Patents by Inventor Lauri Vain

Lauri Vain 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: 20200130893
    Abstract: A storage container, comprising a rigid body including a floor, a front wall, a back wall, and side walls, at least one separating wall, and a plurality of fixing elements for removably fixing the separating walls to the storage container. The storage container further comprises a locking element. The container further comprises a plurality of compartments configured to be separated by the separating wall and locked via the locking element. Further, a system comprising a mobile robot and the storage container is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for secure package delivery employing the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventor: Lauri VÄIN
  • Patent number: 10625926
    Abstract: An insulated bag reduces heat exchange between temperature-sensitive items and ambient surroundings. The insulated bag has a bag body which can be covered by a bag lid. The bag lid is provided with a first portion of a securing element. The insulated bag is suitable for insertion into an item space of a mobile delivery robot. The mobile robot has a robot lid provided with a complementary second portion of the securing element. After the insulated bag is inserted into the item space, the two portions of the securing element are connected. Thereafter, when the robot lid is opened, the bag lid is also opened, permitting access to its contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Starship Technologies OÜ
    Inventors: Lauri Väin, Tommy Biene, Sylvia-Johanna Annus, Piret Uustal
  • Publication number: 20200091744
    Abstract: A battery station, for use by at least one mobile robot, includes a battery charging unit configured to perform at least one of: holding at least one battery, and charging at least one battery. A battery load/unload position is configured to facilitate loading and unloading of a battery to and from a mobile robot. A battery handling mechanism is configured to operate on a reaching range, comprising at least one of the following: (i) the battery of the mobile robot positioned in the battery load/unload position, and (ii) the battery charging unit. A localization element is configured to at least one of detect and locate at least one of: at least one battery of the mobile robot, wherein the mobile robot is positioned in the battery load/unload position, and/or at least one battery positioned in the battery charging unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Lauri VÄIN, Viljar VALDEK, Märt LIIVIK, Henri LEND, Sergii KHARAGORGIIEV, Markus JÄRVE, Henrik HERRANEN, Ahti HEINLA, Veigo EVARD, Tommy BIENE
  • Publication number: 20200086757
    Abstract: A flexural joint, preferably for use in a battery station, comprising: a first group of rigid members configured to mount a first group of elements to the flexural joint; a second group of rigid members configured to mount a second group of elements to the flexural joint; a third group of elastic members configured to provide flexibility; a first flexural mechanism configured to allow rotational motion of at least one of the first group of rigid members with respect to the second group of rigid members and the second group of rigid members with respect to the first group of rigid members; and a second flexural mechanism configured to allow linear motion of at least one of the first group of rigid members with respect to the second group of rigid members and second group of rigid members with respect to the first group of rigid members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Lauri VÄIN, Viljar VALDEK, Märt LIIVIK, Henri LEND, Sergii KHARAGORGIIEV, Markus JÄRVE, Henrik HERRANEN, Ahti HEINLA, Veigo EVARD, Tommy BIENE
  • Publication number: 20200091565
    Abstract: A battery configured to be attached to a battery holder for use by a mobile robot comprising: a battery body encapsulating the battery; at least two electrical connectors protruding from the battery body; at least one fixing unit located on the battery body said fixing unit configured to fix the battery to the battery holder; at least two damping pins protruding from the battery body; and at least one battery communication component configured to transmit battery status data. A battery holder configured to hold the battery and at least one of storing, swapping and charging a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Lauri VÄIN, Viljar VALDEK, Märt LIIVIK, Henri LEND, Sergii KHARAGORGIIEV, Markus JÄRVE, Henrik HERRANEN, Ahti HEINLA, Veigo EVARD, Tommy BIENE
  • Publication number: 20190337706
    Abstract: An insulated bag reduces heat exchange between temperature-sensitive items and ambient surroundings. The insulated bag has a bag body which can be covered by a bag lid. The bag lid is provided with a first portion of a securing element. The insulated bag is suitable for insertion into an item space of a mobile delivery robot. The mobile robot has a robot lid provided with a complementary second portion of the securing element. After the insulated bag is inserted into the item space, the two portions of the securing element are connected. Thereafter, when the robot lid is opened, the bag lid is also opened, permitting access to its contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Lauri VÄIN, Tommy BIENE, Sylvia-Johanna ANNUS, Piret UUSAL
