Plural Robots Patents (Class 700/248)
  • Patent number: 12280781
    Abstract: A method for controlling a plurality of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in a manufacturing environment having an intersection includes obtaining a plurality of routes associated with the plurality of AMRs, velocity information associated with the plurality of AMRs, and priority information associated with the plurality of AMRs, and determining a plurality of arrival times associated with the plurality of AMRs based on the velocity information and the plurality of routes. The method includes generating a plurality of intersection reservations based on the plurality of arrival times and the priority information, where each intersection reservation from among the plurality of intersection reservations corresponds to an AMR from among the plurality of AMRs, and controlling a movement of the plurality of AMRs through the intersection based on the plurality of intersection reservations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yifan Chen, Gregory P. Linkowski, Meghna Menon, Sarah Garrow, Geoffrey Horowitz
  • Patent number: 12263599
    Abstract: Various aspects of methods, systems, and use cases include techniques for training or using a model to control a robot. A method may include identifying a set of action primitives applicable to a set of robots, receiving information corresponding to a task (e.g., a collaborative task), and determining at least one action primitive based on the received information. The method may include training a model to control operations of at least one robot of the set of robots using the received information and the at least one action primitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Venkat Natarajan, Arjun Kg, Gagan Acharya, Amit Sudhir Baxi, Rita H. Wouhaybi, Wen-Ling Margaret Huang
  • Patent number: 12226910
    Abstract: A task execution method and apparatus for robots capable of freely constructing a network, and a storage medium are provided. The method includes: partitioning, by a server, an entire region of a warehouse to obtain local region(s) corresponding to the partitioned warehouse (S10); receiving capability feature information reported by each robot moving freely within a current warehouse range after the robot comes online (S20); determining, according to the capability feature information reported by the robot, a local center robot, and assigning corresponding to-be-executed task(s) to the local region obtained via the partitioning, such that robot(s) freely constructing a local network execute the to-be-executed task(s) (S30); and after the robot(s) have completed the to-be-executed task(s), receiving task completion information reported by a robot, and releasing the robot to be a free moving robot (S40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: SYRIUS ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhiqin Yang, Hua Huang, Xiangyu Wang
  • Patent number: 12144277
    Abstract: The present application is directed to an autonomous system for managing crops, the system being configured to record and utilises data indicative of both above and below ground conditions at the same location to provide an output that incorporates data derived from soil conditions and land use activity. The system combines data reflective of each of above and below ground parameters as measured concurrently from in-soil sensors, imaging devices and activity trackers, and analyses the data to provide data outputs based on accurate and consistent soil and crop management measurement parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: ANULAND LIMITED
    Inventors: David McDonnell, Declan Wrynn
  • Patent number: 12147931
    Abstract: Described is a method for logistic transport monitoring of an IoT device utilizing token generation for payload data for features and peripheral functionality associated with the IoT device being shipped between an origin location and a target location. The method include generating a pre-shipment token prior to loading of the IoT device onto a logistic transporter and regenerating a token subsequent to loading of the IoT device onto the logistic transporter, where a validated pre-shipment token and a matching regenerated token indicate a faultless operational status of the IoT device. The method includes iteratively regenerating tokens during the shipment of the IoT device, where a mismatch between an iteratively generated token and the regenerated token indicate an operational fault of the IoT device indicating the IoT device was damaged during the shipment between the origin location and the target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Su Liu, Fang Lu, Logan Bailey, Zachary A. Silverstein
  • Patent number: 12115672
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for controlling robotic movements. One of the methods includes receiving, for a robot, an initial plan specifying a path and a local trajectory; receiving an updated observation of an environment of the robot; generating an initial modified local trajectory for the robot based on the updated observation in the environment of the robot; repeatedly following the initial modified local trajectory for the robot while generating a modified global path for the robot, comprising: obtaining data representing a workspace footprint for the robot, the workspace footprint defining a volume for a workspace of the robot, and generating the modified global path to avoid causing the robot to cross a boundary of the volume defined by the workspace footprint; and causing the robot to follow the modified global path for the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventor: Torsten Kroeger
  • Patent number: 12073598
