Search Patents
  • Materials handling cart
    Patent number: 11148698
    Abstract: Systems and methods for transporting objects using a cart that is driven by human action or self-driving vehicle is disclosed. The cart system and method comprises a chassis portion supporting a payload to be moved by the cart. The cart system further comprises of a first side rail and a second side rail. A first front wheel and first rear wheel is attached to the first side rail and a second front wheel and second rear wheel is attached to the second rail. The handle portion pushes the cart which comprises of a handle bar supported by vertical support members. The brake actuator is used to engage and release the brakes on the rear wheel. A horizontal engagement bar is used which comprises of a plurality of engagement pads. A payload-bearing surface bears payload such that the payload can be transported by the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Allen Rendall, Daniel Cantor, David William Bergsma, Scott Waters
  • Method, system and apparatus for self-driving vehicle obstacle avoidance
    Patent number: 11225275
    Abstract: A system for path control for a mobile unmanned vehicle in an environment is provided. The system includes: a sensor connected to the mobile unmanned vehicle; the mobile unmanned vehicle configured to initiate a first fail-safe routine responsive to detection of an object in a first sensor region adjacent to the sensor; and a processor connected to the mobile unmanned vehicle. The processor is configured to: generate a current path based on a map of the environment; based on the current path, issue velocity commands to cause the mobile unmanned vehicle to execute the current path; responsive to detection of an obstacle in a second sensor region, initiate a second fail-safe routine in the mobile unmanned vehicle to avoid entry of the obstacle into the first sensor region and initiation of the first fail-safe routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Alex Bencz, Yan Ma, Michael Irvine, Shahab Kaynama, James Servos, Peiyi Chen
  • System, apparatus and method for automatic environmental data collection and analysis
    Patent number: 10462076
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for automatic environmental data collection and analysis are provided, including a server comprising: a processor and a communication interface, the processor configured to: receive, using the communication interface, a geographic survey request from a first computing device; translate the geographic survey request into mission data for collecting geographic survey data; transmit, using the communication interface, the mission data to a second computing device associated with a geographic survey entity; receive, using the communication interface, the geographic survey data collected by the geographic survey entity using the mission data; analyze the geographic survey data to generate processed geographic survey data; and, transmit, using the communication interface, the processed geographic survey data to the first computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Matthew Allen Rendall, Andrew Clifford Blakey
  • Systems and methods for maintaining vehicle state information
    Patent number: 11235778
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring a fleet of self-driving vehicles are disclosed. The system comprises one or more self-driving vehicles having at least one sensor for collecting current state information, a fleet-management system, and computer-readable media for storing reference data. The method comprises autonomously navigating a self-driving vehicle in an environment, collecting current state information using the vehicle's sensor, comparing the current state information with the reference data, identifying outlier data in the current state information, and generating an alert based on the outlier data. A notification based on the alert may be sent to one or more monitoring devices according to the type and severity of the outlier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Anthony William Tod, David Andrew Brown, Guillaume Autran, Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Bryan Webb, Matthew Allen Rendall
  • Systems and methods for WiFi mapping in an industrial facility
    Patent number: 11343758
    Abstract: Systems and methods for WiFi mapping an industrial facility are disclosed. The system comprises a self-driving vehicle having a WiFi transceiver. The self-driving vehicle communicates with a fleet-management using the WiFi transceiver, via a WiFi access point. The self-driving vehicle receives a mission from the fleet-management system, and moves to a destination location based on the mission, using autonomous navigation. While executing the mission, the self-driving vehicle simultaneously measures the received signal strength indication of the WiFi access point and other WiFi access points in the facility, and stores the received signal strength indication in association with the location at which the received signal strength indication was measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony William Tod, Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Ivor Wanders, Andrew Clifford Blakey
  • Systems and methods for executing a task with an unmanned vehicle
    Patent number: 11586208
