Patents by Inventor Mauricio Castillo-Effen

Mauricio Castillo-Effen 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: 10800039
    Abstract: The example embodiments are directed to a system and method for controlling and commanding an unmanned robot using natural interfaces. In one example, the method includes receiving a plurality of sensory inputs from a user via one or more natural interfaces, wherein each sensory input is associated with an intention of the user for an unmanned robot to perform a task, processing each of the plurality of sensory inputs using a plurality of channels of processing to produce a first recognition result and a second recognition result, combining the first recognition result and the second recognition result to determine a recognized command, and generating a task plan assignable to the unmanned robot based on the recognized command and predefined control primitives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Huan Tan, Ghulam Ali Baloch, Yang Zhao, Mauricio Castillo-Effen
  • Patent number: 10777004
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for generating an autonomous 3D inspection plan for an unmanned robot. In an example, the method may include receiving a selection of a plurality of regions of interest with respect to a virtual asset displayed in virtual space, detecting a 3D position of the regions of interest within a coordinate frame of the virtual space, auto-generating a travel path about a physical asset corresponding to the virtual asset by generating a virtual 3D travel path with respect to the virtual asset based on the detected 3D positions of the selected regions of interest within the coordinate frame, aligning the virtual 3D travel path in the virtual space with a physical travel path in a physical space, and outputting a robotic inspection plan comprising the auto-generated physical travel path for the unmanned robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven Gray, Shiraj Sen, Ghulam Ali Baloch, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Charles Theurer
  • Patent number: 10739770
    Abstract: Modifying a motion plan for an autonomously-operated inspection platform (AIP) includes obtaining sensor data for an industrial asset area of interest, analyzing the obtained sensor data during execution of an initial motion plan to determine if modification of the initial motion plan is required. If modification is required then performing a pose estimation on a first group of potential targets and a second group of potential targets, optimizing the results of the pose estimation to determine a modification to the initial motion plan, performing reactive planning to the initial motion plan to include the modification, the reactive planning providing a modified motion plan that includes a series of waypoints defining a modified path, and autonomously controlling motion of the AIP along the modified path. The analysis, pose estimation, optimization, and reactive planning occurring during movement of the AIP along a motion plan. A system and computer-readable medium are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Huan Tan, Ana Dasilva, Eric Gros, Romano Patrick, Charles Theurer, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, John Lizzi
  • Patent number: 10690525
    Abstract: System and methods may evaluate and/or improve target aiming accuracy for a sensor of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (“UAV”). According to some embodiments, a position and orientation measuring unit may measure a position and orientation associated with the sensor. A pose estimation platform may execute a first order calculation using the measured position and orientation as the actual position and orientation to create a first order model. A geometry evaluation platform may receive planned sensor position and orientation from a targeting goal data store and calculate a standard deviation for a target aiming error utilizing: (i) location and geometry information associated with the industrial asset, (ii) a known relationship between the sensor and a center-of-gravity of the UAV, (iii) the first order model as a transfer function, and (iv) an assumption that the position and orientation of the sensor have Gaussian-distributed noises with zero mean and a pre-determined standard deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Yang Zhao, Huan Tan, Steven Gray, Ghulam Baloch, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Judith Guzzo, Shiraj Sen, Douglas Forman
  • Patent number: 10682677
    Abstract: A three-dimensional model data store may contain a three-dimensional model of an industrial asset, including points of interest associated with the industrial asset. An inspection plan data store may contain an inspection plan for the industrial asset, including a path of movement for an autonomous inspection robot. An industrial asset inspection platform may receive sensor data from an autonomous inspection robot indicating characteristics of the industrial asset and determine a current location of the autonomous inspection robot along the path of movement in the inspection plan along with current context information. A forward simulation of movement for the autonomous inspection robot may be executed from the current location, through a pre-determined time window, to determine a difference between the path of movement in the inspection plan and the forward simulation of movement along with future context information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Shiraj Sen, Steven Gray, Nicholas Abate, Roberto Silva Filho, Ching-Ling Huang, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Ghulam Ali Baloch, Raju Venkataramana, Douglas Forman
