Combined With Knowledge Processing (e.g., Natural Language System) Patents (Class 700/246)
  • Patent number: 8050798
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a set of programming instructions for manipulating a vehicle frame are provided. A frame computing device obtains configuration information for an identified vehicle frame. The frame computing device sub-divides the selected vehicle frame into a set of regions and obtains programming modules for each of the components mounted in the set of regions. The frame computing device processes the program modules to generate a cumulative set of programming instructions for manipulating the vehicle frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: Kevin Paul O'Sullivan, James Scott Rhodes, Jr., Robert Kelvin Lawton, William A. Layman
  • Patent number: 8032605
    Abstract: A method of causing movement of at least one target device based on at least one of a plurality of motion programs stored on a content server connected to a network. At least one identified characteristic of the at least one target device is identified. At least one selected motion program is selected from the plurality of motion programs stored on the content server. The at least one identified characteristic and the at least one selected motion program are transferred to the motion server. A motion media data set is generated at the motion server for the target motion device based on the at least one identified characteristic of the target device and the at least one selected motion program. The motion media data set is transferred from the motion server to the target motion device to cause the target device to perform the desired sequence of movements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Roy-G-Biv Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Brown, Jay S. Clark
  • Publication number: 20110238212
    Abstract: A robot apparatus, method and computer program storage device use a memory that stores cueing point information and user information to assist a user in an external environment. The cueing points are distributed within an environmental map held by the robot apparatus, and when the user is detected by the robot apparatus as approaching a predetermined region within the external environment classified as a cueing point, the robot apparatus reacts by providing a cue to the user. The cue may user-specific, or optionally provided based on a level of care required by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu SHIRADO, Masakuni NAGANO, Wataru KOKUBO, Yoshiaki IWAI, Satoru SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20110238211
    Abstract: There is provided a robot device including a behavior plan unit that detects a current status of the robot device or an external environment and that decides one behavior plan of a plurality of behavior plan candidates as a future behavior plan, based on the current status, and a display control unit that decides one display pattern of a plurality of previously prepared display pattern candidates as display content to be displayed on a remote control device that remotely controls the robot device based on the decided behavior plan and that cause the remote control device to display the display pattern decided by the behavior plan unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shirado, Yasuhiro Suto, Takashi Kito, Akichika Tanaka, Kenichiro Nagasaka
  • Patent number: 8027832
    Abstract: A system and methods of language identification of natural language text are presented. The system includes stored expected character counts and variances for a list of characters found in a natural language. Expected character counts and variances are stored for multiple languages to be considered during language identification. At run-time, one or more languages are identified for a text sample based on comparing actual and expected character counts. The present methods can be combined with upstream analyzing of Unicode ranges for characters in the text sample to limit the number of languages considered. Further, n-gram methods can be used in downstream processing to select the most probable language from among the languages identified by the present system and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: William D. Ramsey, Patricia M. Schmid, Kevin R. Powell
  • Publication number: 20110231016
    Abstract: A temporal controller for mobile robot path planning includes a sensor module for receiving data corresponding to spatial locations of at least one object, and a temporal control module operatively coupled to the sensor module, the temporal control module configured to predict future locations of the at least one object based on data received by the sensor module. The controller further includes a temporal simulation module operatively coupled to the temporal control module, wherein the temporal simulation module configured to use the predicted future locations of the at least one object to simulate multiple robot motion hypothesis for object avoidance and trajectory planning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventor: John R. GOULDING
  • Patent number: 8024067
    Abstract: Immediately before a robot 20 starts to move at a high speed, a monitoring area 53 is expanded in a returning direction Y, and absence of an obstacle in the monitoring area 53 is confirmed. During the high speed movement of the robot 20, the monitoring area 53 is expanded forward, so that a safety of an operator is secured, an effective use of a working station area can be made, and an improvement of productivity can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Sakai, Tetsuya Ozawa, Kazuyoshi Fukuzawa, Yoshito Ohtake, Hiroki Baba
  • Patent number: 8024070
