Patents Examined by Tamara L Weber
  • Patent number: 12382851
    Abstract: A position acquisition unit acquires positional information of a work vehicle. A travel trajectory generation unit generates a travel trajectory of the work vehicle on the basis of the positional information acquired by the position acquisition unit. A complement point generation unit generates, as selection target points, a first complement point which is an intersection point between extended lines of two adjacent straight lines connecting the travel trajectory generated by the travel trajectory generation unit, and a second complement point within a region from the travel trajectory to the first complement point. A work region generation unit generates a work region of the work vehicle on the basis of the selection target point selected by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shiro Akamine
  • Patent number: 12379712
    Abstract: A control mode switching apparatus switches a control mode of a robot. The control mode includes at least two of a remote control mode, a manual control mode, and an autonomous control mode. The control mode switching apparatus includes: an anomaly detector that, based on a communication message on a control network in the robot and the control mode, obtains a detection result of at least one anomaly among a user anomaly caused by user control, a robot anomaly caused by the control network, an operating environment anomaly caused by an operating environment of the robot, and an application anomaly caused by an application; and a switcher that calculates, for each type of anomaly detected, a score indicating a likelihood that the type is a cause of the anomaly in the robot, and switches the control mode based on the score calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Takeshi Kishikawa, Yoshihiro Ujiie, Ryo Hirano
  • Patent number: 12371138
    Abstract: A system includes: a platform; a payload extending from a platform; an adjustable tether connecting the payload to the platform; and a sail extending from the payload. The system further includes a computer program that is executable to relocate the platform to the area of interest based on a threshold based decision which may include providing a tether and sail configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Kyndryl, Inc.
    Inventors: Caleb Miles, Shikhar Kwatra, Vijay Ekambaram, Padmanabha Venkatagiri Seshadri
  • Patent number: 12372961
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle control system includes one or more sensors configured for coupling with an agricultural vehicle, the one or more sensors configured to determine kinematics of the agricultural vehicle relative to a crop row. The system includes a guidance control module configured to coordinate steering of one or more steering mechanisms of the agricultural vehicle. The guidance control module includes a sensor input configured to receive kinematics of the agricultural vehicle, a vehicle kinematics comparator configured to determine one or more error values using the received vehicle kinematics, a crop curvature generator configured to determine crop row curvature using the one or more error values, and a steering interface configured to provide instructions to a vehicle steering controller to guide the agricultural vehicle using the crop row curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Raven Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew K. Rust, David Alan Rislov, Jonathan Eugene Mathews
  • Patent number: 12364561
    Abstract: A user control device for a surgical system. The surgical system includes a robotic manipulator to support and move a surgical instrument that has an energy applicator. One or more controllers operate the robotic manipulator in a semi-autonomous mode and calculate an instrument feed rate, which is the velocity at which the energy applicator advances along a tool path in the semi-autonomous mode. The user control device includes a housing configured as a pendant configured to be held in one hand of a user. A first control member is mounted to the housing and can be depressed to initiate operation of the robotic manipulator in the semi-autonomous mode. A second control member is mounted to the housing and can be depressed to modify the instrument feed rate in the semi-autonomous mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: David Gene Bowling, John Michael Stuart, Jerry A. Culp, Donald W. Malackowski, José Luis Moctezuma de la Barrera, Patrick Roessler, Joel N. Beer
  • Patent number: 12360538
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for improved control of articulating boom assemblies are disclosed herein. Automated functions, such as auto ground and auto stow functions, may be provided to automatically move an articulating boom assembly to the desired position. When an automated function is requested, a series of waypoints may be generated, and the boom assembly may move a boom tip thereof through each of the series of waypoints. Using the machine geometry of the boom assembly and the pose of the boom assembly when the automated function is requested may enable the waypoints to be determined. The automated functions may enable the boom assembly to be moved faster than when manually operated and also eliminates the need for the operator to provide a series of complex inputs required to move each joint of the articulating boom assembly to reach the desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: Altec Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Mourlam, Michael A. Fleming, JD Casias, Aaron B. Beck, Jonathan Westin Sykes
