Patents by Inventor Brandon William Porter

Brandon William Porter 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).

  • Patent number: 11953905
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a distributed automated mobile vehicle (“automated mobile vehicle”) system for autonomously delivering orders of items to various delivery locations and/or autonomously returning items to a return location. In some implementations, each user may own or be assigned their own automated mobile vehicle that is associated with the user and an automated mobile vehicle control system maintained by the user. When the user orders an item, the user owned or controlled automated mobile vehicle navigates to a materials handling facility, retrieves the ordered item and delivers it to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhavnish H. Lathia, Varadarajan Gopalakrishnan, Jesper Mikael Johansson, James Domit Mackraz, Brandon William Porter, Andrew Jay Roths
  • Patent number: 11926428
    Abstract: The disclosure describes an automated aerial vehicle (AAV) and system for automatically detecting a contact or an imminent contact between a propeller of the AAV and an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal). When a contact or an imminent contact is detected, a safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the AAV. For example, if a contact with a propeller of the AAV by an object is detected, the rotation of the propeller may be stopped to avoid harming the object. Likewise, an object detection component may be used to detect an object that is nearing a propeller, stop the rotation of the propeller, and/or navigate the AAV away from the detected object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Brian C. Beckman, Amir Navot, Brandon William Porter, Gur Kimchi, Jeffrey P. Bezos, Frederik Schaffalitzky
  • Patent number: 11881112
    Abstract: Recent location and control information received from “lead” vehicles that traveled over a segment of land, sea, or air is captured to inform, via aggregated data, subsequent “trailing” vehicles that travel over that same segment of land, sea, or air. The aggregated data may provide the trailing vehicles with annotated road information that identifies obstacles. In some embodiments, at least some sensor control data may be provided to the subsequent vehicles to assist those vehicles in identifying the obstacles and/or performing other tasks. Besides, obstacles, the location and control information may enable determining areas traveled by vehicles that are not included in conventional maps, as well as vehicle actions associated with particular locations, such as places where vehicles park or make other maneuvers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Ernest Canavor, Charles Edward Cartwright, Gur Kimchi, Brandon William Porter
  • Patent number: 11584008
    Abstract: A machine learning system builds and uses computer models for controlling robotic performance of a task. Such computer models may be first trained using feedback on computer simulations of the robotic system performing the task, and then refined using feedback on real-world trials of the robot performing the task. Some examples of the computer models can be trained to automatically evaluate robotic task performance and provide the feedback. This feedback can be used by a machine learning system, for example an evolution strategies system or reinforcement learning system, to generate and refine the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Beckman, Leonardo Ruggiero Bachega, Brandon William Porter, Benjamin Lev Snyder, Michael Vogelsong, Corrinne Yu
  • Patent number: 11380203
    Abstract: Recent location and control information received from “lead” vehicles that traveled over a segment of land, sea, or air is captured to inform, via aggregated data, subsequent “trailing” vehicles that travel over that same segment of land, sea, or air. The aggregated data may provide the trailing vehicles with annotated road information that identifies obstacles. In some embodiments, at least some sensor control data may be provided to the subsequent vehicles to assist those vehicles in identifying the obstacles and/or performing other tasks. Besides, obstacles, the location and control information may enable determining areas traveled by vehicles that are not included in conventional maps, as well as vehicle actions associated with particular locations, such as places where vehicles park or make other maneuvers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Ernest Canavor, Charles Edward Cartwright, Gur Kimchi, Brandon William Porter
  • Patent number: 11370559
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) expandable landing marker system may include a an expandable volume. The landing marker may be expanded prior to arrival of a UAV delivering an item to be received by the landing marker. The landing marker may be expanded by regulating an amount of fluid in the volume. An anchor may be coupled to the landing marker to restrain movement of the expanded landing marker. An optional retraction mechanism may retract the landing marker. The landing marker can be retracted with the deposited item, moving the item to a location for later retrieval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Christopher Curlander, Brandon William Porter, Paul Viola, Leon Robert Warman
  • Patent number: 11356337
