Patents Examined by Thomas Randazzo
  • Patent number: 11891247
    Abstract: A control device is provided to more quickly and efficiently verify which item has been grasped by a robot system whilst also providing a solution which is scalable. Verification of the item which has been grasped is achieved by measuring a dynamics property of the item. A control unit for operation with a robot system a sensor unit, the robot system arranged to grasp an item from a container. The control unit includes a verification unit arranged to receive identifying information of an item expected to be in the container, receive information from the sensor unit indicative of a dynamics property of the item grasped by the robot system and verify that the item grasped by the robot system matches the item expected to be in the container based on the received identifying information and the received dynamics property information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Graham Deacon, Osemwaro Jeremiah Pedro, Christos Makris
  • Patent number: 11890441
    Abstract: An automatic tattoo apparatus can be used to robotically apply tattoos. A customer can shop on an online tattoo marketplace to select designs created by various artists located anywhere. The online tattoo marketplace can process and manage payments, artist and/or customer profiles, bookings, tattoo design uploads, browsing and design selection, design changes, and/or perform other actions. The automatic tattoo device can apply tattoos precisely, quickly, and may with reduced pain. The tattoo apparatus can apply a wide range of different types of tattoos, including but not limited to micro tattoos, dotwork, blackwork tattoos, realism tattoos, fine-line tattoos, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Blackdot, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Azdoud, Joel Richard Pennington, Eric Nelson Watts, Deniz Ozturk, Anna Ailene Scott, Christopher Daniel Kelley
  • Patent number: 11890650
    Abstract: An automatic baggage-packing device for urban terminals based on artificial intelligence is provided. The automatic baggage-packing device includes a baggage transfer rack, baggage transfer rack forms a baggage transfer channel through a transfer stick, baggage transfer rack is equipped with several selectors located above the baggage transfer channel, the selectors are arranged in turn in the extension direction of the baggage transfer channel. The automatic baggage-packing device also includes an automatic loading device set outside of the baggage transfer rack to cooperate with the selectors to load the selected baggage. The invention has the effect of making baggage freight more convenient and quicker in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited, Heptagon 5A Design (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinyan Shao, Yuan Lu, Yingjie Li, Hewu Lu
  • Patent number: 11883957
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle chassis (6) for checking and/or counting stock (4) in a warehouse (3) and configured for attaching to an autonomous indoor vehicle (9), with an extendable mast (11) comprising a first end (12) mounted onto the chassis (6) and an opposite second end (13) arrangeable at different distances above the chassis (6), and at least one scanner (2) arranged at the second end (13) and configured for checking and/or counting stock (4) in a shelve (5) of the warehouse (3) lateral to the vehicle (1). The invention further relates to an autonomous robot vehicle (1) comprising the vehicle chassis (6) and the autonomous indoor vehicle (9), whereby the chassis (6) is mounted onto the autonomous indoor vehicle (9) such that the autonomous indoor vehicle (9) and the chassis (6) are configured for autonomously moving the vehicle (1) in the warehouse (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
    Inventors: Kent Rogers, Karl Brooks
  • Patent number: 11873090
    Abstract: Provided is a method for delivering goods through an unmanned aerial vehicle group including a plurality of aircraft respectively connected to delivery target goods. The method comprises identifying, by a master aircraft of the unmanned aerial vehicle group, an actual load applied to each of the aircraft by the goods while the unmanned aerial vehicle group is flying to deliver the goods, and controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle group by the master aircraft to adjust the actual load applied to each of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: PABLO AIR Co., Ltd., PABLO AIR International, INC.
