Patents by Inventor Thomas Pettersen

Thomas Pettersen 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: 8225226
    Abstract: A system that enables a user to interact with a virtual control panel using a user controlled pointing object. The system includes a portable identification element, a tracking unit adapted to capture data representing the position of the pointing object and the position of the identification element, a storage unit, storing at least one pre-defined graphical interface representing a control panel of a device, a graphics unit, generating a graphical representation of the control panel, a registering unit, registering the graphical representation of the control panel in a fixed relation to the portable identification element to produce a virtual control panel and a display unit, showing the user a view including the real world and the virtual control panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Charlotte Skourup, John Pretlove, Thomas Pettersen
  • Patent number: 7787992
    Abstract: A method to generate technical information about a device or process by recognizing the identity of a device or process, retrieving a stored image dependent on the device, combining the stored virtual image together with an image of a real device object, displaying the combination on a display and providing a virtual control HMI means to the user for monitoring and/or controlling the device or process. A graphical user interface, computer program and a system are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: John Pretlove, Charlotte Skourup, Pierre Öberg, Thomas Pettersen, Christoffer Apneseth
  • Patent number: 7714895
    Abstract: An augmented reality system including a camera movably located at a local site captures an image. A registering unit generates graphics and registers the generated graphics to the image from the camera to provide a composite augmented reality image. A display device located at a remote site, physically separated from the local site, displays a view including the composite augmented reality image. A communication link communicates information between the local and the remote site. A specifying unit specifies a position and an orientation in the remote site. The registering unit is adapted to register the generated graphical representation to the image in dependence of the specified position and orientation. The camera is arranged such that its position and orientation is dependent on the specified position and orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: John Pretlove, Thomas Pettersen
  • Publication number: 20090300535
    Abstract: A system that enables a user to interact with a virtual control panel using a user controlled pointing object. The system includes a portable identification element, a tracking unit adapted to capture data representing the position of the pointing object and the position of the identification element, a storage unit, storing at least one pre-defined graphical interface representing a control panel of a device, a graphics unit, generating a graphical representation of the control panel, a registering unit, registering the graphical representation of the control panel in a fixed relation to the portable identification element to produce a virtual control panel and a display unit, showing the user a view including the real world and the virtual control panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Charlotte Skourup, John Pretlove, Thomas Pettersen
  • Patent number: 7353082
    Abstract: A method and a system for use in connection with off-line programming of an industrial robot. The robot is taught a path having a number of waypoints located on or in the vicinity of at least one object to be processed by the robot. The system includes a tracking system unit adapted to provide information about the position of a part of the body of an operator pointing by the part at points on or in the vicinity of the object, a visual feed-back unit generating a visual feed-back to the operator of the position of the point being presently pointed at by the part of the body, in relation to the object, and a storage unit adapted for storing the position of the part of the body as a waypoint upon receiving a recording command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Abb Research Ltd.
    Inventors: John Pretlove, Charlotte Skourup, Thomas Pettersen
  • Patent number: 7236854
    Abstract: A method and a system for use in connection with programming of an industrial robot. The programming includes teaching the robot a path having a number of waypoints located on or in the vicinity of an object to be processed by the robot. The system includes elements for obtaining information about the waypoints of the path in relation to the object, a storage unit for storing the obtained information, a simulation unit for simulating the robot path based on the obtained information about the waypoints and a model of the robot, a graphics generator for generating a graphical representation of the simulated robot path, and a display member for displaying a view comprising the object and the graphical representation of the robot path projected on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: John Pretlove, Charlotte Skourup, Thomas Pettersen
  • Patent number: 7209801
    Abstract: A method for programming an industrial robot having a tool. The method includes obtaining configuration data for the tool and for the robot path and information about the position and orientation of the object in relation to the robot, obtaining a sequence of waypoints, which defines the process in relation to the object, obtaining at least one distance for adjusting the position of a waypoint, deciding whether an obtained waypoint should be modified or not, based on the obtained information about the waypoints, generating a modified sequence of waypoints by modifying the waypoints in the obtained sequence of waypoints, based on the decision, the obtained distance and the obtained information about the waypoints and generating the actual robot path based on the modified sequence of waypoints and the obtained configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Ole Arnt Anfindsen, Charlotte Skourup, Thomas Pettersen, John Pretlove
  • Publication number: 20060241792
    Abstract: A method to generate technical information about a device or process by recognizing the identity of a device or process, retrieving a stored image dependent on the device, combining the stored virtual image together with an image of a real device object displaying the combination on a display and providing a virtual control HMI means to the user for monitoring and/or controlling the device or process. A graphical user interface, computer program and a system are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: John Pretlove, Charlotte Skourup, Pierre Oberg, Thomas Pettersen, Christoffer Apneseth
  • Publication number: 20050256611
    Abstract: A method and a system for use in connection with off-line programming of an industrial robot. The robot is taught a path having a number of waypoints located on or in the vicinity of at least one object to be processed by the robot. The system includes a tracking system unit adapted to provide information about the position of a part of the body of an operator pointing by the part at points on or in the vicinity of the object, a visual feed-back unit generating a visual feed-back to the operator of the position of the point being presently pointed at by the part of the body, in relation to the object, and a storage unit adapted for storing the position of the part of the body as a waypoint upon receiving a recording command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: John Pretlove, Charlotte Skourup, Thomas Pettersen
  • Publication number: 20050149231
    Abstract: A method and a system for use in connection with programming of an industrial robot, the programming comprises teaching the robot a path having a number of waypoints located on or in the vicinity of an object to be processed by the robot. The system comprises: means for obtaining information about the waypoints of the path in relation to the object, a storage unit (16), for storing the obtained information, a simulation unit (18), simulating the robot path based on the obtained information about the waypoints and a model of the robot, a graphics generator (23), generating a graphical representation of the simulated robot path, and a display member (12) displaying a view comprising the object and said graphical representation of the robot path projected on the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: John Pretlove, Charlotte Skourup, Thomas Pettersen
  • Publication number: 20040189675
    Abstract: An augmented reality system comprising: a camera (19) for capturing an image, the camera being movably locatee at a local site, a registering unit (9), generating graphics and registering the generated graphics to the image from the camera, to provide a composite augmented reality image, a display device (5) located at a remote site, physically separated from the local site, for displaying a view comprising the composite augmented reality image, and a communication link (1), for communication of information between the local and the remote site, and a specifying unit (7), for specification of a position and an orientation in the remote site. The registering unit is adapted for registering the generated graphical representation to the image in dependence of the specified position and orientation, and the camera is arranged such that its position and orientation is dependent on the specified position and orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: John Pretlove, Thomas Pettersen
  • Publication number: 20040193321
    Abstract: A method for programming an industrial robot having a tool, to perform a process on an object while following a robot path defined by a number of waypoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Ole Arnt Anfindsen, Charlotte Skourup, Thomas Pettersen, John Pretlove