Patents Examined by Long T Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11623345
    Abstract: A modular robot system can be formed by assembling a plurality of cube type unit robots. The modular robot system includes N cube type unit robots, wherein: one of the N cube type unit robots serves as a central control terminal, the cube type unit robot serving as the central control terminal assigns a distinguishable ID number to each of the N cube type unit robots; each robot including a cube-shaped housing, a step motor and a control unit installed inside the housing; the housing has one surface including a mounting groove to allow a rotational body rotating by a rotation shaft of the step motor to be mounted therein, and the other surface including a connection groove in the same shape as the mounting groove; and different cube type unit robots can be connected to each other by means of a connection body mounted in the connection groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: RoboRisen Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Bin Yim, Hyun Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 11625030
    Abstract: A method of deriving autonomous control information involves receiving one or more sets of associated environment sensor information and device control instructions. Each set of associated environment sensor information and device control instructions includes environment sensor information representing an environment associated with an operator controllable device and associated device control instructions configured to cause the operator controllable device to simulate at least one action taken by at least one operator experiencing a representation of the environment generated from the environment sensor information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Kindred Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Suzanne Gildert, George Samuel Rose, Graham William Taylor, James Bergstra
  • Patent number: 11625043
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a robot cleaner including a travel operation in which the robot cleaner travels, a recognition operation in which when the robot cleaner contacts an obstacle during the travel, the robot cleaner determines whether the obstacle is pushed by the robot cleaner and slides, and an obstacle bypass operation in which upon determination that the obstacle is the pushed-and-sliding obstacle, the robot cleaner stops the travel and then bypasses the pushed-and-sliding obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Wonkeun Yang, Junghwan Kim, Minho Lee, Jeongwoo Ju, Dongki Noh
  • Patent number: 11589931
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system and method are disclosed for transitioning control to a secondary robotic arm controller. In one embodiment, a robotic surgical system comprises a user console comprising a display device and a user input device; a robotic arm configured to be coupled to an operating table; a primary robotic arm controller configured to move the robotic arm in response to a signal received from the user input device at the user console; and a secondary robotic arm controller configured to move the robotic arm in response to a signal received from a user input device remote from the user console. Control over movement of the robotic arm is transitioned from the primary robotic arm controller to the secondary robotic arm controller in response to a failure in the primary robotic arm controller. Other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Verb Surgical Inc.
    Inventor: Jignesh Desai
  • Patent number: 11579622
    Abstract: Described are systems and methods to utilize images to determine the position and/or orientation of a vehicle (e.g., an autonomous ground vehicle) operating in an unstructured environment (e.g., environments such as sidewalks which are typically absent lane markings, road markings, etc.). The described systems and methods can determine the vehicle's position and orientation based on an alignment of annotated images captured during operation of the vehicle with a known annotated reference map. The translation and rotation applied to obtain alignment of the annotated images with the known annotated reference map can provide the position and the orientation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Alan Atherton, Aziz Umit Batur, Kishor Dilip Bhalerao, Haresh Karnan, Harshavardhan Shirolkar
  • Patent number: 11579618
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for generating a set of connected segments for a device or system to traverse in order to reach every point of the region (a coverage plan). Nodes defining the region to be traversed define a polygon. The polygon is decomposed into a mesh and a graph of the mesh is generated. The graph may be used to determine a longest funneled path which, in turn, may be used to either optimize for a longest path or to divide the polygon for eroding sides. The longest path and/or erosions are used to define a set of segments. The segments are connected, which in some examples is done via an optimization to minimize an amount of time or energy to traverse all segments and connections. The resultant coverage plan is sent to a system configured to receive the plan and traverse the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Scythe Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Christopher Alban, Zachary Austin Goins, Kristopher Charles Kozak, John Gordon Morrison
  • Patent number: 11561275
    Abstract: A moving robot has a body and at least one wheel for moving the main body. The moving robot has a transceiver to communicate with a plurality of location information transmitters located within an area. The moving robot also has a memory storing coordinate information regarding positions of the location information transmitters. Further, the moving robot has a controller that sets a virtual boundary based on location information determined using signals transmitted by the location information transmitters. The controller controls the wheel so that the main body is prevented from traveling outside the virtual boundary. The controller sets a reference location information transmitter and corrects the stored coordinate information by correcting height errors based on height differences between the reference location information transmitter and the other location information transmitters. The controller also corrects a current position of the main body based on the corrected stored coordinate information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kyoungsuk Ko, Sungwook Lee, Hyungsub Lee, Koh Choi
