Combined With Knowledge Processing (e.g., Natural Language System) Patents (Class 700/246)
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Patent number: 7206668Abstract: A camera or other sensing unit senses the conditions of articles and mobile entities, including humans within a living space. An article management/operation server manages, within an article database, attribute information about the articles, including operators, according to the information from the sensing unit. The server receives a user's instruction, input through a console unit, and refers to the article database to convert this instruction into a control command, which is then transmitted to a life-support robot.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2005Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shusaku Okamoto, Osamu Yamada, Tomonobu Naruoka, Yoshihiko Matsukawa, Satoshi Sato
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Patent number: 7206665Abstract: A fabric and tape laying machine operable with: (a) a robot including programmable control device, (b) a supply roll containing a continuous strip of composite tape or fabric, and (c) a mold of predetermined surface shape relative to x, y and z coordinates, including a chassis mountable to and movable by the robot, a contact roller module mounted on the chassis and spaced apart and downstream from the supply roll and adapted to receive tape from the supply roll, the contact roller module being moved along the programmed path by the chassis, a tape cutting unit carried by the chassis and situated between the supply roll and the contact roller module, and a suspension system for dynamically energizing the contact roller module to have its rollers apply a predetermined level of force downward on the tape during the lay-up process.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2003Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Composite Systems, Inc.Inventor: David Groppe
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Patent number: 7191035Abstract: A camera or other sensing unit senses the conditions of articles and mobile entities, including humans within a living space. An article management/operation server manages, within an article database, attribute information about the articles, including operators, according to the information from the sensing unit. The server receives a user's instruction, input through a console unit, and refers to the article database to convert this instruction into a control command, which is then transmitted to a life-support robot.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2006Date of Patent: March 13, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shusaku Okamoto, Osamu Yamada, Tomonobu Naruoka, Yoshihiko Matsukawa, Satoshi Sato
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Patent number: 7187999Abstract: A camera or other sensing unit senses the conditions of articles and mobile entities, including humans within a living space. An article management/operation server manages, within an article database, attribute information about the articles, including operators, according to the information from the sensing unit. The server receives a user's instruction, input through a console unit, and refers to the article database to convert this instruction into a control command, which is then transmitted to a life-support robot.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2006Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shusaku Okamoto, Osamu Yamada, Tomonobu Naruoka, Yoshihiko Matsukawa, Satoshi Sato
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Patent number: 7187998Abstract: A camera or other sensing unit senses the conditions of articles and mobile entities, including humans within a living space. An article management/operation server manages, within an article database, attribute information about the articles, including operators, according to the information from the sensing unit. The server receives a user's instruction, input through a console unit, and refers to the article database to convert this instruction into a control command, which is then transmitted to a life-support robot.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2006Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shusaku Okamoto, Osamu Yamada, Tomonobu Naruoka, Yoshihiko Matsukawa, Satoshi Sato
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Patent number: 7174238Abstract: The invention is a computerized mobile robot with an onboard internet web server, and a capability of establishing a first connection to a remote web browser on the internet for robotic control purposes, and a capability of establishing a second short range bi-directional digital radio connection to one or more nearby computerized digital radio equipped devices external to the robot. The short-range bi-directional digital radio connection will typically have a maximum range of about 300 feet. In a preferred embodiment, this short-range wireless digital connection will use the 2.4 gHz band and digital protocols following the IEEE 802.11, 802.15, or other digital communications protocol.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2003Date of Patent: February 6, 2007Inventor: Stephen Eliot Zweig
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Patent number: 7164969Abstract: A method for remotely monitoring a patient. The method includes generating and transmitting input commands to the robot from a remote station. The remote station may include a personal computer that is operated by a doctor. The input commands can move the robot so that a video image and sounds of the patient can be captured by a robot camera and microphone, respectively, and transmitted back to the remote station. The robot may also have a monitor and a speaker to allow for two-way videoconferencing between the patient and a doctor at the remote station. The robot can move from room to room so that a doctor can make “patient rounds” within a medical facility. The system thus allows a doctor visit patients from a remote location, thereby improving the frequency of visits and the quality of medical care.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2004Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: InTouch Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yulun Wang, Louis Kavoussi
