Patents by Inventor Robert Sullivan

Robert Sullivan 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: 12162697
    Abstract: A maintenance access system for a storage and retrieval system having a storage and retrieval space and automated transport vehicles disposed in the space. The system includes at least one maintenance access control unit associated with a portion of the space, at least one barrier in the space and defining a boundary of the portion of the space and configured to substantially prevent the passage of the vehicles past the at least one barrier, and a controller connected to the control unit, the controller being configured to receive a signal from the at least one control unit for isolating the portion of the space associated with the at least one control unit, where the controller in response to the signal closes the at least one barrier isolating the portion of the space and effects the removal from or shutting down of vehicles within the portion of the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Michael Cyrulik, Robert Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20240369566
    Abstract: Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analyzers use an ICP torch to generate a plasma in which a sample is atomized an ionized. Analysis of the atomic ions can be performed by atomic analysis, such as mass spectrometry (MS) or atomic emission spectrometry (AES). Particle based ICP analysis includes analysis of particles such as cells, beads, or laser ablation plumes, by atomizing and ionizing particles in an ICP torch followed by atomic analysis. In mass cytometry, mass tags of particles are analyzed by mass spectrometry, such as by ICP-MS. Systems and methods of the subject application include one or more of: a demountable ICP torch holder assembly, an external ignition device; an ICP load coil comprising an annular fin, particle suspension sample introduction fluidics, and ICP analyzers thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Applicant: Standard BioTools Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Loboda, Raymond Jong, Michael Sullivan, Serguei Vorobiev, Robert Rotenberg, Emil D. Stratulativ, Maxim Voronov, Mark Armstrong
  • Patent number: 12122611
    Abstract: A pickface builder for a storage and retrieval system for storing goods units and having an in-feed conveyor and a picking device, each goods unit holding at least one product package therein, the pickface builder including a frame, a pusher member movably coupled to the frame, and a snugger member movably coupled to the frame, wherein the pickface builder is configured to receive goods units from the in-feed conveyor and the pusher member and snugger member are movable at least in a direction transverse to a direction of goods unit travel on the in-feed conveyor and configured to form the goods units into a pickface picked by the picking device as a unit and having a predetermined reference datum relating the pickface to a placement position of goods units forming the pickface along a storage surface of the storage and retrieval system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C Toebes
  • Patent number: 12110482
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an instrument suitable for processing cells for example culturing, concentrating or washing said cells, the instrument comprising: a housing for accommodating mechanical elements including at least one fluid pump; and a disposable processing kit complementary to the mechanical elements within the housing and comprising a fluid circuit including a fluid reservoir and plural fluid paths capable of carrying fluid flow caused by said pump(s), the instrument further including a mechanism for determining the quantity, or change in quantity of the fluid in the reservoir resulting from said fluid flow, the instrument yet further comprising a controller operable to control at least the pump and operable to perform a fault determination process, which includes the steps of determining the expected flow rate of said pump(s) calculated from the speed of the pump(s) and comparing that expected flow with the change in quantity of the fluid in the reservoir as determined by said mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC
    Inventors: Weston Blaine Griffin, Mark Robert Timmins, Dan Harris, Spencer Lovette, Jim Dowling, Dan O'Sullivan, David Robinson
  • Publication number: 20240330844
    Abstract: A method and a system are provided for creating and using a hybrid-digital mailbox. A computing device registers a user with a system that provides the hybrid-digital mailbox. The registering includes verifying an authenticity of the user, associating the user with a mailing address, providing the user with a unique user ID, and linking the mailing address with an email address in a profile of the user. The computing device associates incoming physical mail and electronic mail, which is associated with the physical mail, with the hybrid-digital mailbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Chandra A. BRIGGMAN, Jane Elizabeth QUENK, Timothy M. MORAN, Kelley A. SULLIVAN, Robert E. DIXON, JR.
