Patents by Inventor Kevin Y. Low
Kevin Y. Low 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).
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Patent number: 11969881Abstract: Inspection robots with independent drive module suspension are described. An example inspection robot may have a housing with a first connector on a first side of the housing, and a second connector on a second side of the housing. A first drive module, having at least one wheel and a first motor, may be operatively coupled to the first connector, and a second drive module, having at least one wheel and a first motor, may be operatively coupled to the second connector. The first and second drive modules may be coupled by a drive connector.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Dillon R. Jourde, Mark Cho, Michael A. Binger, Kevin Y. Low
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Patent number: 11971389Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for ultra-sonic inspection of a surface are described. An example system may include an inspection robot structured to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface. The inspection robot may include a payload including a first ultrasonic (UT) phased array and a second UT phased array, the first UT phased array and the second UT phased array being arranged in a parallel configuration. The inspection robot may include a rastering device structured to move the payload in a direction of inspection, the direction of inspection being distinct from the direction of travel and the direction of inspection being distinct from the parallel configuration of the first UT phased array and the second UT phased array.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Chase David, Jose Aparicio, Juan Roberto Mendoza Mora, Kevin Y. Low, Troy Demmer, Edward A. Bryner, Scott Ashley Corl
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Publication number: 20240100717Abstract: Inspection robots with removeable interface plates and method for configuring payload interfaces are described. An example robot may include a payload, with at least one sensor, mounted to a housing of the inspection robot. The housing may include a removeable interface plate coupled to the at least one sensor and to an electronic board, the electronic board positioned within the housing. The removeable interface plate may define an electrical coupling interface compatible with the payload, and the electronic board may include an electrical processing configuration compatible with the payload.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Dillon R. Jourde, Edwin H. Cho, Mark Cho, Michael A. Binger, Katherine Virginia Denner, Michael Stephen Auda, Kevin Y. Low, Samuel Theodore Westenberg, Alexander R. Cuti, Ignacio J. Cordova, Francesco H. Trogu
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Patent number: 11904456Abstract: Inspection robots with center encoders are described. An example inspection robot may have a housing, and a drive module, where the drive module has a wheel and a motor and is operatively coupled to the housing. The example inspection robot may also have an encoder to provide a movement value, where the encoder is positioned within a footprint of the housing. The example inspection robot may also have a controller with an encoder conversion circuit to calculate a distance value in response to the movement value, a location circuit to determine at least one of a robot location value or a robot speed value, and a position command circuit to provide a position action command in response to the robot location value or the robot speed value. The drive module may be responsive to the position action command to move the inspection robot.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Dillon R. Jourde, Edwin H. Cho, Mark Cho, Kevin Y. Low
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Patent number: 11872688Abstract: Inspection robots and methods for inspection of curved surfaces are described. An example inspection robot may include a housing, and at least one drive module operative linked to the housing and including a wheel and motor. An example inspection robot may further include two sleds, each with a sensor, the sled connectable to a payload. An example payload may include multiple rail components with intervening connectors, the connectors are able to connect two rail components at a plurality of discrete engagement positions.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2022Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Ignacio J. Cordova, Francesco H. Trogu
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Patent number: 11872707Abstract: An inspection robot may include an inspection chassis and a drive module with magnetic wheels coupled to the inspection chassis. The drive module may further include a motor and a gear box located between the motor and a magnetic wheels. The gear box may include a flex spline cup which interacts with the ring gear. The inspection robot may further include a magnetic shielding assembly to shield the motor and an associated electromagnetic sensor from electromagnetic interference generated by the magnetic wheels.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Edwin H. Cho, Mark Cho, Yizhu Gu, Jeffrey J. Mrkonich, Francesco H. Trogu, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Michael A. Binger, William J. Pridgen
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Patent number: 11865698Abstract: Inspection robots with removeable interface plates and method for configuring payload interfaces are described. An example robot may include a payload, with at least one sensor, mounted to a housing of the inspection robot. The housing may include a removeable interface plate coupled to the at least one sensor and to an electronic board, the electronic board positioned within the housing. The removeable interface plate may define an electrical coupling interface compatible with the payload, and the electronic board may include an electrical processing configuration compatible with the payload.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Edwin H. Cho, Mark Cho, Michael A. Binger, Kevin Y. Low
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Publication number: 20230390930Abstract: An inspection robot includes a robot body, at least two sensors, a drive module, a stability assist device and an actuator. The at least two sensors are positioned to interrogate an inspection surface and are communicatively coupled to the robot body. The drive module includes at least two wheels that engage the inspection surface. The drive module is coupled to the robot body. The stability assist device is coupled to at least one of the robot body or the drive module. The actuator is coupled to the stability assist device at a first end, and coupled to one of the drive module or the robot body at a second end. The actuator is structured to selectively move the stability assist device between a first position and a second position. The first position includes a stored position. The second position includes a deployed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2023Publication date: December 7, 2023Inventors: Mark J. Loosararian, Michael A. Binger, Edward A. Bryner, Edwin H. Cho, Mark Cho, Alexander R. Cuti, Ignacio J. Cordova, Benjamin A. Guise, Dillon R. Jourde, Kevin Y. Low, Logan A. MacKenzie, Joshua D. Moore, Jeffrey J. Mrkonich, William J. Pridgen, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Francesco H. Trogu, Alex C. Watt, Yizhu Gu, Ian Miller, Todd Joslin, Katherine Virginia Denner, Michael Stephen Auda, Samuel Theodore Westenberg
