Collision Prevention Patents (Class 700/255)
  • Patent number: 11660752
    Abstract: A method for perception and fitting for a stair tracker includes receiving sensor data for a robot adjacent to a staircase. For each stair of the staircase, the method includes detecting, at a first time step, an edge of a respective stair of the staircase based on the sensor data. The method also includes determining whether the detected edge is a most likely step edge candidate by comparing the detected edge from the first time step to an alternative detected edge at a second time step, the second time step occurring after the first time step. When the detected edge is the most likely step edge candidate, the method includes defining, by the data processing hardware, a height of the respective stair based on sensor data height about the detected edge. The method also includes generating a staircase model including stairs with respective edges at the respective defined heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Cary Whitman, Gene Brown Merewether, Gina Christine Fay, Benjamin Swilling
  • Patent number: 11635749
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing factory scheduling, layout or both which represent active factory elements (human and machine) as computational objects and simulate factory operation to optimize a solution. This enables the efficient assembly of customized products, accommodates variable demand, and mitigates unplanned events (floor blockages, machines/IMRs/workcell/workers downtime, variable quantity, location, and destination of supply parts).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: VEO ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick Sobalvarro, Clara Vu, Joshua Downer, Paulo Ferreira, Mehmet Ali Guney, Thomas C. Ferree, Alberto Moel, Richard A. Kelsey
  • Patent number: 11633245
    Abstract: There is provided is a robot arm apparatus including an arm unit made up of a plurality of links joined to each other by one or a plurality of a joint unit, the arm unit being connectable to an imaging unit; and a drive control unit that controls driving of the arm unit by causing each joint unit to be driven cooperatively. The drive control unit uses relative position information of a reference position with respect to the arm unit, the relative position information being based on a state of the arm unit and distance information about a distance between the imaging unit and the reference position, to control the driving of the arm unit in a manner that the reference position is positioned on an optical axis of the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takara Kasai, Yasuhisa Kamikawa, Yohei Kuroda, Wataru Kokubo, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Tetsuharu Fukushima, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Atsushi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 11635770
    Abstract: A controller determines, when a traveling vehicle to proceed in a first direction from a predetermined cell toward a destination is present, whether or not to grant the traveling vehicle occupation permission for a cell adjacent to the predetermined cell in the first direction. The traveling vehicle proceeds in the first direction if occupation permission for the adjacent cell has been granted from the controller, whereas the traveling vehicle stops at the predetermined cell if occupation permission has not been granted. The controller assigns to the traveling vehicle a traveling instruction in which a cell situated at a plurality of cells ahead of the predetermined cell in the second direction is designated as a waypoint to the destination if the traveling vehicle has not obtained occupation permission for the adjacent cell and has continuously been in a stop state at the predetermined cell for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Kitamura, Masahiro Ikeda, Eijiro Aoki, Toshikazu Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11628575
    Abstract: A robot controller includes a contact detection unit that detects contact of a welding wire protruding from a welding torch with a welding target, an override-value adjustment unit that sets and changes an override value for increasing or decreasing an operating speed of the robot from a predetermined speed, and a control unit which receives an operation signal from a teaching operation device and that controls the robot according to the operation signal at the operating speed based on the override value which is set by the override-value adjustment unit. When the contact of the welding wire with the welding target is detected by the contact detection unit, the control unit temporarily stops the robot, and the override-value adjustment unit decreases the override value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeo Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11628563
    Abstract: A control method for a robot system having a robot arm and executing an operation mode of the robot arm having an execution mode in which a motion program is executed and a teaching mode in which the motion program is taught, includes setting an upper limit velocity of a motion velocity of the robot arm to a first velocity when the operation mode is the execution mode, and setting the upper limit velocity to a second velocity lower than the first velocity when the operation mode is the teaching mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventor: Yoshihito Yamada
  • Patent number: 11618164
    Abstract: Disclosed is a robot including a manipulator for moving a tool; and a processor for controlling the manipulator, setting a boundary, generating a first path in response to a received execution instruction, generating a second path that does not extend beyond the boundary based on the first path and the boundary, and controlling the manipulator based on the second path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jonghun Park, Changeui Shin
  • Patent number: 11597084
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes identifying a force and torque for a robot to accomplish a task and identifying context of a portion of a movement plan indicating motion of the robot to perform the task. Based on the identified force, torque, and context, a context specific torque is determined for at least one aspect of the robot while the robot executes the portion of the movement plan. In turn, a control signal is generated for the at least one aspect of the robot to operate in accordance with the determined context specific torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. S. Johnson, Syler Wagner, Steven Lines
