With Robotics Patents (Class 250/559.33)
  • Patent number: 12225280
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to adjusting the monitored field of view of a camera and/or a view of a virtual scene from a point of view of a virtual camera based on the distance between tracked objects. For example, if the user's hand is being tracked for gestures, the closer the hand gets to another object, the tighter the frame can become—i.e., the more the camera can zoom in so that the hand and the other object occupy most of the frame. The camera can also be reoriented so that the hand and the other object remain in the center of the field of view. The distance between two objects in a camera's field of view can be determined and a parameter adjusted based thereon. In particular, the pan and/or zoom levels of the camera may be adjusted in accordance with the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: ULTRAHAPTICS IP TWO LIMITED
    Inventor: David S. Holz
  • Patent number: 11471241
    Abstract: The present application relates to an optical observation device which is controlled in a sterility preserving manner, and to a corresponding controlling program and/or program storage medium. The optical observation device includes a main structure having at least one optical camera, a motorized support for positioning the main structure, and a control unit that receives a sequence of images from the at least one optical camera, searches a current image from the sequence of images for a trackable object, tracks the trackable object shown in the sequence of images subsequent to the current image, and controls the motorized support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Stopp, Johannes Manus
  • Patent number: 11439478
    Abstract: An immersive display for use in a robotic surgical system includes a support arm, a housing mounted to the support arm and configured to engage with a face of the user, at least two eyepiece assemblies disposed in the housing and configured to provide a three-dimensional display, and at least one sensor, wherein the sensor enables operation of the robotic surgical system, and wherein the support arm is actuatable to move the housing for ergonomic positioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: VERB SURGICAL INC.
    Inventors: Kent Anderson, Joan Savall, Brent Nobles, Allegra Shum, Pablo E. Garcia Kilroy, Karen Shakespear Koenig
  • Patent number: 11418706
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to adjusting the monitored field of view of a camera and/or a view of a virtual scene from a point of view of a virtual camera based on the distance between tracked objects. For example, if the user's hand is being tracked for gestures, the closer the hand gets to another object, the tighter the frame can become—i.e., the more the camera can zoom in so that the hand and the other object occupy most of the frame. The camera can also be reoriented so that the hand and the other object remain in the center of the field of view. The distance between two objects in a camera's field of view can be determined and a parameter of a motion-capture system adjusted based thereon. In particular, the pan and/or zoom levels of the camera may be adjusted in accordance with the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Ultrahaptics IP Two Limited
    Inventor: David S. Holz
  • Patent number: 11331799
    Abstract: Grasping of an object, by an end effector of a robot, based on a final grasp pose, of the end effector, that is determined after the end effector has been traversed to a pre-grasp pose. An end effector vision component can be utilized to capture instance(s) of end effector vision data after the end effector has been traversed to the pre-grasp pose, and the final grasp pose can be determined based on the end effector vision data. For example, the final grasp pose can be determined based on selecting instance(s) of pre-stored visual features(s) that satisfy similarity condition(s) relative to current visual features of the instance(s) of end effector vision data, and determining the final grasp pose based on pre-stored grasp criteria stored in association with the selected instance(s) of pre-stored visual feature(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Alex Shafer
  • Patent number: 11266471
    Abstract: A hand controller for enabling a user to perform an activity and method for controlling a robotic arm is provided. The hand controller includes a bar with a grip and a plurality of motors to provide a force feedback to the user in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms. The method involves receiving input corresponding to the manipulation of a bar and providing a force feedback in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Titan Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Uwe Schaible, Drazena Brocilo, John Harmen
  • Patent number: 11257699
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of detecting a substrate state without contacting the substrate. According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided (a) loading a substrate retainer, where a plurality of substrates is placed, into a reaction tube; (b) processing the plurality of the substrates by supplying a gas into the reaction tube; (c) unloading the substrate retainer out of the reaction tube after the plurality of the substrates is processed; and (d) detecting the plurality of the substrates placed on the substrate retainer after the substrate retainer is rotated by a first angle with respect to a transferable position, wherein the plurality of the substrates is transferable to/from the substrate retainer in the transferable position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Miyada, Hajime Abiko, Junichi Kawasaki, Tadashi Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11192192
