Patents Examined by Khoi H. Tran
  • Patent number: 11845192
    Abstract: Provided are robots that autonomously detect and correct individualized anomalies resulting from deviations in the sensors and/or actuators of individual robots, and environmental anomalies resulting from deviations in the environment elements that the robots rely on or use in the execution of different tasks. To do so, a robot may receive a task, may determine expected kinematics that include expected activations of a set of sensors and actuators by which the robot executes the task, may activate the set of sensors and actuators according to the expected kinematics, may track the actual kinematics resulting from activating the set of sensors and actuators according to the expected kinematics and continuing the activations until detecting one or more environment elements signaling completion of the task, and may adjust one or more sensors, actuators, or environment elements in response to the actual kinematics deviating from the expected kinematics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: inVia Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Randolph Charles Voorhies, Daniel Frank Parks, II, Lior Elazary
  • Patent number: 11846521
    Abstract: A navigation system for aiding a human navigating, the navigation system includes a belt having a belt length and opposite belt ends, and includes an elongated compartment; a belt coupling arranged to the belt for coupling the belt ends; a compass sensor arranged to the belt and for sensing the compass direction based on the earth's magnetic field; a tactile unit arranged for tactile communicating a direction to the human; additional tactile actuators arranged to the belt and for communicating a direction to the human. The additional tactile actuators are distributed over the length of the belt. An elongated mesh is provided for arranging the elongated mesh inside the elongated compartment, the additional tactile actuators being arranged to the mesh. A processing unit is configured for controlling the navigation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ELITAC B.V.
    Inventors: Wouter Karel Vos, Guus De Hoog
  • Patent number: 11845469
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. For instance, a current state of a traffic light may be determined. One of a plurality of yellow light durations may be selected based on the current state of the traffic light. When the traffic light will turn red may be predicted based on the selected one. The prediction may be used to control the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Edward Hsiao, Maoqing Yao, David Margines, Yosuke Higashi
  • Patent number: 11845186
    Abstract: An inverse kinematics solving method for redundant robot as well as a redundant robot using the same are provided. The method includes: obtaining an expression of a Jacobian matrix null space of a current configuration of each robotic arm of the redundant robot corresponding to a preset end pose of the robotic arm according to the preset end pose, and obtaining a relation between an angular velocity of the joints of the redundant robot in the Jacobian matrix null space of the current configuration based on the obtained expression; traversing the Jacobian matrix null space using the relation, and building an energy cost function of the redundant robot based on the relation; obtaining a target joint angle of each joint of the redundant robot based on the optimal inverse kinematics solution to transmit to the servo of the joint so as to control the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD
    Inventors: Yuesong Wang, Liqun Huang, Xiaoyu Ren, Mingguo Zhao, Youjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 11839981
    Abstract: An autonomous moving transfer robot, including a main body with a base and a vertical plate; a traveling mechanism having a driving wheel and a driven wheel mounted on the base; a working mechanism having two manipulators, each with a mechanical arm, a proximal end of which is connected to the vertical plate, and a clamp pivotally connected to a distal end of the mechanical arm; the mechanical arms enable the clamps to reach a desired position, and the manipulators drive the clamps to grip and release a target object; a carrying mechanism having a plurality of plate-shaped carrying members for carrying the target object, the carrying members being fixed on the same side of the vertical plate, and arranged at intervals along the vertical direction; and a control system for controlling the walking/stopping and steering of the traveling mechanism and the movement of the manipulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: AIROBOT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Dan
  • Patent number: 11840294
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a regulating device for regulating the steering angle for a vehicle, comprising a first controller unit with a controller superposed thereon, the controller having a feedback path and a prefilter. The feedback path provides a first adjustment variable based on actual steering angle information which is provided by the first controller unit as an output variable and the prefilter provides a second adjustment variable based on nominal steering angle information. The controller is configured to form input information for the first controller unit based on the first and the second adjustment variables, wherein the feedback path has a first correction element, the transfer behavior of which can be adjusted. The prefilter has a second correction element, the transfer behavior of which can be adjusted. The controller is configured such that at least the controller gain of the first controller unit can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Keßler, Stefan Feick, Michael Simon
  • Patent number: 11842124