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Patent number: 7164968Abstract: A robotic system, and corresponding method, performs the function of a human scrub technician in an operating room. A device, and associated method for using the device, performs one, or more, of the following functions: instrument identification, instrument localization, instrument handling, interaction with a human, and integration of functions through a cognitive system. A method for movement of the device comprises the steps of modeling the arm of the robot to create a model comprising elements of finite mass joined by junctions, using an algorithm to calculate results of the effect of applying force to the elements of the model, using attractive, replusive and postural forces in the algorithm, and using the results of the model to direct motion of the device.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2003Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New YorkInventors: Michael R. Treat, Martin T. Lichtman, David M. Brady
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Patent number: 7162331Abstract: A charging/discharging circuit electrically controls the charge of a battery using supplied current and discharge of it. A micro-controller drives a robot according to instructions from a personal computer, controls the charging/discharging circuit while monitoring the battery state, and during the charge, prohibits the operation of a travel mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2003Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Katsushi Sakai
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Patent number: 7158861Abstract: A robotic system that allows a consultant to provide remote consulting services through a remotely controlled robot. The robot provides a video image to a remote station that is manned by the consultant. The video image may include a therapist performing a therapeutic routine on a patient. The consultant can view the therapeutic routine and provide consultant information such as instructions to modify or otherwise change the routine. The consultant information is transmitted to the robot and conveyed to the therapist. The system allows a consultant to provide consulting services without have to be physically present at the site of the patient. The remote station also allows the consultant to control movement of the robot so that the video image tracks movement of the therapist and/or patient.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2003Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: InTouch Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yulun Wang, Charles S. Jordan
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Patent number: 7148644Abstract: A robot adapted to operate in association with an interface surface having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of a plurality of reference points of the interface surface, the robot comprising: movement means to allow the robot to move over the interface surface; a sensing device which senses at least some of the coded data and generates indicating data indicative of a position of the robot on the interface surface; communication means to transmit the indicating data to a computer system running a computer application, and to receive movement instructions from the computer application; and, a marking device adapted to selectively mark the interface surface in response to marking instructions received from the computer application.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2004Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty LtdInventors: Zhenya Alexander Yourlo, Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook
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Patent number: 7149601Abstract: In a friction agitation processing for processing a workpiece by penetrating a rotating processing tool into the workpiece keeping rotation, upon an occurrence of an emergency in execution of friction agitation processing, the processing tool is removed from the workpiece after a finishing time of scheduled friction agitation processing and thereafter stopped in rotation, so as thereby to prevent the processing tool from being locked in the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2003Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventor: Kotoyoshi Murakami
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Patent number: 7139642Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an improved entertainment property. In a robot system where a plurality of robot apparatus act autonomously, each robot apparatus has wireless communication means, and when the robot apparatus make conversation between themselves, the contents of the conversation are transmitted to and received by the robot apparatus as a command and/or a semantics through the wireless communication means of both.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2002Date of Patent: November 21, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Satoru Kamoto, Susumu Oikawa, Kazuyuki Iijima, Kazuo Ishii, Yuko Iijima, Noriyuki Fukushima, Seiichi Takamura, Jun Hiroi, Nozomu Ikeda