    Abstract: A drilling system is provided for drilling a workpiece. The drilling system includes a pattern generator configured to apply a pattern on a workpiece surface of the workpiece at a reference location relative to a target drilling location. The drilling system includes a drilling end effector, which includes a chuck configured to hold a drilling tool. The drilling end effector also includes a nosepiece configured to at least partially surround the drilling tool when the drilling tool is held by the chuck. The nosepiece includes an end portion that is configured to be held on the workpiece surface of the workpiece. The drilling end effector also includes a camera configured to acquire an image of an area of the workpiece surface that includes the pattern. The image acquired by the camera indicates whether the end portion of the nosepiece is aligned with the pattern on the workpiece surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Michelle Crivella
  • Patent number: 11185978
    Abstract: Methods, grasping systems, and computer-readable mediums storing computer executable code for grasping an object are provided. In an example, a depth image of the object may be obtained by a grasping system. A potential grasp point of the object may be determined by the grasping system based on the depth image. A tactile output corresponding to the potential grasp point may be estimated by the grasping system based on data from the depth image. The grasping system may be controlled to grasp the object at the potential grasp point based on the estimated tactile output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nawid Jamali, Soshi Iba
  • Patent number: 11092644
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a wafer including: rotating the wafer about an axis of symmetry (X) perpendicular to a main wafer surface (S); emitting, from a light source coupled with an interferometric device, two incident light beams, to form, at the intersection between the two beams, a measurement volume (V) containing interference fringes so that a region of the main surface (S) of the wafer passes through a fringe, the dimension (Dy) of the measurement volume in a radial direction of the wafer being between 5 and 100 ?m; collecting a portion of the light scattered by the wafer region; acquiring the collected light and emitting a signal representing the variation in the collected light intensity as a function of time; and detecting, a frequency component in the collected light, the frequency being the time signature of a defect passage through the measurement volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: UNITY SEMICONDUCTOR
    Inventors: Philippe Gastaldo, Mayeul Durand De Gevigney, Tristan Combier
  • Patent number: 11067998
    Abstract: Provided are a cleaning robot and a method of controlling the same, and more specifically, a cleaning robot provided to detect an obstacle in various directions and a method of controlling the same. The cleaning robot includes a light emitter configured to radiate light, a plurality of light receivers configured to receive a radiation of the light in a predetermined direction among radiations of the light reflected from an obstacle when the radiated light is reflected from the obstacle, a support plate to which the light emitter and the light receiver are fixed and which is rotatably provided, and a controller configured to detect the obstacle on the basis of output signals transmitted from the light emitter and the plurality of light receivers and rotation information of the support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Hun Lee, Young Do Kwon, Heum Yong Park, Min Jae Kim, Min Woo Ryu
  • Patent number: 11052543
    Abstract: A control device includes a control section configured to control a motion of a robot arm using values detected by a plurality of distance sensors. The plurality of distance sensors include a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor disposed in a first direction orthogonal to the axial direction of a dispenser. The second distance sensor is disposed in a position further apart from the dispenser than the first distance sensor. The control section executes, on a robot, a first instruction for causing the robot to execute discharge of a discharge object by the dispenser when a distance acquired by the first distance sensor is a distance in a predetermined range and a distance acquired by the second distance sensor is a distance larger than the distance in the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshito Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 11027949
    Abstract: A transport vehicle includes a body; a lift platform that includes a holder to hold an article, the lift platform being ascendable and descendable with respect to the body; a lift driver that raises or lowers the lift platform by feeding out or taking up a flexible suspension support; a sensor provided in the lift driver and emits a detection wave having directivity toward a certain lower position; a lateral extender that causes the lift driver to project laterally from the body while providing cantilever support for the lift driver; and a corrector that corrects a shift in an emission direction of the detection wave that arises from bending of the lateral extender in a state in which the lift driver is caused to project laterally from the body by the lateral extender.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Wada
  • Patent number: 10999494
