Patents Examined by Renee Larose
  • Patent number: 11720109
    Abstract: A moving apparatus that performs control to stop the moving apparatus at a position close to a user and to rotate the moving apparatus at a stop position, thereby making it easy to take out a product carried on the apparatus. The moving apparatus includes a control unit that executes traveling control of the moving apparatus, an upper unit that has an article storage unit, and a lower unit that houses a drive unit, in which the control unit inputs detection information of a sensor, and executes control to stop the moving apparatus at a position close to a user and rotate the moving apparatus at a stop position on the basis of input sensor detection information. The control unit performs display control of a traveling route recognition display line indicating a traveling route of the moving apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Katayama, Takahito Migita, Junichiro Misawa, Tatsuma Sakurai, Katsutoshi Kanamori, Yoshinao Sodeyama
  • Patent number: 11718419
    Abstract: An aircraft inspection system is configured to inspect one or more components of an aircraft before a flight. The aircraft inspection system includes an inspection robot that is configured to inspect the component(s) of the aircraft. The inspection robot includes a conveying sub-system that is configured to efficiently move the inspection robot to different locations, and a sensing sub-system including one or more sensors that are configured to sense one or more characteristics of the component(s) during an inspection. The sensing sub-system is configured to record the characteristic(s) as inspection data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Alireza Shapoury, James J. Troy, Gary Georgeson, Branko Sarh
  • Patent number: 11708038
    Abstract: Methods and systems for efficient power management of a finite power storage unit that provides a finite amount of power to a vehicle accessory are provided. The method includes receiving an input parameter. The input parameter includes one of a desired runtime for the vehicle accessory and a desired condition setting for the vehicle accessory. The method also includes receiving an environment data. Also, the method includes a processor determining an output parameter based on the input parameter and the environment data. The output parameter includes one of an acceptable condition setting for the vehicle accessory and a predicted runtime for the vehicle accessory. Further, the method includes providing the output parameter to a display for displaying the output parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: THERMO KING LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Wayne Schumacher, Russell L. Sanders, Mark D. Leasure, Srinivasa Rao Koppineedi, Michael James Vanous
  • Patent number: 11705010
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for generation of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle flight plans based on triggered sensor information. One of the methods includes accessing information correlated from sensors monitoring features of weather events, and determining an upcoming weather event, the determination comprising one or more areas expected to be affected by the weather event. A likelihood of damage associated with the weather event is determined to be greater than a threshold in the areas. The weather event is monitored while areas in which the likelihood is greater than the threshold are updated accordingly. Subsequent to the weather event, properties to be inspected by unmanned aerial vehicles are determined based on severity information associated with the weather event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
    Inventors: Caity Cronkhite, Brent Davidson, Kartik Ghorakavi, Lauren Gimmillaro, Edward Dale Steakley
  • Patent number: 11693418
    Abstract: A method of controlling a path providing device for a vehicle, where the method includes: receiving high-definition map data from a server; generating forward path information for the vehicle based on the high-definition map data; receiving, from sensors in the vehicle, sensing information related to an object outside the vehicle; and determining a validity of the object based on the forward path information, wherein the validity of the object relates to whether the object is likely to affect driving operations of the vehicle. Generating the forward path information includes: based on a destination having been set for the vehicle, generating the forward path information to include a path to the destination; and based on the destination not having been set for the vehicle, generating the forward path information to include a path on which the vehicle is most likely to travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jinsang Lee
  • Patent number: 11667222
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for a system that includes one or more cabin components in a vehicle and one or more computing devices of the vehicle. The one or more computing devices are configured to determine that a vehicle will have an acceleration in a first direction at a future time and an acceleration time associated with the acceleration of the vehicle, alter the one or more cabin components of the vehicle before the acceleration time, and adjust the one or more cabin components of the vehicle based on the acceleration of the vehicle over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Lynn Larner, Keith Hutchings
  • Patent number: 11662742
