Patents by Inventor Lee Magnusson

Lee Magnusson 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: 10189158
    Abstract: An example torque controlled actuator includes a frame, and one or more timing belt stages coupled in serial on the frame. The timing belt stages include an input stage for coupling to a motor and an output stage for coupling to a load, and the timing belt stages couple rotation of the motor to rotation of an output of the output stage. The torque controlled actuator also includes one or more belt idlers coupled to the frame that contact a timing belt of the output stage, and a strain gauge coupled to the frame to determine a tension of the timing belt of the output stage based on force applied by the timing belt of the output stage to the one or more belt idlers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Edsinger, Lee Magnusson, Philip Mullins, Jeff Weber
  • Patent number: 10018256
    Abstract: A block-and-tackle transmission includes a timing belt input pinion, a timing belt, two or more shuttles, an output cable, and an output hub. The timing belt input pinion is for receiving input power. The timing belt is driven by the input pinion. The timing belt causes two shuttles of the two or more shuttles to move in opposing directions. Opposing ends of the output cable are pulled by two of the two or more shuttles. The output cable causes the output hub to transmit output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Lee Magnusson, Matt Carney, Aaron Edsinger, Jeff Weber, Philip Mullins
  • Patent number: 9821466
    Abstract: A device is provided that comprises a hardware segment and an actuator to adjust a position of the segment within a range of positions. The device also comprises an encoder to rotate about an encoder axis responsive to the actuator adjusting the position. The device also comprises data storage that includes a dataset indicating offset angles between a reference configuration and a plurality of configurations of the encoder. The device also comprises a controller to cause the actuator to adjust the position to an end of the range of positions, responsively identify a range of encoder positions of the encoder that corresponds to the range of positions of the segment, modify the dataset such that the reference configuration corresponds to an end of the range of encoder positions, and determine a mapping between the offset angles indicated by the modified dataset and the range of positions of the hardware segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Thomas Bingham, Rob Wilson, Advait Jain, Miguel Rivas, Lee Magnusson
  • Patent number: 9574646
    Abstract: A twisted string transmission system comprises a twisted string actuator, a force sensor, and a controller. The twisted string actuator is for converting a rotational motion into a linear force. The force sensor is for sensing the linear force. The controller is for receiving sensor information regarding the linear force from the force sensor and for providing control information to control the rotational motion based at least in part on the sensor information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Redwood Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Edsinger, Jeff Weber, Philip Mullins, Lee Magnusson
  • Publication number: 20160368139
    Abstract: An example torque controlled actuator includes a frame, and one or more timing belt stages coupled in serial on the frame. The timing belt stages include an input stage for coupling to a motor and an output stage for coupling to a load, and the timing belt stages couple rotation of the motor to rotation of an output of the output stage. The torque controlled actuator also includes one or more belt idlers coupled to the frame that contact a timing belt of the output stage, and a strain gauge coupled to the frame to determine a tension of the timing belt of the output stage based on force applied by the timing belt of the output stage to the one or more belt idlers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Aaron Edsinger, Lee Magnusson, Philip Mullins, Jeff Weber
  • Publication number: 20160332302
    Abstract: A device is provided that comprises a hardware segment and an actuator to adjust a position of the segment within a range of positions. The device also comprises an encoder to rotate about an encoder axis responsive to the actuator adjusting the position. The device also comprises data storage that includes a dataset indicating offset angles between a reference configuration and a plurality of configurations of the encoder. The device also comprises a controller to cause the actuator to adjust the position to an end of the range of positions, responsively identify a range of encoder positions of the encoder that corresponds to the range of positions of the segment, modify the dataset such that the reference configuration corresponds to an end of the range of encoder positions, and determine a mapping between the offset angles indicated by the modified dataset and the range of positions of the hardware segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Jeffrey Thomas Bingham, Rob Wilson, Advait Jain, Miguel Rivas, Lee Magnusson
  • Patent number: 9447849
    Abstract: An example torque controlled actuator includes a frame, and one or more timing belt stages coupled in serial on the frame. The timing belt stages include an input stage for coupling to a motor and an output stage for coupling to a load, and the timing belt stages couple rotation of the motor to rotation of an output of the output stage. The torque controlled actuator also includes one or more belt idlers coupled to the frame that contact a timing belt of the output stage, and a strain gauge coupled to the frame to determine a tension of the timing belt of the output stage based on force applied by the timing belt of the output stage to the one or more belt idlers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: REDWOOD ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Edsinger, Lee Magnusson, Philip Mullins, Jeff Vora Weber
  • Patent number: 9427872