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fixed point stabilization device for a legged mobile body having a generating mechanism for generating a fixed point. The present disclosure also provides a fixed point stabilization device for a legged mobile body comprising a stabilizing device for stabilizing the fixed point in accordance with a leg grounding position of the legged mobile body. The fixed point is generated by inputting a predetermined constant torque to a joint of a leg of the legged mobile body on the basis of the energy balance in the legged mobile body, leg switching, and a leg swinging motion. The fixed point is stabilized globally by keeping the leg grounding position of the legged mobile body constant using a stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Nagoya Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Akihito Sano, Hideo Fujimoto, Yoshito Ikemata
  • Publication number: 20110218672
    Abstract: The invention relates to a robot comprising storage means designed to store at least one computer program which, when executed, causes the robot to act according to a particular behavior, characterized in that it comprises loading means able to load, from remote computer equipment, a computer program which, when executed, causes the robot to act according to a particular behavior, and saving means able to save the duly loaded computer program in said storage means. Said loading means are designed to transmit a load request to the remote equipment to initiate the loading of the computer program from the remote equipment. The robot comprises at least one memory for storing evolution parameters, and the loading means are also designed to transmit the request according to the evolution parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: ALDEBARAN ROBOTICS S.A
    Inventors: Bruno Maisonnier, Fabien Bardinet
  • Publication number: 20110208354
    Abstract: A robot with a learning control function is disclosed. The robot includes a robot mechanism unit, a learning control unit for obtaining data on positional deviation of the robot mechanism unit upon execution of a task program and executing a learning control for calculating a learning correction amount in order to decrease the positional deviation of the robot mechanism unit below a certain value, a normal control unit for executing a learning operation of the robot mechanism unit in order to obtain the data during the learning control and executing an actual operation of the robot mechanism unit based on the learning correction amount calculated by the learning control unit after executing the learning control, and an anti-exception processing unit for executing an anti-exception process in the case where an exception process occurs during the learning operation or the actual operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuaki KATO, Masakazu Ichinose, Soichi Arita, Kiyonori Inaba, Hajime Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20110208355
    Abstract: Motion information of a robot arm stored in a motion information database is acquired. A person manipulates the robot arm, and correction motion information at the time of the motion correction is acquired. An acquiring unit acquires environment information. A motion correction unit corrects the motion information while the robot arm is in motion. A control rule generating unit generates a control rule for allowing the robot arm to automatically operate based on the corrected motion information and the acquired environment information. The motion of the robot arm is controlled based on the generated control rule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventor: Yuko TSUSAKA
  • Patent number: 8005573
    Abstract: On the basis of at least a difference between a desired state amount related to a posture of a robot 1 about a vertical axis or a floor surface normal line axis and an actual state amount of the robot 1 and a permissible range of a restriction object amount, namely, a vertical component of a floor reaction force moment or a component of the floor reaction force moment in a floor surface normal line direction to be applied to the robot 1, instantaneous values of a desired motion and a desired floor reaction force are determined such that a difference between a floor reaction force moment balancing with the desired motion on a dynamic model and a floor reaction force moment of the desired floor reaction force approximates the aforesaid difference to zero, while having the restriction object amount, which is associated with the desired floor reaction force, fall within the permissible range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Publication number: 20110172818
    Abstract: A trajectory planning system obtains a trajectory for controlling a state of an object toward a goal state. The system includes a search tree generating section which registers a state of the object as a root of a search tree in a state space, registers a next state of the object after a lapse of a predetermined time interval obtained through dynamical relationships during the time interval as a branch of the search tree in the state space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chyon Hae KIM, Hiroshi TSUJINO
  • Patent number: 7979158
    Abstract: The present exemplary embodiment relates to motion control and planning algorithms to facilitate execution of a series of moves within a motion trajectory. In one example, a trajectory is specified as a sequence of one or more path segments. A velocity profile is calculated for each of the one or more path segments, wherein each velocity profile is divided into a blend-in region, a blend-out region and a remainder region. Each path segment is executed such that the blend-in region of its velocity profile overlaps only with the blend-out region of the previous profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bohumir Sladek, Jatin P. Bhatt, William C. Schwarz, Bhanu K. Gouda
  • Publication number: 20110166703
    Abstract: A method, controller and control system for controlling a robot that is used in concert with at least one other robot to perform an operation on one or more work objects. Each robot controller checks whether a common reference value is not acceptable, and if so, provides a signal for the robot to wait before proceeding to the next task. Each robot controller also checks whether the target object is in the correct position or not; and also checks whether or not another robot has stopped. If either another robot has stopped and/or if the work object is not in the right position, the robot waits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: ABB AS
