Patents Examined by Marc Burgess
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Patent number: 11935310Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to managing a vehicular micro cloud. A method may include determining join/leave protocols for a vehicular micro cloud and transmitting the join/leave protocols to a local vehicle in a vicinity of the vehicular micro cloud prior to the local vehicle joining the vehicular micro cloud. The join/leave protocols can define at least: 1) a procedure for the local vehicle to join the vehicular micro cloud and contribute computing resources to a collaborative micro cloud task, and 2) a protocol for handing an incomplete task when the local vehicle leaves the vehicular micro cloud.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Seyhan Ucar, Takamasa Higuchi, Chang-Heng Wang, Enes Krijestorac, Onur Altintas
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Patent number: 11858626Abstract: A novel and useful system and method of air delivery of payloads incorporating a zero or near zero velocity deployment maneuver that enables aircraft to smoothly deploy payloads without dropping them and without requiring the aircraft to land. A multicopter fitted with the mechanism lowers the payload to smoothly touchdown in a matter of seconds without the need to hover above the destination. In operation, the payload hangs from a tether, pendulum, or robotic arm and is extended prior to arrival to the target destination. The hanging payload begins swinging in a controlled and coordinated manner with the trajectory of the autonomous air vehicle such that the payload arrives at the delivery point at zero or near zero velocity relative to it, while the vehicle maintains its forward movement. The payload is released from the tether at the exact moment the payload touches or is about to touch the ground.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Inventor: Diego Alejandro Saikin
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Patent number: 11842647Abstract: Provided is an unmanned moving vehicle for monitoring and a system including the same and, more particularly, to a method of controlling an unmanned moving vehicle whose communication with a master unmanned device is disconnected. To this end, the unmanned moving vehicle system for monitoring includes a master unmanned device performing communication with a ground control system located on the ground; and an unmanned moving vehicle performing communication with the master unmanned device, flying in formation around the master unmanned device, and calculating a distance to other unmanned moving vehicle flying in formation when communication with the master unmanned device is disconnected.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2020Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: PABLO AIR Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hyeong Min Kim
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Patent number: 11829145Abstract: A delivery robot is provided for the delivery of home dialysis supplies to a home dwelling of a home dialysis patient. The delivery robot can be an autonomous delivery robot. The delivery robot can have an outdoor set of wheels or other traction devices, and an indoor set of wheels or other traction devices. The delivery robot can be configured to switch between an outdoor configuration for traversing an outdoor surface, and an indoor configuration for traversing an inside surface, inside the home of the home dialysis patient. A network is also provided and can include a robot delivery vehicle, a warehouse, a remote computer within the patient's home, or a combination thereof. Methods of delivering home dialysis supplies are also provided that utilize the delivery robot and network.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Eric Bergman, Jessica Steuber, David Yuds, Jonathan Leclerc
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Patent number: 11803196Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and control thereof to assemble into flexible, dynamic structures. A UAV includes a flexible screen retractable between extended and retracted positions, connector(s) for coupling to another UAV that can pull the flexible screen from a retracted position to an extended position, and a coupling portion for coupling to connector(s) of yet another UAV to connect to and extend a flexible screen thereof. Chain(s) of coupled UAVs with extended flexible screens thereof form a structure that can change shape and size based on UAV movement. Local wireless communication with a group control UAV facilitates coordinated positioning and control of a UAV group. A group control UAV with a power supply and an electrical conducting lead can power UAVs of a group while it and they are in-flight, and can perform real-time management of the group UAVs in forming and maintaining a desired shape of the structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2021Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Adam Michael Farley, Keira Louise Hopkins, Alexandra Easton Wishart, Andrew Michael Lees, Julian David Williams
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Patent number: 11591014Abstract: The four-wheel steering system includes a front-wheel steering system that steers front wheels of a vehicle and a rear-wheel steering system that steers rear wheels of the vehicle in accordance with a steering angle that is a rotation angle of a steering wheel. The rear-wheel steering system includes a second ECU that, when the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a vehicle speed threshold, performs antiphase control in which the rear wheels are steered in the opposite direction to that in which the front wheels are steered. When the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the vehicle speed threshold, the second ECU performs in-phase control in which the rear wheels are steered in the same direction as that in which the front wheels are steered, in response to a specific trigger operation that is performed via the steering wheel.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2019Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATIONInventor: Yasuharu Yamamoto
