Patents by Inventor Jonathan McQueen

Jonathan McQueen 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: 11643279
    Abstract: An autonomous robot with a modular conveyor belt moves materials in a warehouse or other industrial environment. Example embodiments may include systems and methods for autonomous robots with conveyor systems. An example method may include detecting, by an autonomous cart, an unloading station, moving to a position at or near the unloading station, and determining, using a first load cell, a first position of a first item on a conveyor belt of the autonomous cart. Some methods may include determining a length of time for which to actuate the conveyor belt based at least in part on the first position, and causing the conveyor belt to unload the first item from the autonomous cart by actuating the conveyor belt for the length of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny Sekich, Karl McDowall, Joshua Bavari, Jonathan McQueen, Phillip Walkemeyer
  • Patent number: 11433702
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for holonomic drivetrain modules for mobile robots. In one embodiment, an example mobile robot may include a chassis, and a holonomic drivetrain module removably coupled to the chassis. The holonomic drivetrain module may include a first drive wheel having a caster angle of substantially zero, a first bearing block assembly vertically aligned with the first drive wheel, and a first steer motor coupled to the first bearing block assembly and vertically aligned with the first drive wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Sekich, Phillip Walkemeyer, Jacob Blacksberg, Jonathan McQueen, Nima Keivan
  • Patent number: 11235818
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for universal anchor points for mobile robots. In one embodiment, an example mobile robot may include a chassis, a removable assembly comprising a support member, and a first anchor point coupled to the chassis. The first anchor point may be configured to anchor the support member to the chassis. The first anchor point may be configured to be coupled to support members of different diameters or widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: A9.com
    Inventors: Phillip Walkemeyer, Daniel Sekich, Jacob Blacksberg, Jonathan Mcqueen
  • Patent number: 11086328
    Abstract: An autonomous cart moves products and materials in an industrial environment. It is different from conventional carts because it can navigate autonomously indoors or outdoors in dynamic environments where things change frequently. This autonomous cart uses state-of-the-art “dense” visual perception giving it unequalled and continuous awareness of its surroundings. With this it can operate at a cost, speed, level of safety and efficiency that has never been possible before. This robotic cart makes factories and warehouses more efficient and safer. It enables the movement of smaller batches of material more frequently, reduces the need for expensive conveyor systems, and helps eliminate dangerous and polluting fork trucks from indoor environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: A9.COM, INC.
    Inventors: Nima Keivan, Juan Falquez, Andrew E. Hoffman, Jonathan McQueen
  • Patent number: 10793369
    Abstract: An autonomous robot with a modular conveyor belt moves materials in a warehouse or other industrial environment. Its load cells detect items on its conveyor belt and its cameras detect loading stations with stationary conveyor belts throughout the warehouse. It guides itself to a loading station using visual cues until it is close enough to load or unload items from its conveyor belt. The cart orients itself relative to the stationary conveyor belt based on the conveyor belt's direction of motion and tracks its position using wheel or visual odometry. It unloads by running the conveyor belt, which may be about 1.5 m long, at a speed of about 1 m/s for about 2 seconds. For loading, the cart detects an item on a stationary conveyor belt using a camera, positions itself next to the stationary conveyor belt, then triggers the stationary conveyor belt and its own conveyor belt to load the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny Sekich, Karl McDowall, Joshua Bavari, Jonathan McQueen, Phillip Walkemeyer
  • Publication number: 20190367099
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for universal anchor points for mobile robots. In one embodiment, an example mobile robot may include a chassis, a removable assembly comprising a support member, and a first anchor point coupled to the chassis. The first anchor point may be configured to anchor the support member to the chassis. The first anchor point may be configured to be coupled to support members of different diameters or widths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip WALKEMEYER, Daniel SEKICH, Jacob BLACKSBERG, Jonathan MCQUEEN
  • Publication number: 20190179329
    Abstract: An autonomous cart moves products and materials in an industrial environment. It is different from conventional carts because it can navigate autonomously indoors or outdoors in dynamic environments where things change frequently. This autonomous cart uses state-of-the-art “dense” visual perception giving it unequalled and continuous awareness of its surroundings. With this it can operate at a cost, speed, level of safety and efficiency that has never been possible before. This robotic cart makes factories and warehouses more efficient and safer. It enables the movement of smaller batches of material more frequently, reduces the need for expensive conveyor systems, and helps eliminate dangerous and polluting fork trucks from indoor environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Nima Keivan, Juan Falquez, Andrew E. Hoffman, Jonathan McQueen
  • Publication number: 20190135551
    Abstract: An autonomous robot with a modular conveyor belt moves materials in a warehouse or other industrial environment. Its load cells detect items on its conveyor belt and its cameras detect loading stations with stationary conveyor belts throughout the warehouse. It guides itself to a loading station using visual cues until it is close enough to load or unload items from its conveyor belt. The cart orients itself relative to the stationary conveyor belt based on the conveyor belt's direction of motion and tracks its position using wheel or visual odometry. It unloads by running the conveyor belt, which may be about 1.5 m long, at a speed of about 1 m/s for about 2 seconds. For loading, the cart detects an item on a stationary conveyor belt using a camera, positions itself next to the stationary conveyor belt, then triggers the stationary conveyor belt and its own conveyor belt to load the item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Danny Sekich, Karl McDowall, Joshua Bavari, Jonathan McQueen, Phillip Walkemeyer
  • Patent number: 9964955
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods of use pertaining to a visual mapping and transportation management system for determining a location of a user and directing a vehicle to the user's location. Embodiments include a navigation application installed upon a user's mobile computing device and configured to transmit a user image from the device to an image-matching server storing a map composed of keyframes, each having a stored image, a known geometric pose, and numerous extracted interest features. The server also includes a processor configured to extract interest features from the user image, compare the interest features between the user image and the stored images, identify common interest features between the two, and based on the common interest features and known geometric poses of the stored images, determine a global geometric pose of the user image before directing the vehicle to the user's location. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Canvas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Nima Keivan, Juan Falquez, Jonathan McQueen
  • Publication number: 20180039276
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods of use pertaining to a visual mapping and transportation management system for determining a location of a user and directing a vehicle to the user's location. Embodiments include a navigation application installed upon a user's mobile computing device and configured to transmit a user image from the device to an image-matching server storing a map composed of keyframes, each having a stored image, a known geometric pose, and numerous extracted interest features. The server also includes a processor configured to extract interest features from the user image, compare the interest features between the user image and the stored images, identify common interest features between the two, and based on the common interest features and known geometric poses of the stored images, determine a global geometric pose of the user image before directing the vehicle to the user's location. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Nima Keivan, Juan Falquez, Jonathan McQueen