Patents by Inventor Kevin Andrews

Kevin Andrews 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: 20230263574
    Abstract: A proximity detection system allows monitoring of proximity between the end effectors of first and second independent robotic manipulators. Imagers are circumferentially positioned around the end effector of at least one of the robotic manipulators. Image data from the imagers is analyzed to determine proximity between the end effectors. When determined proximity falls below a defined threshold, the system issues an alert to the user or slows/suspends manipulator motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew Robert Penny, Tal Nir, Anthony Fernando
  • Patent number: 11730556
    Abstract: A robotic system assembly comprises a robotic manipulator including an actuator assembly and a surgical instrument having a base body mountable to the actuator assembly. The base includes a first control input and a second control input, wherein the first and second control inputs are positioned on different sides of the base. The actuator assembly is moveable between open and closed positions to facilitate removal and replacement of surgical instruments. When in the closed positions, drive elements of the actuator assembly are positioned to drive the first and second control inputs of the surgical instrument to cause end effector movement or actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Paul Wilhelm Schnur
  • Publication number: 20230245295
    Abstract: An inspection-plan based inspection method includes receiving data characterizing an inspection plan associated with inspection of one or more nodes in an inspection site by an inspection device. A first step of the inspection plan includes a first set of operating parameters of the inspection device associated with the inspection of a first node of the one or more nodes and a first set of constraints associated with one or more inspection criteria at the first node by the inspection device. The method also includes generating a first control signal configured to instruct the inspection device to inspect the first node of the one or more nodes. The first control signal is based on one or more of the first set of operating parameters and a user input. The method further includes receiving data characterizing the inspection measurement of the first node by the inspection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventor: Kevin Andrew Coombs
  • Patent number: 11704607
    Abstract: A computer-implemented position-centric personnel modeling apparatus, system, and method may be provided. A nodal hierarchy may be created to correlate with the personnel structure of a business enterprise, wherein each node may be a cyberspace representation of an individual within the personnel structure of the business enterprise. Attributes correlating to individual personnel in the business enterprise may be mapped to a respective node. Objectives may subsequently be tasked within the model and the nodal hierarchy may be rearranged based on the results. Results from the model may optionally be reflected by a business enterprise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Inventor: Kevin Andrew Deibler
  • Publication number: 20230210606
    Abstract: An position sensor such as an IMU is removably positioned on a patient bed used to support a patient during a robotic surgical procedure in which a robotic manipulator is used to manipulate a surgical instrument. When the bed is moved during the course of surgery, signals corresponding to a sensed changed in the bed's position are received by a processor, which causes a corresponding repositioning of the robotic manipulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Alexander John Maret, Matthew Robert Penny, Anthony Fernando
  • Patent number: 11690677
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system includes an eye gaze sensing system in conjunction with a visual display of a camera image from a surgical work site. Detected gaze of a surgeon towards the display is used as input to the system. This input may be used by the system to assign an instrument to a control input device (when the user is prompted to look at the instrument), or it may be used as input to a computer vision algorithm to aid in object differentiation and seeding information, facilitating identification/differentiation of instruments, anatomical features or regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Patent number: 11694002
    Abstract: A method for generating a representation of a three-dimensional protective device includes accessing a scan of anatomical data of a target and identifying a reference model of a closest size or proportion to a size or proportion of the target. The method further includes creating a boundary of a three-dimensional protective device using the reference model and the scan of anatomical data of the target. Additionally, the method includes generating a representation of a continuous, three-dimensional surface of the three-dimensional protective device that corresponds to the scan of anatomical data and the reference model within the boundary of the three-dimensional protective device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: PROTECT3D, INC.