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for tracking service requests are described. Embodiments may include call tree generation logic configured to receive multiple request identifiers associated with a respective one of multiple service requests. Each given request identifier may include an origin identifier, a depth value, and a request stack comprising one or more interaction identifiers. The call tree generation logic may also be configured to, based on multiple request identifiers that each include an origin identifier associated with a particular root request, generating a data structure that specifies a hierarchy of services called to fulfill that particular root request. Based on one or more of the interaction identifiers and one or more of the depth values, the generated data structure may specify for each given service of the hierarchy: a parent service that called the given service, and one or more child services called by the given service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff B. Beal, Alan Stuart Robbins, Jeromey R. Goetz, Brandon William Porter, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Joseph L. Ellsworth
  • Patent number: 11348579
    Abstract: A system incorporating volume activated communications. A system with local devices linked to a remote server that is capable of processing voice commands is capable of linking local devices in a communications link where the link is initiated upon high volume speech being detected by a receiving device. A target device is determined based on an estimated connection between users at the respective devices. Audio is then sent from the receiving device to the target device resulting in a communication link between the two devices, allowing communication between the users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William Alexander Strand, Brandon William Porter
  • Patent number: 11327953
    Abstract: Pattern based detection of data usage is facilitated using data injection. Data values are injected in one or more storage locations accessible to a plurality of services or included in service requests. Service interactions among the services are compared to a set of patterns. The set of patterns are configured to match the data values. By comparing the service interactions to the patterns, one or more of the service interactions are determined to include individual ones of the data values. Data are generated indicating a presence of the data values in the services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Arron McClintock, Brandon William Porter, Donghui Zhuo
  • Patent number: 11138654
    Abstract: Techniques described herein include systems and methods for throttling requests for content to reduce stress on a check out pipeline associated with an electronic marketplace thereby avoiding overstressing a server to the point of no longer processing requests from users. In embodiments, first information may be maintained that identifies a ranking for a plurality of items based on a score. A predicted velocity of content requests about the plurality of items may be maintained and second information about an actual velocity of content requests about the plurality of items may be received. In response to a request for content, a portion of items may be identified based on the scores associated with said portion and partition the portion into a number of groups or partitions based on the predicted velocity and the second information. A data object that comprises the portion of items associated with a partition may be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Akash Kayal, Michael James McInerny, Jane Mooney, Brandon William Porter, Darryl Havens, Donald Arthur Parsons, Robert Karl Beckmeyer, Luan Khai Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11084666
    Abstract: Hybrid sortation systems and methods may include a floor having a plurality of transfer locations, a plurality of container drive units or pods that may be positioned at respective transfer locations to receive packages, and a plurality of overdrive units that may travel over and sort packages to respective transfer locations. The overdrive units may be configured to travel over container drive units or pods, such that operations or movements of container drive units or pods may be substantially decoupled or independent from operations or movements of overdrive units. In this manner, sort density and throughput of such hybrid sortation systems may be increased, while also reducing congestion associated with operations or movements of robotic drive units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Victoria Eddy, Brandon William Porter, Stephen T. Campbell
  • Patent number: 10984663
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle are provided wherein influences of ground effects (e.g., which may increase the effective thrusts of propellers by interfering with the respective airflows) are utilized for sensing the ground or other surfaces. In various implementations, operating parameters of the automated aerial vehicle are monitored to determine when ground effects are influencing the parameters associated with the propellers, which correspondingly indicate proximities to a surface (e.g., the ground). Such ground effect sensing techniques may be utilized as a backup to other sensors (e.g., which may be determined to not be functioning properly and/or may be otherwise inhibited due factors such as to rain, snow, fog, reflections, bright sunlight, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Amir Navot, Brian C. Beckman, Daniel Buchmueller, Gur Kimchi, Fabian Hensel, Scott A. Green, Brandon William Porter, Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel Rault
  • Patent number: 10979415
    Abstract: Two unmanned vehicles come within communication range of one another. The unmanned vehicles exchange logs of messages each has received. Each of the unmanned vehicles analyzes the messages that it received from the other unmanned vehicle to determine whether any of the received messages warrants changing a set of tasks it was planning to perform. When a message indicates that a task should be changed, the task is updated accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Ernest Canavor, Varadarajan Gopalakrishnan, Jesper Mikael Johansson, Jon Arron McClintock, Brandon William Porter, Andrew Jay Roths
  • Publication number: 20200385134