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Publication number: 20230228719Abstract: Systems for ultrasonic measurements of an inspection surface is described. An inspection robot with a payload moves in a direction of travel across an inspection surface. The payload has two sensor holders, the first sensor holder to hold a first UT array at a first orientation and the second to hold a second UT array at a second orientation A sensor holder linking component holds the two UT phased arrays in a parallel configuration along their long edges. An arm of the payload may be pivotably connected to both the sensor linking component at one end and a lift connection element on the other end. The lift component has a lift motor to raise the lift connection element. A rastering device moves the payload in a direction of inspection which is distinct from both the direction of travel and the parallel configuration of the two phased UT arrays.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2023Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventors: Chase David, Jose Aparicio, Kevin Y. Low, Edward A. Bryner, Troy Demmer, Juan Roberto Mendoza Mora, Scott Ashley Corl
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Patent number: 11673272Abstract: An inspection robot incudes a robot body, at least two sensors, a drive module, a stability assist device and an actuator. The at least two sensors are positioned to interrogate an inspection surface and are communicatively coupled to the robot body. The drive module includes at least two wheels that engage the inspection surface. The drive module is coupled to the robot body. The stability assist device is coupled to at least one of the robot body or the drive module. The actuator is coupled to the stability assist device at a first end, and coupled to one of the drive module or the robot body at a second end. The actuator is structured to selectively move the stability assist device between a first position and a second position. The first position includes a stored position. The second position includes a deployed position.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2020Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Mark J. Loosararian, Michael A. Binger, Edward A. Bryner, Edwin H. Cho, Mark Cho, Alexander R. Cuti, Ignacio J. Cordova, Benjamin A. Guise, Dillon R. Jourde, Kevin Y. Low, Logan A. MacKenzie, Joshua D. Moore, Jeffrey J. Mrkonich, William J. Pridgen, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Francesco H. Trogu, Alex C. Watt, Yizhu Gu, Ian Miller, Todd Joslin, Katherine Virginia Denner, Michael Stephen Auda, Samuel Theodore Westenberg
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Patent number: 11648671Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for tracking location of an inspection robot are disclosed. An example apparatus for tracking inspection data may include an inspection chassis having a plurality of inspection sensors configured to interrogate an inspection surface, a first drive module and a second drive module, both coupled to the inspection chassis. The first and second drive module may each include a passive encoder wheel and a non-contact sensor positioned in proximity to the passive encoder wheel, wherein the non-contact sensor provides a movement value corresponding to the first passive encoder wheel. An inspection position circuit may determine a relative position of the inspection chassis in response to the movement values from the first and second drive modules.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Edwin H. Cho, William J. Pridgen, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Jeffrey J. Mrkonich, Mark Cho, Francesco H. Trogu, Benjamin A. Guise, Todd Joslin, Logan A. MacKenzie, Ian Miller, Alexander C. Watt
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Publication number: 20230087654Abstract: Inspection robots and methods for inspection of curved surfaces with sensors at selected horizontal distances are described. An example of such an inspection robot includes a housing; a drive module with a wheel and a motor operatively linked to the housing, a plurality of sensor sleds, and a payload. The payload, which is coupled to the housing, may include a first and a second rail component, each with at least one connector, where the rail components are connectable at a first selected position of a plurality of discrete engagement positions. Each of the rail components may be structured to support at least one of the plurality of sleds where each of the plurality of sleds is coupled to the payload at a respective selected horizontal position such that the plurality of sleds are at selected horizontal distances from each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Ignacio J. Cordova, Francesco H. Trogu, Joshua D. Moore, Yizhu Gu, Ian Miller, Alvin Chou, Mark Jake Loosararian
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Patent number: 11565417Abstract: Systems and methods for configuring a robot for inspecting an inspection surface are disclosed. An example system may include an inspection robot having a payload coupled to at least two inspection sensors and a controller. The controller may include a route profile processing circuit to interpret route profile data for the inspection robot, a configuration determining circuit to determine one or more configurations for the inspection robot in response to the route profile data; and a configuration processing circuit to provide configuration data in response to the determined one or more configurations, the configuration data defining, at least in part, one or more inspection characteristics for the inspection robot.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Edwin H. Cho, Michael A. Binger, Mark Cho, Yizhu Gu, Jeffrey J. Mrkonich, Francesco H. Trogu, Domenic P. Rodriguez
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Patent number: 11529735Abstract: Inspection robots with a multi-function piston connecting a drive module to a central chassis and systems thereof are disclosed. An example inspection robot may include a center chassis coupled to a payload coupled to at least two inspection sensors. The inspection robot may further include a drive module coupled to the center chassis, the drive module having a drive wheel to engage an inspection surface and a drive piston mechanically interposed between the center chassis and the drive module. The example may further include wherein the drive piston in a first position couples the drive module to the center chassis at a minimum distance between and the drive piston in a second position couples the drive module to the center chassis at a maximum distance between. The example may further include wherein the drive module is independently rotatable relative to the center chassis.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: GECKO ROBOTICS, INC.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Mark Cho, Francesco H. Trogu, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Edwin H. Cho
