Patents Examined by Davin Seol
  • Patent number: 12035648
    Abstract: One or more information maps are obtained by an agricultural work machine. The one or more information maps map one or more agricultural characteristic values at different geographic locations of a field. An in-situ sensor on the agricultural work machine senses an agricultural characteristic as the agricultural work machine moves through the field. A predictive map generator generates a predictive map that predicts a predictive agricultural characteristic at different locations in the field based on a relationship between the values in the one or more information maps and the agricultural characteristic sensed by the in-situ sensor. The predictive map can be output and used in automated machine control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Nathan R. Vandike, Bhanu Kiran Reddy Palla, Noel W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 12024282
    Abstract: A guidance device 120 is provided with a processing device 124 that generates a control signal to control a propulsion device 110 of a flying object 100 and a communication device 121 that transmits the control signal to the propulsion device 110. The processing device 124 generates a patrol control signal to control the propulsion device 110 so that the flying object 100 flies along a first patrol path and generates, based on information of a moving object that the flying object 100 is to intercept, an interception control signal to control the propulsion device 110 so that the flying object 100 flies toward the moving object. In addition, the processing device 124 generates, when generating the interception control signal, a notification signal to notify that the flying object 100 flies toward the moving object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shunsuke Araki
  • Patent number: 12012221
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a stand for launching, landing, testing, refueling and recharging a UAV, and methods for testing, landing and launching the UAV are disclosed. Further, embodiments may include transferring a payload onto or off of the UAV, and loading flight planning and diagnostic maintenance information to the UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Airogistic, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeff Michalski, Michael Foley
  • Patent number: 11999480
    Abstract: A flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle on which a reflector is mounted and a total station for tracking the reflector and for acquiring measurement data including three-dimensional coordinates of the reflector, wherein the total station comprises a tracking module for tracking the reflector, a TS-data transmitting module having an optical axis parallel or approximately parallel to a tracking optical axis of the tracking module and for emitting a TS-data transmitting light, and a TS-arithmetic control module, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle has a photodetector for receiving the TS-data transmitting light and for emitting a photodetecting signal and a UAV-arithmetic control module for controlling a flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the TS-arithmetic control module is configured to superimpose the measurement data on the TS-data transmitting light, and the UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to separate the measurement data from th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignees: TOPCON Corporation, Tierra S.p.A
    Inventors: Riccardo Loti, Kaoru Kumagai
  • Patent number: 11994866
    Abstract: A collision avoidance system may validate, reject, or replace a trajectory generated to control a vehicle. The collision avoidance system may comprise a secondary perception component that may receive sensor data, receive and/or determine a corridor associated with operation of a vehicle, classify a portion of the sensor data associated with the corridor as either ground or an object, determine a position and/or velocity of at least the nearest object, determine a threshold distance associated with the vehicle, and control the vehicle based at least in part on the position and/or velocity of the nearest object and the threshold distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: James William Vaisey Philbin, Cooper Stokes Sloan, Noureldin Ehab Hendy, Nicholas George Charchut, Chuang Wang
  • Patent number: 11957072
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes obtaining a weed map of a field including a crop, the weed map representing weed plant locations on the field, identifying, based at least in part on the weed map, weed seed locations that represent presence of weed seeds on the field, and generating a control signal for a pre-emergence weed mitigation operation based on the weed seed locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Sebastian Blank, Curtis R. Hammer, Noel W. Anderson, Dohn W. Pfeiffer, Gurmukh H. Advani
  • Patent number: 11927972
    Abstract: A system for determining a travel direction that avoids objects when a vehicle travels from a current location to a target location is provided. The system determines a travel direction based on an attract-repel model. The system accesses external object information provided by an external object system. The external object information may include, for each of a plurality of objects, location, type, and constraint. The system assigns a repel value to the location of each object based on the type of and constraint on the object. The system assigns an attractive value to the target location. The system calculates a cumulative force based on the attractive and repulsive forces and sets the travel direction based on the cumulative force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: N. Reginald Beer, Jacob Trueblood, Brian Matthew Wihl