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Patent number: 7133744Abstract: An input motion acquiring unit acquires a motion trajectory of an object from an image recognizing unit. A dynamic modelling processor models a plurality of robot motion patterns stored in a robot motion pattern storage unit in a dynamic system form, and stores the modelled robot motion patterns into a robot-motion-pattern-model storage unit. A motion converting unit linearly transforms the plurality of robot motion dynamic models stored in the robot-motion-pattern-model storage unit into prediction motion trajectories. A motion comparing unit compares the input motion trajectory acquired by the motion acquiring unit with the prediction motion trajectories transformed by the motion converting unit. A robot motion selecting unit selects a robot motion pattern having the highest similarity from the robot motion pattern storage unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2005Date of Patent: November 7, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Masato Ito
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Patent number: 7133746Abstract: An autonomous robot is designed for docking in a docking station. The autonomous robot is configured such that it will locate the docking station and dock therein, before its battery power is exhausted. The docking is such that the autonomous robot is automatically charged, such that its batteries will be fully powered for the subsequent operation.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2003Date of Patent: November 7, 2006Assignee: F Robotics Acquistions, Ltd.Inventors: Shai Abramson, Alon Gandel
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Patent number: 7123990Abstract: A gap welding process (10) for manipulating a movable robotic welder (30) for making a weld between two or more substantially immovable work pieces (51) using a higher level programming language (20). The gap welding process (10) performs a data transfer routine which takes spreadsheet data (18) representing expected variables, runs a data conversion program (20) that creates weld program data including point position, user frames (34 and 36), weld schedule, seam tracking schedule, weave schedule, azimuth orientation, travel speed, wait time, weave type and number of digital output control data. The gap welding process (10) also performs a gap-sensing routine (28) for actual weld gap measuring by using the robotic welder (30) to touch specific locations on pieces forming the gap or fixturing to produce weld variance data.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2001Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: Holland L.P.Inventor: Richard L. Thelen
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Patent number: 7113847Abstract: A robotic vacuum cleaner (10) with a self-propelled controller (12) with a vacuum source (36, 38) and a dirt receptacle (32), a self-propelled cleaning head (14) with a suction inlet (24), and an interconnecting hose (16) is provided. The controller and cleaning head cooperatively traverse a surface area in tandem when the interconnecting hose is connected between the cleaning head and the controller. In one embodiment, the controller includes a power source (56) making the robotic vacuum autonomous. In another embodiment, the controller includes a power cord dispense/retract assembly (168) to provide access to utility power. In another aspect, the controller includes a portable vacuum (20) that is removed for manual operations. In still another aspect, a method of semi-automated environment mapping for a self-propelled robotic vacuum is provided. With respect to the method, the robotic vacuum also includes a remote control (18).Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2003Date of Patent: September 26, 2006Assignee: Royal Appliance Mfg. Co.Inventors: Bryan Chmura, Robert N. McKee, Victor Younger, Mark E. Reindle
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Patent number: 7099743Abstract: A two-legged walking robot includes a pair of foot members a calf member provided above each foot member, a double-axis ankle joint provided between the foot member and the calf member to allow the foot member to rotate relative to the calf member in forward and backward directions and in right and left directions. The robot also includes a femoral member provided above each calf member, a single-axis knee joint provided between the calf member and the femoral member, a hip member provided above the femoral member, and a double-axis hip joint provided between the femoral member and the hip member to allow the femoral member to rotate relative to the hip member in the forward, backward, right, and left directions. Thus, the two-legged walking robot operates similar to a human ankle, knee and hip.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2003Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yong-kwun Lee, Yeon-taek Oh, Soo-sang Yang, Ja-woo Lee
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Patent number: 7099742Abstract: An apparatus that controls the action of a pet robot. The apparatus includes a portable terminal (3) having an electrode that may contact a user (2). When the user touches the electrode provided on the head of the robot (1), the user ID stored in the memory section of the portable terminal (3) is transmitted to the robot (1) through the user (2). The robot (1) retrieves the information associated with the user ID it has received, thereby identifying the user (2). The robot (1) may determine that the user (2) touched it in the past. In this case, the robot (1) performs an action in accordance with the information about what the user (2) did to it in the past.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2001Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Shigeru Tajima, Junichi Rekimoto, Yuji Ayatsuka, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Tota Hasegawa, Hidenori Karasawa, Eduardo A. Sciammarella