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Patent number: 11535270Abstract: The described techniques relate to coordinating and managing faults of systems of a vehicle, such as an autonomous vehicle, to enable the vehicle to respond safely and appropriately to the faults. In examples, a centralized fault monitor system receives faults from different vehicle systems, maps the received faults to associated fault constraints, prioritizes different and shared parameters between the fault constraints, and communicates the constraint parameters to appropriate vehicle systems accordingly.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2019Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Zoox, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Daniel Lopez, Collin MacGregor, Radhika Jitendra Patel, Derek Redfern, Kristofer Sven Smeds
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Patent number: 11524761Abstract: Disclosed herein is a body of a mobile vehicle. The body includes skin, a stringer, and a frame. The skin comprises a first tab and a second tab, opposite the first tab. The first tab is fixed directly onto the skin and the second tab is fixed directly onto the skin. The frame comprises a cut-out, a first foot, and a second foot. The second foot is spaced apart from the first foot by the cut-out. The first foot is fixed directly onto the first tab of the stringer, such that the first tab of the stringer is immediately interposed between the first foot of the frame and the skin. The second foot is fixed directly onto the skin, such that no portion of the frame is fixed directly onto the second tab of the stringer.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2016Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Bernhard Dopker, Richard R. Rosman, Robert W. Johnson
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Patent number: 11254431Abstract: Airstair systems and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the airstair comprises a deployable upper step, a primary deployment device and a secondary deployment device. The upper step is movable between a stowed configuration when a door of the aircraft is closed and a deployed configuration when the door is open. The primary deployment device resiliently biases the upper step toward the deployed configuration. The secondary deployment device is movable in coordination with a movement of the door and configured to drive the deployable upper step toward the deployed configuration during opening of the door and during a failure of the primary deployment device.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2019Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: BOMBARDIER INC.Inventors: John Richard Savidge, Peter Lyver, Remi Crozier, Patrick Serres
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Patent number: 11240999Abstract: The subject of the invention relates to a fishing rod that has a handle (1), a shaft (2), with tip top guide (7), containing a spring, a reel support seat (3) running between the handle (1) and the shaft (2), and reel support rings (26, 27) located on the seat (3), as well as a trigger (11) for using top-mounted reels. The essence of the invention is that the handle (1) is connected to the seat (3) and the seat (3) to the shaft (2) with releasable connections, and the seat (3) is established to accommodate both bottom-mounted and top-mounted reels (40) and also to accommodate a trigger (11) that may be attached and removed from the seat (3) for operating top-mounted reels (40).Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2016Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Inventor: Szabolcs Nemeth
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Patent number: 11214354Abstract: A control surface actuation mechanism for moving a control surface relative to a fixed aerofoil portion of an aircraft is disclosed including an articulating support, a sliding member on the articulating support and coupled to the control surface, the sliding member arranged to slide relative to the articulating support, a track with a path for attachment on the fixed aerofoil portion, and a rigid connecting element connected to the first track and to the sliding member. The first end of the first rigid connecting element is configured to move passively along the path, as the sliding member is driven to slide relative to the articulating support by an actuator.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2019Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: AIRBUS SASInventors: Jason Kuruvilla, Pradeep Gajakosh, Akshay Srinivasamurthy, Rakshith Raghavan Belur, Sumit Kumar Malik, Gayathri Swaminathan, Vinayak Ramachandra Patil, Avinash Kumar Yadav
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Patent number: 11174012Abstract: There is disclosed a rotor for an aircraft capable of hovering, comprising: a stator; a rotatable element, which is rotatable about an axis with respect to stator; a blade, which is connected with element; a support element, which supports a source of a magnetic field and is either stationary or driven in rotation at a first rotational speed; and a first electric circuit, which is angularly integral with element and can be driven in rotation at a second rotational speed different from first rotational speed; first electric circuit being electromagnetically coupled with source so that an electromotive force is magnetically induced in first electric circuit and an first electric current flows in first electric circuit; rotor further comprises a second electric circuit which is either stationary or driven in rotation at a first rotational speed, and a sensor generating a signal associated to a back electromotive force induced on second electric circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2017Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: LEONARDO S.P.A.Inventor: Massimo Brunetti
