Patents by Inventor Andrew Hoelscher

Andrew Hoelscher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240096123
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to test a pose of a three-dimensional model. A three-dimensional model is stored, the three dimensional model comprising a set of probes. Three-dimensional data of an object is received, the three-dimensional data comprising a set of data entries. The three-dimensional data is converted into a set of fields, comprising generating a first field comprising a first set of values, where each value of the first set of values is indicative of a first characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, and generating a second field comprising a second set of values, where each second value of the second set of values is indicative of a second characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, wherein the second characteristic is different than the first characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Nathaniel Bogan
  • Patent number: 11881000
    Abstract: This invention applies dynamic weighting between a point-to-plane and point-to-edge metric on a per-edge basis in an acquired image using a vision system. This allows an applied ICP technique to be significantly more robust to a variety of object geometries and/or occlusions. A system and method herein provides an energy function that is minimized to generate candidate 3D poses for use in alignment of runtime 3D image data of an object with model 3D image data. Since normals are much more accurate than edges, the use of normal is desirable when possible. However, in some use cases, such as a plane, edges provide information in relative directions the normals do not. Hence the system and method defines a “normal information matrix”, which represents the directions in which sufficient information is present. Performing (e.g.) a principal component analysis (PCA) on this matrix provides a basis for the available information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Simon Barker, Adam Wagman, David J. Michael
  • Publication number: 20230182315
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for object detection and pick order determination for a robotic device are provided. Information about a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) object faces of the objects in the environment may be processed to determine whether each of the plurality of 2D object faces matches a prototype object of a set of prototype objects stored in a memory, wherein each of the prototype objects in the set represents a three-dimensional (3D) object. A model of 3D objects in the environment of the robotic device is generated using one or more of the prototype objects in the set of prototype objects that was determined to match one or more of the 2D object faces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Lukas Merkle, Matthew Turpin, Samuel Shaw, Andrew Hoelscher, Rebecca Khurshid, Laura Lee, Colin Snow
  • Publication number: 20230182314
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for detecting one or more objects (e.g., dropped objects) by a robotic device are described. The method comprises receiving a distance-based point cloud including a plurality of points in three dimensions, filtering the distance-based point cloud to remove points from the plurality of points based on at least one known surface in an environment of the robotic device to produce a filtered distance-based point cloud, clustering points in the filtered distance-based point cloud to produce a set of point clusters, and detecting one or more objects based, at least in part, on the set of point clusters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Samuel Shaw, Alexander Ozer, Jennifer Barry, Matthew Turpin
  • Patent number: 11657630
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to test a pose of a three-dimensional model. A three-dimensional model is stored, the three dimensional model comprising a set of probes. Three-dimensional data of an object is received, the three-dimensional data comprising a set of data entries. The three-dimensional data is converted into a set of fields, comprising generating a first field comprising a first set of values, where each value of the first set of values is indicative of a first characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, and generating a second field comprising a second set of values, where each second value of the second set of values is indicative of a second characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, wherein the second characteristic is different than the first characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Nathaniel Bogan
  • Patent number: 11282220
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for 3D measurement and/or pattern generation are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Some embodiments include a method of pattern projection that may include projecting one or more patterns. Each pattern from the one or more patterns may include an arrangement of three or more symbols that are arranged such that for each symbol in the arrangement, a degree of similarity between said symbol and a most proximal of the remaining symbols in the arrangement is less than a degree of similarity between said symbol and a most distal of the remaining symbols in the arrangement. Some embodiments further include: illuminating an object using the one or more projected patterns; collecting one or more images of the illuminated object; and/or computing one or more 3D locations of the illuminated object based on the one or more projected patterns and the one or more collected images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Zihan Hans Liu, Nathaniel Bogan, Andrew Hoelscher, Eric Moore, Benjamin Braker
  • Publication number: 20210366153
    Abstract: This invention applies dynamic weighting between a point-to-plane and point-to-edge metric on a per-edge basis in an acquired image using a vision system. This allows an applied ICP technique to be significantly more robust to a variety of object geometries and/or occlusions. A system and method herein provides an energy function that is minimized to generate candidate 3D poses for use in alignment of runtime 3D image data of an object with model 3D image data. Since normals are much more accurate than edges, the use of normal is desirable when possible. However, in some use cases, such as a plane, edges provide information in relative directions the normals do not. Hence the system and method defines a “normal information matrix”, which represents the directions in which sufficient information is present. Performing (e.g.) a principal component analysis (PCA) on this matrix provides a basis for the available information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Simon Barker, Adam Wagman, David J. Michael
