Patents Examined by Heather J Keniry
  • Patent number: 12384442
    Abstract: A method includes determining a current slew rate associated with a motor of the steering column, determining a speed slew rate associated with the motor, determining a current and speed slew rate threshold for the motor, and determining whether the current slew rate or the speed slew rate indicates a pinch event based on a comparison of the current slew rate, the speed slew rate, and the current and speed slew rate threshold. The method also includes, in response to a determination that at least one of the current slew rate and the speed slew rate indicates a pinch event, selectively instructing the motor to one of stop operation and reverse operation for a calibration period and, in response to the pinch event having a magnitude that is less than a pinch event threshold, selectively instructing the motor to continue operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Keyur R. Patel, Haiquan Li
  • Patent number: 12350837
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for a quadruped robot to navigate through granular media, such as deep sand and for providing improvements in the walking performance over various types of granular media. In particular, the present invention proposes reducing the assumed coefficient of friction about the ground, impacting the ground harder than nominal in the vertical direction at touchdown, and forcing a toe lift off into swing if a knee joint extends beyond a threshold stance to help increase the robustness of a quadruped robot's locomotive abilities on challenging terrains and provide an improvement in the field of biomechanics and robotic navigation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ghost Robotics Corp.
    Inventors: Avik De, Jeffrey Duperret
  • Patent number: 12343875
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and a method for controlling an operation of a manipulation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Devesh Jha, Arvind Raghunathan, Yuki Shirai
  • Patent number: 12325125
    Abstract: A manipulator and a method for controlling the manipulator are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS., LTD.
    Inventors: Hansung Lee, Hyungmin Son, Leo Jun, Jiwon Paik, Sajid Sadi, Jeannie Kang, Minyoung Lee, Yenah Lee
  • Patent number: 12318935
    Abstract: One embodiment of a method for controlling a robot includes receiving sensor data associated with an environment that includes an object; applying a machine learning model to a portion of the sensor data associated with the object and one or more trajectories of motion of the robot to determine one or more path lengths of the one or more trajectories; generating a new trajectory of motion of the robot based on the one or more trajectories and the one or more path lengths; and causing the robot to perform one or more movements based on the new trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adithyavairavan Murali, Balakumar Sundaralingam, Yun-Chun Chen, Dieter Fox, Animesh Garg
  • Patent number: 12293668
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and a server for platooning. The method provides: obtaining, based on a platooning request message, a first vehicle type and first kinematic information of a vehicle to join a platoon, a second vehicle type and second kinematic information of a current tail of the platoon, first sensor operating status information of the vehicle to join the platoon, and second sensor operating status information of the current tail vehicle; performing vehicle kinematic determination to obtain a kinematic determination result; performing sensor determination to obtain a sensor determination result; transmitting a confirmation request message to a vehicle of the platoon when the determination results are both successful; and controlling, upon receiving a request approval message, the vehicle to join the platoon to establish a V2V communication connection with each vehicle in the platoon. The method can achieve platoon without any road side unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: BEIJING TUSEN ZHITU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenrui Li, Nan Wu, Rui Peng, Qingxin Bi, Yuhe Jin, Yiming Li
  • Patent number: 12290944
    Abstract: A system and method for estimating aspects of target objects and/or associated task implementations is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: MUJIN, Inc.
