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: 8854362
    Abstract: Systems and methods for collecting data from an object are provided. In examples, a plurality of sensing components are configured to receive information indicative of one or more characteristics of the object. The information indicative of one or more characteristics of the object can be associated with respective data points of the object. The system is further configured to generate a three-dimensional (3D) view of the object based on the information indicative of one or more characteristics of the object and the association with respective data points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Arshan Poursohi, Ryan Hickman, Chaitanya Gharpure, Thor Lewis
  • Patent number: 8854485
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing functionality of an interface to include an artificial horizon are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving information indicating a range of motion of a camera on a device, and providing an interface on a second device remote from the device. The interface may be configured to receive an input indicating a command for an orientation of the camera on the device. The method may further include based on the information indicating the range of motion of the camera, providing an artificial horizon at a fixed position on the interface that indicates the range of motion of the camera on either side of the artificial horizon. The fixed position of the artificial horizon may be associated with an orientation of the camera having a tilt value of about zero or having a pan value of about zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Munjal Desai, Ryan Hickman, Thor Lewis, Damon Kohler
  • Patent number: 8848201
    Abstract: Methods and systems for multi-modal three-dimensional (3D) scanning of objects are described. An example method may include receiving, from a scanning system, 3D information associated with an object having a first resolution. A region of interest of the object may be determined by a processor based on the 3D information associated with the object. Additionally, instructions for operating the scanning system to determine additional information associated with the region of interest of the object may be determined. The additional information associated with the region of interest may have a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution. The instructions may be provided to the scanning system to determine the additional information associated with the region of interest of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: James R. Bruce, Ryan Hickman, Arshan Poursohi
  • Patent number: 8836730
    Abstract: Methods and systems for modifying a display of a field of view of a robotic device to include zoomed-in and zoomed-out views are provided. In examples, the robotic device may include a camera to capture images in a field of view of a robotic device, and distance sensors which can provide outputs that may be used to determine a distance of the robotic device to an object in the field of view of the robotic device. A display of the field of view of the robotic device can be generated, and as the distance decreases, the display can be modified to include a zoomed-in view of the object. As the distance increases, the display can be modified to include a zoomed-out view of the object. An amount of zoom of the object may be inversely proportional to the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Munjal Desai, Ryan Hickman, Thor Lewis, Damon Kohler
  • Patent number: 8838276
    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 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Munjal Desai, Ryan Hickman, Thor Lewis, Damon Kohler
  • Publication number: 20140253546
    Abstract: Methods and systems for interacting with multiple three-dimensional (3D) object data models are provided. An example method may involve providing to a display device for display a first 3D object data model and a second 3D object data model. Information associated with a modification to the first 3D object data model may be received. Based on the received information, a same change may be applied to the first 3D object data model and applied to the second 3D object data model to obtain a first modified 3D object data model and a second modified 3D object data model. According to the method, the first modified 3D object data model and the second modified 3D object data model may be provided to the display device for substantially simultaneous display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, James J. Kuffner, JR., Anthony Gerald Francis, JR., Arshan Poursohi, James R. Bruce, Thor Lewis, Chaitanya Gharpure
  • Patent number: 8830057
    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: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Arshan Poursohi, Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 8831366
    Abstract: Methods and systems for encoding and compressing 3D object data models are provided. An example method may involve receiving 3D mesh data for an object that includes geometry coordinates for a surface of the object. Additionally, material properties may be associated with the geometry coordinates. The method may also include identifying multiple portions of the mesh data based on the material properties associated with the geometry coordinates. For example, a given group of adjacent geometry coordinates having common material properties may be identified as a given portion. For at least some of the identified portions of the mesh data, the method may further include encoding information related to an identified portion of the mesh data and compressing the encoded information into a file of compressed geometric data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, James J. Kuffner, Jr., Anthony Gerald Francis, Jr., Arshan Poursohi, James R. Bruce, Thor Lewis, Chaitanya Gharpure, Won Chun
  • Patent number: 8817021
    Abstract: Methods and systems for writing, interpreting, and translating three-dimensional (3D) scenes are provided. An example method may involve accessing data associated with a three-dimensional (3D) scene that includes one or more objects of the 3D scene and one or more rendering effects for the one or more objects. Requests for assets and instructions associated with rendering the one or more objects based on the data associated with the 3D scene may be determined and sent to a server. Additionally, the method may include receiving from the server assets and instructions that facilitate rendering the one or more objects based on the one or more rendering effects. According to the method, the one or more objects of the 3D scene may be rendered based on the received instructions and the received assets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, James J. Kuffner, Jr., Anthony Gerald Francis, Jr., Arshan Poursohi, James R. Bruce, Thor Lewis, Chaitanya Gharpure
  • Patent number: 8766997