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to adjusting the monitored field of view of a camera and/or a view of a virtual scene from a point of view of a virtual camera based on the distance between tracked objects. For example, if the user's hand is being tracked for gestures, the closer the hand gets to another object, the tighter the frame can become—i.e., the more the camera can zoom in so that the hand and the other object occupy most of the frame. The camera can also be reoriented so that the hand and the other object remain in the center of the field of view. The distance between two objects in a camera's field of view can be determined and a parameter of a motion-capture system adjusted based thereon. In particular, the pan and/or zoom levels of the camera may be adjusted in accordance with the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Ultrahaptics IP Two Limited
    Inventor: David S. Holz
  • Patent number: 10885335
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic device. The electronic device includes a display; a camera; a sensor; a storage configured to store position information and work information of a smart machine; and a processor configured to identify a smart machine which is located within a peripheral area of the electronic device based on position information of the electronic device sensed through the sensor and position information of the smart machine stored in the storage, to obtain work information of the identified smart machine from the storage, and to indicate a work area of the smart machine on an image photographed through the camera based on the obtained work information of the smart machine and provide the image including the work area on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Young Hwang, Woo Mok Kim
  • Patent number: 10786327
    Abstract: An immersive display for use in a robotic surgical system includes a support arm, a housing mounted to the support arm and configured to engage with a face of the user, at least two eyepiece assemblies disposed in the housing and configured to provide a three-dimensional display, and at least one sensor, wherein the sensor enables operation of the robotic surgical system, and wherein the support arm is actuatable to move the housing for ergonomic positioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Verb Surgical Inc.
    Inventors: Kent Anderson, Joan Savall, Brent Nobles, Allegra Shum, Pablo E. Garcia Kilroy, Karen Shakespear Koenig
  • Patent number: 10638036
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to adjusting the monitored field of view of a camera and/or a view of a virtual scene from a point of view of a virtual camera based on the distance between tracked objects. For example, if the user's hand is being tracked for gestures, the closer the hand gets to another object, the tighter the frame can become—i.e., the more the camera can zoom in so that the hand and the other object occupy most of the frame. The camera can also be reoriented so that the hand and the other object remain in the center of the field of view. The distance between two objects in a camera's field of view can be determined and a parameter of a motion-capture system adjusted based thereon. In particular, the pan and/or zoom levels of the camera may be adjusted in accordance with the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ultrahaptics IP Two Limited
    Inventor: David S. Holz
  • Patent number: 10611032
    Abstract: A measurement system including: reflectors mounted on a robot; a measuring apparatus including a laser head, wherein the measuring apparatus includes a controller, the controller is configured to conduct: a coordinate relationship acquisition process for acquiring a position and a direction of a measuring-apparatus coordinate system with respect to a robot coordinate system by emitting a laser beam from the laser head toward reference reflection portions provided in a base portion of the robot, and based on a reflected light; and a head drive control process which controls a direction of the laser head by receiving coordinate data of the reflector recognized by a controller of the robot, and by making a control command to change the direction of the laser head using the coordinate data which is received and the position and the direction of the measuring-apparatus coordinate system with respect to the robot coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Yuelai Wang, Soichi Arita
  • Patent number: 10578985
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus comprises: a dispensing unit that dispenses a liquid to a substrate; a first measurement unit that measures a time from when a signal for causing the liquid to be dispensed is outputted to the dispensing unit until when the dispensed liquid passes through a predetermined position; a second measurement unit that measures a position of the liquid on the substrate that is dispensed by the dispensing unit; and a control unit that controls the measurement by the first measurement unit and the second measurement unit, wherein the control unit performs measurement by the second measurement unit based on a measurement result by the first measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Namba, Yuichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10395956
