05th week of 2021 patent applcation highlights part 42 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20210033974 | DOSE REDUCTION OF PATTERNED METAL OXIDE PHOTORESISTS - Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a multilayer stack used as a mask in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography and methods for forming a multilayer stack. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a carbon layer over a film stack, forming a metal rich oxide layer on the carbon layer by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, forming a metal oxide photoresist layer on the metal rich oxide layer, and patterning the metal oxide photoresist layer. The metal oxide photoresist layer is different from the metal rich oxide layer and is formed by a process different from the PVD process. The metal rich oxide layer formed by the PVD process improves adhesion of the metal oxide photoresist layer and increases the secondary electrons during EUV lithography, which leads to decreased EUV dose energies. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033975 | PERMANENT BONDING AND PATTERNING MATERIAL - Methods are disclosed to prepare permanent materials that can be coated onto microelectronic substrates or used for other structural or optical applications. The materials are thermally stable to at least about 300° C., curable using a photo or thermal process, exhibit good chemical resistance (including during metal passivation), and have a lifespan of at least about 5 years, preferably at least about 10 years, in the final device. Advantageously, these materials can also be bonded at room temperature. The materials exhibit no movement or squeeze-out after bonding and adhere to a variety of substrate types. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033976 | FILTER DEVICE AND PHOTORESIST COATING SYSTEM - The present disclosure provides a filter device and a photoresist coating system, and the filter device includes: a liquid storage tank, configured to hold photoresist to be filtered; a stirring structure, including a stirring tank and a stirring assembly at least partially received in the stirring tank; a first pipeline, one end of the first pipeline communicates with the liquid storage tank, and the other end of the first pipeline communicates with the stirring tank; a first filter assembly, provided on the first pipeline and located between the liquid storage tank and the stirring tank; a first pressure detection assembly, provided on the first pipeline and configured to detect a pressure of the photoresist in the first pipeline; and a second pipeline, one end of the second pipeline communicates with the stirring tank, and the other end of the second pipeline communicates with the coating device. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033977 | SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A substrate processing method and apparatus to create a sacrificial masking layer is disclosed. The layer is created by providing a first precursor selected to react with one of a radiation modified and unmodified layer portion and to not react with the other one of the radiation modified and unmodified layer portion on a substrate in a reaction chamber to selectively grow the sacrificial masking layer. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033978 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING RESIST MODEL PREDICTIONS - A method, involving computing a first intensity of a first aerial image and a second intensity of a second aerial image, the first aerial image corresponding to a first location within a resist layer and the second aerial image corresponding to a second location within the resist layer. The method further involving performing, using a resist model, a computer simulation of the resist layer to obtain a value of a parameter for a resist layer feature based on a difference between the first and second intensities or on a difference between a resist model result for the first intensity and a resist model result for the second intensity. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033979 | Measurement Apparatus and Method for Predicting Aberrations in a Projection System - A method of calibrating a projection system heating model to predict an aberration in a projection system in a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising passing exposure radiation through a projection system to expose one or more exposure fields on a substrate provided on a substrate table, making measurements of the aberration in the projection system caused by the exposure radiation, wherein the time period between measurements is less than the time period that would be taken to expose all exposure fields on the substrate. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033980 | GAMMA RAY GENERATOR, GAMMA RAY LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PERFORMING GAMMA RAY LITHOGRAPHY - One of gamma ray lithography systems includes a gamma ray generator and a wafer stage. The gamma ray generator is configured to generate a substantially uniform gamma ray. The gamma ray generator includes a plurality of gamma ray sources and a rotational carrier. The rotational carrier is configured to hold the gamma ray sources and rotate along a rotational axis. The wafer stage is disposed below the gamma ray generator and configured to secure a wafer. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033981 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT GENERATION APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus may include: a chamber device including an internal space; a target supply unit disposed at the chamber device and configured to supply a droplet of a target substance to the internal space; a target collection unit disposed at the chamber device, communicated with the internal space through an opening provided to an inner wall of the chamber device, and configured to collect the droplet passing through the opening; a detection unit disposed at the chamber device and configured to detect the target substance accumulating in the vicinity of the opening of the inner wall; and a control unit configured to stop the target supply unit depending on a result of the detection by the detection unit. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033982 | PHOTOGRAPHY DEVICE HAVING ILLUMINATOR AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING INTENSITY UNIFORMITY - An illuminator includes a first facet mirror receiving and reflecting an exposure radiation, an adjustable shielding element disposed on the first facet mirror, the adjustable shielding element adjusting intensity uniformity of the exposure radiation reflected by the first facet mirror, and a second facet mirror receiving and reflecting the exposure radiation reflected by the first facet mirror. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033983 | EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEM - An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system includes a vane bucket module. The vane bucket module includes a collecting tank and a temperature adjusting pack. The collecting tank has a cover and the cover includes a plurality of through holes. Thicknesses of edges of the cover is greater than a thickness of a center of the cover. The temperature adjusting pack surrounds the collecting tank. The temperature adjusting pack includes a plurality of inlets aligned with the through holes. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033984 | LENS CONTROL FOR LITHOGRAPHY TOOLS - Embodiments described herein relate to a dynamically controlled lens used in lithography tools. Multiple regions of the dynamic lens can be used to transmit a radiation beam for lithography process. By allowing multiple regions to transmit the radiation beam, the dynamically controlled lens can have an extended life cycle compared to conventional fixed lens. The dynamically controlled lens can be replaced or exchanged at a lower frequency, thus, improving efficiency of the lithography tools and reducing production cost. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033985 | EXPOSURE DEVICE - An exposure device may include an exposure head that may radiate an exposure beam onto a substrate on a stage, a support that may be provided on the stage to support the exposure head, a chamber that may accommodate the stage, the exposure head, and the support. The exposure device may include first protrusions that may be disposed on an outer circumference of the support adjacent to an inner wall of the chamber, and second protrusions that may be disposed on the inner wall of the chamber surrounding the outer circumference of the support. The first and second protrusions may overlap each other in a plan view. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033986 | Droplet Catcher System of EUV Lithography Apparatus and EUV Lithography Apparatus Maintenance Method - A droplet catcher system of an EUV lithography apparatus is provided. The droplet catcher system includes a catcher body, a heat transfer part, a heat exchanger, and a controller. The catcher body has an outer surface. The heat transfer part is directly attached to the outer surface of the catcher body. The heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the heat transfer part. The controller is electrically coupled to the heat exchanger. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033987 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT OF RETICLE IN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING - A method for thermal management of reticles for conducting an exposure process includes operations. A default state of a reticle is selected based on given data, where the given data includes overlay values of a plurality of processed semiconductor workpieces and temperature profiles of the reticle correlated to the processed semiconductor workpieces. The reticle is regulated to reach the default state before using the reticle to perform the exposure process. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033988 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REMOVING PARTICLES IN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING - A method for removing particles from a semiconductor process chamber including at least the following steps is provided. Electrical charges having a first polarity are accumulated on a receiving surface of the substrate holder by applying a voltage to the substrate holder. The particles having a second polarity in the semiconductor process chamber are attracted to move toward the receiving surface of the substrate holder on which the electrical charges having the first polarity are accumulated, where the first polarity is opposite to the second polarity. The particles having the second polarity are removed from the semiconductor process chamber. Other methods for removing particles from a semiconductor process chamber are also provided. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033989 | APPARATUS FOR CONTAINING A SUBSTRATE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE APPARATUS - An apparatus for containing a substrate and a method of manufacturing the apparatus are provided. The apparatus for containing a substrate includes: a base having a periphery and an upward-facing top horizontal planar surface with a plurality of contact elements, the contact elements being used for engaging the substrate to hold the substrate upon the upward-facing top horizontal planar surface, an upward-facing frame-like support surface extending from the upward-facing top horizontal planar surface and surrounding the contact elements at a position proximate to the periphery of the base; and a cover having a downward-facing frame-like support surface being in large-area contact with the upward-facing frame-like support surface to define a cavity for containing the substrate between the base and the cover. The downward-facing and upward-facing frame-like support surfaces in contact with each other are not at the same level as the upward-facing top horizontal planar surface. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033990 | LITHOGRAPHY SYSTEM AND CLEANING METHOD THEREOF - A lithography system and a cleaning method thereof are provided. The lithography system includes a light source generator. The light source generator includes a collector, a droplet generator and a droplet catcher. The droplet generator and the droplet catcher are facing each other, and disposed at a region surrounding the collector. The cleaning method includes: shifting the droplet generator out of the light source generator via a port of the light source generator; inserting a shove assembly into the light source generator via the port; using a borescope attached to the shovel assembly to identify a location of a deposit formed by droplets generated by the droplet generator; using the shovel assembly to remove and collect the deposit; and withdrawing the shovel assembly along with the borescope from the light source generator via the port. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033991 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member improved both in wear resistance and in image unevenness. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support, and a photosensitive layer and a surface layer on the support, wherein the surface layer is a cured product of a composition containing a compound represented by the formula (A) and a charge-transporting substance having at least one reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a methoxy group, an amino group, a thiol group, and a carboxyl group. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033992 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member including: a support, a photosensitive layer provided on the support, and a surface layer provided on the photosensitive layer, wherein the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member contains a cured product of a composition containing a charge transporting substance having a polymerizable functional group, a compound having a specific structure, a fluororesin particle, and polyvinyl acetal. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033993 | TONER PRODUCTION METHOD - A method for producing a toner, including aggregating and coalescing resin particles and colorant particles. The resin particles contain a composite resin containing a polyester resin segment, an addition polymer resin segment which is an addition polymerized product of a raw material monomer containing a styrenic compound, and a structural unit derived from a bireactive monomer bonding to the polyester resin segment and the addition polymer resin segment via a covalent bond. The colorant particles contain a colorant and an addition polymer of a raw material monomer containing a styrenic compound. The addition polymer contains a structural unit derived from the styrenic compound in the main chain. A ratio by mass of the colorant to the addition polymer in the colorant particles is 50/50 or more and 95/5 or less. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033994 | IMAGE FORMING METHOD - Provided is an image forming method for arranging powder particles on a resin image layer, wherein the powder particles are non-spherical powder particles; the image forming method containing the step of adjusting an orientation of the powder particles disposed on the resin image layer; and hd1 and hd2 are adjusted so as to satisfy a relation expressed by the following Equation (1), Equation (1): hd12021-02-04 | |
20210033995 | LIQUID DEVELOPER AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - A liquid developer contains toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, a liquid carrier, a toner-particle dispersant, and a compound represented by formula (1). The liquid carrier contains at least one selected from the group consisting of liquid aliphatic hydrocarbons and liquid polysiloxanes. The toner-particle dispersant is an amine-based dispersant. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033996 | ELECTROCONDUCTIVE MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an electrophotographic electroconductive member including an electroconductive support and an electroconductive layer on the support, an electroconductive member is used, in which an electroconductive layer has a matrix comprising a first rubber, and domains dispersed in the matrix, the domains each comprising a second rubber and an electronic electroconductive agent, and for impedance measured by applying an AC voltage with an amplitude of 1 V to the electroconductive layer while varying frequencies between 1.0×10 | 2021-02-04 |
20210033997 | POWDER AMOUNT DETECTOR, POWDER SUPPLY DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A powder amount detector detects an amount of powder in a powder container of a cylindrical shape arranged horizontally. The powder amount detector includes a pair of measuring electrodes configured to detect capacitance between the pair of measuring electrodes to detect the amount of powder. The pair of measuring electrodes is disposed around the powder container. One of the pair of measuring electrodes has a flat shape, and the other of the pair of measuring electrodes has an arc shape following a shape of the powder container. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033998 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A developing device includes a developer bearer, a developer regulator, a developer supply passage, and a stopper. The developer bearer includes a magnetic field generator and is configured to bear a developer containing toner and magnetic carriers and conveys the developer to a developing area by rotation. A stopper is configured to prevent the developer blocked by the developer regulator from moving to a surface of the developer bearer, while securing a supply path for passing the developer in the developer supply passage to the developer bearer between the stopper and an upper end of a side wall of the developer supply passage that is opposite to the developing bearer. A width of the supply path in a direction perpendicular to a direction of a rotation axis of the developer bearer is in a range of 7% or more and less than 10% of a circumference of an outer diameter of the developing bearer. | 2021-02-04 |