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Patent number: 7096090Abstract: The invention is a computerized mobile robotic router with an onboard internet web server, and a capability of establishing a first connection to a remote web browser on the internet for robotic control purposes, and a capability of establishing a second short range bi-directional digital radio connection to one or more nearby computerized digital radio equipped computers or devices external to the robot. The short-range bi-directional digital radio connection will typically have a maximum range of about 300 feet. In a preferred embodiment, this short-range wireless digital connection will use the 2.4 gHz band and digital protocols following the IEEE 802.11, 802.15, or other digital communications protocol.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2003Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Inventor: Stephen Eliot Zweig
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Patent number: 7092792Abstract: A robot remote manipulation system is provided, including a bipedal walking robot and a remote manipulation device for remotely manipulating the bipedal walking robot. The robot is connected to the remote manipulation device via a communication network and controlled by controlling data from the remote manipulation device. In the system, the remote manipulation device comprises a pair of bilateral mechanical rotating elements providing a quantity of motion for each bilateral leg of the bipedal walking robot; and a controlling data transmitter for transmitting controlling data corresponding to the quantities of motion to the bipedal walking robot. The bipedal walking robot comprises a controlling data receiver for receiving the controlling data transmitted from the remote manipulation device; and a leg motion controller for processing the received controlling data and causing the bilateral legs to move forward or backward.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2003Date of Patent: August 15, 2006Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.Inventors: Kouki Hayashi, Yumiko Hiraiwa, legal representative, Hiroyuki Manabe, Takashi Ninjouji, Toshiaki Sugimura, Akira Hiraiwa, deceased
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Patent number: 7089085Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of calibrating a robot. The robot has a robot arm with a mechanically restricted moving displacement. In the robot calibration method of the present invention, a first moving displacement between a normal position of the robot arm and a contact position, where the robot arm comes into contact with the body of the robot, is obtained. A second moving displacement between a current position of the robot arm and the contact position is obtained by moving the robot arm to the contact position. The current position of the robot arm is corrected to the normal position on the basis of a difference between the first and second moving displacements.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2002Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Eun-Chan Kim
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Patent number: 7082350Abstract: An autonomous wheeled mobile robot (1) comprising at least one wheel-driving motor, an on-board computer, means for navigation, orientation, and maneuvering in an environment with moving obstacles; a sensor system; and a wireless communication system for receiving and sending.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2001Date of Patent: July 25, 2006Assignee: ABB ABInventor: Hans Skoog
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Patent number: 7076334Abstract: A main robot apparatus generates a sound scale command at a command generating state (ST2) to enter into a state of waiting for a reaction of a slave robot apparatus (ST3). When the slave robot apparatus outputs a emotion expressing sound responsive to a sound scale command issued by the main robot apparatus, the main robot apparatus recognizes this emotion expressing sound to output the same emotion expressing sound. In a state of the reaction action (ST4), the main robot apparatus selects an action (NumResponse), depending on the value of the variable NumResponse which has counted the number of times of the reactions to output the action.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2004Date of Patent: July 11, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kohtaro Sabe, Kazuo Ishii
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Patent number: 7076337Abstract: The stability of attitude of a robot can be recovered by an ambulation control apparatus and an ambulation control method if it is lost in the course of a gesture for which the upper limbs take a major role. The apparatus and the method obtain the pattern of movement of the entire body for walking by deriving the pattern of movement of the loins from an arbitrarily selected pattern of movement of the feet, the trajectory of the ZMP, the pattern of movement of the trunk and that of the upper limbs. Therefore, a robot can determine the gait of the lower limbs so as to realize a stable walk regardless if the robot is standing upright or walking. Particularly, if the robot is made to gesture, using the upper body half including the upper limbs and the trunk while standing upright, it can determine the gait of the lower limbs so as to make a stable walk in response to such a gait of the upper body half.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2003Date of Patent: July 11, 2006Assignees: Sony Corporation, Jinichi YamaguchiInventors: Yoshihiro Kuroki, Tatsuzo Ishida, Jinichi Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 7065490Abstract: An voice synthesizing unit performs voice synthesizing processing, based on the state of emotion of a robot at an emotion/instinct model unit. For example, in the event that the emotion state of the robot represents “not angry”, synthesized sound of “What is it?” is generated at the voice synthesizing unit. On the other hand, in the event that the emotion state of the robot represents “angry”, synthesized sound of “Yeah, what?” is generated at the voice synthesizing unit, to express the anger. Thus, a robot with a high entertainment nature is provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2000Date of Patent: June 20, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yasuharu Asano, Hongchang Pao
