Robot Control Patents (Class 700/245)
  • Patent number: 11963478
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a self-propelled robotic work tool (1), e.g. an automatic robotic lawn mower, and a corresponding method. The robotic tool comprises an inertia measurement unit (IMU 15) which generally obtains (25) measured IMU parameters regarding the robotic working tool's movement. A prediction algorithm (17) predicts (27,36) required motor currents for driving the robotic work tool's wheels (5) based on the measured IMU parameters. The predicted motor current is compared (29,37) to the actual current used and the difference constitutes an error (19), which is used in a collision detection unit (21). If the collision detection unit (21) senses that the actually used motor current is much higher than the predicted current, a collision may be indicated (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventor: Jonas Holgersson
  • Patent number: 11964392
    Abstract: A method and a system generate global path planning of a robot according to a node specification principle that is defined based on social norms for an indoor space using an indoor map to assist human-friendly navigation of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: NAVER LABS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seoktae Kim, Kahyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 11960277
    Abstract: To make it possible to change the action of an unmanned vehicle by reflecting the importance of purposes that can change in response to a change in the situation. An unmanned vehicle (11) acts according to a plurality of purposes. A purpose importance input means (12) inputs the importance of each purpose in the unmanned vehicle (11). An action parameter determining means (13) determines a parameter for controlling the action of the unmanned vehicle (11) based on purpose importance information indicating the input importance of each purpose. An action controlling means (14) controls the action of the unmanned vehicle (11) in accordance with the parameter determined by the action parameter determining means (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masumi Ichien, Masatsugu Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11958199
    Abstract: A robot control device that controls operation of a robot including a robot arm, a driving section configured to drive the robot arm, and a driving control section configured to receive electric power supplied to the driving section and output power to the driving section based on an input control signal, the robot control device including a logical operation circuit configured to perform a logical operation about a stop signal and output an operation result and a power interruption circuit configured to interrupt, based on the operation result, the electric power supplied to the driving control section or the control signal input to the driving control section to thereby interrupt the power of the driving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Higashi, Takahiro Kamijo, Tomonori Yamada, Motoki Ito
  • Patent number: 11954910
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for multi-resolution processing for video classification. A plurality of video frames of a video are obtained and a resolution for classifying each video frame of the plurality of video frames is determined by analyzing each video frame using a policy network. Based on the determined resolution, each video frame having a determined resolution is rescaled and each rescaled video frame is routed to a classifier of a backbone network that corresponds to the determined resolution. Each rescaled video frame is classified using the corresponding classifier of the backbone network to obtain a plurality of classifications and the classifications are averaged to determine an action classification of the video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, MA
    Inventors: Rameswar Panda, Yue Meng, Chung-Ching Lin, Rogerio Schmidt Feris, Aude Jeanne Oliva
  • Patent number: 11945528
    Abstract: A hip joint mechanism includes: a hip joint frame; an upper leg movably connected to the hip joint frame; a hip actuator configured to drive the hip joint frame to rotate; two upper leg actuators mounted on the hip joint frame; two transmission mechanisms configured to transmit motion from the two upper leg actuators to the upper leg, wherein each of the upper leg actuators comprises a casing connected to the hip joint frame, and an output shaft connected to one corresponding transmission mechanism, each of the two transmission mechanisms comprises an output end; and three connecting mechanisms, wherein the output ends and the hip joint frame are movably connected to the upper leg through the three connecting mechanisms, the three connecting mechanisms are arranged at three vertices of a triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD
    Inventors: Liang Huang, Hongyu Ding, Youjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 11938640
    Abstract: A system and method for perceiving a dish, planning its handling, and controlling its motion, comprising: capturing at least one image of a region disposed to comprise said dish using at least one camera; classifying said image using a dish detection model to determine the presence of a dish; classifying said image using a dish identification model to determine the type of said dish; estimating the position and orientation of said dish using a dish localization model; picking up, holding, or dropping off said dish securely using said type, position, and orientation of said dish with a robotic arm, whereby said dish is detected, identified, and localized to securely move it from one location to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Dishcare Inc.