  • Patent number: 12358530
    Abstract: A teleoperations system may be used to modify elements in the mapping data used by an autonomous vehicle to cause the autonomous vehicle to control its trajectory based on the modified elements. In addition, in some instances, a teleoperations system may be used to generate virtual paths of travel for an autonomous vehicle based upon teleoperations system virtual path suggestion inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: Aurora Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Gwennael Herve Jonathan Gate, Dmitriy Kislovskiy, Narek Melik-Barkhudarov, Nathaniel Gist, IV
  • Patent number: 12353210
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to the system and methods for generating a guidance path for automated navigation of large agricultural equipment. Vehicle path data from leading vehicles can be recorded, stored or inputted into the system for generation of guidance paths offset from the swaths traversed by the leading vehicle. Combines, planters sprayers and other vehicles utilizing guidance system can be used to record leading vehicle data for use by the following vehicle in real time or in subsequent cycles. Enterprise systems can manage multiple grain carts and/or combines or other vehicles to maximize efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Ag Leader Technology
    Inventors: David Wilson, Adam Fett, Caleb Huitt, A J Steenhoek, Kolton Rottink, Mitchell Freshour, Nate Mohling, Ryan Kool, Steve Schulteis, Bill Cran, Joe Holoubek, Luke Call, Mike Myers
  • Patent number: 12345537
    Abstract: A route suggestion device and a method therefor are provided. The route suggestion device includes at least one processor. The at least one processor determines whether it is possible for a vehicle to arrive at a destination based on a current drivable distance, when the destination is set, searches for at least one charging station in a route where the vehicle arrives at the destination, using a driving scheduling function of scheduling a final route to the destination, in response to that it is determined that it is impossible for the vehicle to arrive at the destination, determines a first charging station as a waypoint based on an item of interest of a passenger, in which a will of the passenger is reflected, among the at least one charging station, and generates an optimal route including the first charging station. In addition, various embodiments recognized through the specification are possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Dong Il Yang
  • Patent number: 12342742
    Abstract: An automatic travel system includes a prohibition boundary line setter to set a prohibition boundary line beyond which the vehicle is prohibited from entering, a turning circle setter to set a virtual turning circle as a target route for entry turning travel to enter a subsequent travel route, a transition turning travel controller to control tangent following travel using a vehicle body reference point that is calculated during travel to the virtual turning circle as a target orientation, and the entry turning travel using the virtual turning circle as a turning target route, an interference boundary line detector to detect the prohibition boundary line that is present in a moving direction of the vehicle in the tangent following travel, as an interference boundary line, and an interference avoidance travel controller to control travel for avoiding interference with the interference boundary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori Morimoto, Kotaro Yamaguchi, Fumiya Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 12346125
    Abstract: Systems and methods for coordinating and controlling vehicles, for example heavy trucks, to follow closely behind each other, or linking, in a convenient, safe manner and thus to save significant amounts of fuel while increasing safety. In an embodiment, on-board controllers in each vehicle interact with vehicular sensors to monitor and control, for example, relative distance, relative acceleration/deceleration, and speed. Additional safety features in at least some embodiments include providing each driver with one or more visual displays of forward and rearward looking cameras. Long-range communications are provided for coordinating vehicles for linking, and for communicating analytics to fleet managers or others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Peloton Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua P. Switkes, Joseph Christian Gerdes, Eugene Berdichevsky
  • Patent number: 12337824
    Abstract: A damping control system for a vehicle having a suspension located between a plurality of ground engaging members and a vehicle frame includes at least one adjustable shock absorber having an adjustable damping profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC.
