Patents Examined by Robert T Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11338452
    Abstract: A method of handling a wire harness that can automate a task of picking up and transporting the wire harness including a plurality of connectors and a wire member by gripping the plurality of connectors. In the method, positions of the plurality of connectors of the wire harness being placed apart from the robot hand are acquired, the robot hand is positioned such that the first connector is in the range of the first gripper based on the acquired position of the first connector, the first gripper is moved and the first connector is gripped and picked up by the first gripper, then, the robot hand is positioned such that the second connector is in the motion range of the second gripper based on the acquired position of the second connector, and the second gripper is moved and the second connector is gripped and picked up by the second gripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshinori Ochiishi
  • Patent number: 11341860
    Abstract: Systems and methods for package pickup and delivery, in an air traffic control system configured to manage Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight in a geographic region, include communicating to one or more UAVs over one or more wireless networks; directing a UAV to pick up a package at a pickup location and to deliver the package to a delivery location, wherein; and directing the UAV to follow an outbound flight path including a plurality of locations to travel to, in a specific order, while outbound to deliver the package, and an inbound flight path including the plurality of locations to travel to, in an order reverse of the specific order, while inbound from delivering the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Metal Raptor, LLC
    Inventor: Lee Priest
  • Patent number: 11331804
    Abstract: A system for facility monitoring and reporting to improve safety using one or more robots includes: a network; a plurality of autonomous mobile robots operating in a facility, the robots configured to monitor facility operation, the robots further configured to detect a predetermined critical condition, the robots operably connected to the network; a server operably connected to the robots over the network; and an individual robot operably connected to the server over the network, the individual robot operating in the facility, the robots not comprising the individual robot, the individual robot configured to monitor facility operation; wherein the robots are configured to regularly produce a regular report under normal operating conditions, the report displaying data received from the server, wherein the robots are further configured to produce to the server a critical condition report upon occurrence of the critical condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Fetch Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Niharika Arora, Melonee Wise, Brian Cairl, Carl Saldanha, Robert Chatman, III, Levon Avagyan, Aaron Hoy, Stefan Nusser, David Dymesich, David Robson
  • Patent number: 11331158
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system includes a linkage, an input handle, and a processing unit. The linkage moveably supports a surgical tool relative to a base. The input handle is moveable in a plurality of directions. The processing unit is in communication with the input handle and is operatively associated with the linkage to move the surgical tool based on a scaled movement of the input handle. The scaling varies depending on whether the input handle is moved towards a center of a workspace or away from the center of the workspace. The workspace represents a movement range of the input handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventor: William Peine
  • Patent number: 11318619
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an object handling device includes a base, a manipulator, a first camera, a sensor, a manipulator control unit and a calibration unit. The manipulator is arranged on the base, and includes a movable part and an effector that is arranged on the movable part and acts on an object. The first camera and the sensor are arranged on the manipulator. The manipulator control unit controls the manipulator so that the movable part is moved to a position corresponding to a directed value. The calibration processing unit acquires a first error in a first direction based on an image photographed by the first camera, acquire a second error in a second direction intersecting with the first direction based on a detection result obtained by the sensor, and acquire a directed calibration value with respect to the directed value based on the first error and the second error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akihito Ogawa, Atsushi Sugahara, Junya Tanaka, Kazuma Komoda, Haruna Eto
  • Patent number: 11318611
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot to perform a complex assembly task such as insertion of a component with multiple pins or pegs into a structure with multiple holes. The method uses an impedance controller including multiple reference centers with one set of gain factors. Only translational gain factors are used—one for a spring force and one for a damping force—and no rotational gains. The method computes spring-damping forces from reference center positions and velocities using the gain values, and measures contact force and torque with a sensor coupled between the robot arm and the component being manipulated. The computed spring-damping forces are then summed with the measured contact force and torque, to provide a resultant force and torque at the center of gravity of the component. A new component pose is then computed based on the resultant force and torque using impedance controller calculations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Zhao, Tetsuaki Kato
  • Patent number: 11312017
    Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to robotic control for tool sharpening. The device may determine a first location associated with a first cutting tool of the one or more cutting tools relative to the first container. The device may grip the first cutting tool based on the first location of the first cutting tool relative to the first container. The device may move the robotic device to one more scanning sensors. The device may collect three dimensional data. The device may extract a profile of the first cutting tool. The device may determine a top edge and a bottom edge based on the profile. The device may determine a tip of the first cutting tool. The device may generate a sharpening path based on the tip and the profile of the first cutting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Omnisharp, LLC
    Inventors: Russell Aldridge, Marc Christenson, Jacob Robinson, Isaac Jones, Joshua Foss, Mathius Jules, Michael Morgan, Austin Christensen, Jason Orr, Nathan Powelson, Sam Grayson
  • Patent number: 11305427
    Abstract: A robot system includes a robot, an image acquisition part, an image prediction part, and an operation controller. The image acquisition part acquires a current image captured by a robot camera arranged to move with the end effector. The image prediction part predicts a next image to be captured by the robot camera based on a teaching image model and the current image. The teaching image model is constructed by a machine learning of teaching image which is predicted to capture by the robot camera while the movable part performs an adjustment operation. The operation controller calculates the command value for operating the movable part so that the image captured by the robot camera approaches the next image, and controls the movable part based on the command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hasunuma, Masayuki Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11298824
    Abstract: Disclosed are a robot system and a control method for the same. The robot includes a first server, a first robot registered on the first server and configured to deliver goods to a client according to information received from the first server, a second robot configured to receive the delivery goods from the first robot, and a second server having the second robot registered thereon and being configured to operate the second robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Ji Yoon Park
  • Patent number: 11292130
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method for motion simulation for a manipulator, such as an NC-controlled manipulator, in a machining environment, wherein the manipulator is moved in an operating mode by a control apparatus and the machining environment is at least partly mapped in an environment model and wherein the method comprises computation of a trajectory plan by the control apparatus from a setpoint movement of the manipulator starting from an initial situation and based on a kinematic model of the manipulator, performance of a kinematic collision check based on the trajectory plan, the kinematic model and the environment model, and production of a prediction result based on the kinematic collision check. The method is characterized in that the initial situation corresponds to the current manipulator state. Further, some embodiments relate to a corresponding computer program with program code and to a corresponding system for motion simulation for a manipulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Broetje-Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Eickhorst, Marcel Meyer
  • Patent number: 11292131
    Abstract: This application relates to the field of visual navigation technology, and discloses a localization method, apparatus, robot and computer storage medium. The localization method is applied to a robot having an autonomous location and navigation function. The localization method includes: determining that localization through an image of surrounding environment fails in a process of driving to a preset distance, and controlling the robot to decelerate and perform localization through an image of surrounding environment in a process of deceleration until the localization succeeds. The localization method enables the robot to reasonably adjust its running velocity in accordance with the environment during driving, thereby accurately localizing the location where the robot is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Cloudminds Robotics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lianzhong Li, William Xiao-Qing Huang, Shenhua Xu, Jian Zhang, Shenglin Qiu
  • Patent number: 11279042
    Abstract: A robot includes: a base having a plurality of wheels; a motor system mechanically coupled to one or more of the wheels; a body having a bottom portion coupled above the base, and a top portion above the bottom portion; a support at the top portion, wherein the support is configured to withstand a temperature that is above 135° F.; and a processing unit configured to operate the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Bear Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jungwoo Ha, Fangwei Li, Brennand Pierce, Jungju Oh
  • Patent number: 11273554
    Abstract: A method of evaluating calibration precision includes a setting step of setting a three-dimensional lattice structure including lattice points and a movement instructing step of moving an arm tip of a calibrated robot from a first lattice point to a second lattice point spaced from the first lattice point. The method includes a calculating step of calculating a difference between a movement instruction value given to the robot and an actual distance by which the arm tip of the robot is moved. The method includes a repeat controlling step of repeating the movement instructing step and the calculating step multiple times using a pair of lattice points other than the first and second lattice points and a presenting step of presenting differences obtained by the repeat controlling step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thanh Nhat Doan, Haruhiro Tsuneta
  • Patent number: 11266473
