Patents by Inventor Joshua Craig Friell

Joshua Craig Friell 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: 12239055
    Abstract: A ground surface treatment vehicle and systems and methods using the same. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be adapted to autonomously or semi-autonomously identify and optionally treat target areas such as divots on turf surfaces. The vehicle may identify the target area via onboard or remote sensors and autonomously treat the target area by providing a treating material such as infill, seed, particulate matter, and liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: THE TORO COMPANY
    Inventors: Joshua Craig Friell, Jackie R. Gust, Alexander Steven Frick
  • Publication number: 20230292680
    Abstract: A ground surface treatment vehicle and systems and methods using the same. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be adapted to autonomously or semi-autonomously identify and optionally treat target areas such as divots on turf surfaces. The vehicle may identify the target area via onboard or remote sensors and autonomously treat the target area by providing a treating material such as infill, seed, particulate matter, and liquids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Joshua Craig Friell, Jackie R. Gust, Alexander Steven Frick
  • Publication number: 20230263110
    Abstract: Turf management systems and methods to manage turf in a work region divided into a plurality of zones. Multiple sets of zone sensor data are associated with a different zone and monitored. A set of zone sensor data is provided as an input to a predictive turf model for each zone and an estimated turf condition is determined for each zone based on an output of the predictive turf model. Further, a recommended action (or no action) is generated based on the estimated turf condition. The recommended action (or no action) may be generated by a suggestion model. Either of the predictive turf model or the suggestion model can be updated based on measured/observed turf condition compared to desired turf condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Joshua Craig Friell, Terry Michael Olkin
  • Patent number: 11696535
    Abstract: An autonomous ground maintenance system comprising a vehicle comprising a chassis supported upon a ground surface by ground support members, a container supported by the chassis, the container defining a discharge outlet operable to disperse treating material held within the container to a target area of the ground surface, a gate adapted to selectively open and close the discharge outlet, a sensor adapted to identify the target area, and an electronic controller supported by the chassis, the controller being in communication with the sensor and the gate. The controller is adapted to position the chassis at a location proximate the target area such that the discharge outlet is capable of delivering the treating material to the target area and energize the gate to open the discharge outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: THE TORO COMPANY
    Inventors: Joshua Craig Friell, Jackie R Gust, Alexander Steven Frick
  • Publication number: 20210368696
    Abstract: An autonomous ground maintenance system comprising a vehicle comprising a chassis supported upon a ground surface by ground support members, a container supported by the chassis, the container defining a discharge outlet operable to disperse treating material held within the container to a target area of the ground surface, a gate adapted to selectively open and close the discharge outlet, a sensor adapted to identify the target area, and an electronic controller supported by the chassis, the controller being in communication with the sensor and the gate. The controller is adapted to position the chassis at a location proximate the target area such that the discharge outlet is capable of delivering the treating material to the target area and energize the gate to open the discharge outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua Craig Friell, Jackie R Gust, Alexander Steven Frick