Patents by Inventor Twan Koolen

Twan Koolen 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).

  • Publication number: 20250178190
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining movement of a robot about an environment are provided. A computing system of the robot (i) receives information including a navigation target for the robot and a kinematic state of the robot; (ii) determines, based on the information and a trajectory target for the robot, a retargeted trajectory for the robot; (iii) determines, based on the retargeted trajectory, a centroidal trajectory for the robot and a kinematic trajectory for the robot consistent with the centroidal trajectory; and (iv) determines, based on the centroidal trajectory and the kinematic trajectory, a set of vectors having a vector for each of one or more joints of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2024
    Publication date: June 5, 2025
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Deits, Scott Kuindersma, Matthew P. Kelly, Twan Koolen, Yeuhi Abe, Benjamin Stephens
  • Patent number: 12194629
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining movement of a robot about an environment are provided. A computing system of the robot (i) receives information including a navigation target for the robot and a kinematic state of the robot; (ii) determines, based on the information and a trajectory target for the robot, a retargeted trajectory for the robot; (iii) determines, based on the retargeted trajectory, a centroidal trajectory for the robot and a kinematic trajectory for the robot consistent with the centroidal trajectory; and (iv) determines, based on the centroidal trajectory and the kinematic trajectory, a set of vectors having a vector for each of one or more joints of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Deits, Scott Kuindersma, Matthew P. Kelly, Twan Koolen, Yeuhi Abe, Benjamin Stephens
  • Publication number: 20240051122
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining movement of a robot about an environment are provided. A computing system of the robot (i) receives information including a navigation target for the robot and a kinematic state of the robot; (ii) determines, based on the information and a trajectory target for the robot, a retargeted trajectory for the robot; (iii) determines, based on the retargeted trajectory, a centroidal trajectory for the robot and a kinematic trajectory for the robot consistent with the centroidal trajectory; and (iv) determines, based on the centroidal trajectory and the kinematic trajectory, a set of vectors having a vector for each of one or more joints of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Deits, Scott Kuindersma, Matthew P. Kelly, Twan Koolen, Yeuhi Abe, Benjamin Stephens
  • Patent number: 11833680
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining movement of a robot about an environment are provided. A computing system of the robot (i) receives information including a navigation target for the robot and a kinematic state of the robot; (ii) determines, based on the information and a trajectory target for the robot, a retargeted trajectory for the robot; (iii) determines, based on the retargeted trajectory, a centroidal trajectory for the robot and a kinematic trajectory for the robot consistent with the centroidal trajectory; and (iv) determines, based on the centroidal trajectory and the kinematic trajectory, a set of vectors having a vector for each of one or more joints of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robin Deits, Scott Kuindersma, Matthew P. Kelly, Twan Koolen, Yeuhi Abe, Benjamin Stephens
  • Publication number: 20220410378
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining movement of a robot about an environment are provided. A computing system of the robot (i) receives information including a navigation target for the robot and a kinematic state of the robot; (ii) determines, based on the information and a trajectory target for the robot, a retargeted trajectory for the robot; (iii) determines, based on the retargeted trajectory, a centroidal trajectory for the robot and a kinematic trajectory for the robot consistent with the centroidal trajectory; and (iv) determines, based on the centroidal trajectory and the kinematic trajectory, a set of vectors having a vector for each of one or more joints of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Robin Deits, Scott Kuindersma, Matthew P. Kelly, Twan Koolen, Yeuhi Abe, Benjamin Stephens
  • Patent number: 8942848
    Abstract: A control system for a bipedal humanoid robot that utilizes certain fundamental characteristics of bipedal motion to provide a robust and relatively simple balancing and walking mechanism. The system primarily utilizes the concept of “capturability,” which is defined as the ability of the robot to come to a stop without falling by taking N or fewer steps. This ability is considered crucial to legged locomotion and is a useful, yet not overly restrictive criterion for stability. In the preferred embodiment, the bipedal robot is maintained in a 1-step capturable state. This means that future step-locating and driving decisions are made so that the robot may always be brought to a balanced halt with the taking of one step. Other embodiments maintain the bipedal robot in an N-step capturable state, in which the robot may always be brought to a balanced halt by taking N or fewer steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition
    Inventors: Jerry E. Pratt, Twan Koolen, John Rebula
  • Publication number: 20130184861
    Abstract: A control system for a bipedal humanoid robot that utilizes certain fundamental characteristics of bipedal motion to provide a robust and relatively simple balancing and walking mechanism. The system primarily utilizes the concept of “capturability,” which is defined as the ability of the robot to come to a stop without falling by taking N or fewer steps. This ability is considered crucial to legged locomotion and is a useful, yet not overly restrictive criterion for stability. In the preferred embodiment, the bipedal robot is maintained in a 1-step capturable state. This means that future step-locating and driving decisions are made so that the robot may always be brought to a balanced halt with the taking of one step. Other embodiments maintain the bipedal robot in an N-step capturable state, in which the robot may always brought to a balanced halt by taking N or fewer steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventors: Jerry E. Pratt, Twan Koolen, John Rebula