    Inventor: Sri Rama Prasanna Pavani
  • Patent number: 11940456
    Abstract: An automated apparatus can provide pre-analytical processing of samples, racking and forwarding to an adjacent analyzer for analysis. The apparatus may have a controller that implements an auto-learn process to teach robotic handlers the locations within the workspace(s) of the apparatus. A robotic sample handler may include a sensor configured to generate a detection signal when in a near vicinity of a fiducial beacon in the workspace of the apparatus for biological sample preparation, preprocessing and/or diagnostic assay performed by one or more analyzers of the automated apparatus. The controller may control the robotic sample handler to conduct a search pattern so that a location of the fiducial beacon may be detected and thereafter calculated to obtain a more accurate location of the beacon. The calculated positions may then serve as a basis for the controlled movement of samples by the robot to and from locations of the workspace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: BECTON DICKINSON AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher John Tesluk, Kevin Bailey, Matthew Wesly, John Moore
  • Patent number: 11938907
    Abstract: A robotic assembly configured to service an engine, wherein the robotic assembly includes an environmental capture device configured to provide information associated with an environment in which the engine is disposed to one or more computing devices, and wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to use the information to inspect the engine before and after repair operations associated with the service to check for repair equipment, or parts thereof, left in the engine after the repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited, General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Crispin Graham, David Scott Diwinsky, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr., Julian Matthew Foxall
  • Patent number: 11941503
    Abstract: A hybrid inference facility receives a sequence of data items. For each data item, the facility: forwards the data item to a server; subjects it to a local machine learning model to produce a local inference result for the data item; and the local inference result to a queue; aggregates the inference results contained by the queue to obtain an output inference result; and removes the oldest inference result from the queue. The facility receives from the server cloud inference results each obtained by applying a server machine learning model to one of the data items forwarded to the server. For each received cloud inference result, the facility substitutes the cloud inference result in the queue for the local inference result for the same data item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: EchoNous, Inc.
    Inventor: Fan Zhang
  • Patent number: 11943116
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed at mapping and controlling network-enabled IoT devices housed in an environment via a graphical user interface (GUI) of an electronic device. The disclosed features include generating a digital map representing the 3D or the 2D position of the IoT devices in the environment. In some embodiments, the digital map can be overlaid on a layout of a physical floorplan of the environment also showing physical objects in the environment. Different IoT devices in the environment can be controlled via a GUI common to the different IoT devices. Additionally, the GUI can be used to select a group of IoT devices and perform group-wise control of the IoT devices in the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: DISH Network L.L.C.
    Inventor: Jesus Flores Guerra
  • Patent number: 11931902
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to use robotic system simulation to control a robotic system. In various embodiments, a communication indicating an action to be performed by a robotic element is received from a robotic control system. Performance of the action by the robotic element is simulated. A state tracking data is updated to reflect a virtual change to one or more state variables as a result of simulated performance of the action. Successful completion of the action by the robotic element is reported to the robotic control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Dexterity, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhouwen Sun, William Arthur Clary, Kevin Jose Chavez, Ben Varkey Benjamin Pottayil, Rohit Arka Pidaparthi, Roger Lam Hau, Samir Menon
  • Patent number: 11931899
    Abstract: Automation windows for RPA for attended or unattended robots are disclosed. A child session is created and hosted as a window including the UIs of applications of a window associated with a parent session. Running multiple sessions allows a robot to operate in this child session while the user interacts with the parent session. The user may thus be able to interact with applications that the robot is not using or the user and the robot may be able to interact with the same application if that application is capable of this functionality. The user and the robot are both interacting with the same application instances and file system. Changes made via the robot and the user in an application will be made as if a single user made them, rather than having the user and the robot each work with separate versions of the applications and file systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: UiPath, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Hall
  • Patent number: 11927969