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Patent number: 11518031Abstract: System and methods for traversing an obstacle with an inspection robot are disclosed. An example system may include an inspection robot including an obstacle sensor to interrogate an inspection surface. The example may further include an obstacle sensory data circuit to interpret obstacle sensory data provided by the obstacle sensor, an obstacle processing circuit to determine refined obstacle data, and an obstacle notification circuit to generate and provide obstacle notification data to a user interface device. The example system may further include a user interface circuit to interpret a user request value from the user interface device, and to determine an obstacle response command value in response to the user request value; and an obstacle configuration circuit to provide the obstacle response command value to the inspection robot during the interrogating of the inspection surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Mark J. Loosararian, Edwin H. Cho, Katherine Virginia Denner, Yizhu Gu, Ian Miller, Alvin Chou, Mark Cho, Francesco H. Trogu, Domenic P. Rodriguez
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Patent number: 11518030Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for providing an interactive inspection map are disclosed. An example apparatus for providing an interactive inspection map of an inspection surface may include an inspection visualization circuit to provide an inspection map to a user device in response to inspection data provided by a plurality of sensors operationally coupled to an inspection robot traversing the inspection surface, wherein the inspection map corresponds to at least a portion of the inspection surface. The apparatus may further include a user interaction circuit to interpret a user focus value from the user device, and an action request circuit to determine an action in response to the user focus value. The inspection visualization circuit may further update the inspection map in response to the determined action.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: GECKO ROBOTICS, INC.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Benjamin A. Guise, Alexander C. Watt, Edwin H. Cho, Mark Cho, Francesco H. Trogu, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Logan A. MacKenzie, Yizhu Gu, Ian Miller, Todd Joslin, Mark J. Loosararian
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Patent number: 11511426Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for rapid development of an inspection scheme for an inspection robot are disclosed. An apparatus may include an inspection definition circuit to interpret an inspection description value, and a robot configuration circuit to determine an inspection robot configuration description in response to the inspection description value. The apparatus may further include a configuration implementation circuit, communicatively coupled to a configuration interface of an inspection robot, to provide at least a portion of the inspection robot configuration description to the configuration interface.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2020Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Francesco H. Trogu, Jeffrey J. Mrkonich, William J. Pridgen, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Alexander C. Watt, Michael Stephen Auda, Logan A. MacKenzie, Ian Miller, Samuel Theodore Westenberg, Katherine Virginia Denner, Benjamin A. Guise, Yizhu Gu, Todd Joslin, Mark J. Loosararian, Mark Cho, Edwin H. Cho
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Patent number: 11511427Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for providing an inspection map are disclosed. An apparatus for performing an inspection may include an inspection data circuit to interpret inspection data, a robot positioning circuit to interpret position data, and a processed data circuit to link the inspection data with the position data to determine position-based inspection data. The apparatus may further include a user interaction circuit to interpret an inspection visualization request for an inspection map and an inspection visualization circuit to determine the inspection map based on the position-based inspection data, and a provisioning circuit structured to provide the inspection map to a user device.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Benjamin A. Guise, Alexander C. Watt, Logan A. MacKenzie, Ian Miller, Todd Joslin, Yizhu Gu, Mark Cho, Francesco H. Trogu, Edwin H. Cho, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Mark J. Loosararian
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Patent number: 11504850Abstract: An inspection robot, and methods and a controller thereof are disclosed. An inspection robot may include an inspection chassis including a plurality of inspection sensors and coupled to at least one drive module to drive the robot over an inspection surface. The inspection robot may also include a controller including an inspection data circuit to interpret inspection base data, an inspection processing circuit to determine refined inspection data, and an inspection configuration circuit to determine an inspection response value in response to the refined inspection data. The controller may further include an inspection response circuit to, in response to the inspection response value, provide an inspection command value while the inspection robot is interrogating the inspection surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Edward A. Bryner, Kevin Y. Low, Joshua D. Moore, Dillon R. Jourde, Benjamin A. Guise, Alexander C. Watt, Logan A. MacKenzie, Ian Miller, Mark Cho, Edwin H. Cho, Francesco H. Trogu, Domenic P. Rodriguez
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Publication number: 20220341891Abstract: Systems and methods for robotic inspection with simultaneous surface measurements at multiple orientations with obstacle avoidance are described. An example system may have an inspection robot structured to move in a direction of travel along an inspection surface. The robot may have a payload with first and second sensor holders, each sensor holder structured to hold a UT phased array. A sensor holder linking component holds the first and sensor holders such that the two phased arrays are parallel to one another along a long edge of both the phased arrays. The system may have a rastering device to move the payloads in a direction of inspection, whether the direction of inspection is distinct from the direction of travel and distinct from the parallel orientation of the two phased arrays.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2022Publication date: October 27, 2022Inventors: Chase David, Kevin Y. Low