Patents by Inventor Bradley J. Prevost

Bradley J. Prevost 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: 20240027620
    Abstract: A processor is operably coupled to a time of flight (TOF) camera, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, and an optical camera. The processor can receive a TOF signal representative of a first coordinate associated with a stick-up height of a tool joint of a pipe of a drill string during a tripping operation on a rig drill floor, and a pitch and a roll of the tool joint. The processor can receive a LIDAR signal representative of a second coordinate associated with the stick-up height, and the pitch of the tool joint. The processor can receive an optical camera signal representative of a third coordinate associated with the stick-up height of the tool joint and the roll of the tool joint. The processor can generate a pose estimate and an orientation estimate based on the signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Charles BLAKELY, Bradley J. PREVOST
  • Patent number: 11832582
    Abstract: A leg (205) detection system comprising: a robotic arm (200) comprising a gripping portion (208) for holding a teat cup (203, 210) for attaching to a teat (1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 203S, 203) of a dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); an imaging system coupled to the robotic arm (200) and configured to capture a first three-dimensional (3D) image (138, 2400, 2500) of a rearview of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203) in a stall (402), the imaging system comprising a 3D camera (136, 138) or a laser (132), wherein each pixel of the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) is associated with a depth value; one or more memory (104) devices configured to store a reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) of the stall (402) without any dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); and a processor (102) communicatively coupled to the imaging system and the one or more memory (104) devices, the processor (102) configured to: access the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) and the reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); subtract the first 3D image
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost, Marijn Van Aart, Peter Willem van der Sluis, Alireza Janani
  • Patent number: 11585932
    Abstract: A processor is operably coupled to a time of flight (TOF) camera, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, and an optical camera. The processor can receive a TOF signal representative of a first coordinate associated with a stick-up height of a tool joint of a pipe of a drill string during a tripping operation on a rig drill floor, and a pitch and a roll of the tool joint. The processor can receive a LIDAR signal representative of a second coordinate associated with the stick-up height, and the pitch of the tool joint. The processor can receive an optical camera signal representative of a third coordinate associated with the stick-up height of the tool joint and the roll of the tool joint. The processor can generate a pose estimate and an orientation estimate based on the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSOCEAN SEDCO FOREX VENTURES LIMITED
    Inventors: Charles Blakely, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Publication number: 20200344972
    Abstract: A leg (205) detection system comprising: a robotic arm (200) comprising a gripping portion (208) for holding a teat cup (203, 210) for attaching to a teat (1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 203S, 203) of a dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); an imaging system coupled to the robotic arm (200) and configured to capture a first three-dimensional (3D) image (138, 2400, 2500) of a rearview of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203) in a stall (402), the imaging system comprising a 3D camera (136, 138) or a laser (132), wherein each pixel of the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) is associated with a depth value; one or more memory (104) devices configured to store a reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) of the stall (402) without any dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); and a processor (102) communicatively coupled to the imaging system and the one or more memory (104) devices, the processor (102) configured to: access the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) and the reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); subtract the first 3D image
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost, Marijn Van Aart, Peter Willem Van Der Sluis, Alireza Janani
  • Patent number: 10653101
    Abstract: A system that includes a robotic arm, a laser, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to position the laser adjacent to a dairy livestock and to modify teat location information for one or more teats of the dairy livestock based on a robot position offset between the dairy livestock and the robotic arm. The processor is further configured to generate a teat position associated with an unknown teat based on a scan of the dairy livestock and to determine a position distances between the teat position and teats of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured to identify a teat of the dairy livestock with the smallest position distance, to associate a teat identifier for the unknown teat with the identified teat, and to store the association in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost, Marinus P. Van Aart
  • Patent number: 10595498
    Abstract: A system that includes a robotic arm, a laser, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, and a processor. The processor is configured to send instructions to position the robotic arm adjacent to a dairy livestock, to send a signal that initiates scanning a portion of the dairy livestock, and to generate teat candidate position information based on the scan of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured receive target teat information, identify a teat candidate within a teat location range of the target teat, and link the identified teat candidate with a teat identifier. The processor is further configured to send instructions to the robotic arm to move at least a portion of the robotic arm toward the target teat based on the teat candidate position information for the identified teat candidate that is linked with the teat identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 10499608
    Abstract: A system that includes a laser configured to generate a profile signal of at least a portion of a dairy livestock and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the profile signal and detect one or more edge pair candidates in the profile signal, compare the complementary distance gradients of each of the one or more edge pair candidates to a minimum distance gradient length to be considered an edge pair, and identify an edge pair from among the one or more edge pair candidates as a teat candidate based on the comparison. The processor is further configured to determine position information for the teat candidate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 10383305
    Abstract: A leg (205) detection system comprising: a robotic arm (200) comprising a gripping portion (208) for holding a teat cup (203, 210) for attaching to a teat (1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 2038, 203) of a diary livestock (200, 202, 203); an imaging system coupled to the robotic arm (200) and configured to capture a first three-dimensional (3D) image (138, 2400, 2500) of a rearview of the dairy livestock (200, 202, 203) in a stall (402), the imaging system comprising a 3D camera (136, 138) or a laser (132), wherein each pixel of the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) is associated with a depth value; one or more memory (104) devices configured to store a reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) of the stall (402) without any dairy livestock (200, 202, 203); and a processor (102) communicatively coupled to the imaging system and the one or more memory (104) devices, the processor (102) configured to: access the first 3D image (138, 2400, 2500) and the reference (3D) 3D image (138, 2400, 2500); subtract the first 3D image
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost, Marijn Van Aart, Peter Willem van der Sluis, Alireza Janani
  • Patent number: 10349615
    Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to command the robotic arm to move to a location of an expected teat position of a dairy livestock and to command the laser to perform two scans of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured to determine whether a first teat is found in both of the scans, and if so, determine whether locations of the first teat in the two scans are within a predetermined distance of each other. The processor is further configured to, in response to determining that locations of the first teat in the two scans are within the predetermined distance of each other, command the robotic arm to move to a location corresponding to the location of the first teat and to command the robotic arm to attach a teat cup to the first teat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 10354388
    Abstract: A system that includes a three-dimensional (3D) camera configured to capture a 3D image of a rearview of a dairy livestock in a stall and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the 3D image, identify one or more regions within the 3D image comprising depth values greater than a depth value threshold, and s to identify a thigh gap region from the one or more regions. The processor is further configured to demarcate an access region within the thigh gap region and demarcate a tail detection region. The processor is further configured to identify one or more tail candidates within the tail detection region, to identify a tail candidate that corresponds with a tail model as the tail, and to determine position information for the tail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 10306863
    Abstract: A robotic arm maneuvers a teat preparation cup and executes instructions from a robotic arm controller. The controller comprises an interface, a memory, and a processor. The processor instructs the sensor to perform a first scan. If the first scan discovers a first set of teats, the processor moves the robotic arm a first distance and instructs the sensor to perform a second scan. If the second scan discovers a second set of teats, the processor moves the robotic arm to a location under the first teat, and instructs the sensor to perform a third scan. The processor determines if the third scan discovers a third set of teats. If each of the first set, second set, and third set of discovered teats comprises the first teat, the processor instructs the robotic arm to attach the preparation cup to the first teat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Publication number: 20190110429
    Abstract: A system that includes a laser configured to generate a profile signal of at least a portion of a dairy livestock and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the profile signal and detect one or more edge pair candidates in the profile signal, compare the complementary distance gradients of each of the one or more edge pair candidates to a minimum distance gradient length to be considered an edge pair, and identify an edge pair from among the one or more edge pair candidates as a teat candidate based on the comparison. The processor is further configured to determine position information for the teat candidate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 10143177
    Abstract: A system that includes a laser configured to generate a profile signal of at least a portion of a dairy livestock and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the profile signal and detect one or more edge pair candidates in the profile signal, compare the complementary distance gradients of each of the one or more edge pair candidates to a minimum distance gradient length to be considered an edge pair, and identify an edge pair from among the one or more edge pair candidates as a teat candidate based on the comparison. The processor is further configured to determine position information for the teat candidate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Publication number: 20180232885