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Patent number: 7062356Abstract: A robot apparatus 1 is a four-legged mobile robot, and leg units 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are connected to the left and side parts in the front and rear sides of a body unit 2. Ahead unit 4 is connected to the front end of the body unit 2. The head unit 4 has a mouth (jaw) part capable of biting and holding a toy 200 shaped like a bone. The mouth part is constituted by upper and lower jaw parts, and adopts a structure capable of biting and securely holding a bite part 203 of the bone 200. A CPU as a control part executes programs according to an image recognition processing algorithm for recognizing the bone 200, a bone-bite control algorithm for biting the bone, and a bone-bite detection algorithm for detecting the bone.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2005Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Seiichi Takamura, Wataru Kokubo, Shingo Tsurumi
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Patent number: 7057711Abstract: A lithography tool includes an exposure chamber and a reticle handler that exchanges a reticle being exposed as prescribed by the user of the lithography tool. The reticle handler can include a vacuum-compatible robot, a vacuum chamber to house the robot, a load-lock to input reticles and transition them from atmospheric pressure to vacuum, a processing station for processing the reticle, and a reticle library for storing at least one extra reticle so that it is quickly available for exchange during an exposure process. The robot can have a two or more handed gripper to simultaneously hold multiple reticles. This allows a first reticle to be removed from the reticle stage with a first hand and a second reticle to be loaded onto the reticle stage with a second hand, and so on, which minimizes exchange time.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2004Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Santiago del Puerto, Markus F. A. Eurlings
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Patent number: 7058476Abstract: A robot apparatus 1 is a four-legged mobile robot, and leg units 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are connected to the left and side parts in the front and rear sides of a body unit 2. Ahead unit 4 is connected to the front end of the body unit 2. The head unit 4 has a mouth (jaw) part capable of biting and holding a toy 200 shaped like a bone. The mouth part is constituted by upper and lower jaw parts, and adopts a structure capable of biting and securely holding a bite part 203 of the bone 200. A CPU as a control part executes programs according to an image recognition processing algorithm for recognizing the bone 200, a bone-bite control algorithm for biting the bone, and a bone-bite detection algorithm for detecting the bone.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2005Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Seiichi Takamura, Wataru Kokubo, Shingo Tsurumi
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Patent number: 7047107Abstract: There are provided a parameter storage part for storing monitor point information, a locus generation part for generating motions of the support, each joint point, and the like based on the movement command, a control point speed control part for obtaining speed of the control point such as the support, each joint point, and the like, a monitor point speed control part for obtaining speed of the monitor point generated from motion speed of the control point, and a motion command part for selecting the maximum speed among the speed of the control point and the speed of the monitor point to compare the maximum speed with the command speed and changing and controlling the speed of the control point to the command speed when the maximum speed exceeds the command speed.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2001Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Sachiyo Minoshima, Minoru Kimura, Hisako Kimura, Katsumi Kimura
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Patent number: 7047105Abstract: A user communicates with a companion with his or her portable telephone attached to a telephone attachment pocket of a robot. The robot acts in accordance with a voice signal which is outputted from the portable telephone, thereby behaving as if it were speaking to the user. The robot outputs a voice in response to the user's voice which is picked up by a microphone, thereby behaving as if it were listening to the user. Owing to this robot or a robot system using the same, the user feels less odd in his or her communication using the portable telephone.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2002Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazushige Kakutani, Shin Miyaji, Naoto Tojo, Shinya Kataoka, Seiji Murakami, Tomoyoshi Tokumaru, Hideaki Aoki
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Patent number: 7043309Abstract: Apparatus and methods that approximately solve an actuation allocation problem by breaking the solution into modules, which may or may not be overlapping. The solution to the actuation allocation problem is expressed in terms of solutions for each of the modules. The solutions for the modules serve as constraints for a solution of the optimization problem on each module. The optimization problem for each module is decomposed into further modules until the modules consist of a small enough number of individual implementation units so that the solution for the module can be solved using conventional optimization techniques.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2001Date of Patent: May 9, 2006Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Warren B. Jackson, Markus P. J. Fromherz