    Inventor: Gisle Byrne
  • Patent number: 7970492
    Abstract: In a mobile robot control system, it is configured to input at least one of the desired position and orientation of the robot at a time when the robot reaches the desired position by manipulation of the operator, to control the motion of the robot based on the inputted desired position and orientation, and to display a first image indicative of the inputted desired position and orientation by numeric values or language including at least the numeric values and a second image indicative of the inputted desired position and orientation by graphics on a display. With this, the operator can check the desired position and orientation of the robot with both of the numeric values and graphics. As a result, it becomes possible to prevent the operator from manipulating erroneously and operate the robot to be moved or turned as desired by the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuniaki Matsushima, Yuichiro Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20110153077
    Abstract: Provided is a technique that enables a robot to be remotely controlled (by a server) and enables a robot component to access an external component (a component of a server) in order for cooperation of heterogeneous robots operating on the basis of different component models. A component integration apparatus for collaboration of a heterogeneous robot according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a standard interface unit that provides a common standard interface for controlling components that control the individual functions of the robot; an adapter component that transmits commands to enable external components to call the components through the standard interface unit; and a proxy component that transmits commands to enable the components to call the external components through the standard interface unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Young-Ho SUH, Kang-Woo LEE, Hyun KIM
  • Patent number: 7966093
    Abstract: The invention integrates software and knowledge engineering with robotics technology to improve robot-to-robot and robot-to-human conversational interface and provide on-the-fly translations of situational requirements into adaptive behavior models and further down to service scenarios for a collaborative robot teams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Inventor: Yefim Zhuk
  • Publication number: 20110144804
    Abstract: A device for expressing robot autonomous emotions comprises: a sensing unit; a user emotion recognition unit, recognizing current user emotional states after receiving sensed information from the sensing unit, and calculating user emotional strengths based on the current user emotional states; a robot emotion generation unit, generating robot emotional states based on the user emotional strengths; a behavior fusion unit, calculating a plurality of output behavior weights by a fuzzy-neuro network based on the user emotional strengths and a rule table; and a robot reaction unit, expressing a robot emotional behavior based on the output behavior weights and the robot emotional states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Kai-Tai SONG, Meng-Ju Han, Chia-How Lin
  • Publication number: 20110106307
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer-readable medium planning a path of a robot by planning an optimal path while satisfying a dynamic constraint. In a process of searching for a motion path from a start point to a goal point while extending a tree from a start point of a configuration space to generate a path, along which a manipulator of the robot is moved in order to perform a task, an optimal path is generated responsive to the dynamic constraint of the manipulator of the robot to generate stable motion satisfying momentum and Zero Moment Position (ZMP) constraint. Accordingly, path planning performance is improved and a path satisfying a kinematic constraint and a dynamic constraint is rapidly obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Myung Hee KIM, Bok Man Lim, Kyung Shik Roh, San Lim
  • Publication number: 20110106306
    Abstract: A path planning apparatus of a robot smoothes a motion path while satisfying a constraint. In a configuration space where a manipulator of a robot performs a task, a Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) path which extends from a start point and reaches a goal point may be smoothed while satisfying a constraint to generate a stable motion path. Accordingly, path planning performance is improved and an optimal path satisfying a kinematic constraint may be rapidly obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Myung Hee Kim, San Lim, Kyung Shik Roh, Bok Man Lim
  • Patent number: 7936951
    Abstract: A computer-implemented, knowledge-based process for digitizing a set of documents, which includes using a computer to perform the steps of loading a set of definitions stored in an XML document into a computer-implemented digitization module, the set of definitions including image type and fields; initializing a knowledge base from a knowledge base library having a plurality of knowledge bases categorized by domain, the initialized knowledge base corresponding to the domain of the set of documents and containing information relevant to the domain; providing a document from the set of documents in electronic form to the computer-implemented digitization module, the document having a plurality of records; loading the initialized knowledge base from the knowledge base library into the computer-implemented digitization module; digitizing each record of the document; automatically generating at least one field value using information from the knowledge base; and validating each record of the document against prede
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Ecompex, Inc.
