Patents by Inventor Ryan Hickman

Ryan Hickman 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: 9681716
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a carry (or carrying) bag is provided that includes an interior, substantially cut-resistant security panel assembly with a matrix of wires secured between or on one or more flexible material layers. Also in various embodiments, the security panel assembly may be positioned intermediate the bag outside wall and a lining of the bag, and in other embodiments, may also take the form of an expansion panel. Second or secondary locking fasteners are also provided to lock first or primary fasteners to or within the carrying bag, to provide security for compartments and pockets. A strap with one or more security cables, and various locking fasteners, may be attached to the carry bag. Methods for forming such security panel assemblies, expansion panels, and carrying straps are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Travel Caddy, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Godshaw, Du Hai, Bryce Ryan Hickman
  • Publication number: 20170083005
    Abstract: Multirobotic management can involve communications between a command or leader robot and one or more client or follower robots through a cloud computing system. In an example implementation, a leader robot can receive first sensory data captured by a first follower robot and second sensory data captured by a second follower robot, determine a command function based on at least one of the first sensory data and the second sensory data, and communicate with at least one of the first follower robot and the second follower robot based on the command function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, Chaitanya Gharpure
  • Publication number: 20170021503
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a status of a component of a device are provided. An example method includes triggering an action of a component of a device, and responsively receiving information associated with the action of the component from a sensor. The method further includes a computing system having a processor and a memory comparing the information with calibration data and determining a status of the component based on the comparison. In some examples, the calibration data may include information derived from data received from a pool of one or more devices utilizing same or similar components as the component. The determined status may include information associated with a performance of the component with respect to performances of same or similar components of the pool of devices. In one example, the device may self-calibrate the component based on the status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, JR., Ryan Hickman
  • Publication number: 20170011360
    Abstract: Methods and systems for proactively preventing hazardous or other situations in a robot-cloud interaction are provided. An example method includes receiving information associated with task logs for a plurality of robotic devices. The task logs may include information associated with tasks performed by the plurality of robotic devices. The method may also include a computing system determining information associated with hazardous situations based on the information associated with the task logs. For example, the hazardous situations may comprise situations associated with failures of one or more components of the plurality of robotic devices. According to the method, information associated with a contextual situation of a first robotic device may be determined, and when the information associated with the contextual situation is consistent with information associated with the one or more hazardous situations, an alert indicating a potential failure of the first robotic device may be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, JR., Ryan Hickman
  • Publication number: 20160354923
    Abstract: Methods and systems for allocating tasks to robotic devices are provided. An example method includes receiving information associated with task logs for a plurality of robotic devices and in a computing system configured to access a processor and memory, determining information associated with a health level for the plurality of robotic devices based on the information associated with the task logs. A health level for a given robotic device may be proportional to a current level of ability to perform a function, which may change over a lifespan of the given robotic device. Information associated with a plurality of tasks to be performed by one or more or the robotic devices may also be determined. The computing system may optimize an allocation of the plurality of tasks such that a high precision task may be allocated to a robotic device having a greater current health level than another robotic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, JR., Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9513624
    Abstract: Multirobotic management can involve communications between a command or leader robot and one or more client or follower robots through a cloud computing system. In an example implementation, a leader robot can receive first sensory data captured by a first follower robot and second sensory data captured by a second follower robot, determine a command function based on at least one of the first sensory data and the second sensory data, and communicate with at least one of the first follower robot and the second follower robot based on the command function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, Chaitanya Gharpure
  • Patent number: 9486922
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a status of a component of a device are provided. An example method includes triggering an action of a component of a device, and responsively receiving information associated with the action of the component from a sensor. The method further includes a computing system having a processor and a memory comparing the information with calibration data and determining a status of the component based on the comparison. In some examples, the calibration data may include information derived from data received from a pool of one or more devices utilizing same or similar components as the component. The determined status may include information associated with a performance of the component with respect to performances of same or similar components of the pool of devices. In one example, the device may self-calibrate the component based on the status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, Jr., Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9471904
