Patents by Inventor Wayne A. Anderson

Wayne A. Anderson 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).

  • SYSTEM AND METHOD TO EXTEND OPERATING LIFE OF RECHARGABLE BATTERIES USING BATTERY CHARGE MANAGEMENT
    Publication number: 20120256752
    Abstract: A battery charging management technique and apparatus to manage battery charge in order to extend the operating life of the battery while meeting the energy needs of both scheduled and unscheduled discharges of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: James William Musser, David August Johnson, Peter Finamore, Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Varying irrigation scheduling based on height of vegetation
    Patent number: 8285460
    Abstract: A method of controlling application of a substance to vegetation using data obtained via a mobile machine is provided. A height of the vegetation is measured during a scheduled task of the mobile machine. The measured height of the vegetation is compared with a calculated height of the vegetation. Then, an amount of the substance applied by an irrigation system to an area containing the vegetation is adjusted based on a difference between the measured height of the vegetation and the calculated height of the vegetation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Joshua D. Hoffman, Noel Wayne Anderson, David August Johnson, Russell Thacher, Kirk Eisenbeis
  • Mobile Station for an Unmanned Vehicle
    Publication number: 20120253581
    Abstract: A mobile station for an unmanned vehicle comprises a vehicular storage area for storing a vehicle during transit or at rest. A first wireless transceiver communicates a status or command between the vehicle and the mobile station during at least one of vehicular deployment and rest. A station controller manages a management plan of the vehicle comprising at least one of retooling the vehicle, loading a payload on the vehicle, and recharging or refueling of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Multi-Vehicle High Integrity Perception
    Publication number: 20120221172
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a method for processing sensor data and controlling the movement of a vehicle. In one illustrative embodiment, a vehicle having a plurality of sensors attempts to receive sensor data. In response to an inability of the vehicle to obtain needed sensor data, collected sensor data is requested from a plurality of other vehicles to form alternate sensor data. The alternate sensor data is received and the vehicle is controlled using the alternate sensor data. In another illustrative embodiment, a request is received at a first vehicle for sensor data from a different vehicle. Sensor data is collected from a plurality of sensors at the first vehicle. The sensor data is then sent to the different vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Tethered robot positioning
    Patent number: 8234010
    Abstract: A system and method for positioning a mobile machine, such as a robot, using a tether line connected between two mobile machines. A first mobile machine, such as a boundary vehicle, is controlled to move along a path, such as a boundary defining an area. The first machine employs a localization device to determine and maintain its position on the path. A tether line is connected between the boundary vehicle and a second mobile machine, such as a roving vehicle. The first machine determines the position of the second machine relative to the first machine from a length of extension and angle of the tether line. The first machine controls movement of the second machine to perform a task or mission, such as a task performed in the area defined by the boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Thompson, Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Leader-follower fully autonomous vehicle with operator on side
    Patent number: 8229618
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a method and apparatus for controlling movement of a vehicle. Movement of an operator located at a side of the vehicle is identified with a plurality of sensors located in the vehicle and the vehicle is moved in a path that maintains the operator at the side of the vehicle while the operator is moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Louis Tolstedt, Noel Wayne Anderson
  • System and method for providing prescribed resources to plants
    Patent number: 8224494
    Abstract: Therefore, the illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method and system for providing an application of a resource to plants. A plurality of per plant prescriptions for a plurality of plants are received and a source is selected to fulfill the plurality of per plant prescriptions to form a selected source. Movement of a mobile utility vehicle is controlled to the selected source, the resource is obtained, and movement of the mobile utility vehicle is controlled to each plant in the plurality of plants. The resource is applied from the mobile utility vehicle to each plant according to the per plant prescription.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Distributed knowledge base program for vehicular localization and work-site management
    Patent number: 8224500
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a computer program product for controlling a vehicle. In an illustrative embodiment, a computer program product is comprised of a computer recordable media having computer usable program code for identifying a dynamic condition. When the dynamic condition is identified, computer usable program code using a knowledge base controls the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • System and method for area coverage using sector decomposition
    Patent number: 8224516
    Abstract: The different illustrative embodiments provide a method for generating an area coverage path plan using sector decomposition. A starting point is identified on a worksite map having a number of landmarks. A first landmark in the number of landmarks is identified. A path is generated around the first landmark until an obstacle is detected. In response to detecting the obstacle, the path is made linear to a next landmark. The path is generated around the next landmark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Varying Irrigation Scheduling Based on Height of Vegetation
    Publication number: 20120173087
    Abstract: A method of controlling application of a substance to vegetation using data obtained via a mobile machine is provided. A height of the vegetation is measured during a scheduled task of the mobile machine. The measured height of the vegetation is compared with a calculated height of the vegetation. Then, an amount of the substance applied by an irrigation system to an area containing the vegetation is adjusted based on a difference between the measured height of the vegetation and the calculated height of the vegetation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Joshua D. Hoffman, Noel Wayne Anderson, David August Johnson, Russell Thacher, Kirk Eisenbeis
  • Controller area network condition monitoring and bus health on in-vehicle communications networks
    Patent number: 8213321