    Abstract: Methods and systems for interacting with multiple three-dimensional (3D) object data models are provided. An example method may involve providing to a display device for display a first 3D object data model and a second 3D object data model. Information associated with a modification to the first 3D object data model may be received. Based on the received information, a same change may be applied to the first 3D object data model and applied to the second 3D object data model to obtain a first modified 3D object data model and a second modified 3D object data model. According to the method, the first modified 3D object data model and the second modified 3D object data model may be provided to the display device for substantially simultaneous display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, James J. Kuffner, Jr., Anthony Gerald Francis, Jr., Arshan Poursohi, James R. Bruce, Thor Lewis, Chaitanya Gharpure
  • Patent number: 8754887
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining three-dimensional (3D) object data models of an object based on movement of the object. A processor may receive first scan data and second scan data of an object within in a space. The first scan data may comprise a first position of the object in the space and a first mesh image defining a first view of a shape of the object at the first position. The second scan data may comprise movement information defining a movement of the object from the first position to a second position within the space and a second mesh image defining a second view of the shape of the object at the second position. The first scan data and the second scan data may be aligned to generate a 3D object data model based on the first mesh image, the movement information, and the second mesh image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, Jr., Anthony Gerald Francis, Jr., Arshan Poursohi, James R. Bruce, Ryan Hickman
  • Publication number: 20140143686
    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: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Hickman
  • Publication number: 20140136998
    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: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 8718822
    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: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, Thor Lewis
  • Patent number: 8712737
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for determining and displaying a simulated deformation of a 3D object data model. In one aspect, a method is disclosed that includes causing a force to be applied to an object to cause a deformation of the object and causing a plurality of reference scans of the object to be captured. The method further includes, based on the plurality of reference scans, generating a 3D object data model representing the object and, further based on the plurality of reference scans, identifying a constraint point of the 3D object data model, where the constraint point represents a point of minimum deformation of the object. The method still further includes selecting a predefined deformation model, where the predefined deformation model defines a simulated deformation, and where the simulated deformation simulates at least a portion of the deformation of the object proximate to the point of minimum deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, Arshan Poursohi, Thor Lewis
  • Patent number: 8688698
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automatic text suggestion are described. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a method that includes, from an authoring environment, receiving a request to supplement a text segment; submitting a query to a search engine, the query being generated from the text segment; receiving multiple search results from the search engine in response to the query, each search result including an information snippet; generating one or more suggestions for supplementing the text segment based on the information snippets; and providing the one or more suggestions for supplementing the text segment for display in the authoring environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: David Black, Ryan Hickman
  • Publication number: 20140028799
    Abstract: Methods and systems for using a mobile device with a multi-element display, a camera, and a controller to determine a 3D model of a target object. The multi-element display is configured to generate a light field. At least a portion of the light field reflects from a target object. The camera is configured to capture a plurality of images based on the portion of the light field reflected from the target object. The controller is configured to determine a 3D model of the target object based on the images. The 3D model includes three-dimensional shape and color information about the target object. In some examples, the light field could include specific light patterns, spectral content, and other forms of modulated/structured light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: James Kuffner, Arshan Poursohi, Chaitanya Gharpure, Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 8639644
    Abstract: The present application discloses shared robot knowledge bases for use with cloud computing systems. In one embodiment, the cloud computing system collects data from a robot about an object the robot has encountered in its environment, and stores the received data in the shared robot knowledge base. In another embodiment, the cloud computing system sends instructions for interacting with an object to a robot, receives feedback from the robot based on its interaction with the object, and updates data in the shared robot knowledge base based on the feedback. In yet another embodiment, the cloud computing system sends instructions to a robot for executing an application based on information stored in the shared robot knowledge base. In the disclosed embodiments, information in the shared robot knowledge bases is updated based on robot experiences so that any particular robot may benefit from prior experiences of other robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Hickman, James J. Kuffner, Jr., James R. Bruce, Chaitanya Gharpure, Damon Kohler, Arshan Poursohi, Anthony G. Francis, Jr., Thor Lewis
  • Publication number: 20140022248
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining three-dimensional (3D) object data models of an object based on movement of the object. A processor may receive first scan data and second scan data of an object within in a space. The first scan data may comprise a first position of the object in the space and a first mesh image defining a first view of a shape of the object at the first position. The second scan data may comprise movement information defining a movement of the object from the first position to a second position within the space and a second mesh image defining a second view of the shape of the object at the second position. The first scan data and the second scan data may be aligned to generate a 3D object data model based on the first mesh image, the movement information, and the second mesh image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: James J. KUFFNER, JR., Anthony Gerald FRANCIS, JR., Arshan POURSOHI, James R. BRUCE, Ryan HICKMAN
  • Patent number: D704436
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Travel Caddy, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryce Ryan Hickman