    Inventors: Jinze Yu, Jose Jeronimo Moreira Rodrigues, Rosen Nikolaev Diankov
  • Patent number: 12274516
    Abstract: A control system for a surgical robotic system, the surgical robotic system comprising a remote surgeon console having a surgeon input device, and a surgical robot arm comprising a series of joints extending from a base to a terminal end for attaching to a surgical instrument, the surgical robot arm operable in a full power mode in which the joints of the surgical robot arm are powered by a first power source and a reduced power mode in which the joints of the surgical robot arm are powered by a second power source, he control system configured to: whilst the surgical robot arm is operating in the full power mode, control the surgical robot arm in a surgical mode by converting inputs from the surgeon input device to control signals for moving joints of the surgical robot arm; detect a power failure of the first power source; in response to detecting the power failure, enable the reduced power mode, and control the surgical robot arm in a locked mode by sending control signals to lock joints of the surgical ro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: CMR SURGICAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Gordon Thomas Deane
  • Patent number: 12269620
    Abstract: To achieve an objective to enable a plurality of management business operators managing space objects flying in space, to share and carry out danger analysis efficiently. In a space traffic management system, a plurality of space traffic management devices are connected to each other via a communication line. Each of the plurality of space traffic management devices includes a space information recorder, a danger alarm device, a danger analysis device, a danger avoidance action assist device, and a security device. The space information recorder includes a space object ID, orbital information, and public condition information; and a business device ID and public condition information. The plurality of space traffic management devices have data format compatibility and share the space object ID and the business device ID, and share orbital information corresponding to the space object ID among business devices that comply with the public condition information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hisayuki Mukae
  • Patent number: 12266266
    Abstract: A mobile object management device that manages a boarding-type mobile object that moves within a predetermined area with a user on board includes an acquirer configured to acquire positional information of the boarding-type mobile object, a manager configured to manage the boarding-type mobile object and a terminal device of a user on the boarding-type mobile object in association with each other, and an event operation commander configured to cause the boarding-type mobile object to execute a predetermined operation in accordance with an event performed in the predetermined area via the terminal device of the user on the basis of the positional information and information on the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sachiko Yamamoto, Shinichiro Kobashi, Makoto Hasegawa, Naoto Shikano, Shota Yamaguchi, Marika Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 12263602
    Abstract: A robot calibration method based on pose constraint and force sensing includes the following steps: establishing a kinematic model, a geometric error model, and a non-geometric error model; installing an end calibration device to an end of a robot, and installing to the geometric constraint device into a working space of the robot; dragging the robot, constraining various calibration spheres of the end calibration device into various V-shaped grooves on the geometric constraint device to achieve pose constraint; then dragging the calibration spheres to V-shaped grooves on different surfaces, and calibrating a geometric parameter error of the robot using a deviation between a nominal end pose measured twice and an actual value; reading an end force by a force sensor to calibrate the non-geometric error model; identifying kinematic model parameters of a corresponding robot; and compensating an identified kinematic model parameter error to a controller of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: NINGBO INSTITUTE OF MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Guilin Yang, Jianhui He, Silu Chen, Hongyu Wan, Jingbo Luo, Ye Tang, Zhihui Zhang, Qingying Chen, Chi Zhang
  • Patent number: 12258224
    Abstract: Data indicating a corresponding safety state information indicating an extent to which that operating zone currently is or is not available to the robotic system to perform tasks using one or more robotic instrumentalities associated with a robotic system is used, for each of a plurality of operating zones, to dynamically schedule and perform tasks associated with a higher level objective. The corresponding safety state information associated with the first operating zone indicating one of a plurality of safety states associated with a presence of a human worker in the first operating zone is received from one or more sensors associated with a first operating zone of the plurality of operating zones. Autonomous behavior of the one or more robotic instrumentalities is altered based on the one of the plurality of safety states associated with the presence of the human worker in the first operating zone indicated by the corresponding safety state information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Dexterity, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhouwen Sun, Cuthbert Sun, Andrew Nguyen, Samuel Tay, Emilie Peck, Kevin Jose Chavez, Robert Holmberg
  • Patent number: 12259257
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses associated with updating a map using images are described. An apparatus can include a processing resource and a memory resource having instructions executable to a processing resource to monitor a map including a plurality of locations, receive, at the processing resource, the memory resource, or both, and from a first source, image data associated with a first location, identify the image data as being associated with a missing portion, an outdated portion, or both, of the map, and update the missing portion, the outdated portion, or both, of the map with the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kathryn H. Russo, Aparna U. Limaye, Gurtaranjit Kaur