    Inventor: Qingfeng Duan
  • Publication number: 20110098856
    Abstract: A control device for a legged mobile robot has a first motion determiner which sequentially determines the instantaneous value of a first motion of a robot by using a first dynamic model and a second motion determiner which sequentially determines the instantaneous value of a second motion of the robot by using a second dynamic model, and sequentially determines a desired motion of the robot by combining the first motion and the second motion. A low frequency component and a high frequency component of a feedback manipulated variable having a function for bringing a posture state amount error, which indicates the degree of the deviation of an actual posture of the robot from a desired posture, close to zero are fed back to the first motion determiner and the second motion determiner, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahide Yoshiike, Hiroyuki Kaneko, Atsuo Orita
  • Publication number: 20110098857
    Abstract: A desired motion determiner of a control unit of a legged mobile robot determines a leg motion parameter specifying the motion trajectory of a distal end of a leg of the robot on the basis of the information on a floor geometry of an environment in which the robot travels and a requirement related to a travel route of the robot, thereby sequentially determining the desired motion of the robot. A floor geometry information output unit which outputs floor geometry information to the desired motion determiner outputs floor geometry information in which a rising surface of a stepped portion of a predetermined type, the contact thereof with a leg of the robot should be avoided, has been shaped into a surface having a gentler slope than an actual rising surface. The desired motion determiner determines the leg motion parameter such that the leg will not come in contact with the stepped portion having the shaped rising surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahide Yoshiike, Masanori Takeda, Mitsuhide Kuroda, Tomoki Watabe
  • Patent number: 7930067
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed wherein motion data which define motions of an end effecter of a robot such as a hand tip can be produced simply and conveniently. The apparatus and method provide a motion editing environment in which motion data for allowing a robot to plot a picture or a character can be edited simply and conveniently based on interactions such as hand-written inputting of a user through a mouse, a tablet or the like. By reproducing the produced motion data on a robot, a motion of plotting an arbitrary character or picture by the robot can be implemented simply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Miyamoto, Tomohisa Moridaira
  • Publication number: 20110071674
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a user interface apparatus and control method for the control of service robots. The user interface apparatus for the control of service robots includes an interaction server, an index block, and a robot control server. The interaction server receives control commands to control a service robot from a user, analyzes the control commands, and outputs the results of the analysis to the user. The index block determines the degree of difficulty of each of the analyzed control commands. The robot control server determines the operating mode of the service robot depending on the analyzed control command and the degree of difficulty, and controls the service robot in the determined operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: SUNGYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR CORPORATE COLLABORATION
    Inventors: Jae Wook JEON, Tae Houn Song, Soon Mook Jung, Hyun Uk Jung, Myung Jin Kim
  • Publication number: 20110060459
    Abstract: Disclosed are a robot deciding a robot's task operation by separating raw information from specific information and a method of controlling the robot. The robot includes an information separation unit to separate raw information and specific information, an operation decision unit to decide a task operation of a robot by inferring a circumstance, a user's intention, task content, and detailed task information from the separated information, and a behavior execution unit to operate the robot in response to the decided task operation of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS, CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Sin HA, Woo Sup HAN
  • Patent number: 7904280
    Abstract: A modular representation of a physical system is generated using modules and variables, each module representing a portion of the physical system, each variable representing a parameter of the physical system. Code is generated according to the modular representation such that the code is suitable to be compiled into a machine code that can be executed on hardware to simulate the physical system. The code contains instructions to cause the hardware to solve a system of differential algebraic equations that represent relationships among the variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
    Inventor: Giles D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20110047109
    Abstract: A mobile brain-based device (BBD) includes a mobile platform with sensors and effectors, which is guided by a simulated nervous system that is an analogue of the cerebellar areas of the brain used for predictive motor control to determine interaction with a real-world environment. The simulated nervous system has neural areas including precerebellum nuclei (PN), Purkinje cells (PC), deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) and an inferior olive (IO) for predicting turn and velocity control of the BBD during movement in a real-world environment. The BBD undergoes training and testing, and the simulated nervous system learns and performs control functions, based on a delayed eligibility trace learning rule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: NEUROSCIENCES RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. McKinstry, Gerald M. Edelman, Jeffrey L. Krichmar
