Patents Examined by Tanner L Cullen
  • Patent number: 11977188
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a vehicle sensor of a motor vehicle. The method includes the steps: ascertaining, by way of the vehicle sensor, sensor data at a plurality of measurement times, the motor vehicle moving in relation to objects in surroundings of the motor vehicle; computing object positions of the objects on the basis of the ascertained sensor data; computing a Hough transformation on the basis of the computed object positions; ascertaining an alignment of the vehicle sensor in relation to a driving axis of the motor vehicle on the basis of the computed Hough transformation; and calibrating the vehicle sensor on the basis of the ascertained alignment of the vehicle sensor in relation to the driving axis of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: David Ziegler, Stephan Dorenkamp
  • Patent number: 11975709
    Abstract: A vehicle parking control device has a processor and a memory to control the vehicle from a starting to a target parking position. The vehicle control device includes an obstacle detection unit detecting obstacles around the vehicle, a travelable area setting unit setting an area where the vehicle can travel based on a position of the obstacles, and sets the target parking position in the travelable area, a route generation unit calculating a travel route to the target parking position in the travelable area, and a parking execution unit that causes the vehicle to travel toward the target parking position on the basis of the travel route. The route generation unit generates a route from a parking start position to the target parking position, and corrects a distance of the section to a predetermined distance when the distance of the section is less than the predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Tashiro, Masashi Seimiya, Satoshi Matsuda, Masato Imai
  • Patent number: 11951636
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the technology described herein generally relate to robotic systems for interacting with objects in a warehouse environment. More specifically, certain embodiments relate to systems and methods for collecting data related to robotic picking of objects through test interactions. In some embodiments, a robotic device may work in collaboration with a computer vision system for collecting data related to new objects in a warehouse, commercial, industrial, or similar environment. A robotic picking system may operate in a data collection mode during which objects are sent to a robotic picking device for data collection during one or more test interactions or test stimuli. The test interactions and stimuli may be used to produce a whitelist of objects that the robotic picking device may attempt to pick up during regular operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Embodied Intelligence Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Vaziri, Mostafa Rohaninejad
  • Patent number: 11945501
    Abstract: A method for operating a lane guidance system involves determining a time period from the time of a request from the lane guidance system to a vehicle user to touch the steering handle until the occurrence of a sensor signal caused by a touch of the steering handle in the sensor region and comparing it with a predetermined time window. An activation option of the lane guidance system is blocked in the event that the determined time duration is greater than the predetermined time window. In the event of a first request to touch the steering handle after an idle state, an activation option of the lane guidance system is disabled until a subsequent idle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Constantin Herget, Markus Dick, Ralph Klingel
  • Patent number: 11931908
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for measuring and reporting calibration accuracy of robots and sensors assigned to perform a task in an operating environment. One of the methods includes receiving a request to perform a calibration process for one or more robots in an operating environment; in response, performing the calibration process including executing a calibration program that generates movement data representing movements by the one or more robots within the operating environment; computing a measure of calibration accuracy from the movement data; receiving an input program to be executed in the operating environment; determining that the measure of calibration accuracy does not satisfy an accuracy tolerance of the input program; and in response, generating a notification representing that the measure of calibration accuracy generated from performing the calibration process does not satisfy the accuracy tolerance of the input program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Robert Kelch, Dirk Holz
  • Patent number: 11931896
    Abstract: A robot system for adjusting a machining load depending on tool wear includes a robot that is coupled to a machining unit, moves the machining unit to change a position of a tool with respect to a machining target, and has a plurality of joints. The robot system further includes a support that supports the machining target and moves the machining target to change a position of the machining target with respect to the tool, a sensor unit that is provided on the machining unit and measures an amount of current supplied to a machining motor which operates the tool or an operation force of the tool, and a controller that receives a measurement signal from the sensor unit and transmits a control signal to the robot and the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
    Inventors: Tae Gon Kim, Seok Woo Lee, Hyo Young Kim
  • Patent number: 11921484
    Abstract: A safety rated robotic motor control system may be configured to receive sensor data from sensors positioned on a motor. The data can be received by a programmable logic device and processed to generate a fault message based on a first set of characteristics. The fault message and the data can be transmitted to a safety controller that determines a second set of characteristics and generates operating instructions based on the fault message and the second set of characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin Croyle, Sean Garcen, Craig Ropi, Joshua Zarr