    Abstract: A method capable of appropriately estimating (specifying) a self-position of a mobile object while appropriately correcting an estimated value of a self-position by an SLAM algorithm is provided. In a self-position estimation method, an actual self-position of a mobile object 1 is specified (fixed) from self-positions estimated by a plurality of algorithms. The plurality of algorithms includes an SLAM algorithm (12) and an algorithm (11) different from the SLAM algorithm. A correction processing unit 16 intermittently corrects an estimated value of a self-position obtained by the SLAM algorithm in accordance with any one self-position out of an estimated value of a self-position obtained by an algorithm other than SLAM and a specified self-position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Hasegawa, Sango Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 11654898
    Abstract: A vehicle driving control apparatus includes a communication interface configured to receive, from a sound sensor, a signal corresponding to sound that is generated in an external environment, and a processor configured to identify a sound object generating the sound, by obtaining a type of the sound object and either one or both of a direction of the sound object and a distance from the sound object to a vehicle including the vehicle driving control apparatus, based on the received signal, and control driving of the vehicle, based on the identified sound object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youngwan Seo
  • Patent number: 11650072
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide computer-implemented methods, computer program products and systems. Embodiments of the present invention can receive position and location information. Embodiments of the present invention can generate a risk score for one or more maneuvers associated with a predicted trajectory of a vehicle. Embodiments of the present invention can generate a visual representation for each of the one or more maneuvers associated with the predicted trajectory of the vehicle based on the generated risk score associated with each maneuver. Embodiments of the present invention can integrate the generated visual representation into a user display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marci Ramona Wojcik, Larisa Shwartz, Dirk Schaepers, Manickam Alagappan
  • Patent number: 11637716
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for using a robotic device to manipulate a manual control of a device. In one aspect, the system includes a robotic device, a first device that is located at a property and that has a manual control, and a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit may include a network interface, a processor, and a storage device that includes instructions to cause the processor to perform operations. The operations may include determining an operating state of the first device, determining the state of the monitoring system, determining whether one or more of the manual controls associated with the first device should be manipulated to alter the operating state of the first device, and transmitting one or more instruction to the robotic device that instruct the robotic device to manipulate one or more manual controls that are associated the first device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel Todd Kerzner, Stephen Scott Trundle
  • Patent number: 11628034
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system includes a robotic arm and a force detection system coupled to the robotic arm. The force detection system includes a sensor configured to detect a force being applied on a patient as the robotic arm is translated to a position relative to a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventor: Jason Iceman
  • Patent number: 11619513
    Abstract: The preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for dynamic route estimation and prediction using discrete sampled location updates from various mobile devices for the purpose of providing a graphical representation of a mobile device's route along a known network path of map data. The embodiments also provide supplemental route metrics, such as traveled distance, elapsed time, etc., and the capability to assign destination points for the purpose of providing the ability to modify location update points in an application, such as a route planner, and/or to store the dynamically generated route based on various preferences for later retrieval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Sheha, Angie Sheha, Stephen Petilli, Arun Yarlagadda
  • Patent number: 11613251
    Abstract: A parking assist system includes: an imaging device configured to capture an image of a surrounding of a vehicle; a display device configured to display a surrounding image of the vehicle based on the image captured by the imaging device; and a control device configured to control a display of the display device based on the surrounding image and to calculate a trajectory of the vehicle from a current position to a target position. In a case where the trajectory includes a switching position for steering the vehicle and changing a moving direction thereof and the vehicle is moving toward the switching position, the control device causes the display device to superimpose the switching position on the surrounding image and to hide at least a first part of the trajectory, the first part connecting the switching position and the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamanaka, Masaaki Kawano
  • Patent number: 11614740
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes determining a first reference line representing a path through an environment for an autonomous driving vehicle. The method also includes determining a speed constraint function based on a set of speed limits associated with the environment, a set of curvatures of the path, and a set of obstacles in the environment, wherein the speed constraint function comprises a continuous function. The method further includes determining a set of speeds for the path through the environment based on the speed constraint function. The method further includes controlling the autonomous driving vehicle based on the path and the set of speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: BAIDU USA LLC