  • Publication number: 20110035051
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a path planning apparatus and a method for a robot to plan an optimal path along which a manipulator of a robot moves to a goal point from a start point. An obstacle within a prescribed angle on a straight line connecting a start point and a goal point is recognized as a middle point in a configuration space and arbitrary points separated from the middle point by a prescribed distance are selected. Among the selected points, arbitrary points which can directly connect the start point and the goal point without passing the obstacle are selected as waypoints to map a new middle node. A path is extended via the middle node and extension of a tree in a wrong direction is minimized so that the manipulator is not struck at local minima without depending greatly on a goal score, thereby improving the performance of path planning and rapidly searching for a path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Myung Hee Kim, Kyung Shik Roh, San Lim, Bok Man Lim, Guo Chunxu
  • Publication number: 20110035050
    Abstract: If a manipulator of a robot falls in local minima when expanding a node to generate a path, the manipulator may efficiently escape from local minima by any one of a random escaping method and a goal function changing method or a combination thereof to generate the path. When the solution of inverse kinematics is not obtained due to local minima or when the solution of inverse kinematics is not obtained due to an inaccurate goal function, an optimal motion path to avoid an obstacle may be efficiently searched for. The speed to obtain the solution may be increased and thus the time consumed to search for the optimal motion path may be shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Myung Hee Kim, Kyung Shik Roh, San Lim, Bok Man Lim, Guochunxu
  • Patent number: 7873437
    Abstract: A control system is provided for navigating an autonomous machine around a working area in a manner that causes the machine to traverse substantially all of the free surface of the working area. The control system is arranged to cause the machine to follow a boundary of the working area and to perform a plurality of movements, each movement comprising the machine travelling away from the boundary of the working area, at an angle to the boundary, and returning again to the boundary. The machine moves along the boundary of the working area between each movement and repeats the movements as the machine follows substantially the entire boundary of the working area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Michael David Aldred, Alexander Philip Bommer
  • Patent number: 7860614
    Abstract: A trainer for training a human to use a physical robot in a physical environment, the physical robot being controlled in the physical environment by an operator control unit, the trainer comprising an input device; a visual display; a computer connected to the input device and the visual display; and computer software disposed in the computer for creating a virtual robot and a virtual environment on the visual display, the virtual robot and the virtual environment being simulations of the physical robot and the physical environment wherein interaction between the virtual robot and the virtual environment simulates interaction between the physical robot and the physical environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Bernard D. Reger
  • Patent number: 7859540
    Abstract: A control system and method generate joint variables for motion or posing of a target system in response to observations of a source system. Constraints and balance control may be provided for more accurate representation of the motion or posing as replicated by the target system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Behzad Dariush
  • Patent number: 7853356
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for optimizing robot performance includes a computer connected to the robot controller for receiving performance data of the robot as the controller executes a path program. The computer uses the performance data, user specified optimization objectives and constraints and a kinematic/dynamic simulator to generate a new set of control system parameters to replace the default set in the controller. The computer repeats the process until the new set of control system parameters is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Fanuc Robotics America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Tsai, Yi Sun, Sai-Kai Cheng, Min Ren Jean, Hadi Akeel
  • Patent number: 7853359
    Abstract: A calibration device and method for automatically determining the position and the orientation of a robot used for measurement. First, an initial position of a preliminary position is generated based on a designated basic position, and it is judged whether the initial position is within an operation range of the robot. If the robot cannot reach the initial position, the preliminary position is adjusted close to the basic position. Otherwise, the preliminary position is evaluated by calculating an evaluation index of the preliminary position. When the evaluation index does not satisfy a predetermined condition, an initial value of an posture angle is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Kazunori Ban, Katsutoshi Takizawa, Gang Shen
  • Publication number: 20100312386