  • Patent number: 10343286
    Abstract: A storage system (100) is adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with an item. The storage system (100) includes a delivery robot level (110), at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, and a loading robot (130) adapted to grip the items and to load the items from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110). The storage system (100) is adapted to move the items within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118). The storage system may be provided with wheels and thus be mobile. It may be loaded onto a vehicle for transport from a loading area where the storage system is loaded with items for delivery, to a delivery area where the items are to be delivered by one or more delivery robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Starship Technologies OÜ
    Inventors: Lauri Väin, Viljar Valdek, Märt Liivik, Henri Lend, Tiit Liivik, Henrik Herranen, Ahti Heinla, Veigo Evard, Tommy Biene
  • Publication number: 20190168392
    Abstract: A storage system (100) is adapted to store a plurality of items and to load a delivery robot (2) with an item. The storage system (100) includes a delivery robot level (110), at least one storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) for storing the items, and a loading robot (130) adapted to grip the items and to load the items from a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118) to a delivery robot (2) located on the delivery robot level (110). The storage system (100) is adapted to move the items within a storage level (112, 114, 116, 118). The storage system may be provided with wheels and thus be mobile. It may be loaded onto a vehicle for transport from a loading area where the storage system is loaded with items for delivery, to a delivery area where the items are to be delivered by one or more delivery robots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: LAURI VÄIN, Viljar Valdek, Märt Liivik, Henri Lend, Tiit Liivik, Henrik Herranen, Ahti Heinla, Veigo Evard, Tommy Biene
  • Patent number: 10005609
    Abstract: An insulated bag reduces heat exchange between temperature-sensitive items and ambient surroundings. The insulated bag has a bag body which can be covered by a bag lid. The bag lid is provided with a first portion of a securing element. The insulated bag is suitable for insertion into an item space of a mobile delivery robot. The mobile robot has a robot lid provided with a complementary second portion of the securing element. After the insulated bag is inserted into the item space, the two portions of the securing element are connected. Thereafter, when the robot lid is opened, the bag lid is also opened, permitting access to its contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Starship Technologies OÜ
    Inventors: Tommy Biene, Lauri Väin, Piret UUstal, Sylvia-Johanna Annus
  • Patent number: 8209385
    Abstract: A user terminal connected to a communication network executes a communication client. The user terminal displays a list of contacts associated with a user of the client, and retrieves a message from the communication network, wherein the message is related to a further user represented by one of the contacts displayed in the list of contacts. The message includes a reference to media accessible by the communication network. The reference may be extracted from the message. A visual representation of the media may be displayed in association with one of the contacts, such that, responsive to the user actuating the visual representation, the client establishes communication with storage means using the reference and displays the media to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Skype
    Inventors: Eric Partaker, Richard Cole, Natasha Sopieva, Lauri Väin, Andres Kütt
  • Publication number: 20090013048
    Abstract: A user terminal connected to a communication network and executing a communication client. The user terminal comprises display means for displaying a list of contacts associated with a user of said client, means for retrieving a message from said communication network, wherein said message is related to a further user represented by one of said contacts displayed in said list of contacts, said message comprising a reference to media stored in a storage means accessible by said communication network, means for extracting said reference from said message, and means for displaying a visual representation of said media in association with said one of said contacts, such that, responsive to the user actuating said visual representation, the client establishes communication with said storage means using said reference and displays the media to said user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Eric Partaker, Richard Cole, Natasha Sopieva, Lauri Vain, Andres Kutt
  • Patent number: D834081
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: STARSHIP TECHNOLOGIES OÜ
    Inventors: Antti Mäkelä, Henrik Herranen, Mikko Seppänen, Sergii Kharagorgiiev, Ahti Heinla, Lauri Väin, Henri Lend, Tommy Biene