  • Patent number: 10633093
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for monitoring an asset via an autonomous model-driven inspection. In an example, the method may include storing an inspection plan including a virtually created three-dimensional (3D) model of a travel path with respect to a virtual asset that is created in virtual space, converting the virtually created 3D model of the travel path about the virtual asset into a physical travel path about a physical asset corresponding to the virtual asset, autonomously controlling vertical and lateral movement of the unmanned robot in three dimensions with respect to the physical asset based on the physical travel path and capturing data at one or more regions of interest, and capturing data at one or more regions of interest, and storing information concerning the captured data about the asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Ching-Ling Huang, Raju Venkataramana, Roberto Silva Filho, Alex Tepper, Steven Gray, Yakov Polishchuk, Viktor Holovashchenko, Charles Theurer, Yang Zhao, Ghulam Ali Baloch, Douglas Forman, Shiraj Sen, Huan Tan, Arpit Jain
  • Patent number: 10618168
    Abstract: A robotic system includes a processing system comprising at least one processor. The processor generates a plan to monitor the asset. The plan comprises one or more tasks to be performed by the at least one robot. The processor receives sensor data from at least one sensor indicating one or more characteristics of the asset. The processor adjusts the plan to monitor the asset by adjusting or adding one or more tasks to the plan based on one or both of the quality of the acquired data or a potential defect of the asset. The adjusted plan causes the at least one robot to acquire additional data related to the asset when executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric Michael Gros, Huan Tan, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Charles Burton Theurer
  • Publication number: 20200082623
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for generating an autonomous 3D inspection plan for an unmanned robot. In an example, the method may include receiving a selection of a plurality of regions of interest with respect to a virtual asset displayed in virtual space, detecting a 3D position of the regions of interest within a coordinate frame of the virtual space, auto-generating a travel path about a physical asset corresponding to the virtual asset by generating a virtual 3D travel path with respect to the virtual asset based on the detected 3D positions of the selected regions of interest within the coordinate frame, aligning the virtual 3D travel path in the virtual space with a physical travel path in a physical space, and outputting a robotic inspection plan comprising the auto-generated physical travel path for the unmanned robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Steven Gray, Shiraj Sen, Ghulam Ali Baloch, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Charles Theurer
  • Patent number: 10521960
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for generating an autonomous 3D inspection plan for an unmanned robot. In an example, the method may include receiving a selection of a plurality of regions of interest with respect to a virtual asset displayed in virtual space, detecting a 3D position of the regions of interest within a coordinate frame of the virtual space, auto-generating a travel path about a physical asset corresponding to the virtual asset by generating a virtual 3D travel path with respect to the virtual asset based on the detected 3D positions of the selected regions of interest within the coordinate frame, aligning the virtual 3D travel path in the virtual space with a physical travel path in a physical space, and outputting a robotic inspection plan comprising the auto-generated physical travel path for the unmanned robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven Gray, Shiraj Sen, Ghulam Ali Baloch, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Charles Theurer
  • Patent number: 10518411
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, via at least one sensor of a robot, sensor data indicating one or more characteristics of an asset. The method includes detecting, based on the sensor data, an existing or imminent defect of the asset. The method includes fabricating a part suitable for use in correcting the defect. The structure of the part is derived using one or both of a digital representation of the asset generated using the sensor data or stored reference data related to the asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Charles Robert Gilman, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Charles Burton Theurer
  • Patent number: 10452078