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for executing tasks with unmanned vehicles is provided. The system includes an unmanned vehicle comprising: a chassis; a propulsion system configured to move the chassis; sensor(s) configured to sense features around the chassis; a memory storing feature reference data; a communication interface; and a processor configured to: receive, using the interface, a command having task data and a location associated with a given feature; control the propulsion system to move the chassis to the location; while the chassis is moving to the location, determine, using the sensor(s), that the given feature is detected based on the feature reference data; and, responsive to the given feature being detected, control the propulsion system to execute a task based on the task data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Yan Ma, Alex Bencz
  • Systems and methods for WiFi mapping in an industrial facility
    Patent number: 10701622
    Abstract: Systems and methods for WiFi mapping an industrial facility are disclosed. The system comprises a self-driving vehicle having a WiFi transceiver. The self-driving vehicle communicates with a fleet-management using the WiFi transceiver, via a WiFi access point. The self-driving vehicle receives a mission from the fleet-management system, and moves to a destination location based on the mission, using autonomous navigation. While executing the mission, the self-driving vehicle simultaneously measures the received signal strength indication of the WiFi access point and other WiFi access points in the facility, and stores the received signal strength indication in association with the location at which the received signal strength indication was measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Anthony William Tod, Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Ivor Wanders, Andrew Clifford Blakey
  • Systems and methods for process tending with a robot arm
    Patent number: 11872706
    Abstract: Systems and methods for process tending with a robot arm are presented. The system comprises a robot arm and robot arm control system mounted on a self-driving vehicle, and a server in communication with the vehicle and/or robot arm control system. The vehicle has a vehicle control system for storing a map and receiving a waypoint based on a process location provided by the server. The robot arm control system stores at programs that is executable by the robot arm. The vehicle control system autonomously navigates the vehicle to the waypoint based on the map, and the robot arm control system selects a target program from the stored programs based on the process location and/or a process identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Cantor, Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Roydyn Clayton, Yvan Geoffrey Rodrigues, Anthony William Tod, Bryce William Vondervoort
  • Communication systems for self-driving vehicles, and methods of providing thereof
    Patent number: 11256270
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing inter-vehicle communication are disclosed. The method includes receiving, at a fleet management system, operating data from one or more self-driving vehicles via a communication network, and operating the fleet management system to determine a characteristic of a set of vehicles of one or more self-driving vehicles satisfies at least one communication condition. In response to determining the set of vehicles satisfies the at least one communication condition, the fleet management system can operate to select a stored data portion from a manager storage unit based at least on the characteristic of the set of vehicles; and transmit the data portion to the set of vehicles via the communication network. A method of providing inter-vehicle communication between one or more self-driving vehicles is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Smriti Chopra, Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Shahab Kaynama, Pavel Bovbel, Andrei Petru Ionescu, Jason Mercer
  • Systems and methods for unmanned vehicles having self-calibrating sensors and actuators
    Patent number: 10990093
    Abstract: Systems and methods of unmanned vehicles having self-calibrating sensors and actuators are provided. The unmanned vehicle comprises a communication interface and a processor for controlling a propulsion system of the vehicle and receiving sensor data from one or more sensors of the vehicle. The processor is configured to operate in a guided calibration mode by controlling the propulsion system according to commands received from an external guided control system, while processing the sensor data to determine a degree of certainty on a calibration the sensor data and a position of the vehicle. The processor determines that the degree of certainty is above a threshold value associated with safe operation of the propulsion system in an autonomous calibration mode, and subsequently switch operation of the propulsion system to the autonomous calibration mode based on the determination that the degree of certainty is above the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Kareem Shehata, Prasenjit Mukherjee, Anthony Tod, Teyvonia Thomas, Yan Ma
  • Systems and methods for unmanned vehicles having self-calibrating sensors and actuators
    Patent number: 11906961