    Abstract: A system includes a robotic vehicle having a propulsion and a manipulator configured to perform designated tasks. The system also including a local controller disposed onboard the robotic vehicle and configured to receive input signals from an off-board controller. Responsive to receiving an input signal for moving in an autonomous mode, the local controller is configured to move the robotic vehicle toward one of the different final destinations by autonomously and iteratively determining a series of waypoints until the robotic vehicle has reached the one final destination. For each iteration, the local controller is configured to determine a next waypoint between a current location of the robotic vehicle and the final destination, determine movement limitations of the robotic vehicle, and generate control signals in accordance with the movement limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Ghulam Ali Baloch, Huan Tan, Balajee Kannan, Charles Theurer
  • Patent number: 11926382
    Abstract: An assembly system is provided for automotive lamps and an operation method thereof. The assembly system includes two kinds of functional robots and many functional stations, and it uses the functional robots to transfer workpieces between the various functional stations to realize automatic gluing, fastening and whole lamp performance testing, etc., thereby reducing the amount of manual intervention and improving process integration. Further, the assembly system may provide an assembly system with a two-sided assembly line operating simultaneously, which greatly improves the working efficiency of thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Miguel Lebrato-Rastrojo, Ludger-Josef Grüne, Ingo Engler, Thomas Albert Röbbecke, Jun Yue, Tao Hu, Wei Hu
  • Patent number: 11926057
    Abstract: A robot system includes a robot including a hand portion which grips and takes out a workpiece from an accommodation unit in which a plurality of workpieces are accommodated, and transports the workpiece to a predetermined position; a robot control unit which controls conveyance operation of the robot of taking out the workpiece from the accommodation unit and transporting the workpiece to the predetermined position; and a conveyance condition setting unit which sets a conveyance condition regarding the conveyance operation and including, in the workpiece, at least a grip prohibited region that is prohibited from being gripped by the hand portion. The robot control unit controls the robot based on the conveyance condition set by the conveyance condition setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota Yamaguchi, Toshihiro Michizoe
  • Patent number: 11927964
    Abstract: An autonomous work machine that works in a work area while autonomously traveling in the work area, comprises a specification unit configured to specify, based on information of a position detection unit configured to detect position information, a self-position of the autonomous work machine, a determination unit configured to determine, based on the self-position, whether the autonomous work machine has reached a perimeter portion of a no-work area positioned within the work area, and a control unit configured to control the autonomous work machine to do a lap along the perimeter portion in a case in which the autonomous work machine is determined to have reached the perimeter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Kameyama, Keiji Muro, Minami Kigami
  • Patent number: 11921517
    Abstract: A method of controlling movement of a robotic cleaning device over an area to be cleaned. The method includes storing at least one representation of the area over which the robotic cleaning device is to move, receiving an instruction to execute a cleaning program, localizing, in response to the instruction, the robotic cleaning device relative to the stored representation, and moving over the area to be cleaned as stipulated by the cleaning program by taking into account the stored representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventors: Magnus Lindhé, Petter Forsberg, Niklas Nordin
  • Patent number: 11919161
    Abstract: A robotic grasp generation technique for machine tending applications. Part and gripper geometry are provided as inputs, typically from CAD files. Gripper kinematics are also defined as an input. Preferred and prohibited grasp locations on the part may also be defined as inputs, to ensure that the computed grasp candidates enable the robot to load the part into a machining station such that the machining station can grasp a particular location on the part. An optimization solver is used to compute a quality grasp with stable surface contact between the part and the gripper, with no interference between the gripper and the part, and allowing for the preferred and prohibited grasp locations which were defined as inputs. All surfaces of the gripper fingers are considered for grasping and collision avoidance. A loop with random initialization is used to automatically compute many hundreds of diverse grasps for the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yongxiang Fan
  • Patent number: 11924023
    Abstract: A technology is described for redundant network communication in a robot. An example of the technology can include a main robotic controller and a robotic component including a local controller and a controlled component that is operable based on a data signal comprising control instructions executed by the local controller. A command can be sent between the main robotic controller and the local controller. The command can be encoded in a first data signal and a second data signal. The first data signal can be sent over a first network channel, and the second data signal can be sent over a second network channel. The first data signal and the second data signal can be configured to be redundant data signals for the local controller sent respectively over the first network channel and the second network channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Sarcos Corp.