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Patent number: 7030875Abstract: A method of representing spatial relations among objects in the environment uses a Delaunay triangulation as the data structure to store the spatial relations when the objects are represented in the form of simplified objects such as cuboids. The method receives image data corresponding to the environment and recognizes the objects in the image data, and updates the Delaunay triangulation so that the Delaunay triangulation is consistent with the recognized objects. Furthermore, a proximity query can be carried out using the Delaunay triangulation.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2002Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Honda Motor Company Ltd.Inventors: Rakesh Gupta, Jie Gao
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Patent number: 7031802Abstract: A method for semi-autonomous operation of a robotic device in a room. In the method, one or more goal points are set and the distances between the robotic device and the one or more goal points are determined. A first one of the one or more goal points is selected and the robotic device is maneuvered to travel to the first one of the one or more goal points.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2003Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Cullen E. Bash, Chandrakant D. Patel, Ratnesh K. Sharma
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Patent number: 7024277Abstract: A method and a sub-system, henceforth called method DKA, for the determination and control of the activities of an emotional system aS, belonging to the class of autonomous, motivated agents and robots, is described. The method DKA determines the current motivation of the system aS to carry out an activity. Said motivation is determined by stimulus patterns in situation models and the intensities of the satisfactions and the desires with regard to the needs of the system aS. Priorities for the activities of the aS are determined by motivations. DKA controls sub-activities which, at the request of the system aS, are carried out by other agents/robots. The method DKA can assess which objects, situations and activities are presently good and which are bad for the system aS. The applied internal representation of the world of the system aS can include very abstract situation models.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2002Date of Patent: April 4, 2006Inventor: Alfred Schurmann
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Patent number: 7024666Abstract: A motion control system comprising a source application program, a target device, a parser, an emitter, a program engine, and a parser interface. The source application program is defined by a source language specification. The target device creates motion under control of application programs defined by a target language specification. The parser component contains logic for converting application programs defined by the source language specification into a generic format. An emitter component containing logic for converting application programs in the generic format into application programs defined by the target language specification. The program engine component directs the parser component to convert the source application program into a generic application program. The program engine component further directs the emitter component to convert the generic application program into a target application program defined by the target language specification.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2003Date of Patent: April 4, 2006Assignee: Roy-G-Biv CorporationInventor: David W. Brown
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Patent number: 7013200Abstract: A movable robot includes a main body unit and at least three wheel units. The wheel units are connected with the main body unit. The wheel units at least partially project from the main body unit. The wheel units have contact portions for contact with a floor surface. Rotation drive devices operate for rotating the wheel units independently of each other. The main body unit is moved along the floor surface as the wheel units are rotated by the rotation drive devices. Lines projected onto the floor surface and originating from axes of rotation of the wheel units are spaced at substantially equal angular intervals.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2003Date of Patent: March 14, 2006Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.Inventor: Yoshiaki Wakui
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Patent number: 7013201Abstract: A legged mobile robot possesses degrees of freedom which are provided at roll, pitch, and yaw axes at a trunk. By using these degrees of freedom which are provided at the trunk, the robot can smoothly get up from any fallen-down posture. In addition, by reducing the required torque and load on movable portions other than the trunk, and by spreading/averaging out the load between each of the movable portions, concentration of a load on a particular member is prevented from occurring. As a result, the robot is operated more reliably, and energy is used with greater efficiency during a getting-up operation. The invention makes it possible for the robot to independently, reliably, and smoothly get up from various fallen-down postures such as a lying-on-the-face posture, a lying-on-the-back posture, and a lying sideways posture.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2004Date of Patent: March 14, 2006Assignees: Sony CorporationInventors: Yuichi Hattori, Tatsuzo Ishida, Jinichi Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 7010390Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a system for controlling a first robot and at least one other robot, the at least one other robot being calibrated relative to the first robot by the determination of at least one coordinate transformation of the first robot relative to at least one other robot and said at least one transformation is stored in a control device of the other robot, wherein also the first robot is calibrated relative to the other robot by the determination of at least one independent coordinate transformation and said at least one independent transformation is stored in a control device of the first robot.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2003Date of Patent: March 7, 2006Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbHInventors: Stefan Graf, Andreas Hagenauer, Michael Chaffee