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for autonomous robotic localization. In one example, the method includes receiving ranging measurements from a plurality of fixed anchor nodes that each have a fixed position and height with respect to the asset, receiving another ranging measurement from an aerial anchor node attached to an unmanned robot having a dynamically adjustable position and height different than the fixed position and height of each of the plurality of anchor nodes, and determining a location of the autonomous robot with respect to the asset based on the ranging measurements received from the fixed anchor nodes and the aerial anchor node, and autonomously moving the autonomous robot about the asset based on the determined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Yang Zhao, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Ghulam Ali Baloch, Huan Tan, Douglas Forman
  • Publication number: 20190224849
    Abstract: The example embodiments are directed to a system and method for controlling and commanding an unmanned robot using natural interfaces. In one example, the method includes receiving a plurality of sensory inputs from a user via one or more natural interfaces, wherein each sensory input is associated with an intention of the user for an unmanned robot to perform a task, processing each of the plurality of sensory inputs using a plurality of channels of processing to produce a first recognition result and a second recognition result, combining the first recognition result and the second recognition result to determine a recognized command, and generating a task plan assignable to the unmanned robot based on the recognized command and predefined control primitives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Huan TAN, Ghulam Ali BALOCH, Yang ZHAO, Mauricio CASTILLO-EFFEN
  • Publication number: 20190220019
    Abstract: Modifying a motion plan for an autonomously-operated inspection platform (AIP) includes obtaining sensor data for an industrial asset area of interest, analyzing the obtained sensor data during execution of an initial motion plan to determine if modification of the initial motion plan is required. If modification is required then performing a pose estimation on a first group of potential targets and a second group of potential targets, optimizing the results of the pose estimation to determine a modification to the initial motion plan, performing reactive planning to the initial motion plan to include the modification, the reactive planning providing a modified motion plan that includes a series of waypoints defining a modified path, and autonomously controlling motion of the AIP along the modified path. The analysis, pose estimation, optimization, and reactive planning occurring during movement of the AIP along a motion plan. A system and computer-readable medium are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Huan TAN, Ana DASILVA, Eric GROS, Romano PATRICK, Charles THEURER, Mauricio CASTILLO-EFFEN, John LIZZI
  • Publication number: 20190204123
    Abstract: System and methods may evaluate and/or improve target aiming accuracy for a sensor of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (“UAV”). According to some embodiments, a position and orientation measuring unit may measure a position and orientation associated with the sensor. A pose estimation platform may execute a first order calculation using the measured position and orientation as the actual position and orientation to create a first order model. A geometry evaluation platform may receive planned sensor position and orientation from a targeting goal data store and calculate a standard deviation for a target aiming error utilizing: (i) location and geometry information associated with the industrial asset, (ii) a known relationship between the sensor and a center-of-gravity of the UAV, (iii) the first order model as a transfer function, and (iv) an assumption that the position and orientation of the sensor have Gaussian-distributed noises with zero mean and a pre-determined standard deviation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Yang ZHAO, Huan TAN, Steven GRAY, Ghulam BALOCH, Mauricio CASTILLO-EFFEN, Judith GUZZO, Shiraj SEN, Douglas FORMAN
  • Patent number: 10249197
    Abstract: A system, medium, and method, including receiving a set of formalized requirements for accomplishing a mission; allocating, by the processor using architecture synthesis, constraint solving, and compositional verification techniques, a role to each of a plurality of assets comprising a team of autonomous entities, the team to execute specific tasks according to their role to accomplish the mission; and generating, by the processor using controller synthesis and verification techniques, automata for accomplishing the mission for the plurality of assets, the automata being encoded to confer an ability to dynamically react to external inputs during a run-time execution of the automata by the plurality of assets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Timothy Lee Johnson, Michael Richard Durling
  • Publication number: 20180329433