    Abstract: Methods and systems for proactively preventing hazardous or other situations in a robot-cloud interaction are provided. An example method includes receiving information associated with task logs for a plurality of robotic devices. The task logs may include information associated with tasks performed by the plurality of robotic devices. The method may also include a computing system determining information associated with hazardous situations based on the information associated with the task logs. For example, the hazardous situations may comprise situations associated with failures of one or more components of the plurality of robotic devices. According to the method, information associated with a contextual situation of a first robotic device may be determined, and when the information associated with the contextual situation is consistent with information associated with the one or more hazardous situations, an alert indicating a potential failure of the first robotic device may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, Jr., Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9473594
    Abstract: Methods and systems for robot cloud computing are described. Within examples, cloud-based computing generally refers to networked computer architectures in which application execution and storage may be divided, to some extent, between client and server devices. A robot may be any device that has a computing ability and interacts with its surroundings with an actuation capability (e.g., electromechanical capabilities). A client device may be configured as a robot including various sensors and devices in the forms of modules, and different modules may be added or removed from robot depending on requirements. In some example, a robot may be configured to receive a second device, such as mobile phone, that may be configured to function as an accessory or a “brain” of the robot. A robot may interact with the cloud to perform any number of actions, such as to share information with other cloud computing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, Anthony G. Francis, Jr., Thor Lewis
  • Patent number: 9446511
    Abstract: Methods and systems for allocating tasks to robotic devices are provided. An example method includes receiving information associated with task logs for a plurality of robotic devices and in a computing system configured to access a processor and memory, determining information associated with a health level for the plurality of robotic devices based on the information associated with the task logs. A health level for a given robotic device may be proportional to a current level of ability to perform a function, which may change over a lifespan of the given robotic device. Information associated with a plurality of tasks to be performed by one or more or the robotic devices may also be determined. The computing system may optimize an allocation of the plurality of tasks such that a high precision task may be allocated to a robotic device having a greater current health level than another robotic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, Jr., Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9445015
    Abstract: Example methods and systems for adjusting sensor viewpoint to a virtual viewpoint are provided. An example method may involve receiving data from a first camera; receiving data from a second camera; transforming, from the first viewpoint to a virtual viewpoint within the device, frames in a first plurality of frames based on an offset from the first camera to the virtual viewpoint; determining, in a second plurality of frames, one or more features and a movement, relative to the second viewpoint, of the one or more features; and transforming, from the second viewpoint to the virtual viewpoint, the movement of the one or more features based on an offset from the second camera to the virtual viewpoint; adjusting the transformed frames of the virtual viewpoint by an amount that is proportional to the transformed movement; and providing for display the adjusted and transformed frames of the first plurality of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Joel Hesch, Ryan Hickman, Johnny Lee
  • Patent number: 9436425
    Abstract: Techniques for identifying groups of features in an online geographic view of a real property and replacing and/or augmenting the groups of features with advertisement information are described. The techniques include providing a geographic view of a property within an online property management system, identifying a region of interest in the geographic view, analyzing the geographic view to locate one or more promotional features within the geographic view positioned upon a real property region, providing a user-selectable link associated with the region of interest in the geographic view, receiving a request for the region of interest in the geographic view via the user-selectable link, receiving data to alter at least one of the behavior or the appearance of the region of interest, storing the data in association with the geographic view, and updating the region of interest within the geographic view based upon the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9437097
    Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for monitoring environmental conditions in one or more environments. In one embodiment, the method includes maintaining a plurality of environmental-condition thresholds, each of which corresponds to an environmental condition and is predetermined based on data corresponding to the environmental condition that is received from a plurality of robots. The method further includes receiving from a first robot first data corresponding to a first environmental condition in a first environment. The method may still further include making a first comparison of the first data and a first environmental-condition threshold corresponding to the first environmental condition and, based on the first comparison, triggering a notification. Triggering the notification may comprise transmitting to the robot instructions to transmit the notification to at least one of a call center and a remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Arshan Poursohi, Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9417185