  • Patent number: 11589667
    Abstract: A device for ensuring safe operation of a robot used for cosmetics applications, including the retrofitting of robots not originally design for such applications. In some embodiments, the robot is used for the automatic placement of eyelash extensions onto the natural eyelashes of a subject. In some embodiments, a safety barrier is provided by a physical barrier or light curtain. In other embodiments, readily deformable end effectors are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: WINK ROBOTICS
    Inventors: Kurt Amundson, Nathan Harding, H. Keith Nishihara, Russell B. Ford
  • Patent number: 11586221
    Abstract: A travel control device includes: a controller configured to control traveling of a plurality of mobile objects on a basis of a travel schedule of the mobile objects; a planner configured to generate a plurality of tentative travel schedules by changing part of the travel schedule; an evaluation value calculator configured to calculate evaluation values of the tentative travel schedules based on state features of the mobile objects in the tentative travel schedules; and a model including the state features of the mobile objects and evaluation values associated with them. The evaluation value calculator calculates the evaluation values based on the model and the state features of the mobile objects in the tentative travel schedules. The planner performs search calculation of repeating to select one tentative travel schedule from the tentative travel schedules based on the evaluation values, and to update the travel schedule with the one tentative travel schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hideyuki Aisu, Shizu Sakakibara, Takufumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11577392
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for optimizing a plan for one or more robots using a process definition graph. One of the methods includes receiving a process definition graph for a robot, the process definition graph having a plurality of action nodes. One or more of the action nodes are motion nodes that represent a motion to be taken by the robot from a respective start location to an end location. It is determined that a motion node satisfies one or more splitting criteria, and in response to determining that the motion node satisfies the one or more splitting criteria, the process definition graph is modified. Modifying the process definition graph includes splitting the motion node into two or more separate motion nodes whose respective paths can be scheduled independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Dupuis, Keegan Go, Stoyan Gaydarov
  • Patent number: 11559890
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a trajectory of a robot's end effector are disclosed. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a force obtaining device to obtain a collision force of the end effector of the robot, caused by a collision of the end effector upon the collision being detected; and a trajectory determining device to determine a second trajectory of the end effector based on the collision force of the end effector obtained, and based on a recorded first trajectory of the end effector. The recorded first trajectory is a trajectory recorded before the collision, and the second trajectory is a trajectory determined after the collision. As such, an efficient protection for the robot and its working environment at the moment of collision may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wen Kang Xu, Jian Qiang Wu, Yue Zhuo
  • Patent number: 11554488
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable storage devices, for robot navigation using 2D and 3D path planning. In the disclosed method, a robot accesses map data indicating two-dimensional layout of objects in a space and evaluates candidate paths for the robot to traverse. In response to determining that the candidate paths do not include a collision-free path across the space for a two-dimensional profile of the robot, the robot evaluates a three-dimensional shape of the robot with respect to a three-dimensional shape of an object in the space. Based on the evaluation of the three-dimensional shapes, the robot determines a collision-free path to traverse through the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Holson
  • Patent number: 11554489
    Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and other techniques are described for planning motions of one or more robots to perform at least one specified task. In some implementations, a task to execute with a robotic system using a tool is identified. A partially constrained pose is identified for the tool that is to apply during execution of the task. A set of possible constraints for the unconstrained pose parameter are selected for each unconstrained pose parameter. The sets of possible constraints are evaluated for the unconstrained pose parameters with respect to one or more task execution criteria. A nominal pose is determined for the tool based on a result of evaluating the sets of possible constraints for the unconstrained pose parameters with respect to the one or more task execution criteria. The robotic system is then directed to execute the task, including positioning the tool according to the nominal pose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Butterfoss
  • Patent number: 11551410
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a methodology that allows a user to “orbit” around a model on a specific axis of rotation and view an orthographic floor plan of the model. A user may view and “walk through” the model while staying at a specific height above the ground with smooth transitions between orbiting, floor plan, and walking modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Matterport, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Bell, Michael Beebe
  • Patent number: 11508248
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for predicting collisions and conflicts between multiple moving bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: IUCF-HYU (INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY)
    Inventors: Deok-Soo Kim, Je Hyun Cha, Joong Hyun Ryu, Mok Won Lee, Chan Young Song, Young Song Cho
  • Patent number: 11468371