  • Patent number: 11561550
    Abstract: A robotic cleaner may include a body, one or more driven wheels configured to urge the body across a surface to be cleaned, one or more distance sensors disposed at least partially within the body such that the one or more distance sensors face the surface to be cleaned and a processor. The one or more distance sensors may be configured to output a measure of a detection distance that extends in a direction of the surface to be cleaned. The processor may be configured to determine whether an abnormality has been detected based, at least in part, on the measure of the detection distance and may be configured to determine a first velocity estimate based, at least in part, on the detection of the abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventor: Adam Leech
  • Patent number: 11554502
    Abstract: A component installation system includes an engagement clamp having a circular shape coupled to a robotic arm, being configured to engage an annular component. The component installation system further includes an actuator coupled to the engagement clamp and operable to cause the engagement clamp to engage and disengage the annular component, and a heating element coupled to the engagement clamp and arranged to heat the annular component engaged within the engagement clamp. The component installation system further includes a controller in communication with the robotic arm, the actuator and the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Wen Jiang
  • Patent number: 11550328
    Abstract: An AI apparatus and an operating method are provided, the AI apparatus includes a communication interface to receive 3D sensor data and bumper sensor data from a first cleaner, a processor to generate surrounding situation map data based on the 3D sensor data and the bumper sensor data, and a learning processor to generate learning data by labeling area classification data for representing whether the surrounding situation map data corresponds to the stuck area, and to train a stuck area classification model based on the learning data. The processor transmits the trained stuck area classification model to a second cleaner through the communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kamin Lee, Kokeun Kim, Suyeon Kim, Seungah Chae
  • Patent number: 11537141
    Abstract: A system dynamically generates a cleaning coverage pattern of an area using waypoints and sensor data from one or more sensor modalities. To do this, a robotic cleaning device moves through an area to be cleaned, identifies consecutive waypoints through the area, and stores the waypoints in a memory. At least one sensor of the robotic cleaning device collects sensor data about a portion of the area as the device moves between the consecutive waypoints. A temporary map of the portion of the area between the consecutive waypoints is generated based on the collected sensor data, and a cleaning coverage pattern is generated using the temporary map. The area is then cleaned by moving the robotic cleaning device according to the cleaning coverage pattern. In certain embodiments, upon completing the cleaning, the consecutive waypoints are retained in the memory, while the temporary map may not be retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Diversey, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Knuth, Jr., Aurle Y. Gagne, Erick Frack, Daniel M. Daly
  • Patent number: 11500391
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for positioning on the basis of vision information and a robot implementing the method. The method for positioning on the basis of vision information, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: generating, by a control unit of a robot, first vision information by using image information of an object sensed by controlling a vision sensing unit of a sensor module of the robot; generating, by the control unit of the robot, a vision-based candidate position by matching the first vision information with second vision information stored in a vision information storage unit of a map storage unit; and generating, by the control unit, the vision-based candidate position as the position information of the robot when there is one vision-based candidate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Byungkon Sohn, Jungmin Shim, Kyuchun Choi
  • Patent number: 11498214
    Abstract: A teaching device constructs, in a virtual space, a virtual robot system in which a virtual 3D model of a robot and a virtual 3D model of a peripheral structure of the robot are arranged, and teaches a moving path of the robot. The teaching device includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a geometric error between the virtual 3D models, and a correction unit configured to correct the moving path of the robot in accordance with the information acquired by the acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasusato Fujieda, Hisashi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11435747
    Abstract: A system is comprised of a floor processing device, an object located in the environment of the floor processing device, which has a partial object area and a displacement device for automatically displacing the partial object area, a detection device, which is suitable for detecting a presence of the floor processing device in a detection area of the detection device, and a control device for generating a control command for the displacement device as a function of the detection result of the detection device. In order to prevent a collision with the floor processing device given automatic displacement devices of objects, the control command is suitable for deactivating the displacement device, thereby preventing a displacement of the partial object area even if the floor processing device is present in the detection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Roman Ortmann
