Land Vehicles Patents (Class 318/587)
  • Patent number: 11281226
    Abstract: A method for operating a floor cleaning machine having a selectively activatable cleaning element that is configured to engage with a floor cleaning surface when the cleaning element is activated. The method includes determining a transport path and an additional transport path; determining a work area and an additional work area, which are connected to the transport path and the additional transport path; and operating the floor cleaning machine over a route that includes a plurality of transport movements, which occur along the transport path and the additional transport path, and a plurality of cleaning movements that occur over the work area and the additional work area. The cleaning element is deactivated during transport movements and is activated during cleaning movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hako GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Gabrecht, Jan Helge Klüssendorff, Joscha Stelljes
  • Patent number: 11267457
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for propelling a hybrid electric vehicle under circumstances where a torque degradation event associated with an electric machine that is used for propulsive effort is indicated. In one example, a method may include propelling the vehicle at least in part via a first electric machine that provides torque to front wheels and/or via a second electric machine that provides torque to rear wheels of the vehicle, and continuing to propel the vehicle via adjusting operation of both the first and the second electric machine in response to an indication of a torque degradation event associated with one of the electric machines. In this way, a vehicle shutdown event may be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Abdalla Artail, Bader M. Badreddine, Susan Rebecca Cikanek
  • Patent number: 11251471
    Abstract: A vehicle battery charger and a vehicle battery charging system are described and illustrated, and can include a controller enabling a user to enter a time of day at which the vehicle battery charger or system begins and/or ends charging of the vehicle battery. The vehicle battery charger can be separate from the vehicle, can be at least partially integrated into the vehicle, can include a transmitter and/or a receiver capable of communication with a controller that is remote from the vehicle and vehicle charger, and can be controlled by a user or another party (e.g., a power utility) to control battery charging based upon a time of day, cost of power, or other factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Inventor: Christopher B. Austin
  • Patent number: 11231721
    Abstract: In an operation method of marker system (1) in which laying position information indicating a position where a magnetic marker (10) is laid is provided to a vehicle (3) side for achieving control for assisting driving of the vehicle (3) by using the magnetic marker (10), since positional accuracy required when laying magnetic markers (10) can be relaxed, the laying position information of the magnetic marker (10) positioned on the vehicle (3) side which performs the control for assisting driving is used as correction information to correct the laying position information indicating the position where the magnetic marker (10) is laid, and laying cost of magnetic markers (10) can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11200808
    Abstract: A platooning control apparatus may include: a navigation unit configured to guide an ego vehicle to a destination set by a driver; a driving module configured to drive the ego vehicle; and a control unit configured to primarily select platooning groups based on the destination set in the navigation unit, analyze platooning information of the primarily selected platooning groups, finally decide any one of the primarily selected platooning groups, and then control the driving module to join the finally decided platooning group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Hoon Mok
  • Patent number: 11194335
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and method is provided for optimizing the total time taken for cleaning an area by a cleaning robot, which is the sum of the cleaning time and the time taken for the robot to re-charge its battery mid-cleaning when the area is too large to clean on a single charge. In one embodiment, the remaining area to be cleaned is determined, and the mid-cleaning re-charge time is reduced to the amount of charge needed to clean the remaining area, plus a buffer. Hence, a reduction in mid-cleaning charging time results in reduced total time taken to clean a given space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: NEATO ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Pawel Orzechowski, Joe Tate, Richard Wimmer, Kiran Mohan
  • Patent number: 11152799
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to charge electric vehicles are disclosed. An example method includes monitoring, via a processor, a battery charge level of an electric vehicle receiving a battery charge from a mobile charging unit. The example method includes determining, via the processor, a remaining trip distance of the electric vehicle from a location of the battery charge to a trip destination. The example method further includes determining, via the processor, a target charge level for the battery charge. The target charge level corresponds to when the battery charge level provides a first probability that the electric vehicle will reach the trip destination without an additional battery charge. The example method also includes generating, via the processor, a signal to stop the battery charge when the battery charge level reaches the target charge level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Mark Schaffer, Kenneth James Miller
  • Patent number: 11122400