    Abstract: A controller: selects one optical sensor to use from among a first optical sensor and at least one second optical sensor; moves a substrate transfer hand to a detection start position at which an optical path of the selected optical sensor is positioned above a substrate placing portion and does not interfere with a pillar portion; lowers the substrate transfer hand from the detection start position to a detection position at which an object is detected by the optical sensor; and stores, as a height position of the substrate placing portion, a height of the optical path of the optical sensor from a predetermined positional reference when the substrate transfer hand is at the detection position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: KAWASASKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaya Yoshida, Hiroyuki Okada, Takayuki Fukushima, Hirohiko Goto
  • Patent number: 10348959
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to adjusting the monitored field of view of a camera and/or a view of a virtual scene from a point of view of a virtual camera based on the distance between tracked objects. For example, if the user's hand is being tracked for gestures, the closer the hand gets to another object, the tighter the frame can become—i.e., the more the camera can zoom in so that the hand and the other object occupy most of the frame. The camera can also be reoriented so that the hand and the other object remain in the center of the field of view. The distance between two objects in a camera's field of view can be determined and a parameter of a motion-capture system adjusted based thereon. In particular, the pan and/or zoom levels of the camera may be adjusted in accordance with the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Leap Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Holz
  • Patent number: 10338557
    Abstract: A system includes a safety controller that, in operation, interrupts power to industrial automation devices or puts the system into a safe state upon command of a human operator. The system also includes an emergency stop switch circuit actuatable by a human operator and a human machine interface in data communication with the safety controller and the emergency stop switch circuit. The human machine interface includes integrated safety circuitry that, in operation, detects a change of state of the emergency stop switch circuit and provides a signal to the safety controller to interrupt power to the industrial automation devices or put the system into a safe state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary D. Dotson
  • Patent number: 10093491
    Abstract: A pick-and-place apparatus has a rotary turret and a plurality of pick arms arranged on the rotary turret for picking up and placing electronic devices during pick and place operations. A transmission stator and a transmission rotor are mounted on the rotary turret with an air gap between the transmission stator and the transmission rotor such that the transmission rotor is rotatable relative to the transmission stator. At least one motor for actuating at least one pick arm during the pick and place operations is operatively coupled to the transmission rotor. The transmission stator and the transmission rotor are configured to transmit data signals wirelessly across the air gap for driving the at least one motor to actuate the at least one pick arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: ASM TECHNOLOGY SINGAPORE PTE LTD
    Inventors: Shing Wai Tam, Chak Tong Sze, Wing Sze Chan, Chuen Hong Lo, Sung Yeung
  • Patent number: 10092929
    Abstract: A tray engine includes a vertical drive column, a rotation mechanism for rotating the vertical drive column, and an end effector attached to the vertical drive column. The end effector includes an end effector base attached to the vertical drive column. The end effector further includes a slide attached to the end effector base to support a tray, when present. The slide enables the tray to slide along a length of the end effector base. The tray engine includes a drive mechanism attached to the end effector base for moving along the length of the end effector base to enable the tray, when present, to slide linearly along the length and load or unload the tray to or from the slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony C. Bonora, Brian Compian, Jeff P. Henderson, Robert W. Carlson
  • Patent number: 10070940
    Abstract: An end effector is provided for connecting to a positioning arm of a positioning device of a medical navigation system. The end effector comprises a mating component for connecting to an output flange of the positioning arm, a handle portion having a first end and a second end, the first end extending from the mating component, the handle portion including a cable cut-out at the first end, and a camera mount connected to the second end of the handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Synaptive Medical (Barbados) Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Andrew Bailey, Mariana Garcia Coni
  • Patent number: 10020216
    Abstract: A robot diagnosing method of detecting a deviation amount caused by a lost motion includes: a first step of preparing a robot and a line sensor, the robot including a robot arm including one or a plurality of joint portions including a first joint portion, the line sensor including a detecting portion configured to detect a position of a detected portion based on a light receiving state of a light receiver, the detected portion being inserted between a light emitter and the light receiver; and a sixth step of detecting the deviation amount caused by the lost motion at the first joint portion based on (i) the position of the detected portion based on the position of the detected portion detected in a third step and a command value from a robot control portion in a fourth step and (ii) the position of the detected portion detected in a fifth step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignees: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KAWASAKI ROBOTICS (USA), INC.