    Inventors: Seung Han Lim, Youngjoon Kim, Dong Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 11865718
    Abstract: A working device includes a link actuation device and a control device for the link actuation device. The control device includes: a storage unit configured to store a plurality of the target positions; a calculation unit configured to sequentially read out the respective target positions stored to calculate movement amounts and movement speeds of the respective actuators between the target positions; and a control unit configured to operate the respective actuators by the movement amounts and at the movement speeds of the respective actuators calculated by the calculation unit. The control unit is capable of changing acceleration and deceleration times of the actuators for each of the target positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Marui, Hiroshi Isobe
  • Patent number: 11858743
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for order picking of items at a picking station, wherein the source containers (5) are transported to a retrieval position (33) in an arbitrary sequence, and the target containers (27) are provided in a sorting buffer (36) with buffer positions (39) ahead of a single loading position (35). A first target container is transported back into the sorting buffer for processing of different order lines after placement of an item for a first order line, and is temporarily buffered at a sorting position (42) until a source container with an item for a second order line is conveyed onward into a buffer track section (23) provided upstream of the retrieval position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TGW Logistics Group GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Bauman, Timothy Lindley, Harald Johannes Schroepf, Matthias Stoetzner
  • Patent number: 11851276
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-executable coded instruction sets are disclosed for fully- and/or partly automated handling of goods. The disclosure provides improvements in the storage and retrieval of storage and delivery containers in order processing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Lars Sverker Ture Lindbo, Andrew John Ingram-Tedd, Stuart Richard North, Robert Rolf Stadie
  • Patent number: 11850633
    Abstract: A robotic system includes a robot having a picking arm to grasp an inventory item and a shuttle. The shuttle includes a platform adapted to receive the inventory item from the picking arm of the robot. The platform is moveable between a pick-up location located substantially adjacent to the robot and an end location spaced a distance apart from the pick-up location. The system improves efficiency as transportation of the item from the pick-up location to the end location is divided between the robot and the shuttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Nimble Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Kalouche, Kevin Kruempelstaedter
  • Patent number: 11850760
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to verifying an initial object estimation of an object. A two-dimensional (2D) image representative of an environment including one or more objects may be obtained. The 2D image may be inspected to detect edges of an object. The edges may be processed to verify or update an initial object estimation to increase the accuracy of an object detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: MUJIN, Inc.
    Inventors: Jinze Yu, Jose Jeronimo Moreira Rodrigues
  • Patent number: 11846935
    Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a track system including a first set of parallel tracks arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel tracks arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, forming a grid pattern in the horizontal plane comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells. Each grid cell includes a grid opening. A plurality of stacks of storage containers are arranged in storage columns located beneath the track system. Each storage column is located vertically below the grid opening. A plurality of container handling vehicles for lifting and moving storage containers stacked in the stacks are configured to move laterally on the track system above the storage columns to access the storage containers via the grid openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Autostore Technology AS
    Inventors: Trond Austrheim, Ivar Fjeldheim, Ingvar Fagerland
  • Patent number: 11845616
    Abstract: A device for manipulating items for facility operations is described. The device includes a first arm assembly that includes a first arm, a second arm parallel to the first arm, a first shaft disposed between the first arm and the second arm at a first location along the first arm and the second arm, and a first head attachment disposed between the first arm and the second arm at a second location along the first arm and the second arm. The device also includes a first driver coupled to the first shaft and configured to control movement of the first arm assembly about a first axis extending along a length of the first shaft. The device further includes a second driver coupled to first head attachment and configured to control movement of the first head attachment about a second axis extending along a length of the first head attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jose Luis De La Rosa, Larry Joe Robb, Justin Stone, Emily R Parrish, Joshua Martin Middleton, Maxim P Hoffman, Roland J Menassa
  • Patent number: 11839734
    Abstract: An automatic tattoo apparatus can be used to robotically apply tattoos. A customer can shop on an online tattoo marketplace to select designs created by various artists located anywhere. The online tattoo marketplace can process and manage payments, artist and/or customer profiles, bookings, tattoo design uploads, browsing and design selection, design changes, and/or perform other actions. The automatic tattoo device can apply tattoos precisely, quickly, and may with reduced pain. The tattoo apparatus can apply a wide range of different types of tattoos, including but not limited to micro tattoos, dotwork, blackwork tattoos, realism tattoos, fine-line tattoos, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Blackdot, Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Azdoud, Joel Richard Pennington, Eric Nelson Watts, Deniz Ozturk, Anna Ailene Scott, Christopher Daniel Kelley
  • Patent number: 11834269
    Abstract: A stacking storage arrangement having multiple container receiving spaces that are arranged in multiple rows and columns, wherein a loading space in which loading vehicles can be moved is arranged below the container receiving spaces. The operation of a stacking storage arrangement of this type is configured to be economical. For this purpose, each row is assigned a separate loading vehicle stopping position that is arranged outside of the container receiving spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: JUNGHEINRICH AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jörg Cavelius, Michael Becker, Markus Liebhaber
  • Patent number: 11836939
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a first information acquiring section that acquires three-dimensional information of a first region of surfaces of a plurality of objects, the information being obtained by imaging or scanning the plurality of objects from a first location; a second information acquiring section that acquires three-dimensional information of a second region of surfaces of the plurality of objects, the information being obtained by imaging or scanning the plurality of objects from a second location; and a combining section that generates information indicating three-dimensional shapes of at least a portion of the surfaces of the plurality of objects, based on the three-dimensional information of the first region acquired by the first information acquiring section and the three-dimensional information of the second region acquired by the second information acquiring section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: MUJIN, INC.
    Inventors: Rosen Diankov, Xutao Ye, Ziyan Zhou
  • Patent number: 11826787
    Abstract: A processing system including a singulation system is disclosed. The singulation system includes a conveying system for moving objects to be processed from a source area along a first direction, a detection system for detecting objects at the conveying system, and for selecting certain selected objects for redistribution on the conveying system, and a movement redistribution system for redistributing the certain selected objects on the conveying system for providing a singulated stream of objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Kevin Ahearn, John Richard Amend, Jr., Benjamin Cohen, William Hartman Fort, Michael Dawson-Haggerty, Christopher Geyer, Jennifer Eileen King, Thomas Koletschka, Michael Cap Koval, Kyle Maroney, Matthew T. Mason, William Chu-Hyon McMahan, Gene Temple Price, Joseph Romano, Daniel Smith, Siddhartha Srinivasa, Prasanna Velagapudi, Thomas Allen
  • Patent number: 11827449
    Abstract: A mover according to the present disclosure includes: a body to move; a second member; a suction unit; a location detection unit; a first moving part, and a second moving part. The second member moves in a state where the second member is combined with a first member provided for an object, as the body is displaced relative to the object. The suction unit is sucked to the object in the state where the second member is combined with the first member. The location detection unit detects a location of the body with respect to the object by detecting movement of the second member. The first moving part moves the body until the state where the second member is combined with the first member is established. The second moving part displaces the body relative to the object in the state where the second member is combined with the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shirouzu, Osamu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11827453
    Abstract: A method of processing objects using a programmable motion device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of a plurality of objects and directing the plurality of objects toward an input area from at least one input conveyance system, acquiring an object from the plurality of objects at the input area using an end effector of the programmable motion device, and moving the acquired object toward an identified processing location using the programmable motion device. The identified processing location is associated with the identifying indicia and the identified processing location is provided as one of a plurality of processing locations along a first direction. The step of moving the acquired object includes moving the programmable motion device along a second direction that is substantially parallel with the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Kevin Ahearn, John Richard Amend, Jr., Benjamin Cohen, Michael Dawson-Haggerty, William Hartman Fort, Christopher Geyer, Victoria Hinchey, Jennifer Eileen King, Thomas Koletschka, Michael Cap Koval, Kyle Maroney, Matthew T. Mason, William Chu-Hyon McMahan, Gene Temple Price, Joseph Romano, Daniel Smith, Siddhartha Srinivasa, Prasanna Velagapudi, Thomas Allen
  • Patent number: 11820543
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical order processing system for processing a plurality of pharmaceutical containers includes a container repository, a container selector, an order consolidator transporter and an order consolidator. The container repository supports the pharmaceutical containers. The container selector has a picker to pick the pharmaceutical containers from the pharmaceutical container repository. The container selector includes a carriage supporting the picker and movable relative to the container repository to move the picker around the container repository. The order consolidator receives the pharmaceutical containers and places the pharmaceutical containers in a shipping package. The order consolidator transporter receives the pharmaceutical containers after they have been picked by the picker and transports the pharmaceutical containers toward the order consolidator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Hoffman, Robert E. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11820600
    Abstract: A workstation is disclosed for transferring objects between containers such as product and order totes in an order fulfillment system. The workstation may include an object pick system, for example including a measuring array or a machine vision system, which directs and monitors the transfer of objects between the containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: John G. Lert, Jr., William J. Fosnight, Devin Lert, Stephen Akiki