Patents by Inventor Daniel Buchmueller
Daniel Buchmueller 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).
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Publication number: 20240111284Abstract: Systems and methods for fleet management of remote driving systems may include a plurality of vehicles and a plurality of teleoperators. A fleet management system may receive a plurality of tasks, and may generate or optimize assignment or allocation of the plurality of tasks to various combinations of the vehicles and teleoperators. Because the teleoperators are decoupled from the vehicles, and because the teleoperators may be dynamically coupled to vehicles via network connections to remotely operate vehicles, performance of the plurality of tasks may be optimized to improve cost, time, and efficiency associated with fleet management of remote driving systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2022Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Volodymyr Bilonenko, Stanislav Borysov, Kiril Vuchkov, Daniel Buchmueller, Mariana Avezum, Thomas von der Ohe
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Patent number: 11926428Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 24, 2020Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Brian C. Beckman, Amir Navot, Brandon William Porter, Gur Kimchi, Jeffrey P. Bezos, Frederik Schaffalitzky
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Patent number: 11749125Abstract: This disclosure describes an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) configured to autonomously deliver items of inventory to various destinations. The UAV may receive inventory information and a destination location and autonomously retrieve the inventory from a location within a materials handling facility, compute a route from the materials handling facility to a destination and travel to the destination to deliver the inventory.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2021Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Daniel Buchmueller, Scott A. Green, Brian C. Beckman, Scott Isaacs, Amir Navot, Fabian Hensel, Avi Bar-Zeev, Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel Rault
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Patent number: 11603204Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. By modulating a rate of descent of a package, a package sway may mitigated. The lowering mechanism includes wrapping a tether in various directions around the package such that the package rotates in a first and second direction as the package descends. Additionally, a rip-strip lowering mechanism that separates under tension to lower the package and a rappel mechanism that slides the package down a tether may be used. Accordingly, the tether can control a descent of the package assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2020Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III, Lowell Timothy Neal, Scott Michael Wilcox
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Patent number: 11584533Abstract: This disclosure describes an unmanned aerial vehicle that may be configured during flight to optimize for agility or efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2019Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Daniel Buchmueller, Brian C. Beckman, Amir Navot
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Patent number: 11407511Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. A package sway may be monitored and mitigated by rapidly paying out a tether, when using a winch mechanism, to dissipate the energy of the sway as downward energy. Further, the UAV may navigate in the direction of the sway or reduce the altitude of the UAV to dissipate the energy of the sway. Open-loop and/or closed loop drop techniques may be utilized to lower a package from the UAV, and the package may be released in the air or on the ground.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2018Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III, Lowell Timothy Neal, Yves Christian Albers Schoenberg, Scott Michael Wilcox
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Patent number: 11338932Abstract: This disclosure describes an unmanned aerial vehicle that may be configured during flight to optimize for agility or efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Daniel Buchmueller, Brian C. Beckman, Amir Navot
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Patent number: 11262415Abstract: An illustrative battery charging device may identify a battery to be charged, and charge the identified battery using charge settings that are optimized for the identified battery. In some embodiments, the battery charging device may determine the optimized settings based on monitoring charging performance and discharge activities of the battery over time. The battery charging device may exchange data with a battery management service device, such as by exchanging battery health information, battery settings, and/or other data. The battery charging device may determine charge setting and times to charge a battery that is intended to power an unmanned aerial vehicle to complete a flight path.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Michael Bolotski, Daniel Buchmueller, Nathan Stuart Friendly, Fabian Hensel, Walker Chamberlain Robb, Joshua White Traube
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Publication number: 20220058965Abstract: This disclosure describes an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) configured to autonomously deliver items of inventory to various destinations. The UAV may receive inventory information and a destination location and autonomously retrieve the inventory from a location within a materials handling facility, compute a route from the materials handling facility to a destination and travel to the destination to deliver the inventory.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2021Publication date: February 24, 2022Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Daniel Buchmueller, Scott A. Green, Brian C. Beckman, Scott Isaacs, Amir Navot, Fabian Hensel, Avi Bar-Zeev, Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel Rault
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Patent number: 11195422Abstract: This disclosure describes an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) configured to autonomously deliver items of inventory to various destinations. The UAV may receive inventory information and a destination location and autonomously retrieve the inventory from a location within a materials handling facility, compute a route from the materials handling facility to a destination and travel to the destination to deliver the inventory.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gur Kimchi, Daniel Buchmueller, Scott A. Green, Brian C. Beckman, Scott Isaacs, Amir Navot, Fabian Hensel, Avi Bar-Zeev, Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel Rault