    Inventors: Kazuo Fujimori, Avish Ashok Bharwani, Hajime Nakahara, Ming Zeng, Tomokazu Arita
  • Patent number: 10001356
    Abstract: A collision prevention device of a measurer measuring dimensions or the like of a measured object while relatively displacing the measured object and a non-contact probe. The collision prevention device includes a pole-shaped spindle extending alongside the non-contact probe; a support mechanism supporting the spindle such that a forefront end of the spindle projects farther than the non-contact probe; and a switch detecting a collision between the spindle and the measured object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shoichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9903712
    Abstract: A measuring station system for calibrating a reference system for vehicle measurement has at least one image recording device, a calibration device having multiple calibration device reference features, and a calibration frame having at least three support points which are designed for accommodating a reference system carrier for the reference system to be calibrated. The calibration frame has at least three calibration frame reference features. The positions of the support points and of the calibration frame reference features in a shared coordinate system are known.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Darko Pucnik, Christian Wagmann, Jochen Backes, Sven Hodissen, Volker Uffenkamp
  • Patent number: 9878446
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for determining gripping regions on an object. The object is to be gripped, based on the determined gripping regions, by means of a robot. At least one first gripping pose of the robot is taught at the object, and additional gripping poses are determined at the object. Based on these gripping poses, a first gripping region is configured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Scheurer, Stephanie Bobert, Uwe Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 9810533
    Abstract: Novel tools and techniques for monitoring railway track geometry. In one aspect, some such tools and techniques can determine a location of a platform along a railway, capture one or more images of the railway, and/or analyze the rail configuration at that point. In another aspect, some solutions might employ photogrammetric techniques to analyze the rail configuration and thereafter store data about the rail configuration, perhaps correlated with the location of the images, in a data store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Trimble Inc.
    Inventors: Bryn Allen Fosburgh, Mark Edward Nichols, Per Martin Holmgren, Nils Thomas Larsson
  • Patent number: 9762792
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to adjusting the monitored field of view of a camera and/or a view of a virtual scene from a point of view of a virtual camera based on the distance between tracked objects. For example, if the user's hand is being tracked for gestures, the closer the hand gets to another object, the tighter the frame can become—i.e., the more the camera can zoom in so that the hand and the other object occupy most of the frame. The camera can also be reoriented so that the hand and the other object remain in the center of the field of view. The distance between two objects in a camera's field of view can be determined and a parameter of a motion-capture system adjusted based thereon. In particular, the pan and/or zoom levels of the camera may be adjusted in accordance with the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Leap Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: David S. Holz
  • Patent number: 9750399
    Abstract: An endoscopic surgical method involves an advancement of an endoscope (20) to a target location within an anatomical region of a body and a generation of a plurality of endoscopic video frames (22) as the endoscope (20) is advanced to the target location with the endoscopic video frames (2) illustrating monocular endoscopic images of the anatomical region. For real-time estimation of a depth of an object within monocular endoscopic images (e.g., depth of a bronchial wall within an monocular endoscopic images of a bronchial tube), the method further involves (S41) a determination of an optical flow of one or more image points within a frame time series of the monocular endoscopic images of the anatomical region, and (S42) an estimation of a depth field indicative of a depth of the object within the monocular endoscopic images as a function of the optical flow of the image point(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Aleksandra Popovic
  • Patent number: 9659830
    Abstract: A dimension detection device includes a first detection unit which is moved to a first predetermined position in a first direction, and configured to detect a current position of the first member, and when the current position of the first member is not a third predetermined position corresponding to the first predetermined position, send a first signal; a second detection unit which is moved to a second predetermined position in the first direction, and configured to detect a current position of the second member, and when the current position of the second member is not a fourth predetermined position corresponding to the second predetermined position, send a second signal; a movement unit which is configured to move the first detection unit and the second detection unit; and an alarm unit configured to send an alarm upon the receipt of the first signal and/or the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yang Ding, Jiangtao Zhang, Lele Sun, Zhenlong Li