    Inventor: Yajia Zhang
  • Patent number: 11579613
    Abstract: A method for positioning a robot at start-up includes: when the robot is started up, controlling the robot to rotate in a preset rotation direction in a start-up positioning region; determining position information about a rotation path of the positioning transmitting unit according to the preset rotation direction and a set of at least three different position distances, where the at least three different position distances are between the positioning transmitting unit and the two positioning receiving units disposed at the different fixed positions and are determined during a rotation process; using a direction extending from the center position of the rotation path to a position of the positioning transmitting unit when the robot stops rotation as orientation information of the robot; and using the center position of the rotation path and the orientation information of the robot as start-up positioning information of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Keenon Robotics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuai Ma, Wenfei Zhao, Xue Bai, Yingxuan Li
  • Patent number: 11573094
    Abstract: Natural language directions are received and a set of maneuver/context pairs are generated based upon the natural language directions. The set of maneuver/context pairs are provided to a routing engine to obtain route information based upon the set of maneuver/context pairs. The route information is provided to an output system for surfacing to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth P. Salowitz, David Grochocki, Jr., Jeff West
  • Patent number: 11567502
    Abstract: An autonomous robotic exploration method based on a reduced approximated generalized Voronoi graph, the method including: 1) constructing a reduced approximated generalized Voronoi topological map based on a morphological method; 2) obtaining an Next-Best-View and planning a global path from the robot to the Next-Best-View; and 3) navigating to the Next-Best-View along the global path R={r0, r1, r2, . . . , pNBV} based on a visual force field (VFF) algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: WUHAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Lin Li, Xinkai Zuo, Haihong Zhu, Shen Ying, Fan Yang, Fei Su, Yifan Liang, Gang Zhou
  • Patent number: 11548628
    Abstract: An interference sensor dataset associated with interference between airflows from at least two rotors in a multicopter and a first isolated sensor dataset and a second isolated sensor dataset which are associated with isolated airflows from a first rotor and a second rotor in the multicopter, respectively, are received. A generalized flow model associated with a generalized rotor is received. An altitude for the multicopter is generated based at least in part on the interference sensor dataset, the first isolated sensor dataset, the second isolated sensor dataset, and the generalized flow model, including by using a non-linear filter that builds a consolidated probability function associated with altitude that reconciles the interference sensor dataset, the first isolated sensor dataset, and the second isolated sensor dataset with the generalized flow model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
    Inventor: Chin Gian Hooi
  • Patent number: 11536583
    Abstract: An information display device includes: a display section that displays a view of a situation ahead of a vehicle and guidance information; a learning section that classifies and learns targets appearing on a travel route and visible through the display section as: a first target necessary to be visible, a second target necessary to be visible under the setting condition, or a third target not necessary to be visible, and a display control section configured to: prohibit display of the guidance information in a prohibited region with the first target, permit display of the guidance information in a permitted region with the third target, and either prohibit display of the guidance information in a conditional region with the second target and the setting condition is met, or permit display of the guidance information in the conditional region with the second target and the setting condition is not met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Fukazawa, Michio Ikeda, Tomoaki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 11485354
    Abstract: A parking control method calculates a first control instruction and causing a control device of a vehicle to execute the first control instruction on the basis of an operation command acquired from an operator. The first control instruction is for moving the vehicle along a first route to a target parking space. The parking control method includes: when detecting an object after start of execution of the first control instruction, presenting the operator with selection information for selecting a first mode in which the execution of the first control instruction is continued or a second mode in which the control device of the vehicle is caused to execute an alternative control instruction for moving the vehicle along an alternative route different from the first route; and causing the control device to execute the first control instruction or the alternative control instruction in accordance with selection input information from the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Hayakawa, Yasuhiro Sakurai, Yasuhiro Suzuki