    Inventors: Clark Harrison Bulleit, Kevin Andrew Gehsmann, Timothy John Skapek, Kiegan Lenihan
  • Patent number: 11690688
    Abstract: A robotic system assembly comprises a robotic manipulator including an actuator assembly and a surgical instrument having a base body mountable to the actuator assembly. The base includes a first control input and a second control input, wherein the first and second control inputs are positioned on different sides of the base. The actuator assembly is moveable between open and closed positions to facilitate removal and replacement of surgical instruments. When in the closed positions, drive elements of the actuator assembly are positioned to drive the first and second control inputs of the surgical instrument to cause end effector movement or actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Paul Wilhelm Schnur
  • Patent number: 11679404
    Abstract: A spray wand for use with a chemical or chemical formulation in solid form. The spray wand has a spray wand body having a hollow tube with an angled wand spray end, a spray end selector attached to the angled wand spray end, a wand hose end screen inserted into or otherwise attached to the hollow tube of the spray wand body, and a wand hose end connected to the spray wand body. The wand hose end has a wand hose end valve for control of water flow from a hose. A refill cartridge having a swirl chamber may be attached to the hollow tube. The refill cartridge has external channels or grooves on its external surface as a water rinse feature for the spray wand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: W.M. BARR & COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Kavchok, Matthew Michael Petkus, Alana Byrd, Rachel Ann Farmer
  • Patent number: 11673752
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a dispenser vane comprising a flexible outer surface and a plurality of flexible teeth arranged along the length of the outer surface. The flexible outer surface and flexible teeth are radially moveable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: 6D Bytes Inc.
    Inventors: Vipin Jain, Venkateswaran Ayalur, Vijayasimha Doddabalapur, Kevin Andrew Marshall, Jessica Pei-Sheng Murphy
  • Patent number: 11667051
    Abstract: Punch assembly that enable selective securement and release of punch tips to a punch body (or holder) of the assemblies, wherein various retain/release systems can be used with the punch body, specifically relative to triggering mechanisms of such systems and their functioning and use with ancillary components relative to securing and releasing the punch tip, without adversely affecting long-term efficiency and effectiveness of the assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Wilson Tool International Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Morehead, Anthony David Schwartz, Kevin Andrew Johnston
  • Patent number: 11667846
    Abstract: Embodiments of a flame retardant compound are provided. The flame retardant compound includes a polymer base resin and a flame retardant additive distributed within the polymer base resin. The flame retardant additive includes inclusion complexes that are made of at least one guest molecule and at least one carbonific host molecule. The at least one guest molecules is a polyoxometalate ionic liquid. The flame retardant compound achieves a limiting oxygen index of at least 25% according to ISO 4589. Additionally, embodiments of a flame retardant cable are provided that utilize the flame retardant compound as a jacketing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Dayue Jiang, Kevin Andrew Vasilakos
  • Publication number: 20230166278
    Abstract: A spray wand includes: a hollow tubular main body; a nozzle mounted on the output end of the main body; and a valve assembly configured to mount the input end of the main body. The valve assembly includes: a housing having an input conduit for coupling the valve assembly with a fluid source; a sealing piston biased within the input conduit toward a sealing position thereof; and a valve core having a column rotatable within the interior space of the housing and a handle extending from the column, the valve core being rotatable between at least one open position corresponding to an open condition of the valve assembly and at least one closed position corresponding to a closed condition of the valve assembly. Upon rotation of the column to at least one open position thereof, the sealing piston biased within the input conduit is pressed from the sealing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew KAVCHOK, Matthew Michael Petkus, Alana Byrd, Rachel Ann Farmer
  • Publication number: 20230153987
    Abstract: One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for defect detection are provided. An image, depicting an object for evaluation to determine whether the object has a defect, is inputted into a segmentation model to identify an object region of interest of the object. An object region area of the object region of interest is calculated. A convex hull area of a convex hull encompassing the object region of interest is calculated. A ratio of the object region area to the convex hull area is determined. The ratio is compared to a threshold to determine whether the object has the defect or does not have the defect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew PERKINS, Ashiwini Kumar Kounduri
  • Publication number: 20230149811