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Patent number: 10984663Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 29, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: 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
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Patent number: 10913549Abstract: Automated inspections of aerial vehicles may be performed using imaging devices, microphones or other sensors. Between phases of operation, the aerial vehicle may be instructed to perform a plurality of testing evolutions, e.g., in a sequence, at a testing facility, and data may be captured during the evolutions by sensors provided on the aerial vehicle and by ground-based sensors at the testing facility. The imaging and acoustic data may be processed to determine whether any vibrations or radiated noises during the evolutions are consistent with faults or discrepancies of the aerial vehicle such as microfractures, corrosions or fatigue. If no faults or discrepancies are detected, the aerial vehicle may be returned to service without delay. If any faults or discrepancies are detected, however, then the aerial vehicle may be subjected to maintenance, repairs or further manual or visual inspections.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Samuel Sperindeo
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Publication number: 20200385134Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Brian C. Beckman, Amir Navot, Brandon William Porter, Gur Kimchi, Jeffrey P. Bezos, Frederik Schaffalitzky
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Patent number: 10858103Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. By modulating a rate of descent of a package, a package sway may mitigated. The lowering mechanism includes wrapping a tether in various directions around the package such that the package rotates in a first and second direction as the package descends. Additionally, a rip-strip lowering mechanism that separates under tension to lower the package and a rappel mechanism that slides the package down a tether may be used. Accordingly, the tether can control a descent of the package assembly.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Louis LeRoi LeGrand, III, Lowell Timothy Neal, Scott Michael Wilcox
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Patent number: 10847041Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 20, 2017Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Amir Navot, Gur Kimchi, Brandon William Porter, Avi Bar-Zeev, Daniel Buchmueller
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Patent number: 10836485Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: 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
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Patent number: 10822081Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”) which fly to destinations (e.g., for delivering items) may land on transportation vehicles (e.g., delivery trucks, etc.) for temporary transport. An agreement with the owner of the transportation vehicles (e.g., a shipping carrier) may be made, and the associated transportation vehicles that are available for landings may be identified by markers on the roof or other identification techniques. Different types of communications may be provided as part of a landing process (e.g., a notification regarding a proposed landing may be sent including a request for a confirmation that the proposed landing is acceptable, etc.). The routes of the transportation vehicles may be known and utilized to determine locations where UAVs will land on and take off from the transportation vehicles.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2017Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Scott A. Green, Atishkumar Kalyan, Gur Kimchi
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Patent number: 10780988Abstract: 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) are described. A safety profile for the AAV may be selected based on various factors including a position or configuration of the AAV. When a contact or an imminent contact is detected, the selected 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: GrantFiled: September 19, 2014Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Brian C. Beckman, Amir Navot, Brandon William Porter, Gur Kimchi, Jeffrey P. Bezos, Frederik Schaffalitzky
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Patent number: 10771939Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for enabling orientation of directional antennas even when one or more of the directional antennas are moving. Position information for each directional antenna is transmitted using an omnidirectional antenna transmitting at a low bandwidth and a low power. The position information of the directional antennas is used to orient the directional antennas so that a high bandwidth, low power wireless connection can be enabled and/or maintained between the directional antennas. The position information is periodically transmitted and the orientation of the directional antennas is updated as one or more of the directional antennas move so that the wireless connection between the directional antennas is maintained.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, IncInventors: Daniel Buchmueller, Ronald Joseph Degges, Jr., Jin Dong Kim, Gur Kimchi, Sang Eun Lee, Subram Narasimhan, Koohyun Um
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Patent number: 10762797Abstract: This disclosure describes an automated aerial vehicle that includes one or more object detection elements configured to detect the presence of objects and an avoidance determining element configured to cause the automated aerial vehicle to automatically determine and execute an avoidance maneuver to avoid the objects. For example, an object may be detected and an avoidance maneuver determined based on a position of the object and an object vector representative of a direction and a magnitude of velocity of the object.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2017Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Amir Navot, Gur Kimchi, Brian C. Beckman, Frederik Schaffalitzky, Daniel Buchmueller, Robert John Anderson