Patents by Inventor Chad Ackerman

Chad Ackerman 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: 11480973
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes obtaining image data representing a set of images of a worksite captured by an image capture component of a mobile computing device, identifying a set of virtual markers associated with the set of images, each virtual marker having a corresponding position in one of the images, and determining, for each virtual marker, a set of coordinates in a coordinate system based on the corresponding position of the virtual marker. Based on the set of coordinates, boundary data is generated that represents a boundary on the worksite. The boundary data is communicated to a robotic mower for control of the robotic mower within an operating area defined based on the boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Chad A. Ackerman, Nathan Ogden, Brittany Sprabery, Blake Heltsley, Patrick Feltes, Aaron Trask, Mark D. Moran
  • Publication number: 20210378172
    Abstract: A user defines a boundary of a mowed area on an image of the mowed area, on a mobile device. An optimization algorithm operates on the bounded mowing area to identify a beacon configuration that identifies a location for each of a plurality of different beacons to be placed about the mowing area. The user can then be guided to the different beacon locations, in order to place a beacon at each of the different beacon locations, using an augmented reality system that provides user assistance on a camera view of the user's mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Chad A. Ackerman, Nathan Ogden, Mark D. Moran, Scott A. Stephens
  • Patent number: 10939606
    Abstract: A scouting system can include an autonomous ground vehicle having a perception sensor and a motion sensor to construct an occupancy grid referenced to a coordinate system of the autonomous ground vehicle. The autonomous ground vehicle is configured to use information from the occupancy grid to detect crop rows in a crop field. The autonomous ground vehicle is configured to identify and classify one or more non-crop plant in-lier objects arranged within the crop rows and generate an output signal received by an external vehicle to cause the external vehicle to perform a task when the one or more non-crop plant in-lier objects are identified within the crop rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Chad A. Ackerman, Scott A. Stephens, Dolly Wu, David S. Mercer, Mark A. Harris
  • Publication number: 20210018927
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes obtaining image data representing a set of images of a worksite captured by an image capture component of a mobile computing device, identifying a set of virtual markers associated with the set of images, each virtual marker having a corresponding position in one of the images, and determining, for each virtual marker, a set of coordinates in a coordinate system based on the corresponding position of the virtual marker. Based on the set of coordinates, boundary data is generated that represents a boundary on the worksite. The boundary data is communicated to a robotic mower for control of the robotic mower within an operating area defined based on the boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Chad A. Ackerman, Nathan Ogden, Brittany Sprabery, Blake Heltsley, Patrick Feltes, Aaron Trask, Mark D. Moran
  • Publication number: 20190082582
    Abstract: A scouting system can include an autonomous ground vehicle having a perception sensor and a motion sensor to construct an occupancy grid referenced to a coordinate system of the autonomous ground vehicle. The autonomous ground vehicle is configured to use information from the occupancy grid to detect crop rows in a crop field. The autonomous ground vehicle is configured to identify and classify one or more non-crop plant in-lier objects arranged within the crop rows and generate an output signal received by an external vehicle to cause the external vehicle to perform a task when the one or more non-crop plant in-lier objects are identified within the crop rows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: CHAD A. ACKERMAN, SCOTT A. STEPHENS, DOLLY WU, DAVID S. MERCER, MARK A. HARRIS
  • Patent number: 10165722
    Abstract: Embodiments include a ground scout having an ability to identify the location of rows of crops and the end of the rows so that it can navigate, but in other embodiments, the ground scout can also rely more on an aerial drone to navigate, to act as a communication relay system, and so on. A buddy system including a ground scout and an air scout (e.g. drone) communicate their findings with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Chad A. Ackerman, Scott A. Stephens, Dolly Y. Wu, Mark A. Harris, David S. Mercer
  • Publication number: 20180292983
    Abstract: Computer-implemented methods for mapping sensor tags of assets to input ports of an analytic process are disclosed. In an embodiment, a processor receives a selection by a user of an analytic process to run on a plurality of assets, automatically maps the analytic input ports of the selected analytic process to sensor tags of each of the plurality of assets that have matching tag names, and determines which analytic input ports have not been fully mapped. The processor then provides a map by asset option and a map by tag option to the user device, receives a selection of the map by asset option, provides an unmapped assets list including at least one asset that is not fully mapped and a list of tag alias names, and then receives a selection from the user device of an asset from the unmapped assets list along with selections of tag alias names mapped to the unmapped analytic input ports of the selected analytic process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Raneath Omega NOR, Chandra PINJALA, Chad ACKERMAN, Alok GUPTA, Yogini PARKHI, Fred SCHULTS, Ashley FERGUSON
  • Publication number: 20160157414
    Abstract: Embodiments include a ground scout having an ability to identify the location of rows of crops and the end of the rows so that it can navigate, but in other embodiments, the ground scout can also rely more on an aerial drone to navigate, to act as a communication relay system, and so on. A buddy system including a ground scout and an air scout (e.g. drone) communicate their findings with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Chad A. Ackerman, Scott A. Stephens, Dolly Y. Wu, Mark A. Harris, David S. Mercer
  • Publication number: 20060293856
    Abstract: A sensing system collects position data associated with one or more obstacles within a certain range of a vehicle. A former establishes an occupancy grid based on the collected position data. A motion monitoring module determines a reaction distance and a deceleration distance associated with a vehicle at a regular time interval during an operational state. A safety guidance module establishes a safety zone (e.g., safety zone grid) for the regular time interval based on the occupancy grid, the determined reaction distance, and the deceleration distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Alex Foessel, Eric Derbez, Chad Ackerman, Stewart Moorehead, Scott Stephens, Jeffrey Puhalla