Patents by Inventor Erich L. Foster

Erich L. Foster 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: 20250230023
    Abstract: A robotic vehicle comprising a chassis and a manipulatable payload engagement portion, at least one sensor configured to acquire real-time sensor data, a pose validation system comprising computer program code executable by at least one processor to evaluate the sensor data to: determine if a goal pose of the robotic vehicle will result in a collision with infrastructure upon which the object is located when the engagement portion engages the object. If a potential collision is detected, the pose validation system can generate a signal to adjust the robotic vehicle's pose to avoid the collision. A corresponding method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Inventors: Benjamin G. Schmidt, Erich L. Foster
  • Publication number: 20250214817
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the inventive concepts, provided is a robotic vehicle comprising at least one processor in communication with at least one computer memory device, a navigation system operatively controlling a drive system to navigate the mobile robot along a predetermined path, at least one sensor configured to acquire real-time sensor data, and a dynamic path adjust system comprising computer program code executable by the at least one processor to cause the navigation system to at least partially and/or temporarily deviate from a current path by generating a dynamically determined path or path segment based on the real-time sensor data and/or an indication in the current path to switch to dynamic path adjust. The robotic vehicle can be configured to switch path to a current and/or original path after executing a dynamically determined path adjustment. A corresponding method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Inventors: Nicholas Melchior, Iva Jestrovic, Tom Panzarella, John Spletzer, William Robert Ganucheau, JR., Erich L. Foster
  • Publication number: 20250199145
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a light-curtain system of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) is provided. The method includes providing a scanner set at a height above a ground surface and outputting a laser scanning beam downwardly reflect from at least one mirror; providing and/or determining initial mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height; calculating a lidar height from scanner data; determining a gradient vector as a byproduct of the lidar height calculating; adjusting mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height in a direction opposite of the gradient vector; assessing of the adjusted mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height are equal to or less than thresholds; and if so, storing the mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height and/or values representing a ground plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2025
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Inventor: Erich L. Foster
  • Patent number: 12292535
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a light-curtain system of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) is provided. The method includes providing a scanner set at a height above a ground surface and outputting a laser scanning beam downwardly reflect from at least one mirror; providing and/or determining initial mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height; calculating a lidar height from scanner data; determining a gradient vector as a byproduct of the lidar height calculating; adjusting mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height in a direction opposite of the gradient vector; assessing of the adjusted mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height are equal to or less than thresholds; and if so, storing the mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height and/or values representing a ground plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: SEEGRID CORPORATION
    Inventor: Erich L. Foster
  • Publication number: 20240151837
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a light-curtain system of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) is provided. The method includes providing a scanner set at a height above a ground surface and outputting a laser scanning beam downwardly reflect from at least one mirror; providing and/or determining initial mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height; calculating a lidar height from scanner data; determining a gradient vector as a byproduct of the lidar height calculating; adjusting mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height in a direction opposite of the gradient vector; assessing of the adjusted mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height are equal to or less than thresholds; and if so, storing the mirror angles, mirror positions, and lidar height and/or values representing a ground plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventor: Erich L. Foster