  • Patent number: 11872687
    Abstract: A method of controlling a robotic arm in a surgical system comprises manually applying a force to a body of the robotic arm. Force information is received from ae force sensor on the robotic arm and a controller determines, using the force information, whether the force is a gesture force input. If the force is determined to be a gesture force input, the controller initiates electromechanical movement of the manipulator arm to a draping configuration, instrument attachment configuration, storage configuration, or home configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander John Maret
  • Patent number: 11845186
    Abstract: An inverse kinematics solving method for redundant robot as well as a redundant robot using the same are provided. The method includes: obtaining an expression of a Jacobian matrix null space of a current configuration of each robotic arm of the redundant robot corresponding to a preset end pose of the robotic arm according to the preset end pose, and obtaining a relation between an angular velocity of the joints of the redundant robot in the Jacobian matrix null space of the current configuration based on the obtained expression; traversing the Jacobian matrix null space using the relation, and building an energy cost function of the redundant robot based on the relation; obtaining a target joint angle of each joint of the redundant robot based on the optimal inverse kinematics solution to transmit to the servo of the joint so as to control the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD
    Inventors: Yuesong Wang, Liqun Huang, Xiaoyu Ren, Mingguo Zhao, Youjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 11842124
    Abstract: A control system for a base supporting a boom assembly comprises long telescopic boom and telescopic stick. Mounted to the remote end of the stick is an end effector that supports a robot arm that moves a further end effector to manipulate the items. The robot arm has a robot base, and mounted above the robot base is a first target in the form of a position sensor, that provides position coordinates relative to a fixed ground reference. Mounted on the end of the robot arm immediately above the end effector is a second target that provides position coordinates relative to the fixed around reference. The fixed ground reference tracks the sensors and feeds data to the control system to move the stick with slow dynamic response and to control movement of the robotic arm and end effector with fast dynamic response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: FASTBRICK IP PTY LTD
    Inventor: Mark Pivac
  • Patent number: 11826911
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot to perform a task, for which the robot is redundant, includes specifying an adjustment of first and second axes of at least one pair of two movement axes of the robot based on a specified operating mode such that both axes can be adjusted and adjustment of the first axis is prioritized over the second axis if a first operating mode is specified. Adjustment of the second axis is prioritized over the first axis if a second operating mode is specified. Additionally or alternatively, adjustment of at least one selected movement axis is specified based on a specified operating mode such that this axis can be adjusted or is blocked independently of the task if a reduced operating mode is specified, and can be adjusted for the purpose of performing this task if an operating mode differing from this reduced operating mode is specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Mario Daniele Fiore
  • Patent number: 11813755
    Abstract: A robot control device according to the present invention is configured to: detect a collision of a robot with an object at a predetermined collision detection sensitivity; perform control of operating the robot, and stopping the robot when a detection part detects the collision; and decrease, when a predetermined circumstance causing the robot to have a low temperature is satisfied, the collision detection sensitivity compared to when the predetermined circumstance is unsatisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mami Yomoda, Yoshiharu Nishida, Naoki Kida, Atsushi Fukunaga, Kenichiro Kanao
  • Patent number: 11803181
    Abstract: A navigation system for remote control movement of modular vehicle subassemblies (MVSs) through a plurality of assembly zones of a vehicle assembly facility includes a predefined primary pathway configured for the MVSs to move along during assembly of top hats on the MVSs, a plurality of sensors, a plurality of zone controllers, and a central management system with a navigation algorithm. The plurality of sensors are configured to transmit at least one of proximity data and visual data on the MVSs moving through the plurality of assembly zones to the plurality of zone controllers. The central management system is configured to be in communication with each of the plurality of zone controllers and the navigation algorithm is configured to receive the at least one of proximity data and visual data and calculate movement instructions for remote control movement of the MVSs moving through the plurality of assembly zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Galen Keith Thomas, Kerry Lance Paskell
  • Patent number: 11772828
    Abstract: A system for controlling an aerospace vehicle by exploiting the dihedral effect to control bank angle of the vehicle by modulating sideslip. The control system includes a closed feedback loop comprising an outer loop for producing a sideslip angle command to induce a roll moment through the dihedral effect to satisfy a bank angle command, and an inner loop for taking the sideslip angle command, and possibly an angle of attack command to produce control input for flightpath hardware controls. Flightpath control hardware include pairs of flaps arranged longitudinally along the leading and trailing edges of an aeroshell of an aerospace entry vehicle to control pitch for changing the angle of attack, and another pair of flaps arranged laterally to control yaw for changing the bank angle via the sideslip angle, and also moving mass along ribs to control pitch and yaw. Thrusters can be fired to induce roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Sarah Nicole D'Souza, Wendy Awele Okolo, Benjamin William Look Margolis, Ben Edward Nikaido, Bryan Yount, Breanna Jermille Johnson