    Abstract: A control system for a base supporting a boom assembly comprises long telescopic boom and telescopic stick. Mounted to the remote end of the stick is an end effector that supports a robot arm that moves a further end effector to manipulate the items. The robot arm has a robot base, and mounted above the robot base is a first target in the form of a position sensor, that provides position coordinates relative to a fixed ground reference. Mounted on the end of the robot arm immediately above the end effector is a second target that provides position coordinates relative to the fixed around reference. The fixed ground reference tracks the sensors and feeds data to the control system to move the stick with slow dynamic response and to control movement of the robotic arm and end effector with fast dynamic response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: FASTBRICK IP PTY LTD
    Inventor: Mark Pivac
  • Patent number: 11834109
    Abstract: An electric power steering device includes: an information obtaining unit that obtains information on a steering torque acting on a steering wheel of a vehicle, speed of the vehicle, a turn angle of the steering wheel, and an actual yaw rate; a setting unit that sets a steering assist control amount relating to an assist motor based a deviation of the actual yaw rate from a norm yaw rate set based on a traveling state of the vehicle; and a steering assist control unit that performs steering assist control using the assist motor based on the information on the steering torque. The steering assist control unit performs the steering assist control based on the steering assist control amount set by the setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 11833694
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for planning a path of motion for a robot. In some implementations, a candidate path of movement is determined for each of multiple robots. A swept region, for each of the multiple robots, is determined that the robot would traverse through along its candidate path. At least some of the swept regions for the multiple robots is aggregated to determine amounts of overlap among the swept regions at different locations. Force vectors directed outward from the swept regions are assigned, wherein the force vectors have different magnitudes assigned according to the respective amounts of overlap of the swept regions at the different locations. A path for a particular robot to travel is determined based on the swept regions and the assigned magnitudes of the forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Dupuis, Keegan Go, Maryam Bandari
  • Patent number: 11835347
    Abstract: Routes can be found while improving the convenience of guidance for users. A route-searching device includes a search-condition acquisition unit that acquires search conditions for searching a route including a starting point and a destination; a route-data storage unit that stores a link ID, the node IDs of the starting point and the end point of a link, and road network information concerning a road network and including a link length; an instruction-data storage unit that stores instruction data including a type associated with the node ID, a value for the type, and a coefficient for the value; and a route generation unit that generates route candidates including the shortest route based on the search conditions and the road network information, calculating, for each of the route candidates, an index value based on information included in the instruction data, and outputting, as a search route, the route candidate with the index value improved from the index value of the shortest route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyota Tsutsumida, Mitsuru Mochizuki, Osamu Matsuda, Hitoshi Seshimo
  • Patent number: 11834045
    Abstract: The subject matter described in this specification is directed to a system and techniques for operating an autonomous vehicle (AV) at a multi-way stop intersection. After detecting the AV is at a primary stopline of the multi-way stop intersection, a planned travel path though the multi-way stop intersection is obtained. If the planned travel path of the AV through the multi-way stop intersection satisfies a set of one or more clearance criteria, the AV proceeds past the primary stopline. The clearance criteria include a criterion that is satisfied in response to detecting the AV is clear to safely merge into a travel lane corresponding to the planned travel path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Motional AD LLC
    Inventor: Scott Drew Pendleton
  • Patent number: 11835343
    Abstract: Provided is a method including: capturing, with at least one sensor of a robot, first data indicative of the position of the robot in relation to objects within the workspace and second data indicative of movement of the robot; recognizing, with a processor of the robot, a first area of the workspace based on observing at least one of: a first part of the first data and a first part of the second data; generating, with the processor of the robot, at least part of a map of the workspace based on at least one of: the first part of the first data and the first part of the second data; generating, with the processor of the robot, a first movement path covering at least part of the first recognized area; actuating, with the processor of the robot, the robot to move along the first movement path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Lukas Fath, Chen Zhang, Sebastian Schweigert
  • Patent number: 11835346
    Abstract: In a route output apparatus, a route searcher is configured to search for a route from a designated departure point to an arrival point with use of a graph including a plurality of nodes and at least one link connecting the nodes and representing map information. A converter is configured to convert coordinates of a point on the graph identified based on a plurality of nodes representing the route searched by the route searcher into a latitude and a longitude. An outputter is configured to output the latitude and longitude calculated by the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Komaru