  • Patent number: 11899465
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide docking assist for mobile structures. A docking assist system includes a logic device, one or more sensors, one or more actuators/controllers, and modules to interface with users, sensors, actuators, and/or other modules of a mobile structure. The logic device is adapted to receive docking assist parameters from a user interface for the mobile structure and perimeter sensor data from a perimeter ranging system mounted to the mobile structure. The logic device determines docking assist control signals based, at least in part, on the docking assist parameters and perimeter sensor data, and it then provides the docking assist control signals to a navigation control system for the mobile structure. Control signals may be displayed to a user and/or used to adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: FLIR Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Mark Johnson, Oliver Hawker, Richard Jales, Christopher Yeomans, Marcelo Rull, Mark Rivers
  • Patent number: 11891175
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system that comprises: a control station intended to be operated; an unmanned aerial vehicle for multiple tasks (UAM) which is supported, by unmanned aerial devices (UAV), unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), and by a centralised mobile reel unit which feeds cables and hoses for supplying multiple additive and subtractive fluids (e.g. paint, air suction, etc.) and for charging power; wherein the cables and hoses comprise a device that makes it possible to predict trajectories, without interfering with flight maneuvers or the environment. The UAM comprises a robotic arm with specific tools that make it possible, for example, to paint fences, as well as a device that allows it to be attached to various surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Inventor: Miguel Angel Mura Yañez
  • Patent number: 11887329
    Abstract: Provided are a moving body guidance apparatus, a moving body guidance method and a computer-readable recording medium that are for accurately guiding a moving body to a target site. The moving body guidance apparatus has a detection unit 2 that detects, from an image 40 captured by an image capturing apparatus 23 mounted on a moving body 20, a target member image 42 captured of an entirety of a target member 30 or a feature member image 43 captured of an entirety or a portion of feature members 31 and 32 forming the target member 30, and a control unit 3 that performs guidance control for moving a set position 41 set with respect to the image 40 and indicating a position of the moving body 20 closer to the target member image 42 or closer to a designated region 44 set based on the feature member image 43.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuo Inoshita
  • Patent number: 11874661
    Abstract: Remaining charge acquisition means of a battery installation system acquires remaining charge information on a remaining charge of each of a plurality of batteries which are installable in an unmanned aerial vehicle. Battery weight acquisition means acquires battery weight information on a weight of each battery. Location acquisition means acquires location information on a movement destination of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Selection means selects, based on the remaining charge information, the battery weight information, and the location information, from among the plurality of batteries, a battery having a remaining charge equal to or more than a battery consumption amount for moving to the movement destination. Processing execution means executes processing for installing the battery selected by the selection means in the unmanned aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Junji Torii, Jun Takizawa
  • Patent number: 11866198
    Abstract: A method and system provide the ability to autonomously operate an unmanned aerial system (UAS) over long durations of time. The UAS vehicle autonomously takes off from a take-off landing-charging station and autonomously executes a mission. The mission includes data acquisition instructions in a defined observation area. Upon mission completion, the UAS autonomously travels to a target landing-charging station and performs an autonomous precision landing on the target landing-charging station. The UAS autonomously re-charges via the target landing-charging station. Once re-charged, the UAS is ready to execute a next sortie. When landed, the UAS autonomously transmits mission data to the landing-charging station for in situ or cloud-based data processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Roland Brockers, Stephan Michael Weiss, Danylo Malyuta, Christian Brommer, Daniel Robert Hentzen
  • Patent number: 11860634
    Abstract: An obstacle state evolution of a spatial position of a moving obstacle over a period of time is determined. A lane-obstacle relation evolution of the moving obstacle with each of one or more lanes near the moving obstacle over the period of time is further determined. An intended movement of the moving obstacle is predicted based on the obstacle state evolution and the lane-obstacle evolution. Thereafter, a trajectory of the ADV is planned to control the ADV to avoid a collision with the moving obstacle based on the predicted intended movement of the moving obstacle. The above process is iteratively performed for each of the moving obstacles detected within a predetermined proximity of the ADV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventors: Jiacheng Pan, Hongyi Sun, Kecheng Xu, Yifei Jiang, Xiangquan Xiao, Jiangtao Hu, Jinghao Miao