  • Patent number: 9599697
    Abstract: A system for detecting and tracking one or more of direction, orientation and position of one or more light sources includes one or more optical fiber sensors configured to receive light from the one or more light sources and to generate a plurality of cones of light according to relative positions of the one or more optical fiber sensors relative to the one or more light sources. The system includes light data processing circuitry configured to detect characteristics of the plurality of cones of light and to determine one or more of direction, orientation, or position of the one or more light sources relative to the one or more optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventor: Leo R. Gauthier, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9558555
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to adjusting the monitored field of view of a camera and/or a view of a virtual scene from a point of view of a virtual camera based on the distance between tracked objects. For example, if the user's hand is being tracked for gestures, the closer the hand gets to another object, the tighter the frame can become—i.e., the more the camera can zoom in so that the hand and the other object occupy most of the frame. The camera can also be reoriented so that the hand and the other object remain in the center of the field of view. The distance between two objects in a camera's field of view can be determined and a parameter of a motion-capture system adjusted based thereon. In particular, the pan and/or zoom levels of the camera may be adjusted in accordance with the distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Leap Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: David Holz
  • Patent number: 9460574
    Abstract: According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of a Bluetooth zone control system. In an exemplary embodiment, a Bluetooth zone control system generally includes a first Bluetooth device configured to provide a first Bluetooth signal. A location of the first Bluetooth device corresponds to a location of a machine. The system also includes an operator control unit having a second Bluetooth device configured to detect the first Bluetooth signal. The operator control unit is configured to control the machine based on first authorization rights when the second Bluetooth device detects the first Bluetooth signal at or above a signal threshold, and to control the machine based on second authorization rights when the second Bluetooth device does not detect the first Bluetooth signal at or above the signal threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Laird Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David Stagg
  • Patent number: 9445732
    Abstract: This invention discloses a pulse-sensing device and methods for pulse sensing. In one embodiment, the device includes a robotic finger comprising a humanoid-finger structure, and an actuating-force transferring member for transferring an actuating force to the structure at an actuation point thereon and along an actuation direction. One end of the structure is pivotally mounted to a fulcrum and another end has a sensing area. The robotic finger is configured such that, when the sensing area contacts a person's wrist, a first perpendicular distance from the fulcrum to a first line is substantially longer than a second perpendicular distance from the fulcrum to a second line, where the first line is a straight line passing through a sensing point of the sensing area and being substantially perpendicular to the sensing area, and the second line is a straight line passing through the actuation point and orienting along the actuation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Francis Chee Shuen Lee, Ho Yin Chan
  • Patent number: 9302392
    Abstract: A control method of a mechanical articulated arm, wherein at least two tilt sensors are arranged in different positions of the articulated arm, comprising: calibrating zero positions of tilt sensors when articulated arm does not have elastic deformation, setting position of tail end of articulated arm as point P and point P? before and after elastic deformation of articulated arm, and selecting point R on the articulated arm; detecting angles of two different positions of the articulated arm with the tilt angles before and after the elastic deformation, obtaining the angle offset ?? of the articulated arm due to the elastic deformation, and calculating the length parameter La and the angle parameter ?a of the articulated arm after deformation based on the lengths of OR and RP?; and controlling the action of the articulated arm according to position parameters Xp? and Yp? (to the point P?) obtained according to length parameter La and angle parameter ?a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignees: Hunan Sany Intelligent Control Equipment Co., Ltd., Sany Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiaogang Yi, Xiang Zhou, Antao Chen, Qiulian Deng
  • Patent number: 9114534