    Abstract: A system that includes a three-dimensional (3D) camera configured to capture a 3D image of a rearview of a dairy livestock in a stall and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the 3D image, identify one or more regions within the 3D image comprising depth values greater than a depth value threshold, and s to identify a thigh gap region from the one or more regions. The processor is further configured to demarcate an access region within the thigh gap region and demarcate a tail detection region. The processor is further configured to identify one or more tail candidates within the tail detection region, to identify a tail candidate that corresponds with a tail model as the tail, and to determine position information for the tail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Publication number: 20180228113
    Abstract: A system that includes a robotic arm, a laser, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, and a processor. The processor is configured to send instructions to position the robotic arm adjacent to a dairy livestock, to send a signal that initiates scanning a portion of the dairy livestock, and to generate teat candidate position information based on the scan of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured receive target teat information, identify a teat candidate within a teat location range of the target teat, and link the identified teat candidate with a teat identifier. The processor is further configured to send instructions to the robotic arm to move at least a portion of the robotic arm toward the target teat based on the teat candidate position information for the identified teat candidate that is linked with the teat identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Publication number: 20180228114
    Abstract: A system that includes a robotic arm, a laser, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to position the laser adjacent to a dairy livestock and to modify teat location information for one or more teats of the dairy livestock based on a robot position offset between the dairy livestock and the robotic arm. The processor is further configured to generate a teat position associated with an unknown teat based on a scan of the dairy livestock and to determine a position distances between the teat position and teats of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured to identify a teat of the dairy livestock with the smallest position distance, to associate a teat identifier for the unknown teat with the identified teat, and to store the association in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost, Marinus P. Van Aart
  • Publication number: 20180192607
    Abstract: A system that includes a laser configured to generate a profile signal of at least a portion of a dairy livestock and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the profile signal and detect one or more edge pair candidates in the profile signal, compare the complementary distance gradients of each of the one or more edge pair candidates to a minimum distance gradient length to be considered an edge pair, and identify an edge pair from among the one or more edge pair candidates as a teat candidate based on the comparison. The processor is further configured to determine position information for the teat candidate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 9984470
    Abstract: A system that includes a three-dimensional (3D) camera configured to capture a 3D image of a rearview of a dairy livestock in a stall, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the 3D image, identify one or more regions within the 3D image comprising depth values greater than a depth value threshold, and apply the thigh gap detection rule set to the one or more regions to identify a thigh gap region. The processor is further configured to demarcate an access region within the thigh gap region and demarcate a tail detection region. The processor is further configured to partition the 3D image within the tail detection region to generate a plurality of image depth planes, examine each of the plurality of image depth planes, and determine position information for the tail of the dairy livestock in response to identifying the tail of the dairy livestock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 9980457
    Abstract: A system that includes a laser, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine the position of a first teat candidate relative to a second teat candidate, assign the first teat candidate and the second teat candidate as a left teat candidate or right teat candidate, and receive a teat identifier for a target teat. The processor is configured to determine whether the left or right teat candidate is within a teat location range of the target teat and to link the teat identifier with the left teat candidate or right teat candidate based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost
  • Patent number: 9974278
    Abstract: A system that includes a laser, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a teat position associated with an unknown teat, determine a first position distance between the teat position and a first teat, determine a second position distance between the teat position and a second teat, determine a third position distance between the teat position and a third teat, and determine a fourth position distance between the teat position and a fourth teat. The processor is further configured to compare the first position distance, the second position distance, the third position distance, and the fourth position distance to determine a smallest position distance from the unknown teat, identify a teat of the dairy livestock corresponding with the smallest position distance, associate a teat identifier for the unknown teat with the identified teat, and store the association in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Foresman, Bradley J. Prevost, Marinus P. Van Aart