    Abstract: Functionality is described for probabilistically determining the location of an agent within an environment. The functionality performs this task using a topological representation of the environment provided by a directed graph. Nodes in the directed graph represent locations in the environment, while edges represent transition paths between the locations. The functionality also provides a mechanism by which the agent can navigate in the environment based on its probabilistic assessment of location. Such a mechanism can use a high-level control module and a low-level control module. The high-level control module determines an action for the agent to take by considering a plurality of votes associated with different locations in the directed graph. The low-level control module allows the agent to navigate along a selected edge when the high-level control module votes for a navigation action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Georgios Chrysanthakopoulos, Guy Shani
  • Publication number: 20100299101
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for computer-aided tracking, navigation, and motion tracking. In one embodiment, a system for determining a spatial position, including a tracking device and a processor. The tracking devices has a working end, a reference end, a plurality of links connecting the working end to the reference end, wherein each link has at least one degree of freedom relative to an adjacent link, and a plurality of sensors measuring the orientation of the links in a plurality of degrees of freedom, wherein X is a minimum number of degrees of freedom about which information is required to define the spatial position. The processor receives information from the sensors and determine the spatial position of the working end of the tracking device relative to the reference end of the tracking device based on information from the sensors measuring Y degrees of freedom, wherein Y is greater than X.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kenji Shimada, Emily Monica
  • Publication number: 20100292838
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for predicting a fall of a robot having at least two legs. A learned representation, such as a decision list, generated by a supervised learning algorithm is received. This learned representation may have been generated based on trajectories of a simulated robot when various forces are applied to the simulated robot. The learned representation takes as inputs a plurality of features of the robot and outputs a classification indicating whether the current state of the robot is balanced or falling. A plurality of features of the current state of the robot, such as the height of the center of mass of the robot, are determined based on current values of a joint angle or joint velocity of the robot. The current state of the robot is classified as being either balanced or falling by evaluating the learned representation with the plurality of features of the current state of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ambarish Goswami, Shivaram Kalyanakrishnan
  • Patent number: 7835821
    Abstract: A robot server for controlling a robot, a system for providing content having the same, and a method thereof are provided. The robot server communicating with the robot includes a virtual robot object and a virtual robot object manager. The robot server executes commands that are generated in correspondence to the robot and received from the robot, and controls the robot. The virtual robot object manager generates the virtual robot object corresponding to the robot and activates the virtual robot object when connected to the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Myung Chan Roh, Seung Woog Jung, Choul Soo Jang, Sung Hoon Kim, Joong Bae Kim, Kyeong Ho Lee, Young Jo Cho
  • Publication number: 20100274387
    Abstract: A robotic mapping method includes scanning a robot across a surface to be mapped. Locations of a plurality of points on the surface are sensed during the scanning. A first of the sensed point locations is selected. A preceding subset of the sensed point locations is determined. The preceding subset is disposed before the first sensed point location along a path of the scanning. A following subset of the sensed point locations is determined. The following subset is disposed after the first sensed point location along the path of the scanning. The first sensed point location is represented in a map of the surface by an adjusted first sensed point location. The adjusted first sensed point location is closer to each of the preceding and following subsets of the sensed point locations than is the first sensed point location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Benjamin Pitzer
  • Patent number: 7818091
    Abstract: A process and a device are provided for determining the pose as the entirety of the position and the orientation of an image reception device. The process is characterized in that the pose of the image reception device is determined with the use of at least one measuring device that is part of a robot. The device is characterized by a robot with an integrated measuring device that is part of the robot for determining the pose of the image reception device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Arif Kazi, Rainer Bischoff
  • Publication number: 20100262286
    Abstract: A decision mechanism is configured to decide on at least one prospective action of a robot from set of actions by: computing a prior probabilistic representation of a prior environment state; updating the prior probabilistic representation with targets of a new observation on reducing at least one uncertainty in a posterior probabilistic representation of a posterior environment state to be reached after an appliance of the at least one prospective action, the posterior probabilistic representation resulting from the updating; determining an information gain between the prior probabilistic representation and the posterior probabilistic representation by use of at least one information theoretic measure; evaluating the at least one prospective action by adding costs of executing the at least one prospective action to the information gain. Furthermore, an improved action planning for robots is provided and can be implemented in various robots investigating scenes for their actions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Robert Eidenberger, Thilo Grundmann, Raoul Daniel Zöllner
