-freedom to enable longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument towards a surgical target. Some other embodiments are directed to a human machine interface for receiving positioning commands from a human operator for controlling the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument, and an actuator configured for actuating the movable arm part to effect the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument, and controlled by a processor in accordance with the positioning commands and a virtual bound. The virtual bound establishes a transition in the control of the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument in a direction towards the surgical target. The virtual bound is determined, during use of the surgical robotic system, based on the positioning commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN
    Inventors: Maarten Joannes Beelen, Gerrit Jacobus Lambertus Naus, Hildebert Christiaan Matthijs Meenink, Marc Joseph Dominique De Smet
  • Patent number: 11011057
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a trained destination prediction model are provided. The method may include obtaining a plurality of historical orders corresponding to a plurality of users and determining a plurality of first features and a plurality of second features associated with the plurality of historical orders. The method may further include determining a plurality of transformed features based on the plurality of first features and a plurality of sets of cross features by correlating the plurality of second features. The method may further include obtaining a preliminary destination prediction model and training the preliminary destination prediction model to obtain a trained destination prediction model based on the plurality of transformed features and the plurality of sets of cross features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING DIDI INFINITY TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ran Chen, Huan Chen, Qi Song
  • Patent number: 11007649
    Abstract: A three-dimensional information acquiring unit for acquiring three-dimensional information of a target object, a gripping information acquiring unit for acquiring gripping information that defines a method of gripping the target object by using a picking hand, and an information management unit for storing, in a storage apparatus in association with each other, (i) three-dimensional information of the target object acquired by the three-dimensional information acquiring unit and (ii) gripping information acquired by the gripping information acquiring unit are included. The three-dimensional information of the target object may include at least one of origin position information and the coordinate axis information. A two-dimensional information acquiring unit for acquiring two-dimensional information of the target object may be further included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: MUJIN, Inc.
    Inventor: Rosen Diankov
  • Patent number: 11007645
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes: a range finding sensor; an acquisition unit which acquires a map of an environment including object position information, and a first path where the cleaning device is to move in the environment; an identification unit which identifies a first path partial path; a converter which converts the partial path into a differently-shaped path to generate a second path; and a motor controller which causes the cleaning device to move along the second path. The identification unit sets a region, on the map, where the range finding sensor can perform range finding from start and end points of a portion of the first path, and identifies the portion as the partial path when only one or more straight lines which traverse the region and are parallel to a line segment toward the end point from the start point are represented as the object in the region set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fabio Dalla Libera, Yuko Tsusaka
  • Patent number: 11009357
    Abstract: A communication terminal is connected to a server and provides movement guidance for a mobile unit based on guidance information delivered from the server. The terminal requests the server for update information for updating area identification information that identifies a section corresponding to an update target area and a section not corresponding to the update target area on a section-by-section basis. The update target area is an area whose terminal-side map information included in the communication terminal is an older version. The terminal updates the area identification information based on the update information transmitted from the server, requests the server for guidance information for providing movement guidance for the mobile unit based on the updated area identification information, and provides the movement guidance for the mobile unit based on the guidance information delivered from the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignees: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Aoyama, Daisuke Tanizaki, Hiroaki Hirano, Kazuteru Maekawa, Motohiro Nakamura, Kazunori Watanabe, Katsuya Masuda, Takeshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10994774
    Abstract: A vehicular control system includes a forward viewing camera having a field of view forward of the vehicle. A control includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera to determine road curvature of a curved section of a road being traveled by the vehicle. Based on the determined road curvature, the control determines tangents to the determined road curvature along the curved section of the road. The control steers the equipped vehicle along the curved section of the road by adjusting steering of the vehicle to follow the determined tangents to the determined road curvature as the vehicle moves along the curved section of the road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Devendra Bajpai, Honghao Tan
  • Patent number: 10993774
    Abstract: A hand controller for enabling a user to perform an activity and method for controlling a robotic arm is provided. The hand controller includes a bar with a grip and a plurality of motors to provide a force feedback to the user in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms. The method involves receiving input corresponding to the manipulation of a bar and providing a force feedback in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Titan Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Uwe Schaible, Drazena Brocilo, John Harmen
  • Patent number: 10981279
    Abstract: A robot sets a cool point as a movement target point, and specifies route coordinates and coordinates for reaching the cool point. The robot moves to the cool point via the route, which is of a lower temperature. The robot searches for the cool point by referring to a temperature map showing a temperature distribution in a range in which the robot can move. Also, the robot compiles and updates the temperature map by measuring peripheral temperature as appropriate using a thermometer incorporated in the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: GROOVE X, INC.
    Inventor: Kaname Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10981565
    Abstract: A method for automatic initiation of a vehicle function of a vehicle includes ascertaining a first location of an object at a first time in a surrounding area of the vehicle, and ascertaining a second location of the object at a second time in the surrounding area of the vehicle. The method also includes calculating a movement vector depending on the ascertained first location of the object at the first time and the ascertained second location of the object at the second time, determining a point of intersection between the movement vector and a virtual vehicle region, wherein the virtual vehicle region corresponds at least in part to a real vehicle region of the vehicle, and initiating a vehicle function of the vehicle in response to a point of intersection between the movement vector and a virtual vehicle region being present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gabriele Abinger, Stefan Heinbockel, Thomas Klattig, Ralf Wistorf
  • Patent number: 10974564
    Abstract: A system for damping control for a vehicle includes a parameter component and a damping adjustment component. The parameter component is configured to determine one or more driving parameters of a vehicle. The one or more driving parameters include a velocity of the vehicle. The damping adjustment component is configured to adjust damping of suspension of the vehicle during driving based on the one or more driving parameters. The damping adjustment component is also configured to adjust damping of suspension at a zero velocity for a threshold time period in response to transitioning from a non-zero velocity to the zero velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Russell, Charles Gavin McGee, Ben Bulat, Russ Lee Norton, John Keller, Darrell Erick Butler
  • Patent number: 10970527
    Abstract: A robot that uses sensor inputs for attention activation and corresponding methods, systems, and computer programs encoded on computer storage media. The robot can be configured to compute a plurality of attention signals from sensor inputs and provide the plurality of attention signals as input to the attention level classifier to generate an attention level. If a user is paying attention to the robot based on the generated attention level, the robot selects a behavior to execute based on the current attention level, wherein a behavior comprises one or more coordinated actions to be performed by the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Digital Dream Labs, LLC
    Inventors: Hanns W. Tappeiner, Brad Neuman, Andrew Neil Stein, Lee Crippen