Patents by Inventor Joseph Putney

Joseph Putney 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: 20250177593
    Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomous and safe sterilization, sanitizing, and cleaning, such as automatic sanitizing in autonomous vehicles and modification of autonomous sanitizing and access control upon human presence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2025
    Publication date: June 5, 2025
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Joseph Putney, William Becker, Steve Rotundo, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Patent number: 12233179
    Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomous sterilization of vehicles includes coded logic or processing instructions to determine (i) when sterilization should occur (or not occur), (ii) where sterilization should occur (or not occur), and/or (iii) how sterilization should occur (e.g., which method to use, how long to conduct, and/or which parameter values/settings to employ). The sterilization system may autonomously determine when it is safe to sterilize an environment/location and/or how such sterilization should be carried out. Autonomous sterilization systems and/or processes described herein may permit facilities and/or services to remain open and/or available at higher rates than current offline processes permit, thereby increasing availability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Robotic Research OpCo, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Joseph Putney, William Becker, Steve Rotundo, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Publication number: 20250036131
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remote control of one or more autonomous vehicles by a human operator are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Publication date: January 30, 2025
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Rashmi Patel, Joseph Putney, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Publication number: 20250028057
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selective and/or opportunistic GNSS/GPS navigation that actively mask or filter satellite signals based on identified “clear sky” or “obstructed sky” regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Ray Wilhelm, Tanner Ray
  • Publication number: 20240378994
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatic and efficient intersection traffic control for autonomous or semi-autonomous ground vehicles. In accordance with some embodiments, the systems and methods comprise a centralized controller associated with an intersection that comprises a sensor for detecting data corresponding to ground vehicles approaching the intersection and a controller for generating and transmitting an instruction to at least one of the ground vehicles approaching the intersection, the instruction for causing the at least one vehicle to adjust at least one of its speed and path in order to avoid a collision with another of the ground vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Joseph Putney, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Patent number: 12123955
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selective and/or opportunistic GNSS/GPS navigation that actively mask or filter satellite signals based on identified “clear sky” or “obstructed sky” regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Robotic Research OpCo, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Ray Wilhelm, Tanner Ray
  • Publication number: 20240274015
    Abstract: A module for a leader vehicle of a convoy can have a suite of sensors, a communication system, and a controller. The sensor suite can have at least one feature sensor that detects features and/or terrain in an environment and at least one location sensor that determines a location of the leader vehicle. Via the sensor suite, the controller can detect features as the leader vehicle travels along a route through the environment as well as the route of the leader vehicle. The controller can build a map for at least part of the environment with the detected route therethrough. Data indicative of the map and the detected route can then be transmitted to one or more follower vehicles. In some embodiments, the leader vehicle is manually driven while the follower vehicles operate autonomously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Joseph PUTNEY, Alberto LACAZE, Edward MOTTERN, Anne SCHNEIDER, Karl MURPHY
  • Publication number: 20220397680
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selective and/or opportunistic GNSS/GPS navigation that actively mask or filter satellite signals based on identified “clear sky” or “obstructed sky” regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Ray Wilhelm, Tanner Ray
  • Patent number: 11194347
    Abstract: A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Robotic Research, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Anne Rachel Schneider
  • Patent number: 11188100
    Abstract: A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Robotic Research, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Anne Rachel Schneider
  • Publication number: 20210322613
    Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomous and safe sterilization, sanitizing, and cleaning, such as automatic sanitizing in autonomous vehicles and modification of autonomous sanitizing and access control upon human presence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Joseph Putney, William Becker, Steve Rotundo, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Patent number: 10624802
    Abstract: A system allowing a wheelchair bound user to embark and disembark a vehicle without assistance. The user requests entry into the vehicle. The vehicle is manually or autonomously driven into a safe position for ingress. The vehicle checks if the area is clear to open the door. The vehicle autonomously opens the door. The vehicle verifies the person is wheelchair bound. If the passenger is wheelchair bound, then: the vehicle verifies if the area is clear to deploy an inclined ramp or lift. The vehicle deploys the inclined ramp or lift. The vehicle waits until the user is on top of the lift and starts lifting the wheelchair bound person. The vehicle waits until the user at the correct height and transitions from the lift/ramp into the securement station inside of the vehicle. The vehicle verifies that the wheelchair is properly positioned for securement. The vehicle secures the wheel chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, John Keyser
  • Publication number: 20200055524
    Abstract: The system and method for verifying that a self-driving vehicle follows traffic ordinances disclosed herein may comprise, at least, a communication protocol between the system and the autonomous vehicle, a module for processing such communications and mapping them into vehicle safety analyses, a database of historical reports related to the vehicle, and a module for generating vehicle safety reports and alerts. Self-driving vehicles will need to be tested when they are first introduced, as well as on a continuing basis in order to verify that the system and sensors have not degraded to a point where the vehicle no longer complies with safety regulations. The presented invention assesses the safety of a self-driving vehicle and its autonomous system by evaluating the activities of the system against known or expected reactions and behaviors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Alberto Lacaze, Karl Murphy, Joseph Putney, Paige Junghans, Rashmi Patel
  • Publication number: 20190258276
    Abstract: A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Anne Rachel Schneider
  • Patent number: 10324476
    Abstract: A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Robotic Research, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Anne Rachel Schneider
  • Publication number: 20190023902
    Abstract: A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Anne Rachel Scheider
  • Publication number: 20190023903
    Abstract: A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Anne Rachel Schneider
  • Publication number: 20180311085
    Abstract: A system allowing a wheelchair bound user to embark and disembark a vehicle without assistance. The user requests entry into the vehicle. The vehicle is manually or autonomously driven into a safe position for ingress. The vehicle checks if the area is clear to open the door. The vehicle autonomously opens the door. The vehicle verifies the person is wheelchair bound. If the passenger is wheelchair bound, then: the vehicle verifies if the area is clear to deploy an inclined ramp or lift. The vehicle deploys the inclined ramp or lift. The vehicle waits until the user is on top of the lift and starts lifting the wheelchair bound person. The vehicle waits until the user at the correct height and transitions from the lift/ramp into the securement station inside of the vehicle. The vehicle verifies that the wheelchair is properly positioned for securement. The vehicle secures the wheel chair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, John Keyser
  • Publication number: 20160114487
    Abstract: A system for localizing a swarm of robotic platforms utilizing ranging sensors. The swarm is localized by purposely leaving some of the platforms of the swarm stationary, providing localization to the moving ones. The platforms in the swarm can alternate between a stationary and moving state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy, Joseph Putney, Anne Rachel Schneider
  • Publication number: 20040140637
    Abstract: An emergency ski brake system located above and to the side and acting in the close vicinity of the pivot point of the runner of a ski vehicle. The preferred embodiment has one or more protruding braking members on each ski that when released by a latching mechanism, rotate forward helically around the outside edge of the runner to substantially engage the terrain more so than does the bottom surface of the runner. The protruding member may take the form of a blade or spike, prong or other single, plural, smooth or toothed members that extend around and under the ski to stab 1-6 inches into the terrain provided that the mechanism and attached protruding member is located alongside and perpendicular to the pivot point of the runner and actuates in a forward, helical rotation in relation to the direction of the runner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Travis Cook, Joseph Putney