    Abstract: Method performed by a communication device (150) to determine whether to allow a first vehicle (111) to overtake a vehicle platoon (120). The platoon (120) comprises two or more second vehicles (121, 122, 123, 124). The communication device obtains (202) information about the first vehicle (111), when the first vehicle (111) is within a first distance (131) behind the platoon (120). The communication device then determines (203) whether to allow the first vehicle (111) to overtake the platoon (120) based on the obtained information. The communication device then provides (207), based on a result of the determining (203), a first indication to at least one of: a) a first radio node (161) in the first vehicle (111), and b) a second radio node (162) in one of the second vehicles (121) in the platoon. A method performed by the first (161) and the second (162) radio nodes is also disclosed. Publ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Rafia Inam, Elena Fersman, Athanasios Karapantelakis, Konstantinos Vandikas
  • Patent number: 11113989
    Abstract: A device implementing dynamic library access based on proximate programmable item detection includes a sensor and a processor configured to detect, using the sensor, a programmable physical item in a proximate area. The processor is further configured to, responsive to detecting the programmable physical item, provide an indication of available functions for programming the programmable physical item. The processor is further configured to receive input of code that comprises at least one of the available functions for programming the programmable physical item. The processor is further configured to program the programmable physical item based at least in part on the code. In one or more implementations, the processor may be further configured to translate the code into a set of commands for programming the programmable physical item and to transmit the set of commands to the programmable physical item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler L. Casella, Edwin W. Foo, Norman N. Wang, Ken Wakasa
  • Patent number: 11059177
    Abstract: A system for facility monitoring and reporting to improve safety using one or more robots includes: a network; a plurality of autonomous mobile robots operating in a facility, the robots configured to monitor facility operation, the robots further configured to detect a predetermined critical condition, the robots operably connected to the network; a server operably connected to the robots over the network; and an individual robot operably connected to the server over the network, the individual robot operating in the facility, the robots not comprising the individual robot, the individual robot configured to monitor facility operation; wherein the robots are configured to regularly produce a regular report under normal operating conditions, the report displaying data received from the server, wherein the robots are further configured to produce to the server a critical condition report upon occurrence of the critical condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Fetch Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Niharika Arora, Melonee Wise, Brian Cairl, Carl Saldanha, Robert Chatman, III, Levon Avagyan, Aaron Hoy, Stefan Nusser, David Dymesich, David Robson
  • Patent number: 11010609
    Abstract: A mobile image pickup instruction apparatus judges an image pickup result and an image pickup condition to acquire photographing tendency information showing a tendency of photographing of a predetermined image pickup target, generates target object identification information for identifying the predetermined image pickup target by inference using the photographing tendency information, and transmits the generated target object identification information to the mobile image pickup apparatus and a mobile image pickup apparatus controls an image pickup unit provided on a mobile body to pick up an image of the image pickup target based on the target object identification information received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Shintani, Kenji Homma, Akinobu Sato, Yoshihisa Ogata, Yoichi Yoshida, Kazuhiko Osa, Osamu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 11001161
    Abstract: A vehicle includes one or more controllers, programmed to responsive to receiving an indication of a destination, select a charger within a predefined geofence from the destination; responsive to detecting the vehicle becoming less than a predefined distance from the charger, calculate a proposed charging schedule based on a current state-of-charge (SOC) and a desired SOC; and join a queue for the charger with the proposed charging schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Leo Joseph Rosene, Ameen Al-Khafaji, Courtney L'Arrivée, Ian Kenneth McEachern, Benjamin Schoenleber, Scott Scheraga
  • Patent number: 10993364
    Abstract: A system for an agricultural machine for displaying machine-specific information and inputting machine-specific commands comprising a programmable electronic control unit (1) comprises a microcontroller having an interface for connection to a bus system (2) belonging to the machine. The control unit (1) further comprises wired or wireless communication means for setting up a wireless or wired communication connection (4) to a mobile computer unit (3), such that the control unit (1) is connected for data exchange to the mobile computer unit (3). The control unit (1) is connected, on one hand, to a tractor control device (5) and other participants (6) of the bus system (2) by means of the machine's bus system (2), and on the other hand to the mobile computer unit (3). The mobile computer unit (3) is used for displaying machine-specific information and inputting machine-specific commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Inventor: Andreas Reichhardt
  • Patent number: 10990829