  • Patent number: 11427986
    Abstract: An interlock system for a work vehicle includes a controller configured to output instructions to a first actuator assembly to control a first implement positioned rearward of a chassis of the work vehicle. The controller is configured to instruct the first actuator assembly to block movement of the first implement while an access door of the chassis is in an open state, in which the access door is positioned on a rear portion of the chassis, longitudinally opposite a cab ingress/egress door positioned proximate to a forward portion of the chassis, and the controller is configured to output instructions to a second actuator assembly to control a second implement positioned forward of the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Cory Robert Pitts
  • Patent number: 11407103
    Abstract: Systems and methods related to intelligent grippers with individual cup control are disclosed. One aspect of the disclosure provides a method of determining grip quality between a robotic gripper and an object. The method comprises applying a vacuum to two or more cup assemblies of the robotic gripper in contact with the object, moving the object with the robotic gripper after applying the vacuum to the two or more cup assemblies, and determining, using at least one pressure sensor associated with each of the two or more cup assemblies, a grip quality between the robotic gripper and the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: John Aaron Saunders, Christopher Everrett Thorne, Matthew Paul Meduna, Joshua Timothy Geating
  • Patent number: 11367319
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the authenticity of vehicle operational data provided by telematics or other devices are provided. Vehicle performance and/or operational data may be collected and the authenticity of the data stream may be determined based on the whether the data stream includes a watermark in a predetermined location of the data stream or whether the data stream includes a data key comprising a predetermined false vehicle performance data reading. A second data recording device may also record vehicle performance and/or operational data. Both the first and second data recording devices may provide the respective vehicle performance data to a computing device. The computing device may compare the vehicle performance data from the first and second data recording devices to determine authenticity of the vehicle measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventor: Mark V. Slusar
  • Patent number: 11353881
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle is provided herein that includes a position sensor configured to identify a location of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle. A human-machine interface (HMI) is operatively coupled with the vehicle. A controller is in electronic communication with the position sensor and the HMI. The controller is configured to access one or more databases to identify a first location, a first heading, and a first speed for the vehicle, and to identify a first aggregate heading value and a first aggregate speed value associated with the first location; determine that either the heading or the speed of the vehicle is outside of acceptable ranges; and issue a wave-off alert to the HMI when the vehicle is outside of acceptable ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Modular Mining Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Utter, Edward A. Branscombe
  • Patent number: 11338433
    Abstract: Systems and methods related to providing configurations of robotic devices are provided. A computing device can receive a configuration request for a robotic device including environmental information and task information for tasks requested to be performed by the robotic device in an environment. The computing device can determine task-associated regions in the environment. A task-associated region for a given task can include a region of the environment that the robotic device is expected to reach while performing the given task. Based at least on the task-associated regions, the computing device can determine respective dimensions of components of the robotic device and an arrangement for assembling the components into the robotic device so that the robotic device is configured to perform at least one task in the environment. The computing device can provide a configuration that includes the respectively determined dimensions and the determined arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Morey, Robert Wilson, Jonathan Souliere
  • Patent number: 11287833
    Abstract: A floor processing device automatically moves within an environment, with a driving attachment, a floor processing unit, an obstacle detection unit, a control unit and a detection unit for detecting device parameters and/or environment parameters control unit is set up to determine an error of the floor processing device based upon the detected parameters that prevents the floor processing device from moving and/or the floor processing device from processing a surface to be processed in such a way that the floor processing device is unable to automatically extricate itself from the error situation. The control unite is set up to analyze the parameters detected by the detection unit with respect to recurring patterns that have a repeatedly encountered combination of an error and at least one chronologically preceding environment and/or device parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Arnold, Thomas Buening, Benjamin Fleczok, Robert Frielinghaus, Martin Helmich, Lorenz Hillen, Christian Holz, Gerhard Isenberg, Andrej Mosebach, Roman Ortmann, Kevin Schmitz, Fabian Vitz, Niklas Van Teeffelen, Uwe Kemker