    Inventors: Brian D. Krosschell, Jonathon P. Graus, Elaine M. Scott, Joseph Paul Nuxoll, Keijiro Ikebe
  • Patent number: 12327479
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for implementing air traffic control (ATC) voice communications over a digital aviation network, which allows one or more pilots on the ground to communicate with ATC controllers while piloting a UAS transiting the airspace of a particular ATC voice station. In one or more examples, a spectrum management system (or the ATC voice controller using information received from the spectrum management system) may designate a relay aircraft to relay very high frequency (VHF) ATC voice to operators/pilots on the aviation network. In one or more examples, upon initiation of voice communications by ATC to all UAS and other aircraft in a VHF service area or sector, the ATC analog voice message may be received by a VHF radio on the relay aircraft. In one or more examples, the relay aircraft may then relay the digital message to the ATC voice processor and/or base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: AURA Network Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Tamara Lynne Casey, Michael Robert Gagne, Michael Ligouri Moher
  • Patent number: 12286013
    Abstract: A method for adjusting at least one vehicle mirror and/or a screen includes capturing a head outline of a driver in relation to at least one vehicle geometry of the passenger compartment of the vehicle using a passenger-compartment camera of the vehicle. The position of the head of the driver is calculated using, at least in part, the captured head outline and calibration information with respect to the at least one vehicle geometry of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The method also includes determining a target position of the at least one vehicle mirror and/or of the screen using, at least in part, the calculated head position. The method further includes activating an actuator of the at least one vehicle mirror and/or of the screen for the purpose of bringing about the determined target position of the vehicle mirror and/or of the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Michel Knop
  • Patent number: 12280822
    Abstract: Navigation of a solar vehicle is provided by obtaining a target geographic destination for the vehicle having one or more photovoltaic solar arrays; obtaining configuration data defining a target solar vector relative to a reference frame of the vehicle; identifying a current geographic positioning of the vehicle via a geo-positioning system of the vehicle, including a current geographic location and a current geographic orientation of the vehicle; identifying a current solar vector relative to the reference frame of the vehicle; and during at least a portion of a solar day, outputting a steering command for the vehicle for an indirect path from the current geographic location toward the target geographic destination that is based, at least in part, on a comparison of the current solar vector to the target solar vector. The steering command can be presented to a human operator or programmatically implemented by an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Liquid Robotics, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher David Cencula
  • Patent number: 12279542
    Abstract: A working machine includes a vehicle body to which a working device is connectable, a driving estimator to estimate whether the vehicle body is drivable along a road based on a road condition and a device condition, a controller to control a driving operation of the vehicle body based on an estimation result obtained by the driving estimator, and a communicator to transmit to an external device driving information regarding driving the vehicle body under control of the controller. The controller is configured or programmed to drive the vehicle body based on a command received from the external device after transmission of the driving information from the communicator to the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu Umemoto, Yushi Matsuzaki, Shinnosuke Ishikawa, Takanori Morimoto
  • Patent number: 12275433
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of landing pads is sized and shaped to accommodate an AV. Landing pad sensor(s) are located in or around each landing pad. A control subsystem receives landing pad sensor data from the one or more landing pad sensors and receives, from a first AV traveling to a location of the plurality of landing pads, a request for an assigned landing pad in which the first AV should park. In response to this request, the control subsystem determines, based on the received landing pad sensor data, whether a first landing pad is free of obstructions that would prevent receipt of the first AV. If the first landing pad is free of obstructions, an indication is provided to the AV that the first landing pad is the assigned landing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Robert Lau, Leon Moore White, III
  • Patent number: 12275531
    Abstract: A flight controller of a flight vehicle includes an electric motor control unit for controlling each of a plurality of electric motors, and in a case where the plurality of electric motors are driven by electric power stored in a battery or in a case where the battery is charged with electric power generated by a generator, the electric motor control unit controls the plurality of electric motors in accordance with the state of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takeshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 12268461
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for an input device for controlling a robotic surgical tool. The input device can include a first pair of opposing links and a second pair of opposing links. The first pair of opposing links and second pair of opposing links can be arranged radially symmetrically. The input device can be configured to control operation of the robotic surgical tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Auris Health, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Diamond, Qingbin Zheng, Adam Richard Heard, Nathan B. J. Moore, Cory B. McBride, Colin Allen Wilson
  • Patent number: 12269580
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for flight control of aircrafts driven by electric propulsion systems and in other types of vehicles. In some embodiments, a flight control system of an aircraft is disclosed, configured to receive one or more signals to control movement of the aircraft, determine at least one flight condition of the aircraft, wherein the at least one flight condition includes at least a phase of flight, calculate at least one or more loads associated with the aircraft based on the determined at least one flight condition; determine an optimized flight configuration to alleviate loads on one or more components of the aircraft based on the received one or more signals and the calculated loads, generate one or more effector commands based on the optimized flight configuration; and actuate one or more aircraft effectors based on the one or more effector commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: ARCHER AVIATION INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Mark Bosworth, Nathan Paul Pringle, Nathan Thomas Depenbusch