Patents by Inventor Stephen Berard

Stephen Berard 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: 12311563
    Abstract: An example robot includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder controlling motion of a member of the robot. The hydraulic actuator cylinder comprises a piston, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A valve system controls hydraulic fluid flow between a hydraulic supply line of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the first and second chambers, and a return line. A controller may provide a first signal to the valve system so as to begin moving the piston based on a trajectory comprising moving in a forward direction, stopping, and moving in a reverse direction. The controller may provide a second signal to the valve system so as to cause the piston to override the trajectory as it moves in the forward direction and stop at a given position, and then provide a third signal to the valve system so as to resume moving the piston in the reverse direction based on the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Khripin, Stephen Berard, Alfred Rizzi
  • Publication number: 20250050509
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for mitigating slip of a robot appendage. In one aspect, a method for mitigating slip of a robot appendage includes (i) receiving an input from one or more sensors, (ii) determining, based on the received input, an appendage position of the robot appendage, (iii) determining a filter position for the robot appendage, (iv) determining a distance between the appendage position and the filter position, (v) determining, based on the distance, a force to apply to the robot appendage, (vi) causing one or more actuators to apply the force to the robot appendage, (vii) determining whether the distance is greater than a threshold distance, and (viii) responsive to determining that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, the control system adjusting the filter position to a position, which is the threshold distance from the appendage position, for use in a next iteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: Stephen Berard, Alex Yu Khripin, Benjamin Swilling
  • Patent number: 12097609
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for mitigating slip of a robot appendage. In one aspect, a method for mitigating slip of a robot appendage includes (i) receiving an input from one or more sensors, (ii) determining, based on the received input, an appendage position of the robot appendage, (iii) determining a filter position for the robot appendage, (iv) determining a distance between the appendage position and the filter position, (v) determining, based on the distance, a force to apply to the robot appendage, (vi) causing one or more actuators to apply the force to the robot appendage, (vii) determining whether the distance is greater than a threshold distance, and (viii) responsive to determining that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, the control system adjusting the filter position to a position, which is the threshold distance from the appendage position, for use in a next iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Berard, Alex Yu Khripin, Benjamin Swilling
  • Patent number: 12054208
    Abstract: A legged robot may seek to operate according to a target gait. The legged robot may include leg members and leg joints. Possibly based on the target gait and state of the legged robot, an ordered list of gait controllers may be obtained. The gait controllers in the ordered list may define respective gaits of the legged robot, and may include respective validity checks and output parameters for the respective gaits. The ordered list may begin with a target gait controller that defines the target gait. The ordered list may be traversed in order from the target gait controller until a validity check associated with a particular gait controller passes. The legged robot may be instructed to actuate the leg members and/or leg joints according to output parameters of the particular gait controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Swilling, Eric Whitman, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi, Alex Yu Khripin, Gina Christine Fay
  • Publication number: 20240051150
    Abstract: An example robot includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder controlling motion of a member of the robot. The hydraulic actuator cylinder comprises a piston, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A valve system controls hydraulic fluid flow between a hydraulic supply line of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the first and second chambers, and a return line. A controller may provide a first signal to the valve system so as to begin moving the piston based on a trajectory comprising moving in a forward direction, stopping, and moving in a reverse direction. The controller may provide a second signal to the valve system so as to cause the piston to override the trajectory as it moves in the forward direction and stop at a given position, and then provide a third signal to the valve system so as to resume moving the piston in the reverse direction based on the trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Alex Khripin, Stephen Berard, Alfred Rizzi
  • Patent number: 11794353
    Abstract: An example robot includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder controlling motion of a member of the robot. The hydraulic actuator cylinder comprises a piston, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A valve system controls hydraulic fluid flow between a hydraulic supply line of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the first and second chambers, and a return line. A controller may provide a first signal to the valve system so as to begin moving the piston based on a trajectory comprising moving in a forward direction, stopping, and moving in a reverse direction. The controller may provide a second signal to the valve system so as to cause the piston to override the trajectory as it moves in the forward direction and stop at a given position, and then provide a third signal to the valve system so as to resume moving the piston in the reverse direction based on the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Khripin, Stephen Berard, Alfred Rizzi
  • Publication number: 20220134576
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for mitigating slip of a robot appendage. In one aspect, a method for mitigating slip of a robot appendage includes (i) receiving an input from one or more sensors, (ii) determining, based on the received input, an appendage position of the robot appendage, (iii) determining a filter position for the robot appendage, (iv) determining a distance between the appendage position and the filter position, (v) determining, based on the distance, a force to apply to the robot appendage, (vi) causing one or more actuators to apply the force to the robot appendage, (vii) determining whether the distance is greater than a threshold distance, and (viii) responsive to determining that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, the control system adjusting the filter position to a position, which is the threshold distance from the appendage position, for use in a next iteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Berard, Alex Yu Khripin, Benjamin Swilling