    Abstract: The present specification describes systems and methods for dynamically modulating a resolution of shadows corresponding to lights in a frame of a video game scene. The shadows are generated by a module executed at least in part on a player's computing device in data communication with at least one host computer. A memory budget, also referred to as an allocated memory, is first defined. A size of each of the shadow maps corresponding to the lights is determined. An overall size of the shadow maps is also determined, along with a composite scaling factor for each of the lights. The composite scaling factor is applied across each of the shadows maps if the overall size exceeds a predefined threshold percentage of the memory budget.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew De Zeng Myers, Michael Jonathan Uhlik
  • Publication number: 20230132655
    Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing soil are generally provided. In particular, the disclosure provides systems and methods for determining bulk density of soil using rotational soil penetrometers. In some embodiments, the bulk density is determined by obtaining spectroscopic data and penetration torque data from the rotational soil penetrometer, and determining the bulk density of the soil based at least in part on the spectroscopic data and the penetration torque data. Bulk density may be combined with in situ measurements of elemental composition (e.g., carbon content) of soil in order to calculate total quantities of an element (e.g., carbon) in an area's topsoil. Also disclosed herein are systems and methods for modeling bulk density and/or carbon content of soil, based at least in part on spectroscopic data and penetration torque data. For example, trained statistical models determination are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Yard Stick PBC
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Meissner, Christopher Mencke Tolles, Marissa Wiseman
  • Patent number: 11640544
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processing operations configured to improve data provisioning for management of access to and usage of domain-specific data through a software data platform. Processing described herein provides technical advantages, provided through a software data platform, that enable a user (e.g., an administrator) of an organization to more easily integrate and manage domain-specific data within a software data platform. For instance, a graphical user interface (GUI) of a software data platform is configured to provide a user (e.g., administrative user) with control over provisioning of their data (e.g., education data) including bulk provisioning options to manage utilization and sharing of data via a software data platform. Provisioning management may comprise control over sharing permissions of domain-specific data with vendors (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Sunil Dixit, Eugenio Garcia-Carreras, Vincent Wayne Frankson, Russell Lynn Long, Hernan David Maestre Piedrahita, Nelson Michael Rozo, Kevin Andrew Wiggen, Kaushik Barat, Manson Ng
  • Publication number: 20230121745
    Abstract: A powered user interface for a robotic surgical system operates in accordance with a mode of operation in which the actuators are operated to permit motion of the handle in pitch and yaw motion constrained with respect to a virtual fulcrum in a work space of the user interface, and insertion motion is constrained along an axis passing through the virtual fulcrum. In a virtual fulcrum setting mode, a user is prompted to give input to the system selecting a desired point in space for the virtual fulcrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Stefan Atay, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew R Penny
  • Patent number: 11627742
    Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided which employ a silencing element that, when ingested by a pest, such as a Coleopteran plant pest or a Diabarotica plant pest, decrease the expression of a target sequence in the pest. In specific embodiments, the decrease in expression of the target sequence controls the pest and thereby the methods and compositions are capable of limiting damage to a plant. The present invention provides various target polynucleotides set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1-236 or active variants and fragments thereof, wherein a decrease in expression of one or more the sequences in the target pest controls the pest (i.e., has insecticidal activity). Further provided are silencing elements which when ingested by the pest decrease the level of the target polypeptide and thereby control the pest. In specific embodiment, the pest is D. virgifera virgifera, D. barberi, D. speciosa, or D. undecimpunctata howardi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE LLC
    Inventors: Karen E Broglie, Kevin Andrew Kriss, Albert L Lu, Mani Muthalagi, James Kevin Presnail
  • Patent number: 11625821
    Abstract: An inspection-plan based inspection method includes receiving data characterizing an inspection plan associated with inspection of one or more nodes in an inspection site by an inspection device. A first step of the inspection plan includes a first set of operating parameters of the inspection device associated with the inspection of a first node of the one or more nodes and a first set of constraints associated with one or more inspection criteria at the first node by the inspection device. The method also includes generating a first control signal configured to instruct the inspection device to inspect the first node of the one or more nodes. The first control signal is based on one or more of the first set of operating parameters and a user input. The method further includes receiving data characterizing the inspection measurement of the first node by the inspection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
    Inventor: Kevin Andrew Coombs