    Abstract: Systems and methods of unmanned vehicles having self-calibrating sensors and actuators are provided. The unmanned vehicle comprises a communication interface and a processor for controlling a propulsion system of the vehicle and receiving sensor data from one or more sensors of the vehicle. The processor is configured to operate in a guided calibration mode by controlling the propulsion system according to commands received from an external guided control system, while processing the sensor data to determine a degree of certainty on a calibration the sensor data and a position of the vehicle. The processor determines that the degree of certainty is above a threshold value associated with safe operation of the propulsion system in an autonomous calibration mode, and subsequently switch operation of the propulsion system to the autonomous calibration mode based on the determination that the degree of certainty is above the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Kareem Shehata, Prasenjit Mukherjee, Anthony Tod, Teyvonia Thomas, Yan Ma
  • Autonomous material transport vehicles, and systems and methods of operating thereof
    Patent number: 11649147
    Abstract: The various embodiments described herein generally relate to an autonomous material transport vehicle, and systems and methods for operating an autonomous material transport vehicle. The autonomous material transport vehicle comprises: a sensing system operable to monitor an environment of the vehicle; a drive system for operating the vehicle; a processor operable to: receive a location of a load; initiate the drive system to navigate the vehicle to the location; following initiation of the drive system, operate the sensing system to monitor for one or more objects within a detection range; and in response to the sensing system detecting the one or more objects within the detection range, determine whether the load is within the detection range; and when the load is within the detection range, operate the drive system to position the vehicle for transporting the load, otherwise, determine a collision avoidance operation to avoid the one or more objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Nolan Lunscher, Enrique Fernandez Perdomo, James Servos, Ryan Christopher Gariepy
  • Variable geometry water vessel
    Patent number: 9016220
    Abstract: A water vessel having variable geometry is described. The water vessel comprises: a frame; a plurality of hulls coupled to the frame, each one of the plurality of hulls coupled to the frame by a folding mechanism and configured to move, relative to the frame, between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration in which at least one dimension of the water vessel is reduced in respect of the deployed configuration; a plurality of thruster assemblies configured to provide thrust to the water vessel, each one of the plurality of thruster assemblies being coupled to a respective one of the plurality of hulls; and a protective device coupled to a respective one of the plurality of thruster assemblies, the protective device for preventing intake of foreign objects into the respective one of the plurality of thruster assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Patrick William Martinson, Mark Julian Podbevsek, Matthew Allen Rendall, Todd Willick
  • Mobile platform for materials transport
    Patent number: 10974585
    Abstract: A mobile platform for materials transport is provided. The platform includes a pair of suspension devices that in turn include a pair of rocker beams which can be rotated between two positions: a first position where central wheels attached thereto can be used to drive the platform; and a second position where the central wheels are retracted and the platform can be rolled on end wheels without the friction of the central wheels, and an associated drive system, impeding movement of the platform. Furthermore, data from sensors and/or load cells can be used to control movement of the platform; specifically shifts in load distribution and/or sensed forces at the suspension devices can indicate that a load (and/or materials) has shifted and/or is shifting and movement of the platform is adjusted accordingly, for example to prevent the platform and/or the load (and/or materials) from tipping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Lord, Roydyn Clayton, Michael Irvine, Ryan Christopher Gariepy
  • Mobile platform for materials transport
    Patent number: 10618401
    Abstract: A mobile platform for materials transport is provided. The platform includes a pair of suspension devices that in turn include a pair of rocker beams which can be rotated between two positions: a first position where central wheels attached thereto can be used to drive the platform; and a second position where the central wheels are retracted and the platform can be rolled on end wheels without the friction of the central wheels, and an associated drive system, impeding movement of the platform. Furthermore, data from sensors and/or load cells can be used to control movement of the platform; specifically shifts in load distribution and/or sensed forces at the suspension devices can indicate that a load (and/or materials) has shifted and/or is shifting and movement of the platform is adjusted accordingly, for example to prevent the platform and/or the load (and/or materials) from tipping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Lord, Roydyn Clayton, Michael Irvine, Ryan Christopher Gariepy
  • Systems and methods for remote viewing of self-driving vehicles
    Patent number: 11144051
    Abstract: A system for remote viewing and control of self-driving vehicles includes: an execution subsystem for deployment at an execution location containing a self-driving vehicle. The execution subsystem includes: a capture assembly to capture multimedia data depicting the execution location, and a server to receive the multimedia data and transmit the multimedia data for presentation at an operator location remote from the execution location. The server relays operational commands and operational status data between the self-driving vehicle and the operator location. The system includes an operator subsystem for deployment at the operator location, including: a display assembly, and a computing device to: (a) establish a connection with the server; (b) receive the multimedia data from the server and control the display assembly to present the multimedia data; and (c) receive control commands and transmit the control commands to the server for execution by the self-driving vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Christopher Gariepy
  • System, apparatus and method for automatic environmental data collection and analysis
    Patent number: 11799806
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for automatic environmental data collection and analysis are provided, including a server comprising: a processor and a communication interface, the processor configured to: receive, using the communication interface, a geographic survey request from a first computing device; translate the geographic survey request into mission data for collecting geographic survey data; transmit, using the communication interface, the mission data to a second computing device associated with a geographic survey entity; receive, using the communication interface, the geographic survey data collected by the geographic survey entity using the mission data; analyze the geographic survey data to generate processed geographic survey data; and, transmit, using the communication interface, the processed geographic survey data to the first computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Matthew Allen Rendall, Andrew Clifford Blakey
  • Method, system and apparatus for handling operational constraints for control of unmanned vehicles
    Patent number: 10955845
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for handling operational constraints for unmanned vehicles. The system includes: a plurality of mobile unmanned vehicles for deployment in an environment; a computing device connected to the plurality of unmanned vehicles via a network, the computing device storing, in a memory, a plurality of operational constraints; each operational constraint including (i) a type identifier, (ii) an indication of a region of the environment, and (iii) a property defining a constraint on the operation of the unmanned vehicles within the region. The computing device is configured to: receive a request from one of the mobile unmanned vehicles, the request identifying an operational constraint; responsive to receiving the request, retrieve an operational constraint from the memory based on the request; and send the retrieved operational constraint to the one of the mobile unmanned vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Alex Bencz, Andrew Clifford Blakey, Shahab Kaynama, James Servos
  • Method, system and apparatus for handling operational constraints for control of unmanned vehicles
    Patent number: 10990100
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for handling operational constraints for unmanned vehicles. The system includes: a plurality of mobile unmanned vehicles for deployment in an environment; a computing device connected to the plurality of unmanned vehicles via a network, the computing device storing, in a memory, a plurality of operational constraints; each operational constraint including (i) a type identifier, (ii) an indication of a region of the environment, and (iii) a property defining a constraint on the operation of the unmanned vehicles within the region. The computing device is configured to: receive a request from one of the mobile unmanned vehicles, the request identifying an operational constraint; responsive to receiving the request, retrieve an operational constraint from the memory based on the request; and send the retrieved operational constraint to the one of the mobile unmanned vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Alex Bencz, Andrew Clifford Blakey, Shahab Kaynama, James Servos
  • Systems and methods for generating a mission for a self-driving material-transport vehicle
    Patent number: 11422569
    Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a mission for a self-driving material-transport vehicle are presented. The system comprises at least one self-driving material-transport vehicle, at least one programmable logic controller, at least one field instrument, and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium in communication with at least one processor. An application signal is received from the programmable logic controller based on an activation signal from the field instrument. A mission is generated by the application signal and a mission template, and the mission is transmitted to the self-driving material-transport vehicle. In some cases, the application signal may be based on OPC-UA, and the mission and/or mission template may be based on a REST protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Clearpath Robotics Inc.
    Inventors: Utsav Pardasani, Daniel Cantor, David William Bergsma, Kenneth James Sherk, Matthew Kingston Bedard, Matthew Allen Rendall, Ryan Christopher Gariepy
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