    Abstract: A robotic actuation system for sensorless force control of an interventional tool (14) having cable driven distal end (e.g., a probe, a steerable catheter, a guidewire and a colonoscope). The system employs a robotic actuator (30) having one or more motorized gears operate the cable drive of the interventional tool (14). The system further employs a robotic workstation (20) to generate motor commands for simultaneous actuation position and contact force control of the interventional tool (14). The motor commands are a function of an actuation position measurement and a motor current measurement of the at least one motorized gear for a desired actuation position of the interventional tool (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Aleksandra Popovic, David Paul Noonan
  • Patent number: 11267125
    Abstract: A mechanism-parametric-calibration method for a robotic arm system is provided, including: controlling the robotic arm to perform a plurality of actions so that one end of the robotic arm moves toward corresponding predictive positioning-points; determining a predictive relative-displacement between each two of the predictive positioning-points; after each of the actions is performed, sensing three-dimensional positioning information of the end of the robotic arm; determining, according to the three-dimensional positioning information, a measured relative-displacement moved by the end of the robotic arm when each two of the actions are performed; deriving an equation corresponding to the robotic arm from the predictive relative-displacements and the measured relative-displacements; and utilizing a feasible algorithm to find the solution of the equation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Cheng-Hao Huang
  • Patent number: 11263909
    Abstract: Air traffic control systems and methods include communicating with passenger drones via one or more cell towers associated with the one or more wireless networks, wherein the passenger drones each include hardware and antennas adapted to communicate to the one or more cell towers, and wherein each passenger drone has a unique identifier in the air traffic control system; obtaining data associated with flight of each of the passenger drones based on the communicating; and managing the flight of each of the passenger drones based on the obtained data and performance of one or more functions associated with air traffic control, wherein each passenger drone is configured to constrain flight based on a determined route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Metal Raptor, LLC
    Inventor: Lee Priest
  • Patent number: 11254002
    Abstract: Provided is a robotic device including a medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors effectuate operations including: capturing, with a camera, spatial data of surroundings; generating, with the one or more processors, a movement path based on the spatial data; predicting, with the one or more processors, a new predicted state of the robotic device including at least a predicted position of the robotic device, wherein predicting the new predicted state includes: capturing, with at least one sensor, movement readings of the robotic device; predicting, with the one or more processors, the new predicted state using a motion model of the robotic device based on a previous predicted state of the robotic device and the movement readings; and updating, with the one or more processors, the movement path to exclude locations of the movement path that the robotic device has previously been predicted to be positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Lukas Fath
  • Patent number: 11250709
    Abstract: Systems and methods for drone air traffic control management include, in an air traffic control system configured to manage Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight in a geographic region, communicating to one or more UAVs over one or more wireless networks, wherein the one or more UAVs are configured to constrain flight based on coverage of the one or more wireless networks; receiving weather information related to the geographic region; analyzing the weather information with respect to a flight plan of the one or more UAVs; and providing changes to the flight plan based on the analyzing the weather information, wherein the changes include one or more of course corrections and route optimization based on the weather information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Metal Raptor, LLC
    Inventor: Lee Priest
  • Patent number: 11224489
    Abstract: A robotized surgery system comprises at least one robot arm which acts under the control of a control console intended for the surgeon. The console comprises an eye tracking system for detecting the direction of the surgeon's gaze and for entering commands depending on the directions of the gaze detected. The console comprises advantageously a screen with at least one zone for viewing the operating field and, among the commands which can be performed depending on the gaze directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: ASENSUS SURGICAL ITALIA, S.R.L.
    Inventors: Emilio Ruiz Morales, Damien Brasset, Paolo Invernizzi
  • Patent number: 11213360
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for providing commanded movement of an end effector of a manipulator while providing a desired movement of one or more joints of the manipulator. Methods include augmenting a Jacobian so that joint movements calculated from the Jacobian perform one or more auxiliary tasks and/or desired joint movements concurrent with commanded end effector movement, the one or more auxiliary tasks and/or desired joint movements extending into a null-space. The auxiliary tasks and desired joint movements include inhibiting movement of one or more joints, inhibiting collisions between adjacent manipulators or between a manipulator and a patient surface, commanded reconfiguration of one or more joints, or various other tasks or combinations thereof. Such joint movements may be provided using joint velocities calculated from the pseudo-inverse solution of the: augmented Jacobian. Various configurations for systems utilizing such methods are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Arjang M. Hourtash, Nitish Swarup, Pushkar Hingwe