    Inventors: Fraser M. Smith, Marc X. Olivier
  • Patent number: 11921509
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus including: a motion control unit (107) that controls a motion of an autonomous moving body (10), in which, when transmitting/receiving internal data related to the autonomous moving body, the motion control unit causes the autonomous moving body to express execution of the transmission/reception of the internal data by an action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sayaka Watanabe, Jianing Wu, Jingjing Guo, Natsuko Ozaki, Jun Yokono
  • Patent number: 11911919
    Abstract: A method performed by a computing system is presented. The method may include the computing system receiving image information that represents an object surface associated with a flexible object, and identifying, as a grip region, a surface region of the object surface that satisfies a defined smoothness condition and has a region size that is larger than or equal to a defined region size threshold, wherein the grip region is identified based on the image information. The method may further include identifying, as a safety region, a three-dimensional (3D) region which surrounds the grip region in one or more horizontal dimensions, and which extends from the grip region along a vertical dimension that is perpendicular to the one or more horizontal dimensions. The method may further include performing robot motion planning based on the grip region and the safety region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: MUJIN, INC.
    Inventors: Jose Jeronimo Moreira Rodrigues, Rosen Nikolaev Diankov, Jinze Yu, Ahmed Abouelela, Yoshiki Kanemoto
  • Patent number: 11906952
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a mining machine with respect to a geofence. One system includes an electronic processor configured to determine a first virtual operation zone positioned around the mobile industrial machine, where the first virtual operation zone is a dynamic area around the mobile industrial machine. The electronic processor is also configured to modify a parameter of the first virtual operation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: JOY GLOBAL SURFACE MINING INC
    Inventor: Keshad Darayas Malegam
  • Patent number: 11905000
    Abstract: A flying device includes a flight unit; and a flight control unit that performs, in a case where a flight position by the flight unit is out of a predetermined range, a control that is different from a control in a case where the flight position is within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuki Ohata, Takanori Shioda, Marie Shimoyama, Toru Kijima, Shinichi Miyauchi, Sho Nakamura, Ryo Tsubata, Masaki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11903660
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a surgical robotic system for use in a surgical procedure, including a surgical arm having a movable arm part for mounting of a surgical instrument having at least one degree-of-freedom to enable longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument towards a surgical target. Some other embodiments are directed to a human machine interface for receiving positioning commands from a human operator for controlling the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument, and an actuator configured for actuating the movable arm part to effect the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument, and controlled by a processor in accordance with the positioning commands and a virtual bound. The virtual bound establishes a transition in the control of the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument in a direction towards the surgical target. The virtual bound is determined, during use of the surgical robotic system, based on the positioning commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: PRECEYES B.V.