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Patent number: 7006895Abstract: A teleoperator system with telepresence is shown which includes right and left hand controllers (72R and 72L) for control of right and left manipulators (24R and 24L) through use of a servomechanism that includes computer (42). Cameras (46R and 46L) view workspace (30) from different angles for production of stereoscopic signal outputs at lines (48R and 48L). In response to the camera outputs a 3-dimensional top-to-bottom inverted image (30I) is produced which, is reflected by mirror (66) toward the eyes of operator (18). A virtual image (30V) is produced adjacent control arms (76R and 76L) which is viewed by operator (18) looking in the direction of the control arms. By locating the workspace image (30V) adjacent the control arms (76R and 76L) the operator is provided with a sense that end effectors (40R and 40L) carried by manipulator arms (34R and 34L) and control arms (76R and 76L) are substantially integral.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2004Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: SRI InternationalInventor: Philip S. Green
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Patent number: 6999852Abstract: A teleoperator system with telepresence is shown which includes right and left hand controllers (72R and 72L) for control of right and left manipulators (24R and 24L) through use of a servomechanism that includes computer (42). Cameras (46R and 46L) view workspace (30) from different angles for production of stereoscopic signal outputs at lines (48R and 48L). In response to the camera outputs a 3-dimensional top-to-bottom inverted image (30I ) is produced which, is reflected by mirror (66) toward the eyes of operator (18). A virtual image (30V) is produced adjacent control arms (76R and 76L) which is viewed by operator (18) looking in the direction of the control arms. By locating the workspace image (30V) adjacent the control arms (76R and 76L) the operator is provided with a sense that end effectors (40R and 40L) carried by manipulator arms (34R and 34L) and control arms (76R and 76L) are substantially integral.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2004Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: SRI InternationalInventor: Philip S. Green
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Patent number: 6980889Abstract: An input motion acquiring unit acquires a motion trajectory of an object from an image recognizing unit. A dynamic modeling processor models a plurality of robot motion patterns stored in a robot motion pattern storage unit in a dynamic system form, and stores the modeled robot motion patterns into a robot-motion-pattern-model storage unit. A motion converting unit linearly transforms the plurality of robot motion dynamic models stored in the robot-motion-pattern-model storage unit into prediction motion trajectories. A motion comparing unit compares the input motion trajectory acquired by the motion acquiring unit with the prediction motion trajectories transformed by the motion converting unit. A robot motion selecting unit selects a robot motion pattern having the highest similarity from the robot motion pattern storage unit. The present invention is applicable to a robot apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2004Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Masato Ito
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Patent number: 6975923Abstract: A method for operating an autonomous vehicle at an airport comprises the steps of: receiving a set of general purpose navigation signals; receiving a supplementary set of navigation signals; receiving constraint data representing a permitted area of operation; calculating a present position of the vehicle; comparing the calculated present position of the vehicle with the constraint data, thereby to determine whether the vehicle's present position lies within the permitted area; and producing a signal indicative of the result of said comparing step. The autonomous vehicle for use at an airport, comprising: a navigation processor for calculating a present position of the vehicle; a constraint store for storing constraint data indicating a permitted area of operation; navigation receivers for receiving general purpose navigation signals and supplementary navigation signals, for guiding aircraft to land at the airport; and a comparator for comparing the constraint data with the present position.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2003Date of Patent: December 13, 2005Assignee: Roke Manor Research LimitedInventor: Timothy John Spriggs
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Patent number: 6970764Abstract: An input data check control portion, which compares input data with a decimal point check target word (step 64, 65) and, issues a warning when the input data is the decimal point check target word and the numerical value data of the input data is not given a decimal point (step 66), is provided. This structure enables the prevention of input mistakes of coordinate data and the like, which are easily made at the time of manual programming of a machining program for an NC machine tool, and also enables said input mistakes to be easily found.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2002Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshio Harada, Yutaka Shimizu, Kouzou Shima