    Abstract: A market system capable of providing, via a network, data necessary for a production facility performing production through image processing for a workpiece imaged by an imaging system, includes a storage section configured to store multiple pieces of shape data that are created from a captured image of the workpiece for respective imaging systems and are used as a reference for a shape of the workpiece in the image processing, in correlation with a type of the imaging system and a type of the workpiece, and a providing section configured to provide data stored in the storage section to a customer of the production facility via the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Higashida, Seigo Kodama, Masatoshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 12054251
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic device 1 including an attachment mechanism 32, a first slide mechanism 10 and a second slide mechanism 20. The attachment mechanism 32 attaches a flight device 100. The first slide mechanism 10 slides the attachment mechanism 32 in a first direction. The second slide mechanism 20 slides the attachment mechanism 32 in a second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Toi Kanda
  • Patent number: 12053881
    Abstract: The application provides a multi-layer operating system and method for mobile robots. The multi-layer operating system includes a stacked multi-layer operation platform, a warehouse control system and a robot control system, wherein the operation platform is configured for bearing mobile robots to perform an operation; the warehouse control system is configured for generating a target operation instruction based on a received operation task; the robot control system is configured for allocating the target operation instruction to a corresponding mobile robot for execution according to position information and state information about the mobile robot; and the warehouse control system is further configured for acquiring a robot idle degree parameter respectively corresponding to each layer of the operation platform, and determining a mobile robot deployment scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Rainbow Dynamics LLC
    Inventor: Hongming Chen
  • Patent number: 12050438
    Abstract: A system of two robots, including: a first robot, including: a plurality of sensors; a control system; and medium storing instructions that when executed by the control system of the first robot effectuates operations including: generating or updating a grid map of an environment; and transmitting a message to a control system of a second robot; and the second robot, including: a plurality of sensors; a control system; and a medium storing instructions that when executed by the control system of the second robot effectuates operations including: generating or updating a grid map of the environment independent from the gird map generated by the control system of the first robot; and actuating the second robot to begin performing coverage of the environment upon receiving the message from the control system of the first robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Chen Zhang
  • Patent number: 12005585
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for performing online robotic motion planning from pre-generated motion plans. A library of pre-generated motion plans for performing a particular task is maintained. Each pre-generated motion plan comprises a plurality of waypoints and one or more actions. One or more present observations of a robot in a workcell are obtained. The one or more observations are classified. A pre-generated candidate motion plan that matches the labels assigned to the present observations of the robot in the workcell is selected from the library of pre-generated motion plans. The pre-generated candidate motion plan is adapted according to the present observations of the robot in the workcell to generate a final motion plan to be executed by the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Ralf Oliver Michael Schönherr, Tim Niemueller, Andre Gaschler
  • Patent number: 11982513
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a multi-armament control system is provided. The multi-armament control system includes: platforms including an armament; and an operating vehicle configured to operate the platforms based on a single controller of the operating vehicle. The operating vehicle is further configured to acquire information about a target according to presence or absence of the target, generate a position of a directing point of the target, and share the position of the directing point of the target with the platforms. At least one from among the operating vehicle and the platforms is configured to construct fixed fire nets or variable fire nets of the platforms according to whether the target moves, and by, in part, assigning priority, to each of the platforms based on the target and the firing range of the armament of the platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: HANWHA AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yun Su Lee
  • Patent number: 11979453
    Abstract: A robot control system and a method may be operated in a microservices architecture (MSA)-based control environment. The robot control system includes an application programming interface (API) gateway that connects an authentication server for authenticating a robot, a management server for managing the robot, and an operation server for operating the robot in a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) communication method and an administrator terminal that communicates with the robot through WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Ga Hee Kim, Bo Ram Kim, Gil Jin Yang, Jung Min Ryu, Jae Hag Jung, Il Yong Yoon, Chan Mo Lim
  • Patent number: 11969894