    Abstract: A method of explaining the reasons for a prediction made by a machine learning ensemble prediction process as to the probability of an outcome for a target observation following training on a plurality of training observations determines the similarity between the target observation and each training observation of a set of said training observations; selects a fraction of the training observations that are most similar to said target observation; ranks the training observations by similarity of each training observation to the target observation; and determines the significance of the features of the ranked training observations to the prediction based upon the increase in variance in a local prediction model when a feature is removed from the local model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Securonix, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor A. Baikalov, Joseph Samuel Miller, Tanuj Gulati, Rakesh Palacherla
  • Patent number: 11465335
    Abstract: A cutting assembly and a cutter are provided, wherein, in an apparatus for additive manufacturing with a filament, a deposition head has a body and an applicator for fixing a run of filament to a surface at a deposition location ending at a deposition termination point. The cutter assembly has a fixation element for fixing the cutter assembly relative to the deposition head, and a cutter movable relative to the fixation element. The deposition head has a deposition termination configuration and a cutting configuration, and after fixing the run of filament, the deposition head transitions from the deposition termination configuration to the cutting configuration. The cutter cuts the filament only when the deposition head is in the cutting configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Arevo, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven George Manuel
  • Patent number: 11440196
    Abstract: A method includes receiving sensor data representing a first object in an environment and generating, based on the sensor data, a first state vector that represents physical properties of the first object. The method also includes generating, by a first machine learning model and based on the first state vector and a second state vector that represents physical properties of a second object previously observed in the environment, a metric indicating a likelihood that the first object is the same as the second object. The method further includes determining, based on the metric, to update the second state vector and updating, by a second machine learning model configured to maintain the second state vector over time and based on the first state vector, the second state vector to incorporate into the second state vector information concerning physical properties of the second object as represented in the first state vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Sean Kirmani, Guy Satat, Michael Quinlan
  • Patent number: 11409295
    Abstract: A robot uses types of behavior such as approach, follow, avoid, and so forth to move about an environment and interact with a user. An occupancy map provides information about obstacles in the environment. A predicted trajectory of the user is determined that is indicative of expected locations and confidence of those expected locations. The predicted trajectory may be based on the user's movement and the occupancy map. Based on the predicted trajectory and the occupancy map, a target point and a path to the target point is determined. The path may also be based on a proxemic cost map that specifies how regions with respect to the user may be traversed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Sandeep Samdaria, Amin Hani Atrash, Saurabh Gupta, Sven Cremer, Raumi Sidki
  • Patent number: 11407106
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes at least one processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to identify a task corresponding to a task execution instruction acquired by an input device of the electronic device, identify user information corresponding to the task, identify a target spot of the electronic device for executing the task, based on the task and the user information, with respect to a position of a user corresponding to the identified user information, and control a driving circuit of the electronic device to move the electronic device to the identified target spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Inventors: Jin-Won Kim, Jung-Gap Kuk, Seung-Beom Han, Dong-Sik Chang
  • Patent number: 11377097
    Abstract: An automated valet parking method and an apparatus thereof are provided. The method includes transmitting a target position and a guide route from a parking infrastructure to a vehicle, performing autonomous driving toward the target position along the guide route; performing autonomous parking at the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Tae Dong Oh
  • Patent number: 11358334
    Abstract: Disclosed are a 4D printing method using thermal anisotropy and thermal transformation, and the resulting product. The method includes (a) artificially planning transverse printing paths and longitudinal printing paths on a specimen to impose a thermal anisotropy to the specimen, (b) sequentially and alternately forming transversely printed layers and longitudinally printed layers on the specimen by printing a thermoplastic polymer in transverse and longitudinal directions to build a 3D printed product, (c) heating the 3D printed product so that the 3D printed product thermally transforms in a specific direction, and (d) controlling heating time to obtain a 4D printed product having a desired final shape which is formed through the transformation of the 3D printed product over the heating time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Inventors: Keun Park, Bona Goo
  • Patent number: 11345035
    Abstract: Provided is a control system of an industrial robot that enables a robot to be stopped safely while reducing a load on a mechanical unit and avoiding interference with the peripheral environment when a command for which an excessive load is applied to the mechanical unit of the robot is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11339580
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a pool cleaner control system to locate and remove debris from an aquatic environment. The control system comprises an imaging device configured to be mounted on a housing of a pool cleaner and a controller in communication with the imaging device and configured to control the imaging device to acquire one or more primary images from the imaging device. The primary image is received by the controller from the imaging device. Debris is identified within the aquatic environment and a path score is calculated for at least two potential paths having debris within the aquatic environment. The pool cleaner is navigated along a selected path, the selected path being the one of the at least two potential paths having a highest path score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: PENTAIR WATER POOL AND SPA, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Braidic, John Rotundo, Daniel B. Freve, William Sowerwine
  • Patent number: 11271773
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement and a method performing data exchange between various integrated circuits, IC, (3,4,5,6,7) in an automotive control system wherein the data are exchanged by a bus and has the object to enable ASIL C/D system coverage and to tie various ICs (clocks, regulators, memory interfaces, sensor signal conditioners, power management ICs etc.) This is solved the data are exchanged by a bus being ASIL C/D compliant and forming a common protocol to exchange information among the integrated circuits (3,4,5,6,7). The method is solved by functions implemented within the bus as setting the frequency of operation; arbitrating roles of the integrated circuits as master or slave device; checking integrity of exchanged data; frame repetition; detecting bus stuck-at failure modes; filtering or denouncing failures and warnings from peripheral devices; detecting remote out of specification local clock; and monitoring and predicting system reliability and profiling maintenance events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics America Inc.
    Inventors: Manjit Singh, Serge Di Matteo, Jan Krellner, Kenneth C. Kwok
  • Patent number: 11238717
    Abstract: A method includes receiving first position data from at least one of a TOF sensor or a LIDAR. The first position data is representative of a position of a human within a hazardous environment. The method further includes receiving second position data associated with a plurality of wearable sensors associated with a plurality of personnel. The method further includes comparing the first position data to the second position data to identify a match between the first position data and the second position data. The method further includes sensing a signal to an alert device associated with the hazardous environment such that the alert device issues an alert in response to the first position data failings to match the second position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Transocean Sedco Forex Ventures Limited
    Inventors: Paul Johnson, Travis McGuire
  • Patent number: 11235469
    Abstract: A robot controller is a robot controller that couples a three-dimensional measuring device configured to perform three-dimensional measurement of an object using a laser beam and a human detection sensor configured to detect a person based on an image obtained by imaging a detection range including the object, the robot controller including a human detection signal receiver configured to receive, from the human detection sensor, a signal indicating that the person is present within the detection range and a robot arm controller configured to control a robot arm based on the signal. When the human detection signal receiver receives, from the human detection sensor, the signal indicating that the person is present within the detection range, the robot arm controller controls the robot arm to set an emitting direction of the laser beam to a direction different from a direction of the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirosada Horiguchi, Shuichi Wakabayashi, Makiko Hino, Kei Kamakura
  • Patent number: 11235465
    Abstract: A robot control system determines which of a number of discretizations to use to generate discretized representations of robot swept volumes and to generate discretized representations of the environment in which the robot will operate. Obstacle voxels (or boxes) representing the environment and obstacles therein are streamed into the processor and stored in on-chip environment memory. At runtime, the robot control system may dynamically switch between multiple motion planning graphs stored in off-chip or on-chip memory. The dynamically switching between multiple motion planning graphs at runtime enables the robot to perform motion planning at a relatively low cost as characteristics of the robot itself change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: REALTIME ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Sorin, George Konidaris, Sean Murray, William Floyd-Jones
  • Patent number: 11230008
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optimisation method for calculating an optimised movement path of a coating robot (1), including the following steps: defining consecutive path points of the movement path using path point data, wherein the path point data defines the spatial position and orientation of the application device (7) at each path point; calculating possible robot configurations for the individual path points of the movement path, wherein each robot configuration includes all axial positions of all robot axes (A1-A7) and at least some of the path points can be reached optionally via multiple different robot configurations; calculating a path point-related and preferable also sequence-related quality value individually for the different possible robot configurations of the individual path points, such that each robot configuration is assigned a respective quality value; and—selecting one of the possible robot configurations for the individual path points according to the quality value of the differen
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Dürr Systems AG
    Inventor: Sven Schweigler
  • Patent number: 11207778
    Abstract: Systems and a method determine a sequence of joint values of an external axis along a sequence of targets. Inputs are received, including robot representation, tool representation, sequence of targets, kinematics of the axis joints, and/or type of robot-axis motion. For each target, it is generated at least one weight factor table representing, for each available configuration of the axis joint motion, a combined effort of the robot motion and the axis motion depending on the type of combined robot-axis motion. Valid weight factor values of the table are determined by simulating collision free trajectories for reaching the target. The sequence of joint values of the at least one external axis is determined by finding from the weight factor table a sequence of joint values for which the sum of their corresponding weight factors for reaching the target location sequence is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Ltd.
    Inventor: Moshe Hazan
  • Patent number: 11207777
    Abstract: A robot controlling device inputs an operation state of a worker from a sensor. The robot controlling device calculates a position vector and a velocity vector of each of the robot and the worker from the operation state of the robot and the operation state of the worker, generates a risk determination area (an area where the robot is stopped, an area where the robot is evacuated, and an area where the robot is decelerated) around each of the robot and the worker, determines a risk based on overlapping between the generated risk determination area of the robot and the generated risk determination area of the worker, generates a collision avoidance trajectory in which collision between the robot and the worker is avoided from a result of the determination, and controls the robot based on the generated collision avoidance trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Nakasu, Kei Imazawa
  • Patent number: 11179850
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for planning a path of motion for a robot. In some implementations, a candidate path of movement is determined for each of multiple robots. A swept region, for each of the multiple robots, is determined that the robot would traverse through along its candidate path. At least some of the swept regions for the multiple robots is aggregated to determine amounts of overlap among the swept regions at different locations. Force vectors directed outward from the swept regions are assigned, wherein the force vectors have different magnitudes assigned according to the respective amounts of overlap of the swept regions at the different locations. A path for a particular robot to travel is determined based on the swept regions and the assigned magnitudes of the forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Intrinsic Innovation LLC
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Dupuis, Keegan Go, Maryam Bandari
  • Patent number: 11172997
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, apparatus, and methods for precise placement and guidance of tools during a surgical procedure, particularly a spinal surgical procedure. The system features a portable robot arm with an end effector for precise positioning of a surgical tool. The system requires only minimal training by surgeons/operators, is intuitive to use, and has a small footprint with significantly reduced obstruction of the operating table. The system works with existing, standard surgical tools, does not require increased surgical time or preparatory time, and safely provides the enhanced precision achievable by robot-assisted systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: KB Medical, SA
    Inventors: Szymon Kostrzewski, Olivier Chappuis, Billy Nussbaumer, Daniel Gehriger, Roderik Berthelin
  • Patent number: 11115477
    Abstract: A session control apparatus, a session control method, and a session control program may maintain a quality of input data output to a processing module. A processing module has a defined condition regarding a quality of the input data. The session control apparatus includes a selection unit and a switching unit. The selection unit selects a second device when the input data fails to satisfy the condition. The switching unit switches a first device that outputs the input data to the processing module to the second device selected by the selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuji Yamato, Taiji Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 11112801
    Abstract: An operation method of a robot for leading a follower to a destination within an open space includes: calculating a distance between the follower and the robot; when it is determined that the distance is not greater than a threshold, determining a pre-movement location of the robot in the open space and an orientation of the robot, and calculating a linear speed and an angular speed for the robot based on the pre-movement location and the orientation of the robot and the destination; moving according to the linear speed and the angular speed; determining whether the robot has arrived at the destination according to the current position; and repeating the previous steps when it is determined that the robot has not arrived at the destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Kai-Tai Song, Yu-Heng Chiu, Shao-Huan Song
  • Patent number: 11104007
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for controlling a robot. The apparatus includes an active force detector configured to detect an active force, to which a natural force caused by a physical interaction between a user and a robot and not reflecting an operation intention of the user is applied, applied by the user to the robot operating through the physical interaction with the user, a compensator configured to determine a compensation force for actively compensating for the natural force applied to the active force by using a method of optimizing an internal parameter of a predefined dynamics model, and a controller configured to determine an operation instruction for controlling an operation of the robot from a result obtained by applying the compensation force determined by the compensator to the active force detected by the active force detector and operate the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University
    Inventors: Ja Choon Koo, Kyeong Ha Lee, Seung Guk Baek, Hyun Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 11087200
    Abstract: In Multi-Policy Decision-Making (MPDM), many computationally-expensive forward simulations are performed in order to predict the performance of a set of candidate policies. In risk-aware formulations of MPDM, only the worst outcomes affect the decision making process, and efficiently finding these influential outcomes becomes the core challenge. Recently, stochastic gradient optimization algorithms, using a heuristic function, were shown to be significantly superior to random sampling. In this disclosure, it was shown that accurate gradients can be computed-even through a complex forward simulation—using approaches similar to those in dep networks. The proposed approach finds influential outcomes more reliably, and is faster than earlier methods, allowing one to evaluate more policies while simultaneously eliminating the need to design an easily-differentiable heuristic function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Edwin Olson, Dhanvin H. Mehta, Gonzalo Ferrer
  • Patent number: 11086314
    Abstract: Provided is a robotic device including: a chassis including a set of wheels; one or more motors for driving the set of wheels; a suspension system; a rechargeable battery for providing power to the robotic device; a controller for controlling movement of the robotic device; a processor; a set of sensors; and, a signal boosting device. Further provided is a method for providing a mobile signal boost including: providing a robotic device including: a chassis including a set of wheels; a motor for driving the set of wheels; a suspension system; a rechargeable battery for providing power to the device; a control system module for controlling the movement of the device; a processor; and, a set of sensors; providing a signal boosting device coupled to the robotic device; and, transporting the signal boosting device to one or more locations within an environment of the robotic device by the robotic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: AI Incorporated
    Inventor: Ali Ebrahimi Afrouzi
  • Patent number: 11072071
    Abstract: A robot system models the behavior of a user when the user occupies an operating zone associated with a robot. The robot system predicts future behaviors of the user, and then determines whether those predicted behaviors interfere with anticipated behaviors of the robot. When such interference may occur, the robot system generates dynamics adjustments that can be implemented by the robot to avoid such interference. The robot system may also generate dynamics adjustments that can be implemented by the user to avoid such interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: AUTODESK, INC.
    Inventors: Evan Atherton, David Thomasson, Heather Kerrick, Hui Li
  • Patent number: 11045948
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling operation of a work robot for performing work inside a target region using a manipulator includes a trajectory information acquiring unit for acquiring N?1 or N pieces of trajectory information respectively indicating N?1 or N trajectories connecting N work regions where the work robot performs a series of work operations in order of a series of work operations; a classifying unit for classifying the N?1 or N trajectories as (i) trajectories that need correction or (ii) trajectories that do not need correction; and a trajectory planning unit for planning a trajectory of a tip of the manipulator between two work regions relating to the each of the one or more trajectories, for each of the one or more trajectories classified as a trajectory that needs correction by the classifying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: MUJIN, INC.
    Inventor: Rosen Diankov
  • Patent number: 10953538
    Abstract: A control device that outputs a command for a robot includes a machine learning device that learns a command for the robot. The machine learning device includes a state observation unit that observes a state of the robot and a state of a person present in a peripheral area of the robot, as state variables representing a current state of an environment, a determination data acquisition unit that acquires determination data representing an interference state between the robot and the person, and a learning unit that learns the state of the robot, the state of the person present in the peripheral area of the robot, and the command for the robot obtained by associating the state of the robot and the state of the person present in the peripheral area of the robot by using the state variables and the determination data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Matsudaira, Shuu Inoue
  • Patent number: 10899006
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer-readable storage devices, for robot navigation using 2D and 3D path planning. In the disclosed method, a robot accesses map data indicating two-dimensional layout of objects in a space and evaluates candidate paths for the robot to traverse. In response to determining that the candidate paths do not include a collision-free path across the space for a two-dimensional profile of the robot, the robot evaluates a three-dimensional shape of the robot with respect to a three-dimensional shape of an object in the space. Based on the evaluation of the three-dimensional shapes, the robot determines a collision-free path to traverse through the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin Holson
  • Patent number: 10849591
    Abstract: A system and method of dynamic virtual collision objects includes a control unit for a medical device. The control unit includes one or more processors and an interface coupling the control unit to the medical device. The control unit is configured to determine a position of a first movable segment of the medical device, a volume occupied by the first movable segment being approximated by one or more first virtual collision objects (VCOs); adjust, based on the position and motion goals for the medical device, one or more properties of the first VCOs; determine, based on the position and the properties, first geometries of the first VCOs; receive second geometries of one or more second VCOs associated with a second segment of a second device; determine relationships between the first VCOs and the second VCOs; and adjust, based on the relationships, a motion plan for the medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignees: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