    Inventors: Maarten Joannes Beelen, Gerrit Jacobus Lambertus Naus, Hildebert Christiaan Matthijs Meenink, Marc Joseph Dominique De Smet
  • Patent number: 11904462
    Abstract: A server 3 includes a user dynamic data recognition unit 3a1 that recognizes, during guidance, user dynamic data; a guidance request estimation unit 3c that estimates a guidance request of a user during the guidance, based on the user dynamic data; and a guidance action determination unit 3f that determines a guidance action to be taken by a robot 2 during the guidance, based on the estimated guidance request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Haruomi Higashi
  • Patent number: 11902939
    Abstract: A wireless communication network that includes a backhaul network interconnecting node devices for extending a radio coverage of a wireless fronthaul network by using a plurality of access points of the wireless fronthaul network, the communication channel is used for interconnecting said node devices. A node device of the backhaul network makes an evaluation of the transmission conditions of its radio environment; calculates a score representing a quality of transmission via this communication channel; transmits to said master node device a message requesting change of communication channel of the backhaul network when at least one other communication channel has obtained a better score than the communication channel selected by the master node device. On reception of the message, master node device obtains scores for the other node devices, and decides to change, or not, communication channel used in the backhaul network according to the scores obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SAGEMCOM BROADBAND SAS
    Inventors: Massinissa Lalam, Laurent Alarcon
  • Patent number: 11897137
    Abstract: The present application relates to a method for robot control. The method includes: obtaining at least one parameter associated with a robot to be controlled by a controller; determining a first identity of the robot based on the at least one parameter; comparing the first identity with a pre-stored second identity; and in response to the first identity matching the second identity, controlling operations of the robot with the controller. The present application further discloses detection of a mismatch between the controller and the robot in an easy, safe and convenient way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Bojun Ma, Wengui Pan, Yanjun Wang
  • Patent number: 11897126
    Abstract: A module (200) for connecting a mobile robot (110) to associated equipment (400) is provided, as well as to a device (700, 800) for connecting equipment to a docking station (900, 1000). The module (200) has a housing (210) defining the exterior of said module (200). The module (200) comprises a plurality of locking members (220a, 220b, 220c, 220d) each being moveable between an idle position, in which the locking member (220a, 220b, 220c, 220d) is arranged fully within said housing (210), and a projecting position, in which at least a part of the locking member (220a, 220b, 220c, 220d) is extending outside the housing (210).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Roeq ApS
    Inventors: Michael Ejstrup Hansen, Benedikt Snævar Sigurgeirsson Lund, Carsten Sørensen
  • Patent number: 11893989
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an electronic eyewear device using voice commands receives audio data from a microphone, processes the audio data to identify a wake word, and upon identification of a wake word, processes the audio data to identify at least one action keyword in the audio data. The audio data is provided to one of a plurality of controllers associated with different action keywords or sets of action keywords to implement an action. For example, the audio data may be provided to a settings controller to adjust settings of the electronic eyewear device when the action keyword is indicative of a request to adjust a setting of the electronic eyewear device or to a navigation controller to navigate to the system information of the electronic eyewear device when the action keyword is indicative of a request to navigate to system information of the electronic eyewear device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventor: Piotr Gurgul
  • Patent number: 11892835
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and techniques for controlling an autonomous vehicle. While the autonomous vehicle is travelling to a destination, the autonomous vehicle may encounter a situation preventing the autonomous vehicle from travelling to the destination. A control center may receive information from the autonomous device and use a graphical user interface to provide instructions with limited controls for the autonomous vehicle to navigate to an intermediate position. In such an intermediate position, the vehicle may make way for an emergency vehicle, obtain additional sensor data for continued autonomous planning, signal intent to other objects in the environment, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: ZOOX, INC.