  • Patent number: 12087568
    Abstract: Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analyzers use an ICP torch to generate a plasma in which a sample is atomized an ionized. Analysis of the atomic ions can be performed by atomic analysis, such as mass spectrometry (MS) or atomic emission spectrometry (AES). Particle based ICP analysis includes analysis of particles such as cells, beads, or laser ablation plumes, by atomizing and ionizing particles in an ICP torch followed by atomic analysis. In mass cytometry, mass tags of particles are analyzed by mass spectrometry, such as by ICP-MS. Systems and methods of the subject application include one or more of: a demountable ICP torch holder assembly, an external ignition device; an ICP load coil comprising an annular fin, particle suspension sample introduction fluidics, and ICP analyzers thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: STANDARD BIOTOOLS CANADA INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Loboda, Raymond Jong, Michael Sullivan, Serguei Vorobiev, Robert Rotenberg, Emil D. Stratulativ, Maxim Voronov, Mark Armstrong
  • Patent number: 12086775
    Abstract: A message including metadata is received on behalf of an application operator from a subscriber by a message management platform. Based on the metadata, the message is determined to be associated with a customer record received by the message management platform as an application programming interface (API) notification from an application builder platform. The API notification includes a payload that includes information describing a committed transaction event associated with a user of the application builder platform. An interaction history associated with the subscriber is presented in a messaging interface of the message management platform. The interaction history includes the message received from the subscriber and further including a user action item describing the committed transaction event associated with the user of the application builder platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Stodge Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Douglas Turner, Steadman Stoness Dinning, Owen David Romano, David Dennison Lacho, Alexander Nathan Seibel, Mark Robert Sullivan, Rohan Bhatia, Nicole Marie Perry, Evan Andrew Romano, John Barott Fox, Tyler Jameson Reiff, Nathan Patrick Killea
  • Patent number: 12084279
    Abstract: A warehouse storage and retrieval system including an array of multilevel storage racks having at least one transfer deck, picking isles and storage areas disposed along picking isles, the storage areas being configured to hold differing loads, and a controller including a management module configured to variably size the storage areas of the array of multilevel storage rack modules and assign each of the variably sized storage areas to a corresponding one of the differing loads, wherein the storage and retrieval system is arranged to transport the differing loads for placement in the variably sized storage areas assigned by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: John Lert, Stephen Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster D. Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich, Eric Peters
  • Publication number: 20240273494
    Abstract: A message including metadata is received on behalf of an application operator from a subscriber by a message management platform. Based on the metadata, the message is determined to be associated with a customer record received by the message management platform as an application programming interface (API) notification from an application builder platform. The API notification includes a payload that includes information describing a committed transaction event associated with a user of the application builder platform. An interaction history associated with the subscriber is presented in a messaging interface of the message management platform. The interaction history includes the message received from the subscriber and further including a user action item describing the committed transaction event associated with the user of the application builder platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Inventors: Colin Douglas Turner, Steadman Stoness Dinning, Owen David Romano, David Dennison Lacho, Alexander Nathan Seibel, Mark Robert Sullivan, Rohan Bhatia, Nicole Marie Perry, Evan Andrew Romano, John Barott Fox, Tyler Jameson Reiff, Nathan Patrick Killea
  • Publication number: 20240253141
    Abstract: An electrode assembly for electrochemically machining a cavity of a component is disclosed. The electrode assembly comprises: an electrode, a mounting body, and an urging means. The electrode comprises a plurality of conductive elements, including an outermost conductive element. The mounting body is coupled to the electrode and engageable with the component to align the electrode within the cavity. The urging means is configured to transition the electrode from a movable configuration to a conforming configuration. In the movable configuration the conductive elements are moveable relative to one another. In the conforming configuration adjacent conductive elements align to define a substantially continuous outer electrode surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Robert L. Holroyd, Thomas Roberts, Laura Sullivan, Aaron Matthew Holt, Ivan Scott Arbuckle, Philip Neil Dickinson
  • Publication number: 20240228165
    Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2024
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: John LERT, Stephen C. TOEBES, Robert SULLIVAN, Foster HINSHAW, Nathan ULRICH
  • Patent number: 12006168
    Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage array of storage locations for case units. An in-out case conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting case units to and from the storage array, and an in-out loaded pallet conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting loaded pallets towards and away from the storage array. A palletizer-depalletizer cell includes a bi-directional pallet transport system with more than one independently driven pallet transports, each with a different pallet holder independently movable relative to a cell frame. Placement of case units commissioning a pallet layer loading a pallet, and removal of case units decommissioning a pallet layer unloading another pallet are both effected at the common pallet layer interface at a predetermined level of the cell frame. The pallet transports independently index a first and a second of the different pallet holders, each independently holding the pallet loading at the common pallet layer interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Gregory Thronson, Christopher Kiley, Todd E. Kepple, Jared Ploss
  • Publication number: 20240166439
    Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a storage structure having storage shelves, each storage shelf having slats for supporting stored items where the slats are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, an autonomous transport vehicle including at least one sensor configured to sense each of the slats and output a signal indicating when a slat is sensed, and a controller for verifying a location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage structure based on at least the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2024
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Michael Cyrulik, Stephen C. Toebes
  • Publication number: 20240149125
    Abstract: A portable outdoor game that may include a ramp, a target, and one or more projectiles. The ramp may include an elongated runner and an elevation structure. The elevation structure may be positioned at one end of the runner and lift that end of the runner from a playing surface, creating an angled incline in the runner relative to the playing surface. Projectiles may roll or slide across the runner in the direction of the elevation structure. The projectiles may become airborne after traveling over the elevation structure and land within or near the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Jason Bohman, Haley Bohman, Autumn Sullivan, Robert Sullivan
  • Patent number: 11952214
    Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle including a transfer arm including at least one finger and a movable finger support member, at least one sensor configured to detect movement of the at least one finger, the at least one sensor having a registration member and a detection member where one of the registration member and detection member is mounted to each of the at least one finger so as to be movable with a respective one of the at least one finger and the other one of the registration member and detection member is stationary relative to the at least one finger, and a controller in communication with the at least one sensor, the controller being configured to determine a position of the at least one finger along the second direction based on a proximity of the registration member relative to the detection member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Stephen C. Toebes
  • Patent number: 11939158
    Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having, picking aisles, storage locations, disposed within the picking aisles, and at least one transfer deck providing access to the picking aisles, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport located on each storage level for transporting the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to create a primary access path through the transfer decks and picking aisles to a predetermined one of the storage locations and at least one secondary access path to the predetermined one of the storage locations when the primary path is impassable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: John Lert, Stephen C Toebes, Robert Sullivan, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20240067029
    Abstract: A charging system for autonomous transport vehicles including at least one charging contact disposed on each pick floor level of a storage and retrieval system, each of the at least one charging contact being located at a transfer station, at least one power supply configured to supply power to the at least one charging contact, and a controller in communication with the transfer station and being configured to communicate information relating to a transfer of items between the transfer station and a predetermined one of the autonomous transport vehicles and to apply power from the power supply to the at least one charging contact for charging the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle corresponding to the transfer and located at the transfer station, wherein the controller is configured to supply power to the charging contacts simultaneously with the predetermined autonomous transport vehicle exchanging items related to the transfer at the transfer station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Robert SULLIVAN, Dmitry VASILYEV
  • Patent number: 11887178
    Abstract: A message management platform receives API payloads including past confirmed transactions carried out by an application builder platform and available item offerings of an application operator. The message management platform launches, at an instant messaging platform, a chat session between an agent and a user, a subscriber to the message management platform and an end-user of the application operator. The message management platform displays, for the agent, at the instant messaging platform, the past confirmed transactions of the user and the available item offerings of the application operator. The message management platform receives a selection of a set of items from the agent based on the chat session with the user and creates a virtual instance of a shopping cart representation. The message management platform generates a materialization link of the shopping cart and transmits the materialization link to the user through the instant messaging platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Stodge Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Douglas Turner, Evan Andrew Romano, Nicole Marie Perry, John Barott Fox, Nathan Patrick Killea, Mark Robert Sullivan, Rohan Bhatia, David Dennison Lacho, Tyler Jameson Reiff, Alexander Nathan Seibel, Steadman Stoness Dinning, Owen David Romano
  • Patent number: 11884487
    Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a storage structure having storage shelves, each storage shelf having slats for supporting stored items where the slats are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, an autonomous transport vehicle including at least one sensor configured to sense each of the slats and output a signal indicating when a slat is sensed, and a controller for verifying a location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the storage structure based on at least the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, Michael Cyrulik, Stephen C. Toebes
  • Patent number: 11858740
    Abstract: A storage and retrieval system including a vertical array of storage levels, each storage level having storage locations, a multilevel vertical conveyor system configured to transport the uncontained case units to and from the vertical array of storage levels, each storage level being configured to receive uncontained case units from the multilevel vertical conveyor system, at least one autonomous transport confined to each storage level, the at least one autonomous transport being configured to transport the uncontained case units between respective storage locations and the multilevel vertical conveyor system, and a controller configured to effect operation of the multilevel vertical conveyor system and at least one autonomous transport for assembling orders of uncontained case units of different types without moving bundles of the same uncontained case unit type throughout the storage and retrieval system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes