Fanuc pursues a patent on collision avoidance for an industrial robot. This week’s newest patent applications from Fanuc, Roche, Boston Scientific, Abbott, Medtronic, Merck, Visa, Microsoft, Apple, IBM, and Intel.
Fanuc Pursues a Patent on Collision Avoidance for an Industrial Robot
U.S. patent application, US20210252707, relates to a robot collision avoidance motion planning method that uses a worst state search and optimization approach. The motion planning technique begins with a geometric definition of obstacles, start and goal points, and an initial set of waypoints that are sparsely spaced. The method further includes a collision avoidance constraint defined using worst state locations, wherein the optimization of the waypoint locations is performed to improve the worst states until all collisions are eliminated and an obstacle avoidance minimum distance criteria is met. The figure below illustrates a sequence of waypoints through an obstacle environment.
Learn how iRobot has developed a method to control an autonomous mobile robot and see a complete demonstration of the technology.
Roche Seeks to Patent a Bispecific Antigen Binding Molecule
U.S. patent application, US20210253704, discloses a method for treating diseases like cancer through the parenteral administration of vectors and cells encoding polynucleotides that express bispecific antigen binding molecules for T-cell activation.
Boston Scientific Files a Patent for a Balloon Catheter
U.S. patent application, US20210252261, discloses a balloon catheter assembly. The balloon catheter assembly comprises a tubular member having a proximal and a distal portion with a lumen extending between them and a balloon member having a proximal and distal portion and an expandable region therebetween. The assembly also comprises a sleeve member covering a portion of the tubular member. The figure below represents the balloon catheter.
Abbott Aims to Patent an Analyte Sensor with Small Sensing Spots
U.S. patent application, US20210251530, relates to an analyte sensor system. The system includes two or more discontiguous droplets of a sensing element formulation disposed laterally to each other for measuring glucose, hormones, ketones, and so on. The figure below represents the analyte sensor.
Medtronic Seeks to Patent Battery Connectors for Implantable Medical Devices
U.S. patent application, US20210257703, relates to implantable medical devices utilizing a battery connector. The system includes a battery connector mounted directly to the device housing with the help of mounting grooves, tapered pins to connect to the power terminals of a circuit board, and plates to engage the battery terminals of the battery of the implantable medical device. The figure below represents the medical device with the battery connector.
Merck Files a Patent for an HPV Vaccine with a Lipid Adjuvant
U.S. patent application, US20210252138, relates to a pharmaceutical composition that includes a lipid nanoparticle adjuvant, and an anti-human papillomavirus (HPV) comprising HPV virus-like particles. The composition is highly effective at protecting vaccinated patients against premalignant lesions, anogenital cancers, and genital warts when administered prior to natural infection in subjects 9 years and older as multi-dose regimens.
Visa Wants to Patent a Method for Identifying Cardholders Traveling Abroad
U.S. patent application, US20210256521, discloses a method for identifying, by a first machine-learning (ML) model, cardholders who have purchased an international travel reservation. The method uses a second ML model to identify payment cards of identified cardholders having a low probability of being used for a cross-border transaction and for these cardholders, an action is initiated, including providing an offer to the identified cardholders of the low probability cross-border cards.
Microsoft Eyes a Patent for Virtual Keyboard Engagement
U.S. patent application, US20210255767, discloses a method for detecting virtual keyboard engagement. The method includes defining key volumes related to keys of a virtual keyboard and detecting the finger movement of a user through the individual key volumes to build potential key sequences. The figure below illustrates the user engaging the virtual keyboard by mimicking typing on a physical keyboard.
Apple Seeks to Patent a Deployable Key Mouse
U.S. patent application, US20210255711, discloses a computer input device that has a deployable key mouse. The computer input device includes a housing, a set of key switch mechanisms positioned in the housing, and a removable key structure that is operable between a first configuration and a second configuration. The removable key structure is operable as a key-based typing input in the first configuration and as a mouse in the second configuration. The figure below illustrates the computer input device with a removable key structure.
IBM Seeks to Patent a Method for Drone Formation for Traffic Coordination and Control
U.S. patent application, US20210256845, discloses a method for controlling a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for presenting visual navigating instructions at a region associated with an emergency event. The method includes receiving sensor readings generated at a region based on the emergency event and producing code instructions for controlling UAVs for presenting to the travelers the visual navigation instructions. The figure below illustrates an exemplary presentation of visual navigating instructions in a region associated with an emergency event.
Intel Pursues a Patent on Computers for Supporting Multiple Virtual Reality Display Devices
U.S. patent application, US20210256934, discloses a computer for supporting multiple virtual reality (VR) display devices. The computer includes a graphics processing unit (GPU) to render frames for a first VR display device and a second VR display device, a memory to store frames rendered by the GPU, and a vertical synchronization (VSYNC) scheduler to transmit alternating first and second VSYNC signals to the GPU. The figure below illustrates the computer supporting multiple VR display devices.