  • Publication number: 20210350115
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to identify a surface feature of a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud. Data indicative of a path along a 3D point cloud is received, wherein the 3D point cloud comprises a plurality of 3D data points. A plurality of lists of 3D data points are generated, wherein: each list of 3D data points extends across the 3D point cloud at a location that intersects the received path; and each list of 3D data points intersects the received path at different locations. A characteristic associated with a surface feature is identified in at least some of the plurality of lists of 3D data points. The identified characteristics are grouped based on one or more properties of the identified characteristics. The surface feature is identified based on the grouped characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel Bogan, Andrew Hoelscher, David J. Michael
  • Publication number: 20210150288
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to test a pose of a three-dimensional model. A three-dimensional model is stored, the three dimensional model comprising a set of probes. Three-dimensional data of an object is received, the three-dimensional data comprising a set of data entries. The three-dimensional data is converted into a set of fields, comprising generating a first field comprising a first set of values, where each value of the first set of values is indicative of a first characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, and generating a second field comprising a second set of values, where each second value of the second set of values is indicative of a second characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, wherein the second characteristic is different than the first characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Nathaniel Bogan
  • Patent number: 10957072
    Abstract: This invention applies dynamic weighting between a point-to-plane and point-to-edge metric on a per-edge basis in an acquired image using a vision system. This allows an applied ICP technique to be significantly more robust to a variety of object geometries and/or occlusions. A system and method herein provides an energy function that is minimized to generate candidate 3D poses for use in alignment of runtime 3D image data of an object with model 3D image data. Since normals are much more accurate than edges, the use of normal is desirable when possible. However, in some use cases, such as a plane, edges provide information in relative directions the normals do not. Hence the system and method defines a “normal information matrix”, which represents the directions in which sufficient information is present. Performing (e.g.) a principal component analysis (PCA) on this matrix provides a basis for the available information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Simon Barker, Adam Wagman, David J. Michael
  • Publication number: 20210019896
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for 3D measurement and/or pattern generation are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Some embodiments include a method of pattern projection that may include projecting one or more patterns. Each pattern from the one or more patterns may include an arrangement of three or more symbols that are arranged such that for each symbol in the arrangement, a degree of similarity between said symbol and a most proximal of the remaining symbols in the arrangement is less than a degree of similarity between said symbol and a most distal of the remaining symbols in the arrangement. Some embodiments further include: illuminating an object using the one or more projected patterns; collecting one or more images of the illuminated object; and/or computing one or more 3D locations of the illuminated object based on the one or more projected patterns and the one or more collected images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Zihan Hans Liu, Nathaniel Bogan, Andrew Hoelscher, Eric Moore, Benjamin Braker
  • Patent number: 10878299
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to test a pose of a three-dimensional model. A three-dimensional model is stored, the three dimensional model comprising a set of probes. Three-dimensional data of an object is received, the three-dimensional data comprising a set of data entries. The three-dimensional data is converted into a set of fields, comprising generating a first field comprising a first set of values, where each value of the first set of values is indicative of a first characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, and generating a second field comprising a second set of values, where each second value of the second set of values is indicative of a second characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, wherein the second characteristic is different than the first characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Nathaniel Bogan
  • Patent number: 10846563
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to test a pose of a model in three-dimensional data. Three-dimensional data of an object is received, the three-dimensional data comprising a set of data entries. The three-dimensional data is converted to a field comprising a set of cells that each have an associated value, comprising determining, for each cell value, representative data based on one or more data entries from the set of data entries of the three-dimensional data. A pose of the model is tested with the field to determine a score for the pose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Zihan Hans Liu, Nathaniel Bogan, Andrew Hoelscher
  • Patent number: 10699429