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus for automated communication between a robot and an artificial intelligence service. The method for automated communication between a robot and an artificial intelligence service is performed by an apparatus for automated communication between the robot and the artificial intelligence service, and includes generating bridge code and a container definition file based on a mapping rule defined between the robot and the artificial intelligence service, running a bridge container having an independent format based on the container definition file, executing the bridge code through the bridge container, and providing an automated communication environment by exchanging a message between the robot and the artificial intelligence service based on the bridge code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Byoung-Youl Song, Choul-Soo Jang
  • Patent number: 11959733
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to mobile correctional facility robots and systems and methods for coordinating mobile correctional facility robots to perform various tasks in a correctional facility. The mobile correctional facility robots can be used to perform many of the tasks traditionally assigned to correctional facility guards to help reduce the number of guards needed in any given correctional facility. When cooperation is employed among multiple mobile correctional facility robots to execute tasks, a central controller can be used to coordinate the efforts of the multiple robots to improve the performance of the overall system of robots as compared to the performance of the robots when working in uncoordinated effort to execute the tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Global Tel*Link Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen Hodge
  • Patent number: 11922361
    Abstract: A distribution system is linked to a delivery vehicle delivering a product stored in a warehouse to a delivery destination and includes an automatic conveyance device and an automatic conveyance device server. An automatic conveyance device server transmits a release instruction to an automatic conveyance device when receiving a request for delivery, transmits a loading instruction for loading of a product to a delivery vehicle to the automatic conveyance device when receiving loading permission, and transmits a release completion notification to a transmitter of a delivery request when receiving information indicating the releasing is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Kawaguchi, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 11919167
    Abstract: A method for specifying a velocity of a robot manipulator, including: providing a database that has a data record for each of selected surface points on the manipulator, wherein each data record indicates, for each of possible stiffnesses and/or masses of an object in an environment of the manipulator, a safe normal velocity of each surface point, wherein the normal velocity is a component of the velocity vector of each surface point perpendicular to a surface of each surface point, detecting an actual stiffness and/or an actual mass of the object in the environment, assigning the actual stiffness and/or the actual mass to a normal velocity of a given data record for each surface point, and specifying a velocity for each surface point on a current or planned path of the manipulator, such that the velocity at each surface point is less than or equal to an assigned normal velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Franka Emika GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Spenninger
  • Patent number: 11850728
    Abstract: Provided are a reception apparatus, a reception system, a reception method, and a storage medium that can naturally provide a personal conversation in accordance with a user without requiring the user to register the personal information thereof in advance. A disclosure includes a face information acquisition unit that acquires face information of a user; a face matching unit that matches, against face information of one user, the face information registered in a user information database in which user information including the face information of the user and the reception information is registered; and a user information management unit that, when a result of matching of the face information performed by the face matching unit is unmatched, registers the user information of the one user to the user information database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kawase, Makoto Igarashi
  • Patent number: 11853833
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are tracking and analysis devices, systems, and methods for optimizing workflow operations using the tracking and analysis devices and a plurality of movable and fixed tracking beacons. The movable tracking beacons may be configured for secure attachment to, or incorporation within, mobile workflow assets, while the fixed tracking beacons may be placed around the workflow environment in a grid-pattern. The tracking and analysis devices, as well as the movable and fixed tracking beacons, may each comprise any combination of a: battery, a low frequency Bluetooth module, an accelerometer, a Wi-Fi module, a USB hub, and/or an RFID reader/scanner. The tracking and analysis device may track and identify a workflow asset's location within a workflow environment within a range of about 2-3 feet by receiving and comparing relative signal strength of low frequency Bluetooth signals received from the movable tracking beacons and/or the plurality of fixed tracking beacons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Green Cubes Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Mohammed Alobaidi
  • Patent number: 11825169
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that utilize machine learning techniques to dynamically adjust the placement of secondary content that is displayed across numerous user devices over time are described. The user devices may comprise electronic computing devices, such as a mobile phones and digital televisions. The secondary content may be displayed within open slots of webpages or display screens in response to being selected for display during a real-time bidding process for the open slots. In some cases, in response to a bid request for an open slot within a webpage or display screen, a computer-implemented bid generation system for determining the selection and placement of secondary content may identify the secondary content to be displayed within the open slot, determine a bid amount for the identified secondary content, and transmit a bid response that includes the bid amount and the identified secondary content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignees: SLING MEDIA L.L.C., DISH NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
    Inventors: Vinay Tiwari, Amith Kumar Ullur Raghavendra, Vignesh Narayanaswamy, Christine Michelle Chu, Faizel Rehiman Kalleri, Madhukar Pulluru, Yongjoon Oh
  • Patent number: 11820001
    Abstract: An autonomous working system, an autonomous working method, and a computer readable recording medium are provided. The autonomous working system includes a master working robot and at least one slave working robot, in which the master working robot including a data receiving unit to receive information on space targeted for working, a sensing unit to sense the space targeted for working, a sensing setting unit to set a movement path of the master working robot, a sensing position, and a sensing angle of the sensing unit, and a first position determination unit to determine a position of the master working robot by comparing sensing data obtained through the sensing unit at the sensing position with reference map data, and the at least one slave working robot includes a second position determination unit that determines the position of the at least one slave working robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: LANDOR ARCHITECTURE, INC.
    Inventor: Han Seok Nam
  • Patent number: 11794345
    Abstract: A robotic system comprising a master robotic system, and a first robotic system comprising a first mobile platform operable to move about a surface, and comprising a first manipulator. The robotic system can comprise a second robotic system comprising a second mobile platform operable to move about the surface, and comprising a second manipulator. A control module can be associated with the master robotic system and the first and second robotic systems, and can be operable in a paired control mode to facilitate paired control of the first and second robotic systems to move about the ground surface, and operable in an unpaired control mode to facilitate non-paired control of a selected one of the first or second robotic systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Sarcos Corp.
    Inventors: Fraser M. Smith, Marc X. Olivier
  • Patent number: 11787048
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for performing robot planning using a process definition graph. One of the methods includes receiving an initial underconstrained process definition graph for one or more robots, wherein the process definition graph is a directed acyclic graph having constraint nodes and action nodes. A plurality of transformers are repeatedly applied to the initial process definition graph, wherein each application of a transformer generates a respective modified process definition graph according to the constraint nodes of the process definition graph, wherein applying the plurality of transformers generates a schedule that specifies which of the one or more robots are to perform which of one or more actions represented by actions nodes according to constraints imposed by the constraint nodes in the process definition graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Butterfoss, Keegan Go, Stoyan Gaydarov
  • Patent number: 11790125
    Abstract: An automated manufacturing system and method is provided. The system includes a software system and a production system. The software system includes a design module, an engineering module, and a manufacturing module for the design, engineering, and subsequent production of a prefabricated building product. The production system includes a matrix of cells and a plurality of robotic production units configurable with a plurality of production tools. The matrix includes a number of columns and a number of rows, each column representing a product to be worked on and each row representing a type of work to be performed on each product. The system processes a building model and configures each cell to perform specific work with one or more robotic production units and one or more production tools. A prefabricated building product is built in stages as it moves from cell to cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventor: Peyman Poostchi
  • Patent number: 11755008
    Abstract: An apparatus for traversing a vehicle transportation network by an autonomous vehicle (AV) includes a human-autonomy teaming manager. The manager includes a first processor configured to initiate a dialogue associated with a predefined dynamic task sequence that is responsive to a condition experienced by the AV while traversing from a starting location to an ending location within the vehicle transportation network. The sequence is one of a plurality of predefined dynamic task sequences that uses multiple agents to resolve the condition. The manager receives, from an interface accessible to a human agent, an input responsive to the dialogue. The input confirms the sequence as a selected predefined dynamic task sequence or selects an other of the plurality of predefined dynamic task sequences as the selected predefined dynamic task sequence. The manager delegates tasks of the selected predefined dynamic task sequence to resolve the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc., Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Laura Cesafsky, Astha Vagadia, Hillary Abraham, Sparsh Sharma, Stefan Witwicki, Najamuddin Mirza Baig, Omar Bentahar
  • Patent number: 11745340
    Abstract: A robot system includes: a first robot; a second robot; and circuitry configured to: control the first and second robots to execute a collaborative operation on a work piece; and control, in response to a detection of an irregular state of the first robot during the collaborative operation, the first and second robots to execute a collaborative counteractive operation to eliminate the irregular state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Takashi Nishimura, Issei Aoyama, Tetsuro Izumi, Shangning Li, Akihiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11711238
    Abstract: A method of communication between a payload and a platform, including providing power to at least one payload via a platform, periodically sending an identification message from the at least one payload to the platform, decoding the identification message with the platform and sending a response message to the at least one payload, requesting access to one or more ethernet busses supplied by the platform, and enabling the one or more ethernet busses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventor: Stevyn Pompelio
  • Patent number: 11675369
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs stored on computer storage devices, for coordinating movements of robots are disclosed. One of the methods includes, for each robot in a group of robots, identifying a set of tasks assigned to the robot and generating a plurality of candidate motion plans. The method further includes, for each candidate motion plan: (i) generating a 3D model that represents a volume of space through which the robot would move in executing the sequence of motions represented by the candidate motion plan, and (ii) determining a score for the candidate motion plan. The method further includes determining conflicts between candidate motion plans of different robots, selecting a motion plan from the candidate motion plans based on the score for the selected motion plan and the conflicts, and providing the selected motion plans for execution by the group of robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Dupuis
  • Patent number: 11602860
    Abstract: A tool changing system of a robot manipulator is proposed. The tool changing system includes: a master coupled to an end of the robot manipulator at a first side thereof; and a slave coupled to a tool at a first side thereof and coupled removably to a second side of the master at a second side thereof, wherein the master includes an actuator and a master magnet rotating according to the rotation of the actuator, and the slave includes a slave magnet rotating in synchronization with the rotation of the master magnet by magnetism therebetween with the master and the slave coupled to each other, whereby the rotating force of the slave magnet as a rotating force necessary for operating the tool is transmitted to the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jae-Bok Song, Sung-Jae Park
  • Patent number: 11597094
    Abstract: A method for characterising the environment of a robot, the robot having a flexible arm having a plurality of joints, a datum carried by the arm, a plurality of drivers arranged to drive the joints to move and a plurality of position sensors for sensing the position of each of the joints, the method comprising: contacting the datum carried by the arm with a first datum on a second robot in the environment of the first robot, wherein the second robot has a flexible arm having a plurality of joints, and a plurality of drivers arranged to drive those joints to move; calculating in dependence on the outputs of the position sensors a distance between a reference location defined in a frame of reference local to the robot and the first datum; and controlling the drivers to reconfigure the first arm in dependence on at least the calculated distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: CMR SURGICAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Luke David Ronald Hares
  • Patent number: 11592803
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process, the process includes acquiring information in a log regarding an operating state of a plurality of robots; based on the acquired information in the log, calculating a first load in each time slot related to control of the plurality of robots; when there is a first time slot in which the first load is higher than or equal to a first threshold, extracting a robot that performs a first task, from the plurality of robots, in the first time slot; and changing a time slot for operating the extracted robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Susumu Koga
  • Patent number: 11550967
    Abstract: An automated manufacturing system and method is provided. The system includes a software system and a production system. The software system includes a design module, an engineering module, and a manufacturing module for the design, engineering, and subsequent production of a prefabricated building product. The production system includes a matrix of cells and a plurality of robotic production units configurable with a plurality of production tools. The matrix includes a number of columns and a number of rows, each column representing a product to be worked on and each row representing a type of work to be performed on each product. The system processes a building model and configures each cell to perform specific work with one or more robotic production units and one or more production tools. A prefabricated building product is built in stages as it moves from cell to cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Inventor: Peyman Poostchi
  • Patent number: 11534907
    Abstract: A management system is a management system which includes a remote work system having at least one master unit and a plurality of slave units which can be remotely operated and a management server, in which each of the plurality of slave units includes a gripping unit that is configured to grip a target, grip the target by means of autonomous control, and, when being connected to the master unit by the management server, grip the target by means of a remote operation by the master unit, the master unit is configured to perform the remote operation on the plurality of slave units, and the management server includes an operation management unit that is configured to connect the master unit and the plurality of slave units when a remote operation is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: OKAMURA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Yamashita, Satoshi Asou, Masahiko Arita, Kenshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11529741
    Abstract: An approach to positioning one or more robotic arms in an assembly system may be described herein. For example, an apparatus may include a first robotic arm having a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end may be configured for movement and the proximal end may secure the first robotic arm. The apparatus may further include a camera connected with the distal end of the first robotic arm. The camera may be configured to capture image data of a marker connected with a second robotic arm and provide the image data to a computer. The computer may generate a set of instructions for the first robotic arm based on the image data of the marker. The movement of the first robotic arm may be caused by the computer according to the generated set of instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Oussama Rawas, Lukas Philip Czinger
  • Patent number: 11504847
    Abstract: Provided is a distributed robot scheduling decision method. The method includes: a task pack including at least one task is received, and the task pack is transmitted to other robots in swarm robots (S10); a decision is made according to a claiming decision variable to claim a task suitable for execution in the task pack (S11); and the task suitable for execution is executed (S12). In such a manner, swarm robots may communicate with one another for task transmission and make decisions according to claiming decision variables to claim tasks suitable for execution in the task pack for execution. Therefore, a technical effect that the swarm robots may make decisions independently rather than in centralized decision and central control decision manners to effectively avoid overloading a server at a high possibility is achieved, and moreover, a technical effect of intelligently selecting tasks for execution to improve the execution efficiency is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SYRIUS ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhiqin Yang
  • Patent number: 11487513
    Abstract: Techniques are described for enabling users of an information technology (IT) and security operations application to create highly reusable custom functions for playbooks. The creation and execution of playbooks using an IT and security operations application generally enables users to automate operations related to an IT environment responsive to the identification of various types of incidents or other triggering conditions. Users can create playbooks to automate operations such as, for example, modifying firewall settings, quarantining devices, restarting servers, etc., to improve users' ability to efficiently respond to various types of incidents operational issues that arise from time to time in IT environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Splunk Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Hanson, Sydney Flak, Colin Fagan, Jeffery Roberts, Govinda Salinas, Philip Royer
  • Patent number: 11441923
    Abstract: A method for distributing navigation map data to a plurality of work machines which are part of a network of work machines and perform work orders in this network, wherein the navigation map data are needed in the work machines to carry out the work orders, and work orders are planned on the basis of navigation map data, includes detecting work orders for work machines, which work orders exist in the network and were planned on the basis of old navigation map data. The method includes checking the work orders which exist in the network in order to determine whether these work orders can be carried out with new navigation map data, and terminating work orders which cannot be carried out with new navigation map data. The new navigation map data is then installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Becker-Asano, Markus Ferch
  • Patent number: 11422549
    Abstract: Apparatus for configuring a mission automation and decision support system for an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a user interface and a computer-implemented module configured to: receive data representative of at least one task to be performed by the UAV, the task being defined by one or more decision points that correspond to system actions or responses that could result from respective specified mission information; for each decision point(s), request user inputs in response to questions, the questions being designed to determine an extent to which each system action or response can be automated and a respective level of mandated operator approval therefor; and allocate to each decision point a set of one or more corresponding automation levels, each automation level comprising data representative of a measure of automation to be applied at a respective decision point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: BAE Systems plc