    Abstract: A method and system monitor a communications network, e.g., a controller area network (CAN), and more specifically, an in-vehicle communications network, by maintaining a count of each type of error code and a histogram of all network messages seen by each of the controllers during a measurement period; and by determining a bus health index of the communication bus based upon a percentage of a given type of error to the total count of all errors during a measurement period. An individual controller or controller area network bus segment can be indicated as having a communications problem as a result of the health index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Lloyd Butts, Noel Wayne Anderson
  • System and Method for Area Coverage Using Sector Decomposition
    Publication number: 20120166019
    Abstract: The different illustrative embodiments provide a method for generating an area coverage path plan using sector decomposition. A starting point is identified on a worksite map having a number of landmarks. A first landmark in the number of landmarks is identified. A path is generated around the first landmark until an obstacle is detected. In response to detecting the obstacle, the path is made linear to a next landmark. The path is generated around the next landmark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Networked Chemical Dispersion System
    Publication number: 20120150355
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a chemical dispersion system comprising a number of chemical dispersion nodes, a chemical dispersion manager, and a processor unit. The processor unit executes the chemical dispersion manager to identify a pest problem and generate a chemical dispersion plan for execution by the number of chemical dispersion nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Multi-vehicle high integrity perception
    Patent number: 8200428
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a method for processing sensor data and controlling the movement of a vehicle. In one illustrative embodiment, a vehicle having a plurality of sensors attempts to receive sensor data. In response to an inability of the vehicle to obtain needed sensor data, collected sensor data is requested from a plurality of other vehicles to form alternate sensor data. The alternate sensor data is received and the vehicle is controlled using the alternate sensor data. In another illustrative embodiment, a request is received at a first vehicle for sensor data from a different vehicle. Sensor data is collected from a plurality of sensors at the first vehicle. The sensor data is then sent to the different vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Distributed Robotic Guidance
    Publication number: 20120143429
    Abstract: The different illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus that includes a computer system, a number of structured light generators, and a number of mobile robotic devices. The computer system is configured to generate a path plan. The number of structured light generators is configured to project the path plan. The number of mobile robotic devices is configured to detect and follow the path plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Distributed knowledge base for vehicular localization and work-site management
    Patent number: 8195342
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus for controlling a vehicle. In an illustrative embodiment, a vehicle is comprised of a machine controller, a steering system, a propulsion system, a braking system, a sensor system, and a knowledge base used by the machine controller. The machine controller identifies a dynamic condition and sends commands to the steering system, the propulsion system, and the braking system to move the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Multi-vehicle high integrity perception
    Patent number: 8195358
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a method for processing sensor data and controlling the movement of a vehicle. In one illustrative embodiment, a vehicle having a plurality of sensors attempts to receive sensor data. In response to an inability of the vehicle to obtain needed sensor data, collected sensor data is requested from a plurality of other vehicles to form alternate sensor data. The alternate sensor data is received and the vehicle is controlled using the alternate sensor data. In another illustrative embodiment, a request is received at a first vehicle for sensor data from a different vehicle. Sensor data is collected from a plurality of sensors at the first vehicle. The sensor data is then sent to the different vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • VEHICLE GUIDANCE SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20120112896
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring movement of a vehicle system. A sensor system monitors movement of a structure relative to a vehicle. The structure is connected to the vehicle in the vehicle system. A computer system identifies a number of distances from the sensor system to a number of objects associated with the structure. The computer system identifies an orientation of the structure relative to the vehicle using the number of distances from the sensor system associated with the vehicle to the number of objects. The computer system determines whether the orientation of the structure meets a number of criteria. The computer system initiates an operation for the vehicle system in response to an absence of a determination that the orientation meets the number of criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Scott D. Clair, Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Systems and methods for constructing and utilizing a merchant database derived from customer purchase transactions data
    Patent number: 8175908
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system, including a computer system for storing and manipulating transaction data including transaction purchase information, customer demographics information, and merchant information, the computer system comprising a storage device for storing the transaction data and a processor for processing the transaction data. The method may include obtaining transaction purchase information generated from a plurality of sources; generating customer profile information based on the transaction purchase information; and obtaining merchant information relating to at least one merchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
    Inventor: Russell Wayne Anderson
  • METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING OPERATING PERFORMANCE OF AN AUTONOMIC MOBILE ROBOTIC DEVICE
    Publication number: 20120101679
    Abstract: A mechanism for optimizing behavior of an autonomous mobile robotic device. A first set of robotic behaviors is created based on a set of work area parameters and a behavior selection. The autonomous mobile robotic device is controlled using the first set of robotic behaviors. Performance data indicative of a performance of the autonomous mobile robotic device when controlled by the first set of robotic behaviors is collected. The performance data is analyzed to create a second set of robotic behaviors having enhanced performance relative to the first set of robotic behaviors. The first set of robotic behaviors is replaced with the second set of robotic behaviors to control the autonomous mobile robotic device using the second set of robotic behaviors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Noel Wayne Anderson, Mark Bodwell, Alex Foessel, Thomas K. Hein