    Inventors: Ravi Gogna, Meredith James Goldman
  • Patent number: 11894253
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer transport apparatus having a transport arm and at least one end effector. An optical edge detection sensor is coupled to the transport arm and is configured so as to register and effect edge detection of a wafer supported by the end effector. An illumination source illuminates a surface of the wafer and is disposed with respect to the optical edge detection sensor so that the surface directs reflected surface illumination, from the illumination source, toward the optical edge detection sensor, and optically blanks, at the peripheral edge of the wafer, background reflection light of a background, viewed by the optical edge detection sensor coincident with linear traverse of the wafer supported by the at least one end effector. The peripheral edge of the wafer is defined in relief in image contrast to effect edge detection coincident with traverse of the wafer supported by the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Brooks Automation US, LLC
    Inventor: Caspar Hansen
  • Patent number: 11890760
    Abstract: A balancer abnormality detection system includes: a robot; a motor configured to operate the robot; a balancer provided in the robot and configured to generate assist torque which assists power of the motor with force generated by elastic bodies; and a controller configured to detect abnormality of the balancer by measuring a current value of the motor operated to keep a posture of the robot during standby of the robot and comparing the current value with a current command value of the motor necessary for keeping the posture of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuusei Onodera
  • Patent number: 11887316
    Abstract: A method for motion recognition and embedding is disclosed. The method may include receiving a plurality of frames of an input video for extracting a feature vector of a motion in the plurality of frames, generating a plurality of sets of one or more motion component bits based on the feature vector and a plurality of classifiers, the plurality of sets corresponding to the plurality of classifiers, each set of one or more motion component bits representing a physical or mechanical attribute of the motion; and generating a motion code for a machine to execute the motion by combining the plurality of sets of one or more motion component bits. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
    Inventors: Yu Sun, David Andres Paulius, Maxat Alibayev
  • Patent number: 11883118
    Abstract: A surgical navigation system may include a processor and a display. The processor may receive a patient image and sensor data captured by a sensor, receive a medical image, generate a hologram of the medical image, perform coregistration between the patient image and the hologram, superimpose the hologram on the patient image, and display the superimposed image. Coregistration may be performed manually via a user interaction, or automatically based on one or more fiducials in the medical image and sensor data related to the fiducials. The system may monitor a change in the environment and update the display correspondingly. For example, the system may monitor a movement of a body of the patient, monitor the size of an organ of the patient as the organ is being under operation, or a movement of the surgical instrument. The sensor may be an augmented reality (AR) sensor in an AR device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignees: United States Government As Represented By The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Hennepin Healthcare Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Uzma Samadani, Abdullah Bin Zahid, David P. Darrow
  • Patent number: 11880204
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining, from an operator of a robot, a return execution lease associated with one or more commands for controlling the robot that is scheduled within a sequence of execution leases. The robot is configured to execute commands associated with a current execution lease that is an earliest execution lease in the sequence of execution leases that is not expired. The method includes obtaining an execution lease expiration trigger triggering expiration of the current execution lease. After obtaining the trigger, the method includes determining that the return execution lease is a next current execution lease in the sequence. While the return execution lease is the current execution lease, the method includes executing the one or more commands for controlling the robot associated with the return execution lease which cause the robot to navigate to a return location remote from a current location of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Hopkins Miller, Christopher Bentzel
  • Patent number: 11878418
    Abstract: A method for controlling at least one effector trajectory of an effector of a robot for solving a predefined task is proposed. A sequence of postures are acquired to modify at least one of a contact constraint topology and an object constraint topology. A set of constraint equations are generated based on at least one of the modified contact constraint topology and the modified object constraint topology. On the generated set of constraint equations, a constraint relaxation is performed to generate a task description including a set of relaxed constraint equations. The at least one effector trajectory is generated by applying a trajectory generation algorithm on the task description. An inverse kinematics algorithm is performed to generate a control signal from the at least one effector trajectory. At least one effector is controlled to execute the at least one effector trajectory based on the generated control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Gienger
  • Patent number: 11865695