    Abstract: In some examples, a camera tracking failure in a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) process with respect to a first SLAM map may be identified. Responsive to identification of the camera tracking failure, a second SLAM map for the SLAM process may be initialized. A video frame tracked through the second SLAM map may be accessed. Matched features between the video frame and individual keyframes of the first SLAM map may be identified to determine a keyframe subset. The keyframe subset may be analyzed to determine a candidate camera position from among the keyframe subset. The candidate camera position may be tracked with respect to the first SLAM map for subsequent video frames. The first SLAM map may be stitched to the second SLAM map responsive to tracking the candidate camera position with respect to the first SLAM map for the subsequent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Micro Focus LLC
    Inventors: Pashmina Cameron, David Collier
  • Patent number: 10990088
    Abstract: A method for transporting inventory items includes moving a mobile drive unit to a first point within a workspace. The first point is a location of an inventory holder. The method further includes docking the mobile drive unit with the inventory holder and moving the mobile drive unit and the inventory holder to a second point within the workspace. The second point is associated with conveyance equipment. The method further includes moving the inventory holder to a third point within the workspace using the conveyance equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter R. Wurman, Raffaello D'Andrea, Michael T. Barbehenn, Andrew Edward Hoffman, Michael Cordell Mountz
  • Patent number: 10978984
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes drive systems, a control apparatus that controls the drive systems, and wheels. Each drive system includes a motor and an inverter coupled by wires. The wires of the drive systems are coupled by first bypass lines. Each inverter converts direct current power supplied from a corresponding power supply into alternating current power and supplies the alternating current power to the corresponding motor. Each motor drives the corresponding wheel. When an abnormality occurs in the supply of the alternating current power from the inverter to the motor in one drive system, the control apparatus performs control (i) to stop the supply of the alternating current power from the inverter of the one drive systems, and (ii) to supply the alternating current power supplied from the inverter to the motor in another drive system, to the motor of the one drive system via the first bypass lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Yoshida, Naohiro Imamura, Misako Kuwahara, Takahito Fujino, Takahiro Akaba, Suguru Inoue
  • Patent number: 10933943
    Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to an electric vehicle. More specifically, this disclosure describes a motor control system for an electric vehicle that activates and deactivates a hill hold assist mode and a hill start assist mode for the electric vehicle. The hill hold assist mode is used to help ensure the electric vehicle remains stationary while stopped on an uphill incline. Likewise, the hill start assist mode is used to help a rider of the electric vehicle start the electric vehicle moving again once it is stopped on the uphill slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: NEUTRON HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Nihal Murthy
  • Patent number: 10927923
    Abstract: Electric motors are disclosed. The motors are preferably for use in an automated vehicle, although any one or more of a variety of motor uses are suitable. The motors include lift, turntable, and locomotion motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: William D. Moore, Philip S. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10906419
    Abstract: A docking station for charging a robot including an electrical charger assembly affixed to the charger docking station and configured to mate with an electrical charging port on the robot when the robot is docked at the docking station for charging. There is at least one compliant member interconnecting the electrical charger assembly to a portion of the docking station to allow movement of the electrical charger assembly relative to the electrical charging port on the robot when the robot is mating with the docking station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Hian Kai Kwa, Christina Nicole Fong, Michael Sussman
  • Patent number: 10865542
    Abstract: A grading control system may have a lift actuator to raise or lower a work implement, and a tilt actuator to tilt the work implement. The grading control system may also have a first sensor that communicates a signal indicative of a position of the work implement, and a second sensor that communicates a signal indicative of a position of the machine frame. The grading control system may have a controller to determine a track plane of the machine and a desired grade relative to the track plane. Further, the controller may determine an orientation of the work implement relative to the track plane to maintain the desired grade based on the sensor signals. The controller may also be configured to actuate one or both of the lift and the tilt actuators to orient the work implement according to the determined orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Sage Smith, Christopher Mark Elliott, Jeremy A. Kushner
  • Patent number: 10845816
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for navigating an autonomous vehicle using reinforcement learning techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Amnon Shashua, Shaked Shammah
  • Patent number: 10822030
    Abstract: A parking guidance system and method and an automatic parking system. The method includes: detecting corners of a marked parking space; planning a vehicle's parking path based on the corners; and providing parking guidance based on the parking path. The planned parking path includes: a first straight path the vehicle will travel straight to a first turning point; a first turning path the vehicle will turn a first angle from the first turning point along the circumference of a first turning circle; a second straight path the vehicle will travel from the end point of the first turning path to a second turning point; a second turning path the vehicle will turn a second angle from the second turning point along the circumference of a second turning circle; and an intra-parking-space path the vehicle will travel from the end point of the second turning point to a stop point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Tse-Lin Lee, Wen-Han Lu, Yu-Chung Chen, Pin-Yung Chen
  • Patent number: 10793013
    Abstract: A vehicle charging system includes an on-board charger for receiving electrical power from an EVSE. The system includes a memory for storing routine charging location data and a plurality of timer functions. The system includes a sensor for detecting data. The system further includes an ECU for determining whether the on-board charger is located at a routine charging location. The ECU controls the on-board charger to receive the electrical power when the on-board charger is located at a routine charging location and a current time of day is within the time of day defined by the timer function and controls the on-board charger to receive the electrical power when the on-board charger is located at a non-routine charging location regardless of the current time of day. The system includes an output device designed to output data indicating that the on-board charger is receiving the electrical power from the EVSE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Tapan V. Patel
  • Patent number: 10795375
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for navigating an autonomous vehicle using reinforcement learning techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Shaked Shammah, Amnon Shashua, Gideon Stein, Ori Buberman
  • Patent number: 10759302
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes: a rotary electric machine configured to generate a driving force for driving driving wheels; a driving battery storing power to drive the rotary electric machine; a converter connected to the driving battery; an auxiliary battery connected to the driving battery via the converter; and a cooling box connected to the auxiliary battery. When the driving battery has an SOC reduced to be smaller than a prescribed threshold value, the converter is stopped and power remaining in the auxiliary battery is used to drive the cooling box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Zekai Qiu, Hironobu Kitaoka, Naoki Yamamuro, Kozo Kosho, Hiroaki Sugiyama, Makoto Ikegami
  • Patent number: 10758100
    Abstract: A method for energy management robotic device includes providing a base station for mating with the robotic device, determining a quantity of energy stored in an energy storage unit of the robotic device, and performing a predetermined task based at least in part on the quantity of energy stored. Also disclosed are systems for emitting avoidance signals to prevent inadvertent contact between the robot and the base station, and systems for emitting homing signals to allow the robotic device to accurately dock with the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Cohen, Daniel N. Ozick, Clara Vu, James Lynch, Philip R. Mass
  • Patent number: 10754342
    Abstract: A work vehicle support system includes: an own vehicle position detecting module configured to detect an own vehicle position of a work vehicle; and a work-unfinished region outer-shape map calculating section configured to calculate, during circulating work-traveling along an outer perimeter of a work scheduled region, an outer-shape map of a work-unfinished region in the work scheduled region, from own vehicle position data acquired by the own vehicle position detecting module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Sakura Tomita, Yuki Kubota, Chiaki Komaru, Kazuo Sakaguchi, Shigeki Hayashi, Tetsuya Nakajima, Tomohiko Sano
  • Patent number: 10750667
    Abstract: A method of mowing an area with an autonomous mowing robot comprises storing, in non-transient memory of the robot, a set of geospatially referenced perimeter data corresponding to positions of the mowing robot as the mowing robot is guided about a perimeter of an area to be mowed, removing from the set of perimeter data one or more data points thereby creating a redacted data set and controlling the mowing robot to autonomously mow an area bounded by a boundary corresponding to the redacted data set, including altering direction of the mowing robot at or near a position corresponding to data in the redacted data set so as to redirect the robot back into the bounded area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Yamauchi, Andrew Beaulieu, Paul C. Balutis
  • Patent number: 10720070
    Abstract: Various embodiments include methods, devices, and robotic vehicles that adjust a proximity threshold implemented in a collision avoidance system based on whether a payload is being carried. Methods may include determining whether a payload is carried by the robotic vehicle, setting a proximity threshold for collision avoidance in response to determining that a payload is carried by the robotic vehicle, and controlling one or more motors of the robotic vehicle using the proximity threshold for collision avoidance. Some embodiments may include raising the proximity threshold when a payload is not being carried or decreasing proximity threshold when a payload is being carried. Some embodiments may include determining a classification of a payload and setting the proximity threshold based at least in part on the classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Franco Taveira, Daniel Warren Mellinger, III
  • Patent number: 10712748
    Abstract: Systems and methods for coordinating and controlling vehicles, for example heavy trucks, to follow closely behind each other, or linking to form a platoon. In one aspect, on-board controllers in each vehicle interact with vehicular sensors to monitor and control, for example, relative distance, relative acceleration or deceleration, and speed. In some aspects, vehicle onboard systems supply various data (breadcrumbs) to a Network Operations Center (NOC), which in turn provides data (authorization data) to the vehicles to facilitate platooning. The NOC suggests vehicles for platooning based on, for example, travel forecasts and analysis of relevant roadways to identify platoonable roadway segments. The NOC also can provide traffic, roadway, weather, or system updates, as well as various instructions. In some aspects, a mesh network ensures improved communication among vehicles and with the NOC. In some aspects, a vehicle onboard system may provide the authorization data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: PELOTON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Brian E. Smartt, Charles A. Price, Joshua P. Switkes
  • Patent number: 10703262
    Abstract: An apparatus for outputting platooning information by a platooning vehicle in a platooning group may include: one or more lamps configured to project light onto a road; a communication circuit; a controller configured to control a platooning operation of the vehicle; and a control circuit electrically connected with the one or more lamps, the communication circuit, and the controller. The control circuit may be configured to: control the one or more lamps so as to output on the road a distance range between the platooning vehicle and an outside vehicle that is not part of the platooning group when a request from the outside vehicle to join the platooning group is approved by the platooning vehicle or a leading vehicle of the platooning group. The distance range may be a distance required to join the platooning group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jeong Ki Hong
  • Patent number: 10698407
    Abstract: Trajectory planning for an autonomous vehicle is disclosed. A method for planning a trajectory for an autonomous vehicle includes determining a coarse driveline from a first location to a second location; determining a strategic speed plan for the coarse driveline; removing lateral discontinuities in the coarse driveline based on the strategic speed plan to generate an adjusted coarse driveline; and generating lateral constraints around the adjusted coarse driveline and a discrete-time speed plan based on observed objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc., Renault S.A.S.
    Inventor: Christopher Ostafew
  • Patent number: 10694014
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments of haptic locomotion use one or more actuators to: 1) determine the properties of contact surfaces to improve various applications that use haptic locomotion; 2) automatically improve power transfer efficiency during wireless charging or cellular or wireless signal reception; 3) increase device accessibility for visually or hearing impaired users; 4) improve speaker and microphone performance; 5) protect a free falling mobile device from impact damage by orienting the mobile device to a low-risk orientation during free fall, or by driving the mobile device away from a high-risk orientation during free fall; and 6) control asymmetric surface friction using a directional magnetic field provided by an actuator to improve haptic locomotion in a desired direction of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jere C. Harrison, Alex J. Speltz, Sheng Liu
  • Patent number: 10688652
    Abstract: A robot cleaner includes an environment information detecting unit configured to obtain environment information regarding at least a portion of a cleaning area, a first communication unit configured to transmit and receive data to and from a different device positioned within the cleaning area, and a control unit configured to generate a control command regarding the different device in order to adjust the obtained environment information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Christian Hummel
  • Patent number: 10684623
    Abstract: One variation of a method for detecting and responding to hazards within a store includes: autonomously navigating toward an area of a floor of the store; recording a thermal image of the area; recording a depth map of the area of the floor; detecting a thermal gradient in the thermal image; scanning a region of the depth map, corresponding to the thermal gradient detected in the thermal image, for a height gradient; in response to detecting the thermal gradient in the thermal image and in response to detecting absence of a height gradient in the region of the depth map, predicting presence of a fluid within the area of the floor; and serving a prompt to remove the fluid from the area of the floor of the store to a computing device affiliated with the store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Simbe Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Durgesh Tiwari, Bradley Bogolea
  • Patent number: 10675758
    Abstract: A method for energy management robotic device includes providing a base station for mating with the robotic device, determining a quantity of energy stored in an energy storage unit of the robotic device, and performing a predetermined task based at least in part on the quantity of energy stored. Also disclosed are systems for emitting avoidance signals to prevent inadvertent contact between the robot and the base station, and systems for emitting homing signals to allow the robotic device to accurately dock with the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Cohen, Daniel N. Ozick, Clara Vu, James Lynch, Philip R. Mass
  • Patent number: 10660496
    Abstract: A cleaning robot is provided. The cleaning robot includes a sensor configured to sense obstacle information, and a controller configured to generate a map based on sensed values obtained by the sensor, analyze a structure of the generated map by detecting a region segmentation point from the map, and generate a map image based on an analysis result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong Joo Han, Jun Pyo Hong