    Inventors: Marc Damien Ridings, Jonathan Gareth Rea, Matthew Jordan Simpson, Grant Andrew Chapman
  • Patent number: 11373133
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, to share information in a community of robots and users to perform tasks. In one aspect, a method includes registering a plurality of robots in a system including creating for each robot a robot profile; publishing the robot profile; collecting operational data related to performance of tasks, the operational data including situational awareness information from at least a first of the plurality of registered robots; evaluating the collected operational data including performing statistical analysis, modeling, and extrapolation using the collected operational data; and in response to a request to transfer relevant data to at least a second of the plurality of registered robots, determining relevant data from the evaluated collected operational data, the relevant data including at least a portion of the situational awareness information; and sending the relevant data to at least the second registered robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Look, James Awe, Mark Thomas Davis, Negar Arabani, Patricia Anne Vrobel
  • Patent number: 11358278
    Abstract: Provided is a method for detecting an imminent collision between an object and a component of an autonomous system in the real environment including at least one real, decentralized autonomous component, whereby of at least a part of the autonomous system a virtual image is available, emulating at least one aspect of the autonomous system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Florian Krautwurm
  • Patent number: 11357377
    Abstract: A cleaning system may include a first mobile robot, a communication unit configured to communicate with a second mobile robot that emits a second signal, and a controller configured to recognize the location of the second mobile robot using the second signal, and control a moving speed of the first mobile robot such that the second mobile robot follows a trajectory corresponding to the movement of the first mobile robot based on the recognized location. The controller may transmit a first signal to the second mobile robot in response to the first mobile robot approaching the second mobile robot to within a distance less than a threshold distance from the second mobile robot, and control avoidance moving of the first mobile robot and the second mobile robot based on the second signal of the second mobile robot responding to the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Donghoon Kwak, Kyoungsuk Ko, Sungwook Lee
  • Patent number: 11333383
    Abstract: An environment estimation device includes a determination unit and a correction unit. The determination unit changes, by varying a boundary variable from an initial value, first environmental information in a specific region of an estimated three-dimensional environmental distribution, and determines, as an object boundary variable, the boundary variable at a time when a difference between the first environmental information and second environmental information in the specific region included in obtained environmental information inside a space is within a predetermined range. The correction unit corrects a numerical fluid dynamic model, by fixing a variation parameter of the numerical fluid dynamic model at the determined object boundary variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ozaki
  • Patent number: 11273530
    Abstract: This machine tool system uses a plurality of mobile robots to convey workpieces to a plurality of machine tools, the machine tool system being provided with: machine tool control unit that issues work requests to the machine tools; a mobile robot control unit that determines workable times for the mobile robots on the basis of the work requests; and a determining unit that compares the workable times which are for the mobile robots and respectively planned by the mobile robots, and causes the mobile robot with the fastest workable time to execute the requested work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiko Sato, Taiichiro Washizaki
  • Patent number: 11270238
    Abstract: Utilizing blockchain ledgers with mobile robotic machines is provided. A first digital certificate is assigned to a requesting entity. The first digital certificate identifies the requesting entity within a network. A request is generated for performance of a task by a mobile robotic machine. Generating the request includes: requesting the mobile robotic machine to perform the task; receiving an acceptance of the task from the mobile robotic machine; and assigning a second digital certificate to the mobile robotic machine. The second digital certificate is signed using the first digital certificate and indicates that the mobile robotic machine is authorized to perform the task. A public key of the second digital certificate is posted to member entities of the network where other member entities responsible for an item corresponding to the task are able to use the public key to confirm authorization of the mobile robotic machine to perform the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Kyndryl, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Russell Whitman, Johannes Jaco Liebenberg, Guillaume Hoareau