    Abstract: A humanoid hugging assembly includes a humanoid animatronic that has a torso, a pair of arms and a pair of hands each is disposed on a respective one of the arms. The arms are positionable in a resting position having the arms extending downwardly along the torso and having a palm of each of the hands facing the torso. Each of the arms is positionable in a hugging position has each of the arms is crossed in front of the torso wherein the pair of arms is configured to embrace the user. A motion sensor is integrated into the humanoid animatronic to sense motion of the user approaching the humanoid animatronic. A motion unit is integrated into the humanoid animatronic and the motion unit actuates each of the arms into the hugging position when a predetermined duration of time has passed when motion sensor senses motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventor: Walton Richardson
  • Patent number: 11867599
    Abstract: An automated control system including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an input device. The UAV includes: a sensor, a receiver; and memory. The memory includes a task association data including one or more tasks for execution by the UAV. The input device includes a tagging block. The tagging block allows an operator to tag an object of interest and send a tag regarding the object of interest to the UAV, via the receiver, wherein the object of interest is located within a visual field of the UAV. The sensor processes data within the visual field and the input device is configured to communicate the object of interest from the visual field tagged by the operator. The task is selected from the task association data and the UAV executes the task with respect to the object of interest from the visual field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Meier
  • Patent number: 11864490
    Abstract: A control device includes a control unit configured to acquire individual information indicating a state of a predetermined member of a work machine configured to execute work using the predetermined member, and instruct a state adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the state to adjust the state so that a difference between the state indicated by the individual information and a reference value of the state common to other work machines is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Song, Takuya Kanisawa, Taro Yokoyama, Hiroto Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11865718
    Abstract: A working device includes a link actuation device and a control device for the link actuation device. The control device includes: a storage unit configured to store a plurality of the target positions; a calculation unit configured to sequentially read out the respective target positions stored to calculate movement amounts and movement speeds of the respective actuators between the target positions; and a control unit configured to operate the respective actuators by the movement amounts and at the movement speeds of the respective actuators calculated by the calculation unit. The control unit is capable of changing acceleration and deceleration times of the actuators for each of the target positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Marui, Hiroshi Isobe
  • Patent number: 11850755
    Abstract: An augmented reality (AR) system for visualizing and modifying robot operational zones. The system includes an AR device such as a headset in communication with a robot controller. The AR device includes software for the AR display and modification of the operational zones. The AR device is registered with the robot coordinate frame via detection of a visual marker. The AR device displays operational zones overlaid on real world images of the robot and existing fixtures, where the display is updated as the user moves around the robot work cell. Control points on the virtual operational zones are displayed and allow the user to reshape the operational zones. The robot can be operated during the AR session, running the robot's programmed motion and evaluating the operational zones. Zone violations are highlighted in the AR display. When zone definition is complete, the finalized operational zones are uploaded to the robot controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derek Jung, Bruce Coldren, Sam Yung-Sen Lee, Leo Keselman, Kenneth W. Krause
  • Patent number: 11847822
    Abstract: An information processing device is provided that includes an operation control unit which controls the operations of an autonomous mobile object that performs an action according to a recognition operation. Based on the detection of the start of teaching related to pattern recognition learning, the operation control unit instructs the autonomous mobile object to obtain information regarding the learning target that is to be learnt in a corresponding manner to a taught label. Moreover, an information processing method is provided that is implemented in a processor and that includes controlling the operations of an autonomous mobile object which performs an action according to a recognition operation. Based on the detection of the start of teaching related to pattern recognition learning, the controlling of the operations includes instructing the autonomous mobile object to obtain information regarding the learning target that is to be learnt in a corresponding manner to a taught label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Nishio, Yuhei Yabe, Tomoo Mizukami
  • Patent number: 11844584
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a robotic tele-surgery system for performing laparoscopic surgeries. The system may include: a patient-side unit, a surgeon-side unit, and a controller that may be configured for establishing a master-slave relationship between the surgeon-side unit and the patient-side unit. The patient side unit may include a patient support assembly, at least two passive mounting mechanisms that may be slidably coupled to the patient support assembly and at least two slave robotic arms, coupled with a surgical instrument via a tool adapting mechanism from their distal end, and mounted on an associated passive support assembly from their base end. The surgeon-side unit may including at least two master robotic arms, and an ergonomic adjustment mechanism that may be configured for housing and adjusting the position and orientation of the master robotic arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SINA ROBOTICS AND MEDICAL INNOVATORS CO. LTD