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling light arrays to determine properties of an object are described. An example method includes causing illumination of a surface of an object from multiple illumination positions using a programmable array of lights, and receiving images from an image-capture device while the surface of the object is illuminated. For example, the programmable array of lights may be modulated to cause illumination of a portion of the surface of the object from first and second illumination positions, and a first and second image of the surface of the object captured during illumination from the first and second illumination positions respectively may be received. Subsequently, a processor may determine material information for the object based on an amount of specular reflectivity for the surface of the object and reference to a database of known amounts of specular reflectivity for a plurality of materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Bruce, Ryan Hickman, James J. Kuffner, Jr., Arshan Poursohi
  • Patent number: 9399294
    Abstract: Methods and systems for robot functions and user interfaces are described. A server may receive a set of robot parameters, and may predict new parameters based on a robot command. In this manner, a user may receive parameters corresponding to the predicted values and mitigate network and processing latency. In other examples, a robot may provide a forward looking image and a robot speed. When a command to move forward is issued, the server may provide a predicted image and predicted speed. The server may be able to calculate a predicted image and a predicted speed (or other parameter) more quickly than the robot could provide the same information. The predicted information may be displayed on a user interface with a corresponding indication that the values are predicted. The robot may provide the server and the user interface with the actual data when it is available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, Thor Lewis
  • Patent number: 9399290
    Abstract: A method includes receiving first sensor data acquired by a first sensor in communication with a cloud computing system. The first sensor data has a first set of associated attributes including a time and a location at which the first sensor data was acquired. The method also includes receiving second sensor data acquired by a second sensor in communication with the cloud computing system. The second data has a second set of associated attributes including a time and a location at which the second sensor data was acquire. Further, the method includes generating a data processing result based at least in part on the first sensor data, the first set of associated attributes, the second sensor data, and the second set of associated attributes and instructing a robot in communication with the cloud computing system to perform a task based at least in part on the data processing result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony G. Francis, Jr., Ryan Hickman, Arshan Poursohi
  • Publication number: 20160207200
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a status of a component of a device are provided. An example method includes triggering an action of a component of a device, and responsively receiving information associated with the action of the component from a sensor. The method further includes a computing system having a processor and a memory comparing the information with calibration data and determining a status of the component based on the comparison. In some examples, the calibration data may include information derived from data received from a pool of one or more devices utilizing same or similar components as the component. The determined status may include information associated with a performance of the component with respect to performances of same or similar components of the pool of devices. In one example, the device may self-calibrate the component based on the status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, JR., Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9344623
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing functionality of an interface to control orientations of a camera on a device are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving an input on an interface indicating a command for an orientation of a camera on a robotic device, and the interface may be provided on a device remote from the robotic device. An indicator may be provided on the interface representing a location of the input, and the indicator may be representative of the command for the orientation of the camera on the robotic device. The method may also include determining that the location of the input on the interface is within a distance threshold to a pre-set location on the interface, and repositioning the indicator on the interface to be at the pre-set location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Munjal Desai, Ryan Hickman, Thor Lewis, Damon Kohler
  • Patent number: 9327404
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a status of a component of a device are provided. An example method includes triggering an action of a component of a device, and responsively receiving information associated with the action of the component from a sensor. The method further includes a computing system having a processor and a memory comparing the information with calibration data and determining a status of the component based on the comparison. In some examples, the calibration data may include information derived from data received from a pool of one or more devices utilizing same or similar components as the component. The determined status may include information associated with a performance of the component with respect to performances of same or similar components of the pool of devices. In one example, the device may self-calibrate the component based on the status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, Jr., Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9225756
    Abstract: According to a general aspect, a method can include receiving a request, triggered via a consumer account, to access, using a social media application, a plurality of sharer content. The sharer content can be associated with a sharer account using the social media application. The method can include retrieving, in response to the request, a consumer value and a relationship value. The consumer value can represent an interaction with the social media application via the consumer account and the relationship value can characterize a relationship between a consumer identifier of the consumer account and a sharer identifier of the sharer account. The method can include selecting a subset of sharer content from the plurality of sharer content based on a combination of the consumer value and the relationship value, and can include defining a portion of a presentation customized for the consumer account using the selected subset of sharer content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Hickman