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for 3D measurement and/or pattern generation are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Some embodiments include a method of pattern projection that may include projecting one or more patterns. Each pattern from the one or more patterns may include an arrangement of three or more symbols that are arranged such that for each symbol in the arrangement, a degree of similarity between said symbol and a most proximal of the remaining symbols in the arrangement is less than a degree of similarity between said symbol and a most distal of the remaining symbols in the arrangement. Some embodiments further include: illuminating an object using the one or more projected patterns; collecting one or more images of the illuminated object; and/or computing one or more 3D locations of the illuminated object based on the one or more projected patterns and the one or more collected images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Zihan Hans Liu, Nathaniel Bogan, Andrew Hoelscher, Eric Moore, Benjamin Braker
  • Publication number: 20200082230
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to test a pose of a three-dimensional model. A three-dimensional model is stored, the three dimensional model comprising a set of probes. Three-dimensional data of an object is received, the three-dimensional data comprising a set of data entries. The three-dimensional data is converted into a set of fields, comprising generating a first field comprising a first set of values, where each value of the first set of values is indicative of a first characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, and generating a second field comprising a second set of values, where each second value of the second set of values is indicative of a second characteristic of an associated one or more data entries from the set of data entries, wherein the second characteristic is different than the first characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Nathaniel Bogan
  • Publication number: 20200082209
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to test a pose of a model in three-dimensional data. Three-dimensional data of an object is received, the three-dimensional data comprising a set of data entries. The three-dimensional data is converted to a field comprising a set of cells that each have an associated value, comprising determining, for each cell value, representative data based on one or more data entries from the set of data entries of the three-dimensional data. A pose of the model is tested with the field to determine a score for the pose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Zihan Hans Liu, Nathaniel Bogan, Andrew Hoelscher
  • Patent number: 10482621
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for estimating match of a 3D alignment pose of a runtime 3D point cloud relative to a trained model 3D point cloud. It includes scoring a match of a candidate pose of the runtime 3D point cloud relative to the trained model 3D point cloud, including a visibility check that comprises (a) receiving a 3D camera optical center (b) receiving the trained model 3D point cloud; (c) receiving the runtime 3D point cloud; and (d) constructing a plurality of line segments from the optical center to a plurality of 3D points in the 3D point cloud at the runtime candidate pose. A system and method for determining an accurate representation of a 3D imaged object by omitting spurious points from a composite point cloud based on the presence or absence of such points in a given number of point clouds is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: COGNEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Aaron S. Wallack, Adam Wagman, David J. Michael, Hongjun Jia
  • Patent number: 10452949
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for aligning first three-dimensional (3D) point cloud image representing a model with a second 3D point cloud image representing a target, using a vision system processor. A passing overall score is established for possible alignments of the first 3D point cloud image with the second 3D point cloud image. A coverage score for at least one alignment of the first 3D point cloud image with the second 3D point cloud image is estimated so that the coverage score describes an amount of desired features in the first 3D point cloud image present in the second 3D point cloud image. A clutter score is estimated so that the clutter score describes extraneous features in the second 3D point cloud image. An overall score is computed as a difference between the coverage score and the clutter score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Hongjun Jia, David J. Michael, Adam Wagman, Andrew Hoelscher
  • Publication number: 20190259177
    Abstract: This invention applies dynamic weighting between a point-to-plane and point-to-edge metric on a per-edge basis in an acquired image using a vision system. This allows an applied ICP technique to be significantly more robust to a variety of object geometries and/or occlusions. A system and method herein provides an energy function that is minimized to generate candidate 3D poses for use in alignment of runtime 3D image data of an object with model 3D image data. Since normals are much more accurate than edges, the use of normal is desirable when possible. However, in some use cases, such as a plane, edges provide information in relative directions the normals do not. Hence the system and method defines a “normal information matrix”, which represents the directions in which sufficient information is present. Performing (e.g.) a principal component analysis (PCA) on this matrix provides a basis for the available information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew Hoelscher, Simon Barker, Adam Wagman, David J. Michael
  • Publication number: 20190139242
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for 3D measurement and/or pattern generation are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Some embodiments include a method of pattern projection that may include projecting one or more patterns. Each pattern from the one or more patterns may include an arrangement of three or more symbols that are arranged such that for each symbol in the arrangement, a degree of similarity between said symbol and a most proximal of the remaining symbols in the arrangement is less than a degree of similarity between said symbol and a most distal of the remaining symbols in the arrangement. Some embodiments further include: illuminating an object using the one or more projected patterns; collecting one or more images of the illuminated object; and/or computing one or more 3D locations of the illuminated object based on the one or more projected patterns and the one or more collected images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Zihan Hans Liu, Nathaniel Bogan, Andrew Hoelscher, Eric Moore, Benjamin Braker