Patents by Inventor Joel Chestnutt

Joel Chestnutt 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: 11927961
    Abstract: A method for constraining robot autonomy language includes receiving a navigation command to navigate a robot to a mission destination within an environment of the robot and generating a route specification for navigating the robot from a current location in the environment to the mission destination in the environment. The route specification includes a series of route segments. Each route segment in the series of route segments includes a goal region for the corresponding route segment and a constraint region encompassing the goal region. The constraint region establishes boundaries for the robot to remain within while traversing toward the goal region. The route segment also includes an initial path for the robot to follow while traversing the corresponding route segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gina Fay, Joel Chestnutt, Marco da Silva, Alfred Anthony Rizzi
  • Publication number: 20230418305
    Abstract: One disclosed method involves at least one application controlling navigation of a robot through an environment based at least in part on a topological map, the topological map including at least a first waypoint, a second waypoint, and a first edge representing a first path between the first waypoint and the second waypoint. The at least one application determines that the topological map includes at least one feature that identifies a first service that is configured to control the robot to perform at least one operation, and instructs the first service to perform the at least one operation as the robot travels along at least a portion of the first path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Chestnutt, Rick Shanor
  • Publication number: 20230359220
    Abstract: A robot includes a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about an environment and data processing hardware in communication with memory hardware and the drive system. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include receiving image data of the robot maneuvering in the environment and executing at least one waypoint heuristic. The at least one waypoint heuristic is configured to trigger a waypoint placement on a waypoint map. In response to the at least one waypoint heuristic triggering the waypoint placement, the operations include recording a waypoint on the waypoint map where the waypoint is associated with at least one waypoint edge and includes sensor data obtained by the robot. The at least one waypoint edge includes a pose transform expressing how to move between two waypoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Dom Jonak, Marco da Silva, Joel Chestnutt, Matt Klingensmith
  • Publication number: 20230321830
    Abstract: A method includes receiving sensor data of an environment about a robot and generating a plurality of waypoints and a plurality of edges each connecting a pair of the waypoints. The method includes receiving a target destination for the robot to navigate to and determining a route specification based on waypoints and corresponding edges for the robot to follow for navigating the robot to the target destination selected from waypoints and edges previously generated. For each waypoint, the method includes generating a goal region encompassing the corresponding waypoint and generating at least one constraint region encompassing a goal region. The at least one constraint region establishes boundaries for the robot to remain within while traversing toward the target destination. The method includes navigating the robot to the target destination by traversing the robot through each goal region while maintaining the robot within the at least one constraint region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Joel Chestnutt, Gina Fay
  • Patent number: 11747825
    Abstract: A robot includes a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about an environment and data processing hardware in communication with memory hardware and the drive system. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include receiving image data of the robot maneuvering in the environment and executing at least one waypoint heuristic. The at least one waypoint heuristic is configured to trigger a waypoint placement on a waypoint map. In response to the at least one waypoint heuristic triggering the waypoint placement, the operations include recording a waypoint on the waypoint map where the waypoint is associated with at least one waypoint edge and includes sensor data obtained by the robot. The at least one waypoint edge includes a pose transform expressing how to move between two waypoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dom Jonak, Marco da Silva, Joel Chestnutt, Matt Klingensmith
  • Patent number: 11712802
    Abstract: A method includes receiving sensor data of an environment about a robot and generating a plurality of waypoints and a plurality of edges each connecting a pair of the waypoints. The method includes receiving a target destination for the robot to navigate to and determining a route specification based on waypoints and corresponding edges for the robot to follow for navigating the robot to the target destination selected from waypoints and edges previously generated. For each waypoint, the method includes generating a goal region encompassing the corresponding waypoint and generating at least one constraint region encompassing a goal region. The at least one constraint region establishes boundaries for the robot to remain within while traversing toward the target destination. The method includes navigating the robot to the target destination by traversing the robot through each goal region while maintaining the robot within the at least one constraint region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Chestnutt, Gina Fay
  • Patent number: 11656630
    Abstract: A robot includes a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about an environment and data processing hardware in communication with memory hardware and the drive system. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include receiving image data of the robot maneuvering in the environment and executing at least one waypoint heuristic. The at least one waypoint heuristic is configured to trigger a waypoint placement on a waypoint map. In response to the at least one waypoint heuristic triggering the waypoint placement, the operations include recording a waypoint on the waypoint map where the waypoint is associated with at least one waypoint edge and includes sensor data obtained by the robot. The at least one waypoint edge includes a pose transform expressing how to move between two waypoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dom Jonak, Marco da Silva, Joel Chestnutt, Matt Klingensmith
  • Publication number: 20210323153
    Abstract: A method includes receiving sensor data of an environment about a robot and generating a plurality of waypoints and a plurality of edges each connecting a pair of the waypoints. The method includes receiving a target destination for the robot to navigate to and determining a route specification based on waypoints and corresponding edges for the robot to follow for navigating the robot to the target destination selected from waypoints and edges previously generated. For each waypoint, the method includes generating a goal region encompassing the corresponding waypoint and generating at least one constraint region encompassing a goal region. The at least one constraint region establishes boundaries for the robot to remain within while traversing toward the target destination. The method includes navigating the robot to the target destination by traversing the robot through each goal region while maintaining the robot within the at least one constraint region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc,
    Inventors: Joel Chestnutt, Gina Fay
  • Publication number: 20210325893
    Abstract: A method for constraining robot autonomy language includes receiving a navigation command to navigate a robot to a mission destination within an environment of the robot and generating a route specification for navigating the robot from a current location in the environment to the mission destination in the environment. The route specification includes a series of route segments. Each route segment in the series of route segments includes a goal region for the corresponding route segment and a constraint region encompassing the goal region. The constraint region establishes boundaries for the robot to remain within while traversing toward the goal region. The route segment also includes an initial path for the robot to follow while traversing the corresponding route segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Gina Fay, Joel Chestnutt, Marco da Silva, Alfred Anthony Rizzi
  • Publication number: 20210141389
    Abstract: A robot includes a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about an environment and data processing hardware in communication with memory hardware and the drive system. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include receiving image data of the robot maneuvering in the environment and executing at least one waypoint heuristic. The at least one waypoint heuristic is configured to trigger a waypoint placement on a waypoint map. In response to the at least one waypoint heuristic triggering the waypoint placement, the operations include recording a waypoint on the waypoint map where the waypoint is associated with at least one waypoint edge and includes sensor data obtained by the robot. The at least one waypoint edge includes a pose transform expressing how to move between two waypoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dom Jonak, Marco da Silva, Joel Chestnutt, Matt Klingensmith
  • Publication number: 20200117214
    Abstract: A robot includes a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about an environment and data processing hardware in communication with memory hardware and the drive system. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations include receiving image data of the robot maneuvering in the environment and executing at least one waypoint heuristic. The at least one waypoint heuristic is configured to trigger a waypoint placement on a waypoint map. In response to the at least one waypoint heuristic triggering the waypoint placement, the operations include recording a waypoint on the waypoint map where the waypoint is associated with at least one waypoint edge and includes sensor data obtained by the robot. The at least one waypoint edge includes a pose transform expressing how to move between two waypoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dom Jonak, Marco da Silva, Joel Chestnutt, Matt Klingensmith