    Abstract: The disclosure describes an automated aerial vehicle (AAV) and system for automatically detecting a contact or an imminent contact between a propeller of the AAV and an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal). When a contact or an imminent contact is detected, a safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the AAV. For example, if a contact with a propeller of the AAV by an object is detected, the rotation of the propeller may be stopped to avoid harming the object. Likewise, an object detection component may be used to detect an object that is nearing a propeller, stop the rotation of the propeller, and/or navigate the AAV away from the detected object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Brian C. Beckman, Amir Navot, Brandon William Porter, Gur Kimchi, Jeffrey P. Bezos, Frederik Schaffalitzky
  • Patent number: 10847041
    Abstract: Described is an airborne monitoring station (“AMS”) for use in monitoring a coverage area and/or unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”) positioned within a coverage area of the AMS. For example, the AMS may be an airship that remains at a high altitude (e.g., 45,000 feet) that monitors a coverage area that is within a line-of-sight of the AMS. As UAVs enter, navigate within and exit the coverage area, the AMS may wirelessly communicate with the UAVs, facilitate communication between the UAVs and one or more remote computing resources, and/or monitor a position of the UAVs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Amir Navot, Gur Kimchi, Brandon William Porter, Avi Bar-Zeev, Daniel Buchmueller
  • Patent number: 10836485
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will facilitate extended flight duration. The UAV may have any number of lifting motors. For example, the UAV may include four lifting motors (also known as a quad-copter), eight lifting motors (octo-copter), etc. Likewise, to improve the efficiency of horizontal flight, the UAV also includes a pushing motor and propeller assembly that is oriented at approximately ninety degrees to one or more of the lifting motors. When the UAV is moving horizontally, the pushing motor may be engaged and the pushing propeller will aid in the horizontal propulsion of the UAV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ricky Dean Welsh, Daniel Buchmueller, Fabian Thomas Hensel, Gur Kimchi, Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III, Brandon William Porter, Walker Chamberlain Robb, Joshua White Traube
  • Publication number: 20200358667
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for tracking service requests are described. Embodiments may include call tree generation logic configured to receive multiple request identifiers associated with a respective one of multiple service requests. Each given request identifier may include an origin identifier, a depth value, and a request stack comprising one or more interaction identifiers. The call tree generation logic may also be configured to, based on multiple request identifiers that each include an origin identifier associated with a particular root request, generating a data structure that specifies a hierarchy of services called to fulfill that particular root request. Based on one or more of the interaction identifiers and one or more of the depth values, the generated data structure may specify for each given service of the hierarchy: a parent service that called the given service, and one or more child services called by the given service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff B. Beal, Alan Stuart Robbins, Jeromey R. Goetz, Brandon William Porter, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister, Joseph L. Ellsworth
  • Patent number: 10800040
    Abstract: A machine learning system builds and uses computer models for controlling robotic performance of a task. Such computer models may be first trained using feedback on computer simulations of the robot performing the task, and then refined using feedback on real-world trials of the robot performing the task. Some examples of the computer models can be trained to automatically evaluate robotic task performance and provide the feedback. This feedback can be used by a machine learning system, for example an evolution strategies system or reinforcement learning system, to generate and refine the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Beckman, Leonardo Ruggiero Bachega, Brandon William Porter, Benjamin Lev Snyder, Michael Vogelsong, Corrinne Yu
  • Patent number: 10796322
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for implementing automated services capacity modeling using call tracing are disclosed. A plurality of demand drivers are determined based on trace data for service interactions between services in a service-oriented system. The demand drivers are determined to drive a generation of service calls to a particular service. A total call volume is determined to the particular service based on the external demand drivers. An optimized quantity of computing resources to provide the particular service is determined based on the total call volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Harsha Ramalingam, Anton Vladilenovich Goldberg, Daniel Wade Hitchcock, Michael James McInerny, Brandon William Porter
  • Patent number: 10792810
    Abstract: A machine learning system builds and uses computer models for controlling robotic performance of a task. Such computer models may be first trained using feedback on computer simulations of the robot performing the task, and then refined using feedback on real-world trials of the robot performing the task. Some examples of the computer models can be trained to automatically evaluate robotic task performance and provide the feedback. This feedback can be used by a machine learning system, for example an evolution strategies system or reinforcement learning system, to generate and refine the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian C. Beckman, Leonardo Ruggiero Bachega, Brandon William Porter, Benjamin Lev Snyder, Michael Vogelsong, Corrinne Yu