    Abstract: The robot work finder calibration systems combine a visual datum reference tool with either a manual or automatic tool finder. Two different visual datum reference tools can be used with either an automatic or manual work finder. This technology enables the user to visually see a robotic reference frame, a frame in space that is relative to an industrial robot and workpiece tool that is otherwise abstract. Enabling the user to visually see the robotic reference frame on the shop floor enables adjustment of the robotic frame to the shop floor and correction of a robotic path or off-line program to enhance accuracy. Two laser beams are emitted and intersect at a tool center point. The tool center point and the laser beams are then used to define a robotic reference frame. The technology improves cost and time factors in applications where absolutely accurate robots are not really necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Inventor: Matthew E Trompeter
  • Patent number: 9075846
    Abstract: The method for retrieval of Arabic historical manuscripts using Latent Semantic Indexing approaches the problem of manuscripts indexing and retrieval by automatic indexing of Arabic historical manuscripts through word spotting, using “Text Image” similarity of keywords. The similarity is computed using Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI). The method involves a manuscript page preprocessing step, a segmentation step, and a feature extraction step. Feature extraction utilizes a circular polar grid feature set. Once the salient features have been extracted, indexing of historical Arabic manuscripts using LSI is performed in support of content-based image retrieval (CBIR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: Mohammad Husni Najib Yahia, Wasfi G. Al-Khatib
  • Patent number: 9074869
    Abstract: A method of measuring spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) with a 3D coordinate measurement device such as a laser tracker. The SMR includes an open-air cube corner retroreflector having a vertex point located near a sphere center of the SMR. Measurements of the SMR to the vertex point are corrected to indicate 3D coordinates of the SMR sphere center by accounting for SMR depth error and SMR runout error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Robert E. Bridges
  • Patent number: 9044864
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for fixed rotational positioning of a robotic hand assembly using mechanical wrist locking techniques. A wrist is configured to rotate the hand assembly and point grip components in a desired direction (e.g., for pick and place operations). Tolerances of components of the wrist can accumulate to manifest rotational positioning error. Embodiments include wrist locking techniques for locking the wrist in a desired rotational position. Some implementations couple grip components with wrist lock components in such a way that movement of the grip components causes the wrist lock assembly automatically to move between locked and unlocked states. For example, retracting the grip components pushes a wrist lock latch into an unlocked position (allowing the wrist to rotate). Extending the grip components allows the latch to move to a locked position where it interlocks with an alignment feature to lock the wrist into an accurate, predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joseph Paul Manes
  • Patent number: 8841603
    Abstract: Optical scanning with an optical probe composed of an elongated cylinder of transparent material mounted upon an optical scanner body; one or more sources of scan illumination mounted in the probe distally or proximally with respect to the scanner body and projecting scan illumination longitudinally through the probe; a radially-reflecting optical element mounted in the probe having a conical mirror on a surface of the radially-reflecting optical element, the mirror oriented so as to project scan illumination radially away from a longitudinal axis of the probe with at least some of the scan illumination projected onto a scanned object; a lens mounted in the probe between the radially-reflecting optical element and the scanner body and disposed so as to conduct to an optical sensor scan illumination reflected from the scanned object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: United Sciences, LLC
    Inventors: Keith A. Blanton, Karol Hatzilias, Stefan T. Posey, Wess Eric Sharpe
  • Patent number: 8803055
    Abstract: A volumetric error compensation measurement system and method are disclosed wherein a laser tracker tracks an active target as the reference point. The active target has an optical retroreflector mounted at the center of two motorized gimbals to provide full 360 degree azimuth rotation of the retroreflector. A position sensitive detector is placed behind an aperture provided at the apex of the retroreflector to detect the relative orientation between the tracker laser beam and the retroreflector by measuring a small portion of the laser beam transmitted through the aperture. The detector's output is used as the feedback for the servo motors to drive the gimbals to maintain the retroreflector facing the tracker laser beam at all times. The gimbals are designed and the position of the retroreflector controlled such that the laser tracker always tracks to a pre-defined single point in the active target, which does not move in space when the gimbals and/or the retroreflector makes pure rotations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Automated Precision Inc.