  • Patent number: 12253368
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of characterizing a route (T) travelled by a user. The method comprises a step of locating and timestamping measurement during the ride (MES), then determining a modified discrete Fréchet distance (DFM) between the measured route and previous routes. Finally, the modified discrete Fréchet distance (DFM) is used to characterize the route to be characterized (T).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Francisco Jose Gonzalez De Cossio Echeverria, Guillaume Sabiron, Laurent Thibault
  • Patent number: 12246459
    Abstract: A method can include: receiving imaging data; identifying containers using an object detector; scheduling insertion based on the identified containers; and optionally performing an action based on a scheduled insertion. However, the method can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements. The method functions to schedule insertion for a robotic system (e.g., ingredient insertion of a robotic foodstuff assembly module). Additionally or alternatively, the method can function to facilitate execution of a dynamic insertion strategy; and/or facilitate independent operation of a plurality of robotic assembly modules along a conveyor line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Chef Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Clement Creusot, Rajat Bhageria, Norberto Goussies, Luis Rayas, Xiaoyi Chen
  • Patent number: 12246455
    Abstract: A lab system accesses a first protocol for performance by a first robot in a first lab. The first protocol includes a set of steps, each associated with an operation, reagent, and equipment. For each of one or more steps, the lab system modifies the step by: (1) identifying one or more replacement operations that achieve an equivalent or substantially similar result as a performance of the operation, (2) identifying replacement equipment that operates substantially similarly to the equipment, and/or (3) identifying one or more replacement reagents that, when substituted for the reagent, do not substantially affect the performance of the step. The lab system generates a modified protocol by replacing one or more of the set of steps with the modified steps. The lab system selects a second lab including a second and configures the second robot to perform the modified protocol in the second lab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Artificial, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Washington, Geoffrey J. Budd, Nikhita Singh, Jake Sganga, Alexander Li Honda
  • Patent number: 12240105
    Abstract: A method of estimating one or more mass characteristics of a payload manipulated by a robot includes moving the payload using the robot, determining one or more accelerations of the payload while the payload is in motion, sensing, using one or more sensors of the robot, a wrench applied to the payload while the payload is in motion, and estimating the one or more mass characteristics of the payload based, at least in part, on the determined accelerations and the sensed wrench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: BOSTON DYNAMICS, INC.
    Inventors: Shervin Talebi, Neil Neville, Kevin Blankespoor
  • Patent number: 12234137
    Abstract: Robots for lifting objects are disclosed. In one embodiment, a robot includes a rail system, a body structure coupled to the rail system, a first arm coupled to a first side of the body structure, one or more first arm actuators providing the first arm with multiple degrees of freedom, a second arm coupled to a second side of the body structure, one or more second arm actuators providing the second arm with multiple degrees of freedom, and a lift actuator operable to move the body structure along the rail system. The one or more first arm actuators and the one or more second arm actuators are operable to wrap the first arm and the second arm around an object and hold the object against the body structure. The lift actuator is operable to move the body structure such that the object is lifted on the rail system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignees: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Alexander Alspach, Andrew M. Beaulieu, Aimee S. Goncalves
  • Patent number: 12214497
    Abstract: A method of footstep contact detection includes receiving joint dynamics data for a swing phase of a swing leg of the robot, receiving odometry data indicative of a pose of the robot, determining whether an impact on the swing leg is indicative of a touchdown of the swing leg based on the joint dynamics data and an amount of completion of the swing phase, and determining when the impact on the swing leg is not indicative of the touchdown of the swing leg, a cause of the impact based on the joint dynamics data and the odometry data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Whitman, Alex Khripin
  • Patent number: 12214494
    Abstract: A teaching support device configured to perform teaching to a robot which has a robot arm a tip of which is attached with a polishing tool, and which controls the robot arm with force control to perform a polishing task on an object includes a teaching point acquisition section configured to obtain information related to a plurality of teaching points set to the object, a polishing parameter acquisition section configured to obtain information related to a polishing parameter of the polishing task at the plurality of teaching points obtained by the teaching point acquisition section, and a display control section configured to display the teaching point out of the plurality of teaching points with a color based on the polishing parameter obtained by the polishing parameter acquisition section so as to overlap the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuma Shimura