    Inventors: Alireza Mirbagheri, Farzam Farahmand, Alireza Alamdar, Saeed Behzadipour, Borna Ghannadi, Hamed Jamshidifar, Seyedhamidreza Seyedhashemi
  • Patent number: 11845186
    Abstract: An inverse kinematics solving method for redundant robot as well as a redundant robot using the same are provided. The method includes: obtaining an expression of a Jacobian matrix null space of a current configuration of each robotic arm of the redundant robot corresponding to a preset end pose of the robotic arm according to the preset end pose, and obtaining a relation between an angular velocity of the joints of the redundant robot in the Jacobian matrix null space of the current configuration based on the obtained expression; traversing the Jacobian matrix null space using the relation, and building an energy cost function of the redundant robot based on the relation; obtaining a target joint angle of each joint of the redundant robot based on the optimal inverse kinematics solution to transmit to the servo of the joint so as to control the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP LTD
    Inventors: Yuesong Wang, Liqun Huang, Xiaoyu Ren, Mingguo Zhao, Youjun Xiong
  • Patent number: 11842530
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining scene-consistent motion forecasts from sensor data can include obtaining scene data including one or more actor features. The computer-implemented method can include providing the scene data to a latent prior model, the latent prior model configured to generate scene latent data in response to receipt of scene data, the scene latent data including one or more latent variables. The computer-implemented method can include obtaining the scene latent data from the latent prior model. The computer-implemented method can include sampling latent sample data from the scene latent data. The computer-implemented method can include providing the latent sample data to a decoder model, the decoder model configured to decode the latent sample data into a motion forecast including one or more predicted trajectories of the one or more actor features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Sergio Casas, Cole Christian Gulino, Shun Da Suo, Katie Z. Luo, Renjie Liao, Raquel Urtasun
  • Patent number: 11833679
    Abstract: A teaching control method includes acquiring a plurality of teaching points from CAD data of a work target object and displaying the plurality of teaching points on a display section, acquiring a result of classification processing for classifying the plurality of teaching points into one or more teaching point groups, receiving an operation parameter for each teaching point group, and setting an operation value for each teaching point group using the operation parameter. The classification processing for classifying the plurality of teaching points into the teaching point groups is executed using attribute information of the work target object obtained from the CAD data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masayuki Okuyama
  • Patent number: 11835953
    Abstract: An autonomy system for use with a vehicle in an environment. The autonomy system comprising a processor operatively coupled with a memory device, a plurality of sensors operatively coupled with the processor; a vehicle controller, a situational awareness module, a task planning module, and a task execution module. The situational awareness module being configured to determine a state of the environment based at least in part on sensor data from at least one of the plurality of sensors. The task planning module being configured to identify, via the processor, a plurality of tasks to be performed by the vehicle and to generate a task assignment list from the plurality of tasks that is based at least in part on predetermined optimization criteria. The task execution module being configured to instruct the vehicle controller to execute the plurality of tasks in accordance with the task assignment list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Ryan, Jeffery Saunders
  • Patent number: 11832908
    Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a drive housing having a first end, a second end, and a lead screw extending between the first and second ends, a carriage movably mounted to the lead screw, and an activating mechanism coupled to the carriage. The activating mechanism includes a motor mounted to the carriage and operable to rotate a drive gear, and a driven gear engageable with the drive gear such that rotation of the drive gear causes the driven gear to rotate and thereby actuate the activating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Andrew T. Beckman, Charles J. Scheib, Travis Michael Schuh
  • Patent number: 11835960
    Abstract: A system includes: a mobile robot comprising a sensor, the robot further comprising a computer, the robot operating in an environment; a server operably connected to the robot via a communication system, the server configured to manage the robot; a controller operably connected to the robot, the controller operably connected to the server, the controller configured to control the robot; and an object of interest marked with a marker at one or more of an approximate height and an approximate field of view of the sensor, the sensor generating data describing the object of interest, the computer configured to identify one or more of the object of interest and the location using one or more of a shape of the object of interest and an intensity of data describing the object of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Cairl, Derek King, Sarah Elliott, Alex Henning, Melonee Wise, Russell Toris