  • Patent number: 10663967
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an automated driving control device, a system including the automated driving control device, and a method of automated driving control. The automated driving control device may include: a high-precision lane-level road map storage storing a high-precision lane-level road map; a position recognition controller recognizing a current position of a vehicle based on the high-precision lane-level road map, position recognition information, and vehicle control information; and a vehicle controller generating a path for driving to a destination based on the position of the vehicle recognized by the position recognition controller and obstacle recognition information, and controlling driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kyung Ho Yoo
  • Patent number: 10638906
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is disclosed for a robot (e.g., cleaning robot) to produce a bird's eye view (planar) map by transforming from a robot camera view and stitching together images tagged by location. The planar map can then be presented on a user interface as a floorplan, showing the location of objects (such as rugs). A camera is mounted in the cleaning robot sufficiently high in the cleaning robot housing to provide an angled view downward at a floor. The camera's field of view is captured as an image, and a portion or segment of that image is cropped. The cropped segment is transformed from the camera perspective to a planar view (before or after cropping), and is combined with other images to form a map of a floorplan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Neato Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Allison Herron, Rachel Lucas, Charles Albert Pitzer, Griswald Brooks, Kingman Yee
  • Patent number: 10635113
    Abstract: A method of moving an automated guided vehicle (AGV) to a target position relative to an object having two characteristic features, wherein the target position lies on a connecting line between the two characteristic features or is located at a distance from the connecting line. The method includes moving the AGV to a position where distances to the characteristic features can be determined; determining a first distance between the current position and the first characteristic feature, and a second distance between the current position and the second characteristic feature; automatically moving the AGV in translation with a superposed first rotation, wherein the direction of the first rotation depends on the first and second distances; and automatically moving the AGV in translation with a superposed second rotation, wherein the second rotation is opposite in direction to the first rotation. The steps are repeated until a termination condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Pfaff, Bjoern Klein
  • Patent number: 10624517
    Abstract: Provided herein is a robot cleaner. The robot cleaner includes a main body, a driving unit provided in the main body and supplying power for traveling of the robot cleaner, first and second rotary members respectively rotating about first and second rotational axes based on power from the driving unit and allowing cleaners for wet cleaning to be fixed thereto, a sensing unit sensing whether a traveling position of the robot cleaner is below an obstacle, and a controller controlling, when it is determined that the traveling position of the robot cleaner is below the obstacle on the basis of a sensing signal from the sensing unit, the driving unit such that the robot cleaner avoids a lower side of the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: EVERYBOT INC.
    Inventor: Woo Chul Jung
  • Patent number: 10599153
    Abstract: A method for autonomous operation of a compression apparatus for compressing a ground, the method comprising the steps: choosing a surface to be processed of the ground; preparing the compression apparatus or at least a portion of the surface to be processed so that the compression apparatus automatically processes the surface to be processed in an autonomous operation so that substantially each spot of the surface to be processed is processed at least once; moving a position-determination device along a path which represents at least a portion of an outer boundary of the surface to be processed and capturing position data by the position determination device at least in an intermittent manner while moving the position determination device along the path; generating electronic information regarding a position of the outer boundary of the surface to be processed based on captured position data of the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: AMMANN SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Jochen Hoerster, Armin Malaschewski, Mirko Pinkert
  • Patent number: 10591929
    Abstract: A navigation system for a host vehicle is provided. The system may comprise at least one processing device programmed to receive, from a camera, a plurality of images representative of an environment of the host vehicle; analyze the plurality of images to identify a navigational state associated with the host vehicle; determine a first predefined navigational constraint and a second predefined navigational constraint implicated by the navigational state; determine, based on the identified navigational state, a first navigational action for the host vehicle where both the first predefined navigational constraint and the second predefined navigational constraint can be satisfied; determine, based on the identified navigational state, a second navigational action for the host vehicle where the first predefined navigational constraint and the second predefined navigational constraint cannot both be satisfied; and cause at least one adjustment of a navigational actuator of the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: MOBILEYE VISION TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
    Inventors: Shai Shalev-Shwartz, Amnon Shashua, Shaked Shammah
  • Patent number: 10579045
    Abstract: A manual robot control by which a reference point of the robot is moved continually in space or positioned on an adjacent snap point depending on the control input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: ABB gomtec GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Gombert, Felix Schreiber
  • Patent number: 10538325
    Abstract: Unmanned vehicles can be terrestrial, aerial, nautical, or multi-mode. Unmanned vehicles may be used to survey a property in response to or in anticipation of damage to the property. For example, an unmanned vehicle may analyze information about the property and based on the information initiate an insurance claim for damage to the property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
    Inventor: Jordan Newmark
  • Patent number: 10479613
    Abstract: A transport system includes a track, overhead transport vehicles, and a controller. The controller provides a traveling command to travel to a destination point, to a first overhead transport vehicle that is able to receive a transport command to acquire a FOUP from a station and that is less than a first distance from the station. When a second of the overhead transport vehicles that is able to receive the transport command and is less than the first distance from the station, is detected before providing the transport command to the overhead first transport vehicle, the controller provides the traveling command to the second overhead transport vehicle. Then, the controller provides the transport command to the one of the first and second overhead transport vehicles that first passes through the destination point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazumi Harasaki
  • Patent number: 10434896
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for charging an auxiliary battery of a vehicle including a driving motor. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for charging an auxiliary battery of a vehicle including a driving motor, includes: a driving distance detector detecting a driving distance of the vehicle; a timer detecting time lapsing from a specific time; a main battery SOC detector detecting a state of charge (SOC) of a main battery; an auxiliary battery SOC detector detecting an SOC of the auxiliary battery; and a controller operated by a program set to control an operation of a DC converter based on signals of the driving distance detector, the timer, the main battery SOC detector, and the auxiliary battery SOC detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Youngjin Jang, Jeeheon Kim, Jun Yeon Park, Hojoong Lee
  • Patent number: 10417069
    Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for managing I/O requests to a storage array of storage devices in a machine having a processor node and device adaptor. In response to initiating a rebuild of data in the storage array, the device adaptor determines whether a remaining fault tolerance at the storage array comprises a non-zero fault tolerance that permits at least one further storage device to fail and still allow recovery of data stored in the storage array. In response to determining that the remaining fault tolerance is a zero fault tolerance that does not permit at least one storage device to fail and allow recovery of data, the device adaptor sends a message to the processor node to cause the processor node to initiate an emergency protocol to terminate a mission critical operation when the processor node is performing the mission critical operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Clint A. Hardy, Matthew G. Borlick, Adrian C. Gerhard, Lokesh M. Gupta
  • Patent number: 10375880
    Abstract: In one aspect, a mobile robot includes a chassis, a shell moveably mounted on the chassis by a shell suspension system, and a sensor assembly configured to sense a distance and a direction of shell movement relative to the chassis. The sensor assembly includes a magnet disposed on an underside of the shell. The sensor assembly further includes three or more Hall effect sensors disposed on the chassis in a triangular pattern at fixed distances such that the three or more Hall effect sensors are positioned beneath the magnet when no force is applied to the shell, wherein relative motion between the magnet and the Hall effect sensors causes the sensors to produce differing output signals. The mobile robot also includes a controller configured to receive output signals from the Hall effect sensors and to determine a distance and a direction of movement of the shell relative to the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Russell Walter Morin, Travis Pierce, Chris Bradley
  • Patent number: 10357793
    Abstract: An autonomous machine for the application of paint to a targeted application area. The autonomous machine operates with complete autonomy to paint a room without guidance or intervention. The autonomous machine includes a propulsion system to generate movement along a surface, a sensor system that generate signals representative of conditions during the painting to a targeted application area, and a control system that is in communication with the propulsion system and applicator system. In operation the autonomous machine automatically moves to and along walls that need to be painted. The autonomous machine detects the boundaries of the walls. A sensor head on the autonomous machine scans the walls, detecting and accommodating for any obstacles such as windows and windows trim present on the walls. Pressurized paint is then moved from a reservoir in the autonomous machine to the applicator and the applicator begins applying paint to the targeted application area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Inventors: John M. Harvison, Teresa Harvison