  • Patent number: 11319005
    Abstract: A legged robot may seek to operate according to a target gait. The legged robot may include leg members and leg joints. Possibly based on the target gait and state of the legged robot, an ordered list of gait controllers may be obtained. The gait controllers in the ordered list may define respective gaits of the legged robot, and may include respective validity checks and output parameters for the respective gaits. The ordered list may begin with a target gait controller that defines the target gait. The ordered list may be traversed in order from the target gait controller until a validity check associated with a particular gait controller passes. The legged robot may be instructed to actuate the leg members and/or leg joints according to output parameters of the particular gait controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Swilling, Eric Whitman, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi, Alex Yu Khripin, Gina Christine Fay
  • Patent number: 11247344
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for mitigating slip of a robot appendage. In one aspect, a method for mitigating slip of a robot appendage includes (i) receiving an input from one or more sensors, (ii) determining, based on the received input, an appendage position of the robot appendage, (iii) determining a filter position for the robot appendage, (iv) determining a distance between the appendage position and the filter position, (v) determining, based on the distance, a force to apply to the robot appendage, (vi) causing one or more actuators to apply the force to the robot appendage, (vii) determining whether the distance is greater than a threshold distance, and (viii) responsive to determining that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, the control system adjusting the filter position to a position, which is the threshold distance from the appendage position, for use in a next iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Berard, Alex Yu Khripin, Benjamin Swilling
  • Publication number: 20220032469
    Abstract: An example robot includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder controlling motion of a member of the robot. The hydraulic actuator cylinder comprises a piston, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A valve system controls hydraulic fluid flow between a hydraulic supply line of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the first and second chambers, and a return line. A controller may provide a first signal to the valve system so as to begin moving the piston based on a trajectory comprising moving in a forward direction, stopping, and moving in a reverse direction. The controller may provide a second signal to the valve system so as to cause the piston to override the trajectory as it moves in the forward direction and stop at a given position, and then provide a third signal to the valve system so as to resume moving the piston in the reverse direction based on the trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Khripin, Stephen Berard, Alfred Rizzi
  • Patent number: 11154990
    Abstract: An example robot includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder controlling motion of a member of the robot. The hydraulic actuator cylinder comprises a piston, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A valve system controls hydraulic fluid flow between a hydraulic supply line of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the first and second chambers, and a return line. A controller may provide a first signal to the valve system so as to begin moving the piston based on a trajectory comprising moving in a forward direction, stopping, and moving in a reverse direction. The controller may provide a second signal to the valve system so as to cause the piston to override the trajectory as it moves in the forward direction and stop at a given position, and then provide a third signal to the valve system so as to resume moving the piston in the reverse direction based on the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Khripin, Stephen Berard, Alfred Rizzi
  • Publication number: 20210147017
    Abstract: A legged robot may seek to operate according to a target gait. The legged robot may include leg members and leg joints. Possibly based on the target gait and state of the legged robot, an ordered list of gait controllers may be obtained. The gait controllers in the ordered list may define respective gaits of the legged robot, and may include respective validity checks and output parameters for the respective gaits. The ordered list may begin with a target gait controller that defines the target gait. The ordered list may be traversed in order from the target gait controller until a validity check associated with a particular gait controller passes. The legged robot may be instructed to actuate the leg members and/or leg joints according to output parameters of the particular gait controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Swilling, Eric Whitman, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi, Alex Yu Khripin, Gina Christine Fay
  • Publication number: 20200290213
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for mitigating slip of a robot appendage. In one aspect, a method for mitigating slip of a robot appendage includes (i) receiving an input from one or more sensors, (ii) determining, based on the received input, an appendage position of the robot appendage, (iii) determining a filter position for the robot appendage, (iv) determining a distance between the appendage position and the filter position, (v) determining, based on the distance, a force to apply to the robot appendage, (vi) causing one or more actuators to apply the force to the robot appendage, (vii) determining whether the distance is greater than a threshold distance, and (viii) responsive to determining that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, the control system adjusting the filter position to a position, which is the threshold distance from the appendage position, for use in a next iteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Berard, Alexander Yu Khripin, Benjamin Swilling
  • Patent number: 10688667
    Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for mitigating slip of a robot appendage. In one aspect, a method for mitigating slip of a robot appendage includes (i) receiving an input from one or more sensors, (ii) determining, based on the received input, an appendage position of the robot appendage, (iii) determining a filter position for the robot appendage, (iv) determining a distance between the appendage position and the filter position, (v) determining, based on the distance, a force to apply to the robot appendage, (vi) causing one or more actuators to apply the force to the robot appendage, (vii) determining whether the distance is greater than a threshold distance, and (viii) responsive to determining that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, the control system adjusting the filter position to a position, which is the threshold distance from the appendage position, for use in a next iteration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Berard, Alex Yu Khripin, Benjamin Swilling
  • Patent number: 10578129
    Abstract: A control system may receive sensor data indicative of respective fluid levels of two or more hydraulic accumulators configured to operate at respective target fluid levels within a hydraulic system. The control system may determine respective errors of the hydraulic accumulators based on the respective fluid levels and respective target fluid levels of the hydraulic accumulators. The respective errors may correspond to pressure errors, fluid volume errors, or other types of errors of the hydraulic accumulators. Responsive to determining the respective errors, the control system may determine that the error of a given hydraulic accumulator is greater than errors of the other hydraulic accumulators and provide instructions to control a hydraulic valve to supply fluid from a single pump of the hydraulic system to the given hydraulic accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary John Jackowski, Alex Khripin, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi
  • Publication number: 20190344845
    Abstract: A legged robot may seek to operate according to a target gait. The legged robot may include leg members and leg joints. Possibly based on the target gait and state of the legged robot, an ordered list of gait controllers may be obtained. The gait controllers in the ordered list may define respective gaits of the legged robot, and may include respective validity checks and output parameters for the respective gaits. The ordered list may begin with a target gait controller that defines the target gait. The ordered list may be traversed in order from the target gait controller until a validity check associated with a particular gait controller passes. The legged robot may be instructed to actuate the leg members and/or leg joints according to output parameters of the particular gait controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Swilling, Eric Whitman, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi, Alex Yu Khripin, Gina Christine Fay
  • Patent number: 10399621
    Abstract: A legged robot may seek to operate according to a target gait. The legged robot may include leg members and leg joints. Possibly based on the target gait and state of the legged robot, an ordered list of gait controllers may be obtained. The gait controllers in the ordered list may define respective gaits of the legged robot, and may include respective validity checks and output parameters for the respective gaits. The ordered list may begin with a target gait controller that defines the target gait. The ordered list may be traversed in order from the target gait controller until a validity check associated with a particular gait controller passes. The legged robot may be instructed to actuate the leg members and/or leg joints according to output parameters of the particular gait controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Swilling, Eric Whitman, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi, Alex Yu Khripin, Gina Christine Fay
  • Publication number: 20190210673
    Abstract: A legged robot may seek to operate according to a target gait. The legged robot may include leg members and leg joints. Possibly based on the target gait and state of the legged robot, an ordered list of gait controllers may be obtained. The gait controllers in the ordered list may define respective gaits of the legged robot, and may include respective validity checks and output parameters for the respective gaits. The ordered list may begin with a target gait controller that defines the target gait. The ordered list may be traversed in order from the target gait controller until a validity check associated with a particular gait controller passes. The legged robot may be instructed to actuate the leg members and/or leg joints according to output parameters of the particular gait controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Swilling, Eric Whitman, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi, Alex Yu Khripin, Gina Christine Fay
  • Patent number: 10279482
    Abstract: An example robot includes a hydraulic actuator cylinder controlling motion of a member of the robot. The hydraulic actuator cylinder comprises a piston, a first chamber, and a second chamber. A valve system controls hydraulic fluid flow between a hydraulic supply line of pressurized hydraulic fluid, the first and second chambers, and a return line. A controller may provide a first signal to the valve system so as to begin moving the piston based on a trajectory comprising moving in a forward direction, stopping, and moving in a reverse direction. The controller may provide a second signal to the valve system so as to cause the piston to override the trajectory as it moves in the forward direction and stop at a given position, and then provide a third signal to the valve system so as to resume moving the piston in the reverse direction based on the trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Khripin, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi
  • Patent number: 10266220
    Abstract: A legged robot may seek to operate according to a target gait. The legged robot may include leg members and leg joints. Possibly based on the target gait and state of the legged robot, an ordered list of gait controllers may be obtained. The gait controllers in the ordered list may define respective gaits of the legged robot, and may include respective validity checks and output parameters for the respective gaits. The ordered list may begin with a target gait controller that defines the target gait. The ordered list may be traversed in order from the target gait controller until a validity check associated with a particular gait controller passes. The legged robot may be instructed to actuate the leg members and/or leg joints according to output parameters of the particular gait controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Swilling, Eric Whitman, Stephen Berard, Alfred Anthony Rizzi, Alex Yu Khripin, Gina Christine Fay