    Abstract: A device is provided that comprises a hardware segment and an actuator to adjust a position of the segment within a range of positions. The device also comprises an encoder to rotate about an encoder axis responsive to the actuator adjusting the position. The device also comprises data storage that includes a dataset indicating offset angles between a reference configuration and a plurality of configurations of the encoder. The device also comprises a controller to cause the actuator to adjust the position to an end of the range of positions, responsively identify a range of encoder positions of the encoder that corresponds to the range of positions of the segment, modify the dataset such that the reference configuration corresponds to an end of the range of encoder positions, and determine a mapping between the offset angles indicated by the modified dataset and the range of positions of the hardware segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Thomas Bingham, Rob Wilson, Advait Jain, Miguel Rivas, Lee Magnusson
  • Patent number: 9346165
    Abstract: Robotic devices with multi-degree of freedom (DOF) load cells for shear beam sensing are described. An example robotic device includes actuators coupled through joints to form a robotic manipulator, and a load cell provided proximal to a joint for detecting a force applied to the robotic manipulator and a torque experienced about the joint. The device also includes a controller programmable to determine a location of the force along the robotic manipulator based on values of the force and the torque output from the load cell, receive information indicating parameters of the robotic manipulator and of a load being experienced by the robotic device, and based on one of the force applied to the robotic manipulator or the torque experienced about the joint being above a threshold expected amount due to the load being experienced, determine that the robotic manipulator is experiencing an unexpected shear load at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Andy Metzger, Lee Magnusson
  • Patent number: 9231503
    Abstract: Methods and systems for building arbitrary motor controllers are described. An example motor controller may include multiple motor power boards connected in a stacked configuration and coupled in parallel. Each motor power board may include one or more power transistors and one or more gate drivers having an input terminal coupled to a control signal connector and an output terminal coupled to a gate terminal of the one or more power transistors. The example motor controller may also include a power bus connector coupled, in parallel, to a respective output terminal of each of the multiple motor power boards. Further, the example motor controller may include a control system coupled to the control signal connector and configured to selectively enable a set that includes one or more of the multiple motor power boards based on an output power requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Kemper, Lee Magnusson
  • Patent number: 9205560
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting actuator component or sensor failure using non-equivalent sensors are described. An example method includes actuating a robot actuator, and determining a first result and second result of the actuation using a first sensor and second sensor respectively. Additionally, the method includes determining a first estimate of an internal state of the robot actuator using the first result, and determining a second estimate of the internal state using the second result and a normalization function that normalizes the second result for comparison with the first estimate. Further, the method includes determining whether a difference between the first estimate of the internal state and the second estimate of the internal state satisfies an error threshold. And the method includes providing an output indicative of a potential fault of the robot actuator in response to determining that the difference does not satisfy the error threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Redwood Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Edsinger, Kevin Kemper, Lee Magnusson
  • Patent number: 9205556
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring cogging torque. An example method includes causing an electric motor to rotate in a positive direction, and for given multiple encoder positions of an encoder, determining a first respective motor winding current applied to the electric motor at the given encoder position. Additionally, the method includes causing the electric motor to rotate in a negative direction, and for the given multiple encoder positions, determining a second respective motor winding current applied to the electric motor at the given encoder position. Further, the method includes, for the given multiple encoder positions, determining a respective cogging torque based on a difference between the first and second respective winding currents. And the method includes storing a cogging torque profile for the electric motor in a database based on the determined respective cogging torque for the given multiple encoder positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Redwood Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Magnusson, Kevin Kemper, Aaron Edsinger
  • Publication number: 20150349676
    Abstract: Methods and systems for building arbitrary motor controllers are described. An example motor controller may include multiple motor power boards connected in a stacked configuration and coupled in parallel. Each motor power board may include one or more power transistors and one or more gate drivers having an input terminal coupled to a control signal connector and an output terminal coupled to a gate terminal of the one or more power transistors. The example motor controller may also include a power bus connector coupled, in parallel, to a respective output terminal of each of the multiple motor power boards. Further, the example motor controller may include a control system coupled to the control signal connector and configured to selectively enable a set that includes one or more of the multiple motor power boards based on an output power requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Kemper, Lee Magnusson
  • Publication number: 20070162152
    Abstract: Artificial limbs and joints which behave like a biological limbs and joints employ a synthetic actuator which consume negligible power when exerting zero force, consume negligible power when outputting force at constant length (isometric) and while performing dissipative, nonconservative work, are capable of independently engaging flexion and extension tendon-like, series springs, are capable of independently varying joint position and stiffness, and exploit series elasticity for mechanical power amplification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Hugh Herr, Lee Magnusson, Ken Endo