  • Patent number: 11832552
    Abstract: An autonomous lawn mower (100) comprises a mower body (102) having at least one motor (210) arranged to drive a cutting blade (212b) and to propel the mower body (102) on an operating surface via a wheel arrangement. The mower body (102) includes a navigation system (204) arranged to assist a controller (202) to control the operation of the mower body (102) within the predefined operating area (208). The navigation system includes an odometry module (106, 220), a rotatable optical surveying module (222), a sonic obstacle detection module (224), a heat absorbing unit set on the outer surface of the mower body (102) for directing the heat generated within the mower body towards the atmosphere, and a detachable docking module (816) arranged to receive the mower body (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TECHTRONIC OUTDOOR PRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Klaus Hahn, Todd Brandon Rickey, Benjamin Edgar Montgomery, Nikolai Ensslen, Levent Yildirim
  • Patent number: 11833692
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling an arm of a robot, including obtaining obstacle information relating to the arm of the robot by at least one sensor, obtaining current posture information of the arm of the robot by a least one detector and obtaining an expected posture information of an end-portion of the arm of the robot, determining an expected trajectory of the end-portion of the arm of the robot, determining an expected speed of the end-portion of the arm of the robot in accordance with the expected trajectory of the end-portion, determining a virtual speed of a target point on the arm of the robot, and configuring a target join speed corresponding to a joint of the arm of the robot. Such that the redundant arm of the robot may be configured to prevent from contacting the obstacles in the complex environment while performing corresponding tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD
    Inventors: Dake Zheng, Yizhang Liu, Zheng Xie, Jianxin Pang, Youjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 11827243
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for implementing automated vehicle safety response measures to ensure continued safe automated vehicle operation for a limited period of time after a vehicle component or vehicle system that supports an automated vehicle driving function fails. When a critical vehicle component/system such as a vehicle computing platform fails, the vehicle is likely no longer capable of performing calculations required to safely operate and navigate the vehicle in an autonomous manner, or at a minimum, is no longer able to ensure the accuracy of such calculations. In such a scenario, the automated vehicle safety response measures disclosed herein can ensure—despite failure of the vehicle component/system—continued safe automated operation of the vehicle for a limited period of time in order to bring the vehicle to a safe stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Bokai Chen, Qi Wang, Daniel Yang
  • Patent number: 11826908
    Abstract: A system that uses 3D scanning and a process agnostic pointing device that is used in conjunction with user input to create a robot program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SCALABLE ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Andrew Fuhlbrigge, Carlos Martinez, Gregory Rossano
  • Patent number: 11828616
    Abstract: To provide a user with more appropriate information on the spot around the route. A search system includes an acquisition unit, a determining unit, a search unit, and an output unit. The acquisition unit acquires a current position of a moving body and information on a route from the current position to a position of a destination. The determining unit determines a width of a search range dynamically changed along the route, based on the current position and the information on the route. The search unit searches for a spot present within the search range. The output unit outputs information on a searched spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: MICWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sumito Yoshikawa, Michihiro Nishida
  • Patent number: 11826900
    Abstract: A manipulation device and a manipulation system of a simpler configuration. A manipulation device includes an input part configured to receive an input of an operational instruction by an operator in order to operate a manipulating target, and a speaker configured to receive a signal based on vibration detected at the manipulating target and generate vibration based on the received signal. The vibration generated by the speaker is transmitted to the operator through at least a part of the input part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Shimomura, Masayuki Kamon, Hideyuki Ryu
  • Patent number: 11827245
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to a control system to improve estimating motion for an automated vehicle related to cooperative driving. In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring, by an ego vehicle, a communication link for motion data of a target vehicle, used in a model to determine motion, for motion planning by the ego vehicle. The method also includes estimating trajectory of the target vehicle according to a motion estimate by the model when criteria for the communication link are unsatisfied. The method also includes adjusting the motion estimate using a modified model, adapted for speed of the target vehicle, when the criteria for the communication link are satisfied. The method also includes controlling the ego vehicle according to the trajectory and the motion estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Ziran Wang, Kyungtae Han, Prashant Tiwari