  • Patent number: 7813836
    Abstract: A robotic system that includes a robot and a remote station. The remote station can generate control commands that are transmitted to the robot through a broadband network. The control commands can be interpreted by the robot to induce action such as robot movement or focusing a robot camera. The robot can generate reporting commands that are transmitted to the remote station through the broadband network. The reporting commands can provide positional feedback or system reports on the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: InTouch Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yulun Wang, Charles S. Jordan, Marco Pinter, Jonathan Southard
  • Publication number: 20100249999
    Abstract: A robotic controller using schemata, the schemata being a set of parameterized sequences of motor commands in order to make a robot to achieve a set goal, the parameters of the sequences being gained from the state variables of the robotic controller, a robotic controller comprising an interface for supplying sensory input to the robotic controller. A schemata state memory (1) structure supplied with either input from a schemata recognition module (4) or input from an inverse model module (2) or combinations of them. An inverse model module (2) for generating motor commands based on state variables and stored schemata, a forward model module (3) for predicting state variables based on state variables and stored schemata, and a schemata recognition module (4) for selecting a schemata based on supplied state variables of the robot controlled by the robotic controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Claudius Gläser, Frank Joublin
  • Patent number: 7805214
    Abstract: A grasp state judging system capable of satisfactorily judging the grasp state in which an object to be grasped is held by grasping means. The grasp state judging system is characterized in comprising a plurality of RFID tags that are mounted on an object to be grasped and that transmit the corresponding position ID; a plurality of RFID antennas (14) that are mounted on a glove (10) and that receive the position IDs; a grabbing pattern storage unit (48) for storing a condition for the position IDs received by the RFID antennas (14) with respect to the grasp states in which the object to be grasped is held by the glove (10); and a grasp state judging unit (44) for judging the grasp state in which the object to be grasped is held by the grasping means on the basis of the position IDs received by the RFID antennas (14) and the conditions stored in the grabbing pattern storage unit (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Benesse Corporation
    Inventors: Yuhei Yamauchi, Nobutaka Hida, Akira Kuwano, Mai Yoritaka
  • Patent number: 7805218
    Abstract: A locomotion control system is constructed to input the quantity of materials in the real world, such as the quantity of motion state of a robot, external force and external moment, and environmental shapes, measured with sensors or the like. By integrating all calculations for maintaining a balance of the body into a single walking-pattern calculating operation, both a locomotion generating function and an adaptive control function are effectively served, the consistency of dynamic models is ensured, and interference between the dynamic models is eliminated. Calculations for generating a walking pattern of the robot can be performed in an actual apparatus and in real time in a manner in which parameters, such as a boundary condition concerning the quantity of motion state, external force and external moment, and the trajectory of the sole, are settable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichiro Nagasaka
  • Publication number: 20100228393
    Abstract: A neuronal network structure including a plurality of automata interconnected one with each other through synaptic links forming a connectivity matrix. The neural network structure acts as a machine that can be operated such that the machine shows different behaviours including periodic and non-periodic patterns, multistable patterns and more complex patterns such as spirals. A method to operate a neuronal network structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: CodeBox Computerdienste GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Mersmann, Victor Jirsa
  • Publication number: 20100222924
    Abstract: The invention proposes a method for imitation-learning of movements of a robot, wherein the robot performs the following steps: observing a movement of an entity in the robot's environment, recording the observed movement using a sensorial data stream and representing the recorded movement in a different task space representations, selecting a subset of the task space representations for the imitation learning and reproduction of the movement to be imitated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA RESEARCH INSTITUTE EUROPE GMBH
    Inventors: Michael GIENGER, Manuel MUEHLIG, Jochen STEIL
  • Publication number: 20100211204
    Abstract: A method and system to optimize the parameters of a robot used in an assembly process. The assembly process is categorized based on its nature which may be cylindrical, radial and multi-stage insertion. The search pattern and search parameters are specified. The parameters are optimized and the optimized parameter set are verified and when a predetermined criteria such as assembly cycle time set and/or success rate is met the optimization process stops. When the optimization stops the verified parameters are used to cause the robot to perform the categorized assembly process. If the parameters do not meet the predetermined criteria, another round of optimization using the same or other parameters can be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: ABB INC.
    Inventors: George Zhang, Hui Zhang, Jianmin He, Jianjun Wang