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Patent number: 11136113Abstract: A landing gear including a shock strut assembly including an outer cylinder coupled to an airframe, a wheel movably coupled to the outer cylinder so as to reciprocate substantially along a longitudinal axis of the outer cylinder, and a shrink mechanism including a pivot arm pivotally coupled to the shock strut assembly, a drive member coupling the pivot arm to a landing gear retract mechanism, a driven member coupled to the pivot arm, a first shrink link member coupled to the pivot arm by the driven member, and a second shrink link member coupled to the first shrink link member and to the shock strut assembly. Rotation of the pivot arm by the drive member, effects a folding movement between the first shrink link member and the second shrink link member, and the folding movement effects at least a retraction of the wheel relative to the outer cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2019Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Justin D. Cottet, Mitchell Mellor, Michael L. Drake, George Sonnenburg
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Patent number: 11130565Abstract: A battery powered helicopter uses one or more torque arms as the power source directly driving the main rotor blades, causing them to rotate. The helicopter does not require a combustion engine, a clutch, a reducer, a tail driver, a tail boom, a tail rotor, or a fuel supply system. The output shaft of the high-energy motor is coaxial with the main rotor shaft. The centrifugal force of one or more motor(s) is negligible or minimized. The torque arm assembly includes a plurality of torque arms. Each of the torque arms of the plurality of torque arms includes a propeller and a driving system. The torque arm propellers are hinged so that they can move between a first closed position and a second open position to institute an autorotation safety system.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: September 28, 2021Inventor: Dawei Dong
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Patent number: 11109575Abstract: A bee feeding apparatus having labyrinthine passages. The apparatus is useful for dispensing water, bee feeding supplements, or treatments to wild or domesticated bees. The circuitous entryway hinders or inhibits other insects such as wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets from entering the innermost regions of the feeder and accessing the bee feeding supplements.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: TURTLE BEAR HOLDINGS, LLCInventor: Paul Edward Stamets
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Patent number: 11058096Abstract: An apparatus for securing the legs of livestock animals includes a frame also which defines an entrance and an exit and which presents sidewalls which extend between the entrance and the exit thereby presenting a chute suitable for the ingress and egress of a livestock animal. Near the floor of the chute and between the entrance and the exit are leg bars which are able to move between a retracted position suitable for allowing the lower legs of a livestock animal to move freely between the leg bars and the sidewalls and an extended position in which the leg bars are closer to the sidewalls so that the lower legs of a livestock animal are held securely between the leg bars and sidewalls. The apparatus can be used to secure the lower legs of a livestock animal and thereby immobilize the animal.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2018Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Inventor: Jon Davis Mollhagen
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Patent number: 11046434Abstract: Methods and apparatus to align and couple aircraft are disclosed. An example apparatus for securing a first aircraft to a second aircraft includes a guide to direct movement of a first wing of the first aircraft relative to a second wing of the second aircraft to align the first wing with the second wing, and a lock configured to couple the first wing to the second wing after the guide aligns the first wing to the second wing.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: June 29, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Hugh William Nesti, Jacob A. Levinson
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Patent number: 10974807Abstract: An aircraft wing has a plurality of wing segments mounted on a wing spar by joints that allow relative movement between the spar and the wing segments. Tuning of coefficients of thermal expansion is employed to reduce induced stresses from changes in temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2018Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Robert Erik Grip, Blaine Knight Rawdon
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Patent number: 10940956Abstract: A suspension system for an aircraft auxiliary power unit (1) located in a fuselage structure (2) including: auxiliary power unit attachment brackets (3) arranged to be attached to the auxiliary power unit (1); fuselage attachment brackets (4) attached to the auxiliary power unit attachment brackets (3) and coupled to the fuselage structure (2); two longitudinal elements (5) arranged to be attached to the fuselage structure (2) in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft for supporting the auxiliary power unit (1), the two longitudinal elements (5) and the plurality of fuselage attachment brackets (4) being connected such that the two longitudinal elements (5) support the plurality of fuselage attachment brackets (4), being the fuselage attachment brackets (4) slidably movable along the longitudinal elements (5) for introducing or extracting the auxiliary power unit (1) into the fuselage structure (2).Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Airbus Operations S.L.Inventors: Guilherme Barsali, Víctor Barreiro Rodríguez
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Patent number: 10939622Abstract: Provided is a horticultural container including a body, a base extending from a bottom of the body, and an upper rim extending from a top of the body. The upper rim has a tag slot extending therethrough for receiving a tag and a chamfer radially outwardly spaced from and adjacent to the tag slot for receiving ears of the tag when the tag is in the tag slot. In this way, the tag is received in the tag slot and chamfer to secure the tag to hinder or prevent unauthorized removal of the tag.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2017Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: THE HC COMPANIES, INC.Inventor: Robert Quinlan