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for autonomous robotic localization. In one example, the method includes receiving ranging measurements from a plurality of fixed anchor nodes that each have a fixed position and height with respect to the asset, receiving another ranging measurement from an aerial anchor node attached to an unmanned robot having a dynamically adjustable position and height different than the fixed position and height of each of the plurality of anchor nodes, and determining a location of the autonomous robot with respect to the asset based on the ranging measurements received from the fixed anchor nodes and the aerial anchor node, and autonomously moving the autonomous robot about the asset based on the determined location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Yang ZHAO, Mauricio CASTILLO-EFFEN, Ghulam Ali BALOCH, Huan TAN, Douglas FORMAN
  • Publication number: 20180330027
    Abstract: A three-dimensional model data store may contain a three-dimensional model of an industrial asset, including points of interest associated with the industrial asset. An inspection plan data store may contain an inspection plan for the industrial asset, including a path of movement for an autonomous inspection robot. An industrial asset inspection platform may receive sensor data from an autonomous inspection robot indicating characteristics of the industrial asset and determine a current location of the autonomous inspection robot along the path of movement in the inspection plan along with current context information. A forward simulation of movement for the autonomous inspection robot may be executed from the current location, through a pre-determined time window, to determine a difference between the path of movement in the inspection plan and the forward simulation of movement along with future context information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Shiraj SEN, Steven GRAY, Nicholas ABATE, Roberto SILVA FILHO, Ching-Ling HUANG, Mauricio CASTILLO-EFFEN, Ghulam Ali BALOCH, Raju VENKATARAMANA, Douglas FORMAN
  • Publication number: 20180322699
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for generating an autonomous 3D inspection plan for an unmanned robot. In an example, the method may include receiving a selection of a plurality of regions of interest with respect to a virtual asset displayed in virtual space, detecting a 3D position of the regions of interest within a coordinate frame of the virtual space, auto-generating a travel path about a physical asset corresponding to the virtual asset by generating a virtual 3D travel path with respect to the virtual asset based on the detected 3D positions of the selected regions of interest within the coordinate frame, aligning the virtual 3D travel path in the virtual space with a physical travel path in a physical space, and outputting a robotic inspection plan comprising the auto-generated physical travel path for the unmanned robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Steven GRAY, Shiraj SEN, Ghulam Ali BALOCH, Mauricio CASTILLO-EFFEN, Charles THEURER
  • Publication number: 20180321692
    Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for monitoring an asset via an autonomous model-driven inspection. In an example, the method may include storing an inspection plan including a virtually created three-dimensional (3D) model of a travel path with respect to a virtual asset that is created in virtual space, converting the virtually created 3D model of the travel path about the virtual asset into a physical travel path about a physical asset corresponding to the virtual asset, autonomously controlling vertical and lateral movement of the unmanned robot in three dimensions with respect to the physical asset based on the physical travel path and capturing data at one or more regions of interest, and capturing data at one or more regions of interest, and storing information concerning the captured data about the asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Mauricio CASTILLO-EFFEN, Ching-Ling HUANG, Raju VENKATARAMANA, Roberto SILVA FILHO, Alex TEPPER, Steven GRAY, Yakov POLISHCHUK, Viktor HOLOVASHCHENKO, Charles THEURER, Yang ZHAO, Ghulam Ali BALOCH, Douglas FORMAN, Shiraj SEN, Huan TAN, Arpit JAIN
  • Patent number: 10096252
    Abstract: A method, medium, and system to receive flight parameter data relating to a plurality of flights, the flight parameter data including indications of aircraft performance based navigation (PBN) capabilities, flight plan information, an aircraft configuration, and an airport configuration for the plurality of flights; assign probabilistic properties to the flight parameter data; receive accurate and current position and predicted flight plan information for a plurality of aircraft corresponding to the flight parameter data; determine a probabilistic trajectory for two of the plurality of aircraft based on a combination of the probabilistic properties of the flight parameter data and the position and predicted flight plan information, the probabilistic trajectory being specific to the two aircraft and including a target spacing specification to maintain a predetermined spacing between the two aircraft at a target location with a specified probability; and generate a record of the probabilistic trajectory for the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Liling Ren, Harold Woodruff Tomlinson, Vincent Paul Staudinger, Jeffrey Russell Bult, Mauricio Castillo-Effen, Szabolcs Andras Borgyos, Stephen Koszalka