  • Patent number: 11851162
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for stopping the rotation of propellers used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) such as drones are disclosed. The propellers are stopped in response to sensing human touch on a surface of the UAV using capacitive sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Nir Daube, Simon Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11835968
    Abstract: Disclosed implementations describe systems and methods for stabilizing vertical takeoff and landing (“VTOL”) or hover flight of a degraded canted-hex aerial vehicle so that the degraded canted-hex aerial vehicle can safely navigate to a landing area. For example, upon detection of a motor-out event, the disclosed implementations may cause an opposing propulsion mechanism of the aerial vehicle to terminate operation, the prioritization of the flight controller to change, and for a feedback loop of the flight controller to provide a preferred thrust to counteract yaw torques acting on the canted-hex aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Szmuk
  • Patent number: 11830371
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include receiving, by a processor, airspace data associated with a predefined airspace, obtaining roadway data associated with the predefined airspace, determining a set of air travel channels within the predefined airspace based on the roadway data, defining a set of travel lanes within the set of air travel channels, wherein each travel lane in the set of travel lanes comprises an altitude range, receiving unmanned aircraft (UA) data associated with a set of UAs within the predefined airspace, wherein the UA data comprises one or more flight paths for each UA in the set of UAs, and assigning each UA in the set of UAs to a travel lane in the set of travel lanes based on the one or more flight paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naveen Mathew Nathan Sathiyanathan, Linsong Chu, Raghu Kiran Ganti, Mudhakar Srivatsa
  • Patent number: 11809187
    Abstract: A control device controls a mobile object capable of traveling within a predetermined closed area, which allows a user to get on the mobile object at a first location within the predetermined closed area and to get off at a second location different from the first location. The control device controls the mobile object such that the mobile object travels to the first location when the mobile object remains in a state, for a predetermined period of time, in which no luggage is left in the mobile object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masato Endo, Katsuhiko Yourou, Shunji Tateishi, Nobukatsu Fujishita
  • Patent number: 11794773
    Abstract: A vehicle control interface connects a vehicle platform including a first computer that performs travel control of a vehicle and an autonomous driving platform including a second computer that performs autonomous driving control of the vehicle. The vehicle control interface includes a control unit configured to execute: acquiring, from the second computer, a first control command including at least one of first data on designating acceleration or deceleration and second data on designating a travel track; converting the first control command into a second control command for the first computer; and transmitting the second control command to the first computer. The first control command is data for controlling the vehicle platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eisuke Ando
  • Patent number: 11787540
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an unmanned flight system and a control system for an unmanned flight system. The unmanned flight system comprises: a body and a lift mechanism connected to the body, wherein the lift mechanism includes two rotor assembly arm structures respectively provided on two sides of the body, wherein each of the rotor assembly arm structures respectively includes: an arm, a pivotable rotor assembly, a motor for driving the rotor assembly to pivot about a pivot axis, and a motor base for mounting the motor, wherein one end of the arm is pivotally connected to one side of the body, the motor base is pivotally provided on the other end of the arm, and a rotational axis of the motor base is higher than a center of gravity of the unmanned flight system. The unmanned flight system according to the present disclosure can achieve a longer flight time, a simple rotor assembly structure, and easier overall assembly and maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: HANGZHOU ZERO ZERO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xian Su, Chenhui Qian, Tong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11740630
    Abstract: Sports and fitness applications for an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are described. In an example embodiment, a UAV can be configured to track a human subject using perception inputs from one or more onboard sensors. The perception inputs can be utilized to generate values for various performance metrics associated with the activity of the human subject. In some embodiments, the perception inputs can be utilized to autonomously maneuver the UAV to lead the human subject to satisfy a performance goal. The UAV can also be configured to autonomously capture images of a sporting event and/or make rule determinations while officiating a sporting event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
    Inventors: Abraham Galton Bachrach, Adam Parker Bry, Matthew Joseph Donahoe, Hayk Martirosyan, Tom Moss