    Inventors: Mahdi Azizian, Jonathan M. Sorger, Holger Kunze, Lutz Blohm
  • Patent number: 10824166
    Abstract: A method of distributing task regions for a plurality of cleaning devices, including: dividing a task map into a plurality of basic sub-regions according to concave corners corresponding to the shape of the task map; combining each two adjacent basic sub-regions, and calculating basic cleaning time corresponding to each of the combined basic sub-regions; repeatedly combining each two adjacent basic sub-regions according to the basic cleaning time, and obtaining a basic partition result; selecting starting blocks according to positions of the plurality of task sub-regions in the basic partitioning result; combining the task sub-regions according to the position of each starting block, the position of each task sub-region, and the cleaning time corresponding to each task sub-region, and obtaining the task region distribution result; enabling cleaning devices to perform cleaning tasks according to the position of each cleaning device and the task region distribution result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Tao-Chih Hsu, Yang-Sheng Wang, Chun-Ting Chen, Yu-Ching Chen
  • Patent number: 10816989
    Abstract: A method of distributing task areas, adapted to a cleaning device, is provided, including: receiving a task map; obtaining a shape that corresponds to the task map; dividing the task map into a plurality of sub-regions according to a plurality of recesses in the shape; merging the two adjacent sub-regions that have a common long side or short side, and obtaining a plurality of merge results that correspond to each of the merge actions; calculating a plurality of cleaning times for each of the merge results for the cleaning device; selecting the merge result that has the shortest cleaning times as a first distribution result; and enabling the cleaning device to perform a cleaning task according to the first distribution result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Yu-Ching Chen, Tao-Chih Hsu, Yang-Sheng Wang, Chun-Ting Chen
  • Patent number: 10802494
    Abstract: A method for motion planning for autonomous moving objects (AMO) includes continuously computing or updating a time-dependent trajectory of an AMO to a destination by a computing device avoiding obstacles en route to the destination. The time-dependent trajectory is computed using one or more motion planning computation procedures. The method further includes performing a switching to another motion planning computation procedure when an obstacle is detected or not detected anymore. An obstacle is determined to be detected when a point on the computed trajectory lies within or touches a guard area (GA) around the obstacle. The border of the GA has a certain distance from the detected obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Francesco Alesiani, Chairit Wuthishuwong
  • Patent number: 10773385
    Abstract: A method for operating a robotic system that includes calculating a base motion plan, wherein the base motion plan includes a sequence of commands or settings, or a combination thereof, that operates a robotic arm and a gripper to transfer a target object from a start location to a task location; receiving a contact measure while executing the base motion plan, wherein the contact measure represents an amount of grip of the gripper on the target object; and generating one or more actuator commands/settings that deviate from the base motion plan when the contact measure fails to satisfy a threshold, wherein the one or more actuator commands/settings thereof are configured to operate the robotic arm, the gripper, or a combination thereof to execute one or more response actions not included in the base motion plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: MUJIN, Inc.
    Inventors: Rosen Nikolaev Diankov, Huan Liu, Denys Kanunikov
  • Patent number: 10766492
    Abstract: A driving assistance method detects a behavior of a moving object causing a blind spot area around a host vehicle, predicts a probability of action that the moving object takes when an obstacle is present in the blind spot area, according to a road structure around the host vehicle, and compares the behavior of the moving object with the probability of action that the moving object takes, so as to predict an action of the moving object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Nanri, Fang Fang
  • Patent number: 10723025
    Abstract: In some aspects, computer-implemented methods for selecting a robotic tool path for a manufacturing processing system to execute a material processing sequence in three-dimensional space can include: providing to a computer-readable product including robotic system data of a robotic tool handling system and workpiece data relating to a processing path of a tool along the workpiece; generating a plurality of possible robotic tool paths to be performed to move the tool along the processing path; identifying one or more obstacles, or an absence of obstacles, associated with the robotic tool paths; comparing robotic tool paths based on a predetermined robotic parameter to be controlled as the tool moves from the start point to the end point; and based on the identified obstacles, determining feasible tool paths, between the start point and the end point that avoid the obstacles, that can be obtained by adjusting the predetermined robotic parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Hypertherm, Inc.
    Inventors: Waseem Khan, Mohammad Keshmiri, Chahe Bakmazjian, Liguo Huo