    Inventors: Kam C. Lau, Yuanqun Liu, Guixiu Qiao, Liangyun Xie
  • Patent number: 8735825
    Abstract: In an optical position detection device, when light source sections emit detection light, a light detecting section detects detection light reflected from a object to detect the coordinates of the object. When seen from the detection space, the light detecting section is located inward from a plurality of light source sections, and each of the plurality of light source sections includes first and second light emitting elements. Therefore, the position of the object can be detected on the basis of a comparison result of the received light intensity in the light detecting section when the first light emitting element is turned on and the received light intensity in the light detecting section when the second light emitting element is turned on in both the case where the object is located outside a region between the light source sections and the case where the object is located inside the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakanishi, Kanechika Kiyose
  • Patent number: 8679260
    Abstract: A method of cleaning an area using an automatic cleaning device may include receiving, from a video camera, information associated with an edge located on a surface, determining, by an automatic cleaning device, a position of the automatic cleaning device on the surface relative to the edge and using the received information to move the automatic cleaning device from the determined position along a path so that the automatic cleaning device cleans the surface along the path. The path may be substantially parallel to the edge, and the edge may be located a distance from a reference point on the automatic cleaning device during movement of the automatic cleaning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Intellibot Robotics LLC
    Inventors: Henry L. Hillman, Jr., David M. Knuth, Jr., Daniel M. Daly, Vinton Coffman, Ralph McCann, Stephen D. Herr, Kevin L. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8576411
    Abstract: In the component position measurement method, the position B of the component 1 when the laser beam is blocked (the laser beam blocking position) is measured with respect to the chuck position A of the component 1. Since the component 1 generates a large vibration (inclination) during the chuck is used, the position of the leading end (front end) C of the component 1 is computed using the inclination angle ? with respect to the measurement value of the deviation amount H of the laser beam blocking position B of the component 1 based on a similarity relationship of a triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Takada
  • Patent number: 8530872
    Abstract: In an optical position detecting device, a position detecting section detects the position of a target object on the basis of a result obtained by receiving detection light, which is emitted from a light source section and reflected by the target object, using a light detection section. As seen from an emitting direction of the detection light, the light detection section is located inside a region surrounded by a closed circuit passing through a plurality of the light source sections or inside a region pinched by the plurality of light source sections. The plurality of light source sections has a first light-emitting element, and a second light-emitting element located closer to the light detection section side than the first light-emitting element. The light source driving section alternately turns on the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Nakanishi, Kanechika Kiyose
  • Patent number: 8427657
    Abstract: An optical tracking system can include at least one scanning detector having a scanning mirror and one or more fixed photo-detectors located near the scanning mirror. The scanning mirror can be configured to deflect a light beam from a source towards a retroreflective target and the photodetectors are configured to collect a portion of the light beam that is retroreflected from the target. A scanning optical detector apparatus may optionally comprise a substrate, a scanning mirror having at least one portion monolithically integrated into the substrate, and one or more photodetectors monolithically incorporated into the substrate. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the claims' scope or meaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Mirrorcle Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Veljko Milanović
  • Patent number: 8395136
    Abstract: In a positional deviation detection apparatus provided with a transfer mechanism where plural arm portions are connected pivotably and in series with each other, the transfer mechanism being adapted to hold and transfer an object to be processed with a distal end arm portion, there are provided an edge detection unit that detects at least an edge of the object to be detected held by the distal end arm portion, the edge detection unit being provided in an arm portion among the plural arm portions, except for the distal end arm portion; and a positional deviation detection portion that obtains positional deviation of the object to be processed, in accordance with a detected value of the edge detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Keisuke Kondoh