  • Patent number: 11263564
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a user interface, a battery positioned inside the housing, a driving unit disposed at the housing or connected to the housing to move the housing, at least one sensor positioned at the housing or inside the housing, a wireless communication circuit positioned inside the housing, a processor operatively connected to the user interface, the driving unit, the at least one sensor, and the wireless communication circuit, and a memory operatively connected to the processor. The processor determines one sequence performed by connecting or merging the first task and the second task, based at least partly on at least one of a type, execution target, execution time, or execution location of the first task and at least one of a type, execution target, execution time, or execution location of the second task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ranjan Kumar Samal
  • Patent number: 11253998
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a Web server (104, 60, 70) and a method therein of determining a trajectory for controlling of a robot device over a cloud interface. From a URI-encoded HTTP request (402) for the trajectory between a first pose and a second pose of the robot device, it is determined (S112, 408) the length of matching between cached trajectories and the trajectory requested. The longest length of matching is compared (S114, 410) to a minimal matching length (406), and if the longest length is longer than the minimal matching length, a HTTP response is sent (S122, 412) comprising the trajectory being determined. If the longest length is shorter than the minimal matching length, a HTTP request to calculate is sent (S116, 414). Currently available web service architecture can be reused, and easily up-scaled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Geza Szabo, Attila Báder, Sándor Rácz
  • Patent number: 11249488
    Abstract: A system and method for offloading scalable robotic tasks in a mobile robotics framework. The system comprises a cluster of mobile robots and they are connected with a back-end cluster infrastructure. It receives scalable robotic tasks at a mobile robot of the cluster. The scalable robotics tasks include building a map of an unknown environment by using the mobile robot, navigating the environment using the map and localizing the mobile robot on the map. Therefore, the system estimate the map of an unknown environment and at the same time it localizes the mobile robot on the map. Further, the system analyzes the scalable robotics tasks based on computation, communication load and energy usage of each scalable robotic task. And finally the system priorities the scalable robotic tasks to minimize the execution time of the tasks and partitioning the SLAM with computation offloading in edge network and mobile cloud server setup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Swarnava Dey, Arijit Mukherjee
  • Patent number: 11235460
    Abstract: Architectures and techniques to control heterogeneous teams of robots. Input is received from a remote device with a control platform. The control platform provides a control mechanism for a team of heterogenous robots having at least two different control structures. Control signals are generated for at least two different types of robots communicatively coupled with the control platform. A first type of robot is independent of a second type of robot and the first and second type of robot have different control mechanisms. The first type of robot receives a request for an item to be delivered. At least one of the first type of robot operates to identify the item and to move the item to an intermediate location and to generate a request to at least one of the second type of robot. At least one of the second type of robot operates to move the item from the intermediate location to a new location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: salesforce.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Reid Carlberg, Heather Dykstra, Philippe Ozil, Alan Dawkuan Hwang, Cody Henshaw
  • Patent number: 11216009
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs stored on computer storage devices, for coordinating movements of robots are disclosed. One of the methods includes, for each robot in a group of robots, identifying a set of tasks assigned to the robot and generating a plurality of candidate motion plans. The method further includes, for each candidate motion plan: (i) generating a 3D model that represents a volume of space through which the robot would move in executing the sequence of motions represented by the candidate motion plan, and (ii) determining a score for the candidate motion plan. The method further includes determining conflicts between candidate motion plans of different robots, selecting a motion plan from the candidate motion plans based on the score for the selected motion plan and the conflicts, and providing the selected motion plans for execution by the group of robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Dupuis
  • Patent number: 11191569
    Abstract: The present invention relates to devices for manipulation of bones and their associated soft-tissue structures including joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nervous tissues. The devices use articulated arms that attach to bone and soft tissue to properly align bone and soft tissue for fixation. Locking members attached to the articulated arms are activated by buttons or switches to unlock the articulated arms for adjustment of the position of an attached bone and to lock the articulated arms for holding an attached bone in a stable position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Nelson F. SooHoo