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Patent number: 6961640Abstract: A predetermined action sequence is generated by using basic motion units which include time-sequential motion of each joint and compound motion units in which basic motion units are combined. Motion patterns of a robot including walking are classified into motion units, each motion unit serving as a unit of motion, and one or more motion units are combined to generate various complex motions. Dynamic motion units are defined on the basis of basic dynamic attitudes, and a desired action sequence can be generated by using the dynamic motion units. This is a basic control method necessary for a robot to autonomously perform a continuous motion, a series of continuous motions, or motions which are changed in real-time by commands.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2001Date of Patent: November 1, 2005Assignees: Sony Corporation, Jinichi YamaguchiInventors: Yoshihiro Kuroki, Tatsuzo Ishida, Jinichi Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 6952629Abstract: A robot apparatus 1 is a four-legged mobile robot, and leg units 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are connected to the left and side parts in the front and rear sides of a body unit 2. A head unit 4 is connected to the front end of the body unit 2. The head unit 4 has a mouth (jaw) part capable of biting and holding a toy 200 shaped like a bone. The mouth part is constituted by upper and lower jaw parts, and adopts a structure capable of biting and securely holding a bit part 203 of the bone 200. A CPU as a control part executes programs according to an image recognition processing algorithm for recognizing the bone 200, a bone-bite control algorithm for biting the bone, and a bone-bite detection algorithm for detecting the bone.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2004Date of Patent: October 4, 2005Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Seiichi Takamura, Wataru Kokubo, Shingo Tsurumi
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Patent number: 6934604Abstract: A CPU 15 determines an output of a feeling model based on signals supplied from a touch sensor 20. The CPU 15 also deciphers whether or not an output value of the feeling model exceeds a pre-set threshold value. If the CPU finds that the output value exceeds the pre-set threshold value, it verifies whether or not there is any vacant area in a memory card 13. If the CPU finds that there is any vacant area in a memory card 13, it causes the picture data captured from the CCD video camera 11 to be stored in the vacant area in the memory card 13. At this time, the CPU 15 causes the time and date data and the feeling parameter in the memory card 13 in association with the picture data. The CPU 15 also re-arrays the picture data stored in the memory card 13 in the sequence of the decreasing magnitude of the feeling model output.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1999Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kotaro Sabe, Masahiro Fujita
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Patent number: 6925358Abstract: A toy robot system includes a toy robot and a surface over which the robot can move. The surface is constructed from a number of modules of various types that may be joined together. Each module (except for spacer modules) includes at least one track segment along which the robot may move. Each module is square and each track segment extends from the center of the module to one side. A code readable by the robot is provided at the beginning of each segment so that the robot knows what type of module it is entering, and a code is provided at the center of each module so that the robot can calculate its position.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2003Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Inventor: Shun Pui Andrew Chiu
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Patent number: 6925357Abstract: A robotic system that includes a remote controlled robot. The robot may include a camera, a monitor and a holonomic platform all attached to a robot housing. The robot may be controlled by a remote control station that also has a camera and a monitor. The remote control station may be linked to a base station that is wirelessly coupled to the robot. The cameras and monitors allow a care giver at the remote location to monitor and care for a patient through the robot. The holonomic platform allows the robot to move about a home or facility to locate and/or follow a patient.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2002Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Assignee: InTouch Health, Inc.Inventors: Yulun Wang, Keith Phillip Laby, Charles S. Jordan, Steven Edward Butner, Jonathan Southard
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Patent number: 6922609Abstract: A floor shape estimation system for a legged mobile robot, in particular a biped walking robot, which estimates a foot-to-foot floor inclination difference based on at least a control error of the total floor reaction force's moment and corrects a feet compensating angle based on the estimated value. Further, the system estimates a foot floor inclination difference based on at least a control error of the foot floor reaction force about a desired foot floor reaction force central point and corrects a foot compensating angle based on the estimated value. Furthermore, it determines whether it is in a situation where the accuracy of estimation is liable to degrade based on at least a time of the gait of the robot and when it is in the situation, the system interrupts the estimation. With this, the system can accurately estimate the shape of floor with which the robot is in contact.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2001Date of Patent: July 26, 2005Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toru Takenaka, Tadaaki Hasegawa, Takashi Matsumoto