  • Patent number: 11762369
    Abstract: A system has a virtual-world (VW) controller and a physical-world (PW) controller. The pairing of a PW element with a VW element establishes them as corresponding physical and virtual twins. The VW controller and/or the PW controller receives measurements from one or more sensors characterizing aspects of the physical world, the VW controller generates the virtual twin, and the VW controller and/or the PW controller generates commands for one or more actuators affecting aspects of the physical world. To coordinate the corresponding virtual and physical twins, (i) the VW controller controls the virtual twin based on the physical twin or (ii) the PW controller controls the physical twin based on the virtual twin. Depending on the operating mode, one of the VW and PW controllers is a master controller, and the other is a slave controller, where the virtual and physical twins are both controlled based on one of VW or PW forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Sensory Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Edwards, Tristan Fogt
  • Patent number: 11738459
    Abstract: Operation information on a robot is recorded in a temporary data recorder continually only for a predetermined period. The operation information for one cycle during a normal operation of the robot is retrieved from the temporary data recorder, and is recorded in a normal-state data recorder. If a storage control section determines that a predetermined trigger condition has occurred, some pieces of the operation information recorded in the temporary data recorder are recorded in the trigger-state data recorder. An operation information display displays the operation information in a normal state and the operation information in a trigger state so that these pieces of the operation information can be compared with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshinari Mohri
  • Patent number: 11738461
    Abstract: Systems and methods for industrial robotic platforms. Squads of industrial robots autonomously communicate and work together. A control center may monitor the autonomous operations. Software at the control center, squad, and robot levels forms a distributed control system that analyzes various data related to the platform for monitoring of the various systems. Artificial intelligence, such as machine learning, is implemented at the control center, squad, and/or robot levels for swarm behavior driven by intelligent decision making. Each robot includes a universal platform attached to a task-specific tooling system. The robots may be mining robots, with a mining-specific tooling system attached to the universal framework, and configured for mining tasks. The platform is modular and may be used for other industrial applications and/or robot types, such as construction, satellite swarms, fuel production, disaster recovery, communications, remote power, and others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Off-World, Inc.
    Inventors: James Keravala, Alicia Teresa Kavelaars, James Jason Murray, Mark Eugene Nall, Joshua Jeremy Izenberg, Amaresh Kollipara
  • Patent number: 11733679
    Abstract: A master machine supporting system includes a master machine in which a speed reducer is incorporated, and a server configured to store performance data of the speed reducer in association with a speed reducer ID of each speed reducer. The server transmits performance data corresponding to the speed reducer ID in response to a performance data transmission request including the speed reducer ID. The master machine receives an input of the performance data of the speed reducer incorporated in the master machine and controls an operation of the master machine based on the input performance data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuzou Ishikawa, Jun Tamenaga, Kenji Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 11724388
    Abstract: A robot controller configured to assist an operation of a user, by effectively utilizing both techniques of augmented reality and mixed reality. The robot controller includes: a display device configured to display information generated by a computer so that the information is overlapped with an actual environment, etc.; a position and orientation obtaining section configured to obtain relative position and orientation between the display device and a robot included in the actual environment; a display controlling section configured to display a virtual model of the robot, etc., on the display device; an operation controlling section configured to operate the virtual model displayed on the display device; and a position and orientation determining section configured to determine the position and/or orientation of the robot by using the position and/or orientation of the operated virtual model and using the relative position and orientation between the robot and the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11720095
    Abstract: A system for remote control of modular vehicle subassemblies within a vehicle assembly facility includes a central management system having predetermined assembly paths and specifications for the modular vehicle subassemblies and a zone management system having zone controllers in communication with the central management system and in communication with the onboard controllers of the modular vehicle subassemblies. The zone controllers are configured to receive transient data from the onboard controllers of the modular vehicle subassemblies and manage movement of the modular vehicle subassemblies throughout the zones within the vehicle assembly facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Galen Keith Thomas, Kerry Lance Paskell