20210033999 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including: an image forming portion that forms a toner image on a recording material; a fixing portion that has a heater unit including a heater and that fixes the toner image on the recording material, the heater being capable of changing a heat generating region; a control portion that controls the heater; and an image adding portion that adds a predetermined additional image to a desired image, wherein the control portion sets the heat generating region according to a width of the desired image in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction or a width of the recording material in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the width of the predetermined additional image in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is equal to or less than the width of the heat generating region in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034000 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording material based on image data; a fixing portion that includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating members arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording material, and that fixes the image to the recording material using heat of the heater; a storage portion that stores history information on the recording material when image forming operation is performed in which the image forming portion forms the image and the fixing portion fixes the image, a control portion that sets power to be supplied to the heat generating members based on the history information before a type of the recording material on which the image is formed or content of the image data of the image to be formed on the recording material is determined. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034001 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - An image forming apparatus, including: a control portion that controls a conveying speed of recording materials when the recording materials pass through a nip portion; wherein the control portion, in a case of continuous sheet passing of the recording materials each having a smaller width than the recording materials each having a maximum width: executes, in a case where a representative value of the number of the recording materials having the smaller width for one operation of the continuous sheet passing is smaller than a predetermined threshold, a first operating mode in which the conveying speed is controlled to a first speed; and executes, in a case where the representative value is the threshold or more, a second operating mode in which the conveying speed is controlled to a second speed lower than the first speed. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034002 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes the following, a pair of first conveying rollers, a pair of second conveying rollers, a driver which rotates and drives the second conveying rollers by a command value; and a controller which is able to control the driver to perform constant speed control to rotate the pair of second conveying rollers at a constant speed and to perform constant torque control to rotate the pair of second conveying rollers at a constant torque. When the constant torque control is performed, the controller starts the constant torque control with a predetermined initial torque. Based on sheet interval torque detected in a sheet interval term in which the pair of second conveying rollers do not sandwich and convey a sheet after the first sheet reaches the pair of second conveying rollers, the controller corrects the initial torque and calculates a command value for the next sheet. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034003 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes: a body; a developing cartridge having a memory medium and a developer bearing member; a tray including a frame which is movable between a housed position and a drawn-out position and has side portions extending in the moving direction and to which the developing cartridge is attachable, an image bearing member that faces the developer bearing member when the developing cartridge is attached, a tray-side metal terminal provided on the side portion and electrically connected to the memory medium when the cartridge is attached, and a tray guide portion extending along the moving direction; a body-side metal terminal that faces the tray-side metal terminal when the tray is housed, wherein the tray-side metal terminal is provided below the tray guide portion. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034004 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a main body, a pick-up device to pick up a printing medium, a developing device to develop an image on a side of the printing medium picked up by the pick-up device, a fixing device to fix the image developed on the side of the printing medium, a paper reverse device to guide the printing medium from a transfer direction of the printing medium passing through the fixing device, through a reverse path to the developing device and the fixing device, to develop and fix another image on other side of the printing medium, a discharging device to discharge the printing medium outside the main body, a post-processing device provided in the main body, and a post-processing path selection device rotatable to a first position to guide the printing medium through a discharge path to guide the printing medium passing through the fixing device to the discharging device and a second position to guide the printing medium from the discharge path to a post-processing path branched from the discharge path, to guide the printing medium to the post-processing device. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034005 | DETECTING SIZE OF PRINT MEDIUM USING SENSORS AVAILABLE ALONG PAPER PATH - An image forming apparatus includes a load detection sensor located on a feeder to detect whether a print medium is loaded on the feeder, an overload detection sensor to detect an overload state of a discharger, and a controller to detect a width of the print medium according to a combination of a feeder load state of a feeder load detection signal of the load detection sensor and an overload state of a discharger overload detection signal of the overload detection sensor and control an image former to perform printing by applying different print modes according to the detected width of the print medium. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034006 | ROLLER AND COUPLER TRANSITIONS - Examples described herein relate to a system for a print cartridge. For instance, the system may comprise a coupling member to connect to a printing device, a roller mechanism coupled to the coupling member, where a position of the coupling member relative to the roller mechanism remains the same as the coupling member and roller mechanism transition between a first position and a second position, and an urging member positioned away from the coupling member, where the urging member is to transition the roller mechanism from the second position to the first position. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034007 | POWDER COLLECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A powder collection device includes a collection container configured to store powder collected and a powder amount detector including a pair of electrodes. The powder amount detector detects an amount of powder in the collection container based on capacitance between the pair of electrodes. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034008 | MOVING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In a moving unit, a shutter member is provided with a first contact portion configured to receive a force in a predetermined direction when the shutter member comes into contact with the apparatus main body, and a second contact portion configured to receive a force in a direction different from the predetermined direction when the shutter member comes into contact with the apparatus main body. When the moving unit is moved from the second position to the first position along the first direction, the first and second contact portions sequentially come into contact with the apparatus main body, the shutter member moves relative to the delivery member in the order of a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the first direction, and the opening changes from the closed state to the open state. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034009 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an opening/closing unit configured to take a first closed position and a first open position, and a rotatable member configured to take a second closed position for covering an opening to form a double-sided conveyance path, and a second open position for opening the double-sided conveyance path. The unit includes an engaging portion with a portion to be engaged, an interlock shaft rotatable with the engaging portion, and a gripping portion configured to rotate the interlock shaft, the engaging portion to position the unit at the first closed position. When the opening/closing member moves from the second closed position to the second open position, a protruding portion engages with the gripping portion of the unit positioned at the first closed position to rotate the engaging portion through the gripping portion to release the engagement to enable movement. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034011 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion for forming a toner image on a sheet; a fixing portion for fixing the toner image formed by the image forming portion, on the sheet; a reversing portion for reversing the sheet carrying the toner image fixed by the fixing portion; a blower for blowing air; and a duct for guiding the air blown from the blower means to the reversing means. The duct is provided with an opening at an end in a width direction of the sheet, and the blower blows the air from a downstream side to an upstream side in the feeding direction of the sheet after being reversed by the reversing portion. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034012 | HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAY METHOD AND HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAY DEVICE - Disclosed are a holographic display method and a holographic display device. The holographic display method includes: acquiring an area of Nth diffraction order corresponding to an eye position; according to the area of Nth diffraction order, calculating a holographic complex amplitude distribution corresponding to a window of Nth diffraction order to obtain window hologram information, a function of the holographic complex amplitude distribution being expressed by C(m, n)=A(m, n)*exp[−iφ(m, n)/N]; encoding the window hologram information; and according to the encoded window hologram information, loading the encoded window hologram information in the area of Nth diffraction order to display a hologram. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034013 | SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR - A spatial light modulator according to the inventive concept includes a light modulation layer including a plurality of pixels arranged on a plane perpendicular to a first direction, a first lens array including first lenses corresponding one-to-one with the pixels, a second lens array including second lenses corresponding one-to-one with the first lenses, and a spacer layer between the first lens array and the second lens array. Each of the first lenses has a first central axis extending in the first direction and the first central axes of the first lenses meet at different positions for each of the pixels. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034014 | SUBMERGED MECHANICAL TIMEPIECE - The invention relates to a timepiece with an escapement based on resistance to the flow of a fluid, comprising a pump arranged for continuously and uninterruptedly pumping said fluid. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034015 | MICRO-MECHANICAL TIMEPIECE PART - The micromechanical clockwork part is cut from a plate-like silicon substrate. The cut edges of the part include portions intended to serve as contact surfaces arranged to slide against corresponding contact zones of another micromechanical part in a clockwork piece. The cut edges have a ribbed surface including an alternating set of ribs and furrows, the ribs and the furrows being straight and each contained in a plane parallel to the plate. Moreover, the ribs and furrows which the cut edges have form a stepped pattern on the cut edge, with first intervals in which the spacing separating the ribs from one another is equal to a first distance, and at least one second interval in which the spacing between the ribs is equal to a second distance different from the first distance. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034016 | DEVICE FOR GUIDING PIVOTALLY AND HOROLOGICAL RESONATOR MECHANISM FOR A PIVOTING MASS - A device for guiding a pivoting mass about an axis. A first support is fixed and a second support forms or supports the pivoting mass. The device is includes a first and second flexible leaf oriented in the same direction when the device is at rest, and an intermediate leaf having a rigidity notably greater than the flexible leaves and connecting the first flexible leaf to the second, the device including a first fixed link formed by the first support and a first end of the first leaf, a second fixed link formed by a second end of the first leaf and by a first end of the intermediate leaf, a third fixed link formed by a second end of the intermediate leaf and by a first end of the second leaf and a fourth fixed link formed by at least one second end of the second leaf, wherein the first and/or the fourth link is arranged substantially between the second and the third link in the direction when the device is at rest. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034017 | DISPLAY PANEL - A display panel includes a plate-shaped decoration member including a shading part and a light transmission part formed within the shading part, as well as a plate-shaped reflection member disposed on a back side of the decoration member. The shading part and the light transmission part create a fine pattern in plan view. The reflection member is configured to reflect light. The decoration member is disposed on a front surface of the reflection member. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034018 | DIAL FOR TIMEPIECES - A dial for a timepiece, preferably a watch, the dial being provided with a relief portion which is made as an assembly of pieces on different levels, juxtaposed on a base, such that the relief portion is formed by the upper surfaces of the pieces. A method for manufacturing the dial with several separate pieces, the upper surfaces of the pieces being subjected to a polishing step and/or possibly an enamelling step. The pieces are then cut along a defined contour and then assembled edge-to-edge on a base, so as to create the relief portion. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034019 | PROFESSIONALLY CUSTOMIZABLE TIMEPIECE - A professionally customizable timepiece includes a primary casing including a movement and configured to operate independently as a timepiece, and a secondary casing having an interior space for receiving the primary casing and further design elements. The secondary casing completely encloses the interior space and can be opened without tool for placement of the primary casing and/or design elements into the interior space or to remove them from there. The secondary casing includes a sight glass and is configured to secure the primary casing at a selectable position in the interior space. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034020 | WATCH AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING WATCH - A watch includes an hour hand having a first conductive portion and rotating about an hour hand shaft, a seconds hand having a second conductive portion and rotating at a rotational speed faster than that of the hour hand about a seconds hand shaft, which is coaxial with the hour hand shaft, and a planar inverted-F antenna disposed, in plan view viewed from a direction parallel to the hour hand shaft, at a position overlapping a rotation range of the first conductive portion and a rotation range of the second conductive portion, and receiving a radio wave, and when the planar inverted-F antenna receives a radio wave, a controller, after rotating the seconds hand and then stopping the seconds hand at a reception indication position, rotates the hour hand such that the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion overlap each other in the plan view. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034021 | METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED OPERATION OF A FAN OR A FAN ASSEMBLY - In a method for optimizing the operation of a fan or a fan arrangement, using a digital replica of the fan or the fan arrangement and at least one operating parameter-specific algorithm, the data and findings obtained during operation are fed to a constant innovation and algorithm analysis with the goal of generating product innovations while at the same time generating improved “intelligent” algorithms. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034022 | HVAC SYSTEM WITH PREDICTIVE AIRSIDE CONTROL - A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes airside HVAC equipment configured to provide heating or cooling to one or more building spaces and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are configured to generate airside energy targets for the one or more building spaces using a heat transfer model that defines a relationship between the airside energy targets, a temperature of the one or more building spaces, and a thermal capacitance of the one or more building spaces. The one or more controllers are configured to control the airside HVAC equipment in accordance with the airside energy targets. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034023 | Apparatus And Methods To Build Deep Learning Controller Using Non-Invasive Closed Loop Exploration - Deep Learning is a candidate for advanced process control, but requires a significant amount of process data not normally available from regular plant operation data. Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to solving this issue. One example embodiment is a method for creating a Deep Learning based model predictive controller for an industrial process. The example method includes creating a linear dynamic model of the industrial process, and based on the linear dynamic model, creating a linear model predictive controller to control and perturb the industrial process. The linear model predictive controller is employed in the industrial process and data is collected during execution of the industrial process. The example method further includes training a Deep Learning model of the industrial process based on the data collected using the linear model predictive controller, and based on the Deep Learning model, creating a Deep Learning model predictive controller to control the industrial process. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034024 | BUILDING HVAC SYSTEM WITH MULTI-LEVEL MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL - A heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) system for a building includes HVAC equipment configured to provide heating or cooling to one or more building spaces and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers include one or more processing circuits configured to generate energy targets for the one or more building spaces using a thermal capacitance of the one or more building spaces to which the heating or cooling is provided by the HVAC equipment, generate setpoints for the HVAC equipment using the energy targets for the one or more building spaces to which the heating or cooling is provided by the HVAC equipment, and operate the HVAC equipment using the setpoints to provide the heating or cooling to the one or more building spaces. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034025 | CONTROL DEVICE AND ADJUSTMENT METHOD - A control device for adjusting the output voltage of a voltage generator, wherein the control device includes a master circuit, a slave circuit, and a power-scaling control circuit, is provided. The master circuit is coupled to a system bus. The slave circuit is coupled to the system bus. The power-scaling control circuit is coupled between the master circuit and the slave circuit. In response to the master circuit sending a voltage-scaling command, the power-scaling control circuit sets a control signal at a suspension level so that the slave circuit sets a specific signal transmitted by the system bus at a wait level. In response to the specific signal being at the wait level, the master circuit stops accessing the first specific device of the slave circuit. In response to the control signal being at the suspension level, the power-scaling control circuit adjusts the output voltage. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034026 | DISHWASHER WITH CLOUD CONNECTED CAMERAS - Systems and methods for monitoring dish ware position and modifying the wash and dry cycle of a dishwasher by capturing and analyzing image data utilizing a plurality of cloud-connected cameras. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034027 | ELECTRIC POWER GRID INSPECTION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - In some embodiments, the system is directed to an autonomous inspection system for electrical grid components. In some embodiments, the system collects electrical grid component data using an autonomous drone and then transmits the inspection data to one or more computers. In some embodiments, the system includes artificial intelligence that analysis the data and identifies electrical grid components defects and provides a model highlighting the defects to a user. In some embodiments, the system enables a user to train the artificial intelligence by providing feedback for models where defects or components are not properly identified. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034028 | MANUFACTURING SYSTEM FOR BIOPHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS - The present disclosure relates to a manufacturing system, method and control circuitry for quality assured manufacturing of at least two biopharmaceutical products. The manufacturing system comprises a warehouse facility, a hydration facility, and at least two biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, wherein the warehouse facility and hydration facility are comprised in the macro structure. Each biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility is comprised in a respective micro node, and a control facility in the macro structure is configured to control interoperability of the macro structure and the micro nodes by means of a network spine interconnecting the macro structure with each micro node. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034029 | BINDERS FOR MILLING TOOLS USING WURTZITE BORON NITRIDE (W-BN) SUPERHARD MATERIAL - Systems and methods include a computer-implemented method for manufacturing a binder for spraying onto tools. A binder is manufactured for binding compacts onto a tool substrate. The binder is designed to provide a coating strength on the tool substrate. The binder includes: a metal selected from iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni); an alloy including the metal selected from Fe, Co, and Ni; or a refractory alloy selected from tungsten, tantalum (Ta), molybdenum (Mo), and niobium (Nb). An ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation is performed on pure wurtzite boron nitride (w-BN) powder to synthesize w-BN and cubic boron nitride (c-BN) compact. A binder-compact mixture is produced by turbulently mixing the binder with the compact in a mixer within a vacuum. The binder-compact mixture is thermally sprayed onto a tool substrate to coat the tool. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034030 | SCENARIO EDITOR TOOL FOR A CONTROL SYSTEM - In one embodiment, a system comprising plural equipment, each of the plural equipment having a different functionality; a controller; and a switch comprising plural states, the switch operably coupling the plural equipment to the controller, wherein the switch, when configured in a first state, enables the controller to control operations of the plural equipment using first control logic, and wherein the switch, when configured in a second state, enables the controller to control operations of one or more equipment of the plural equipment using second control logic that bypasses the first control logic. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034031 | USING AI FOR ENSURING DATA INTEGRITY OF INDUSTRIAL CONTROLLERS - In example implementations described herein, the power of time series machine learning is used to extract the statistics of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) data and external sensor data. The accuracy of time series machine learning is improved by manufacturing context-dependent segmentation of the time series into states which is factory may be in. The invention can capture subtle trends in these time series data and be able to classify them into several outcomes from ICS security attacks to normal anomalies and machine/sensor failures. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034032 | SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GUIDED TOOLS WITH MULTIPLE POSITIONING SYSTEMS - The present disclosure is directed to performing work on a working surface based on a desired path using a working member. The disclosed system advances the working member with respect to the desired path using a first positioning system and a second positioning system. The first positioning system comprises a frame and actuators operable to advance the working member with respect to a portion of the desired path within an adjustment region. The second positioning system comprises actuators operable to move the frame. By moving the frame using the second positioning system, the first positioning system advances the working member with respect to a portion of the desired path that was outside the adjustment region before the frame was moved. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034033 | METHOD TO ENSURE SAFETY CRITICAL FUNCTIONALITY FOR AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED MACHINE - A method for ensuring safety critical functionality for a laser engraver includes obtaining a command from a laser motor controller; obtaining sensor data from a plurality of sensors, the sensor data corresponding to an operating status of various components of the laser engraver; determining a functioning status for each component; and as a result of determining the functioning status for all of the components, enabling supply of power to a laser, where the method is performed by a safety controller that is embodied in hardware completely separate from hardware in which the laser motor controller is embodied. One example required functioning status is that a power button has been selected twice in quick succession. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034034 | EVENT MONITOR COUPLED TO A QUALITY REVIEW SYSTEM - A quality review system may be used to analyze the operation of manufacturing processes within a plant based on data collected by various data sources in the plant to automatically detect, store and display predetermined conditions within the process effecting the quality of the product produced by the plant. The quality review system includes a configuration application that enables a user to create one or more monitoring rules, a monitoring application that collects data from the process and that uses the monitoring rules during operation of the process to analyze the process data to detect one or more predetermined conditions within the process, and an external receiver that stores and/or uses the messages pertaining to the detected predetermined conditions. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034035 | System and Method for Providing Digital Content - A method of electronically displaying glyphs. The method includes receiving a glyph spacing, moving a first glyph toward a second glyph along an axis, identifying an intersection of a first axis coordinate of the first glyph with a second axis coordinate of the second glyph, and moving at least one of the glyphs along the axis to separate the first and second axis coordinates of the respective first and second glyphs by the glyph spacing. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034036 | METHOD OF TOOL PATH GENERATION FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING WITH VECTOR DISTRIBUTION - Methods are provided for designing and generating a tool path for three-dimensional printing of a fiber composite part. The method includes defining a three-dimensional domain model and determining a set of boundary conditions for the three-dimensional domain model. The methods include applying a gradient-based algorithm to a predetermined stress state located within the three-dimensional domain model in order to: (1) optimize the three-dimensional domain model for minimum deflection or stress using a structural mechanics algorithm for a composite article, and (2) provide a topologically optimized fiber composite part design and fiber orientation field. The methods include using the topologically optimized fiber composite part design and fiber orientation field as an input to solve Gray-Scott reaction diffusion equations to generate an anisotropic tool path for three-dimensional printing of the fiber composite part. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034037 | AUTOZONING OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PRINT PARAMETERS - A method, medium, and system to automatically determine parameter sets for an additive manufacturing (AM) of a part, the method including executing a load analysis on a model of a part to emulate a load on each of a plurality of regions of the part; determining a representation of the model of the part as a plurality of discrete three-dimensional (3D) volume elements; determining, based on an output of the load analysis, a life or material property value to assign to each of the plurality of 3D volume elements; automatically determining an assignment of one of a plurality of additive manufacturing (AM) print parameter sets to each of the plurality of 3D volume elements; and saving a record of the determined assignments of the AM print parameter sets to each of the plurality of 3D volume elements. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034038 | A PRINTER FOR PRINTING A 3D OBJECT - A printer for printing a 3D object based on a computer model, the printer comprising a tool for extruding or solidifying material, a stage supporting layers of the object; motion structure defining the shape of the layers, and a controller configured to make a path to be followed for making the object. To increase at least one of the speed and the precision by which the object is made, the controller is configured to define the path by defining a plurality of line segments and by defining transition segment for insertion between the line segments. The controller is further configured to only demand material deposition along the line segments and not along the transition segments. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034039 | INTELLIGENT CONTROLLER AND SENSOR NETWORK BUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD INCLUDING A MESSAGE RETRANSMISSION MECHANISM - A machine automation system for controlling and operating an automated machine. The system includes a controller and sensor bus including a central processing core and a multi-medium transmission intranet for implementing a dynamic burst to broadcast transmission scheme where messages are burst from nodes to the central processing core and broadcast from the central processing core to all of the nodes. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034040 | CONTROLLER FOR MACHINE TOOL, MACHINE TOOL, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING MACHINE TOOL - A controller includes a determination circuit, a setting circuit, and a control circuit. The determination circuit is configured to determine whether a chatter vibration is occurring while a spindle is rotating and a workpiece is being cut. The setting circuit is configured to set an upper limit and a lower limit on a change amount of a rotational speed of the spindle. The control circuit is configured to determine the change amount randomly from a range between the upper limit and the lower limit and configured to rotate the spindle at a second rotational speed obtained by changing a first rotational speed by the change amount that has been determined if the chatter vibration is determined as occurring while the control circuit controls the rotational speed of the spindle at the first rotational speed. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034041 | FACTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND CONTROL SYSTEM - A factory management system and control system are provided. The factory management system includes: a machine; multiple sensors disposed corresponding to the machine and generates multiple first sensing data; a server; and a control system coupled to the machine and the server. The control system receives the first sensing data to generate multiple corresponding control commands in real time and transmits the control commands to the machine. The control system receives a user login message and receives multiple second sensing data and displays the second sensing data in a user login status. The control system receives a user control command and transmits a second control command corresponding to the user control command to the machine. When the control system determines that an abnormal condition occurs according to the second sensing data in the user login status, the control system sends a warning message. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034042 | INTELLIGENT CONTROLLER AND SENSOR NETWORK BUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD INCLUDING SMART COMPLIANT ACTUATOR MODULE - A machine automation system for controlling and operating an automated machine. The system includes a controller and sensor bus including a central processing core and a multi-medium transmission intranet for implementing a dynamic burst to broadcast transmission scheme where messages are burst from nodes to the central processing core and broadcast from the central processing core to all of the nodes. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034043 | INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING PLANT AND METHOD FOR AN AUTOMATED BOOKING OF MANUAL ACTIVITIES - A method for the automated booking of manual activities carried out by a worker in an industrial manufacturing plant while processing a workpiece is disclosed. The booking is performed in a digital control system for the creation of a digital process chain of the manufacturing. The digital process chain includes activity profiles, each of which is assigned to a manual activity. The method includes: providing movement data of a manual activity to be booked; providing position data of the manual activity to be booked; evaluating the movement data and the position data, wherein the movement data and the position data are input data of a classification process in which the input data are classified with respect to the activity profiles and a specific activity profile is output for the movement data; and booking the output specific activity profile in the digital process chain of the workpiece. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034044 | METHOD FOR QUALITY CONTROLING OF TARGET OBJECT AND EDGE COMPUTING DEVICE - The present disclosure provides a method for quality control of a target object and an edge computing device. The method includes: receiving, by an edge computing device, a target image of the target object to be quality controlled currently; and recognizing the target image based on a mathematical model provided by an edge computing platform, to determine whether the target object has a defect. According to technical solutions of the present disclosure, efficiency of quality control of the target object can be improved while labor costs are reduced. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034045 | INPUT MODULE OF INDUSTRIAL CONTROL APPARATUS - An input module of an industrial control apparatus receives a digital signal from an external source, outputs a binary signal as an internal signal, and determines a level of the digital signal based on the internal signal. The input module determines that the digital signal has a low level when a low level of the internal signal continues for a certain time period, determines that the digital signal has a high level when the internal signal switches from the low level to a high level and then switches to the low level again, and determines an occurrence of a fixing failure when the internal signal switches from the low level to the high level and then fails to switch to the low level again. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034046 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RESOLVING WORKFLOW - Systems and methods are provided for updating a workflow by resolving information of the workflow. The systems and methods may be configured to obtain sensor data describing an operation of the workflow, obtain information describing the workflow, determine whether the sensor data is consistent with the information based on predefined criteria, in response to determining that the sensor data is not consistent with the information, determine whether to resolve the sensor data, in response to determining whether to resolve the sensor data, resolve the sensor data to satisfy the predefined criteria or determining that the sensor data is unresolved, and update the workflow based on the resolved sensor data. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034047 | DATA PROCESSING DEVICE CAPABLE OF PERFORMING PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS IN A PRODUCTION SYSTEM WITH PLURALITY OF ROBOTS AND METHOD - A data processing device capable of performing problem diagnosis in a production system with a plurality of robots includes: a first time series obtaining part for obtaining historical event data used for determining some historical alarm indicator in time series and storing the historical event data as first time series data; a historic alarm indicator calculation part for calculating a series of historic alarm indicators using statistic characteristics of the first time series data; a threshold definition part for defining at least one threshold value based on a statistical distribution of the historical alarm indicators; a second time series obtaining part for obtaining operational event data during operation of the robots used for determining some operational alarm indicator in time series and storing the operational event data as second time series data; and an operational alarm indicator calculation part for calculating a series of operational alarm indicators. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034048 | TELEMETRY COMPONENT HEALTH PREDICTION FOR RELIABLE PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE ANALYTICS - A system for reliable preventative maintenance of a device includes a telemetry component health predictor that generates predictive performance statistics for telemetry components performing telemetry collection or telemetry transmission operations for the device. The system further includes a predictive maintenance analytics engine that generates predictive performance statistics for the device based on device telemetry and the predictive performance statistics generated for the telemetry components of the device. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034049 | REMOTE DRIVING SYSTEM AND REMOTE DRIVING METHOD - A first processor provided in a manual operation device of a vehicle, a second processor provided in a remote operation device transmits operator information to the manual operation device and receives occupant information. The first processor notifies an occupant of the received operator information, and determines whether an operator can be authenticated by the occupant. The second processor notifies the operator of the received occupant information, and determines whether or not the occupant can be authenticated by the operator. The third processor permits switching of driving operation from one to another of the manual operation device and the remote operation device only in a case in which the operator has been determined authenticable by the first processor and the occupant has been determined authenticable by the second processor. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034050 | Remote Operation Extending an Existing Route to a Destination - An apparatus for remote support of autonomous operation of a vehicle includes a processor that is configured to perform a method including receiving, from a vehicle traversing a driving route from a start point to an end point at a destination, an assistance request signal identifying an inability of the vehicle at the destination to reach the end point, generating a first map display including a representation of a geographical area and the vehicle within the geographical area, receiving, from the vehicle, sensor data from one or more sensing devices of the vehicle, generating a remote support interface including the first map display and the sensor data, and transmitting instruction data to the vehicle that includes an alternative end point at the destination responsive to an input signal provided to the remote support interface. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034051 | VEHICLE OPERATION SYSTEM - A vehicle operation system includes: a first vehicle in which an occupant boards; and a second vehicle configured to be loaded on or towed by the first vehicle and supports plural kinds of work, the second vehicle being remotely operable by remote operation by the occupant using an operation interface of the first vehicle. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034052 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, INSTRUCTION METHOD FOR PROMPTING INFORMATION, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An information processing device includes a processor configured to obtain a first point of interest to which a first user pays attention in a first image and obtain a second point of interest to which a second user pays attention in a second image. The first image is shot by a first flight body controlled by a first terminal operated by the first user, and the second image is shot by a second flight body controlled by a second terminal operated by the second user. The processor is further configured to determine whether the first point of interest and the second point of interest are a common point of interest, and prompt information related to the second flight body to the first terminal in response to the first point of interest and the second point of interest being the common point of interest. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034053 | Pilot Health and Alertness Monitoring, Communication and Safeguarding - Systems and methods for monitoring, communicating and safeguarding the health and alertness of a pilot during operation of an aircraft. The state of the pilot is monitored using biometric sensors. A pilot state data processor of an onboard computer system determines whether the value of any health/alertness parameter has exceeded a specified threshold or not. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034054 | METHODS FOR TRANSITIONING BETWEEN AUTONOMOUS DRIVING MODES IN LARGE VEHICLES - The technology relates to assisting large self-driving vehicles, such as cargo vehicles, as they maneuver towards and/or park at a destination facility. This may include a given vehicle transitioning between different autonomous driving modes. Such a vehicles may be permitted to drive in a fully autonomous mode on certain roadways for the majority of a trip, but may need to change to a partially autonomous mode on other roadways or when entering or leaving a destination facility such as a warehouse, depot or service center. Large vehicles such as cargo truck may have limited room to maneuver in and park at the destination, which may also prevent operation in a fully autonomous mode. Here, information from the destination facility and/or a remote assistance service can be employed to aid in real-time semi-autonomous maneuvering. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034055 | MANAGING APPARATUS - A managing apparatus provides self-driving of a vehicle, which allows the vehicle to enter a parking space out of a plurality of parking spaces from an outside of a parking lot including the plurality of parking spaces, and which allows the vehicle to leave the parking lot for a predetermined place in the outside. The managing apparatus is provided with: a wait time setting device configured to set a maximum wait time of the vehicle in the predetermined place; and a controller configured to set a driving route for returning the vehicle to the parking lot from the predetermined place on condition that the maximum wait time elapses from an arrival of the vehicle in the predetermined place, and configured to provide the self-driving of the vehicle along the driving route. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034056 | NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH CAMERA ASSIST - One embodiment is a navigation system for an aircraft including a positioning system to generate information related to a position of the aircraft, a group of cameras mounted to a body of the aircraft, each camera of the group of cameras to simultaneously capture images of a portion of an environment that surrounds the aircraft, and a processing component coupled to the positioning system and the group of cameras, the processing component to determine a current position of the aircraft based on the information related to the position of the aircraft and the images. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034057 | METHOD FOR AUTONOMOUS DETECTION OF CROP LOCATION BASED ON TOOL DEPTH AND LOCATION - A method for detecting real lateral locations of target plants includes: recording an image of a ground area at a camera; detecting a target plant in the image; accessing a lateral pixel location of the target plant in the image; for each tool module in a set of tool modules arranged behind the camera and in contact with a plant bed: recording an extension distance of the tool module; and recording a lateral position of the tool module relative to the camera; estimating a depth profile of the plant bed proximal the target plant based on the extension distance and the lateral position of each tool module; estimating a lateral location of the target plant based on the lateral pixel location of the target plant and the depth profile of the plant bed surface proximal the target plant; and driving a tool module to a lateral position aligned with the lateral location of the target plant. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034058 | WORKSITE PLAN EXECUTION - A method includes receiving a worksite plan to be executed by at least one machine at a worksite from a computing device of a supervising entity, the controller being located at a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) location with respect to the worksite. The worksite plan may include a boundary of the worksite at which the worksite plan is implemented, at least one task defining the worksite plan, and a selection of at least one machine to perform the task. The method may include receiving a validation signal from a device located at the worksite, the validation indicating that the worksite is ready for implementation of the worksite plan based on at least one parameter of worksite readiness. The method may include selecting a first mode of operation of the machine to perform the task and transmitting first instructions to the machine to perform the task based on the first mode of operation. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034059 | INCREASING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES - Methods, systems, and apparatus for a confidence enhancement system. The confidence enhancement system includes a navigation unit configured to obtain navigational map information including a current location of the vehicle. The confidence enhancement system includes a sensor configured to obtain sensor data. The confidence enhancement system includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is coupled to the navigation unit and the sensor. The electronic control unit is configured to determine a confidence score. The confidence score is related to safe operation of the autonomous driving of the vehicle based on the current location of the vehicle and the sensor data. The electronic control unit is configured to determine that the confidence score exceeds a confidence threshold and indicate that autonomous driving is safe at the current location. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034060 | METHOD FOR PERFORMING A VEHICLE ASSIST OPERATION - The technology relates to assisting large self-driving vehicles, such as cargo vehicles, as they maneuver towards and/or park at a destination facility. This may include a given vehicle transitioning between different autonomous driving modes. Such a vehicles may be permitted to drive in a fully autonomous mode on certain roadways for the majority of a trip, but may need to change to a partially autonomous mode on other roadways or when entering or leaving a destination facility such as a warehouse, depot or service center. Large vehicles such as cargo truck may have limited room to maneuver in and park at the destination, which may also prevent operation in a fully autonomous mode. Here, information from the destination facility and/or a remote assistance service can be employed to aid in real-time semi-autonomous maneuvering. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034061 | MOVING ROBOT AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A mobile robot is configured to move a main body and rotate a cleaning cloth by means of a motor to clean a surface. A location change of the main body is analyzed to determine a traveling state of the robot. The absence of the cleaning cloth is detected and the operation of the robot is controlled based on the detected travelling state. A user is notified about the absence of the cleaning cloth. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034062 | MOVING ROBOT AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A mobile robot rotates a spin mop to move a main body along a surface and clean the surface. A location change of the main body during its motion is analyzed to determine if the robot is traveling abnormally. If abnormal traveling is occurring, the location where it is occurring is stored and re-cleaning of the location is initiated. The location where abnormal traveling occurred may be considered in next cleaning to improve cleaning efficiency. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034063 | VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUS, VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A vehicle control apparatus of an embodiment includes a recognizer which recognizes a surrounding environment of a host vehicle, and a driving controller which controls one or both of a speed and steering of the host vehicle on the basis of a recognition result of the recognizer to perform driving control, wherein the driving controller performs the driving control in at least any of a first driving state and a second driving state having a higher rate of automation or fewer tasks requested for an occupant of the host vehicle than the first driving state, and an operation environment in which route change of the host vehicle in the second driving state is executed is limited as compared to a case of the first driving state. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034064 | DEEP LEARNING-BASED AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE, SYSTEM INCLUDIG THE SAME, AND METHOD THEREOF - A deep learning-based autonomous vehicle control system includes: a processor determining an autonomous driving control based on deep learning, correcting an error in determination of the deep learning-based autonomous driving control based on determination of an autonomous driving control based on a predetermined expert rule, and controlling an autonomous vehicle; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing data for the determination of the deep learning-based autonomous driving control, data for the determination of the expert rule-based autonomous driving control, and information about the error in the determination of the deep learning-based autonomous driving control. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034065 | DRIVING SURFACE PROTRUSION PATTERN DETECTION FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES - A component of an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) system, the component having at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to decode data encoded in a signal, wherein the data identifies a pattern of protrusions embedded in a driving surface, the signal being received from at least one vehicle sensor resulting from a vehicle driving over the pattern of protrusions in the driving surface. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034066 | MOBILE ROBOT - According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a mobile robot may include an outer cover including an insulating material and defining an appearance; an inner cover including an insulating material and configured to define a predetermined gap with respect to the outer cover; a battery disposed inside the inner cover; and at least one pressure sensing module disposed in the gap between the outer cover and the inner cover. The pressure sensing module may include an outer metal panel contacting an inner periphery of the outer cover, an inner metal panel contacting an outer periphery of the inner cover and spaced apart from the outer metal panel, and a pressure sensing sheet pressed between the outer metal panel and the inner metal panel and having a variable resistance. The battery may generate an electric potential difference between the outer metal panel and the inner metal panel. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034067 | DETERMINING AND RESPONDING TO AN INTERNAL STATUS OF A VEHICLE - Aspects of the disclosure relate to determining and responding to an internal state of a self-driving vehicle. For instance, an image of an interior of the vehicle captured by a camera mounted in the vehicle is received. The image is processed in order to identify one or more visible markers at predetermined locations within the vehicle. The internal state of the vehicle is determined based on the identified one or more visible markers. A responsive action is identified action using the determined internal state, and the vehicle is controlled in order to perform the responsive action. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034068 | PRIORITIZED CONSTRAINTS FOR A NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM - Systems and methods are provided for navigating an autonomous vehicle using reinforcement learning techniques. In one implementation, a navigation system for a host vehicle may include at least one processing device programmed to: receive, from a camera, a plurality of images representative of an environment of the host vehicle; analyze the plurality of images to identify a navigational state associated with the host vehicle; provide the navigational state to a trained navigational system: receive, from the trained navigational system, a desired navigational action for execution by the host vehicle in response to the identified navigational state; analyze the desired navigational action relative to one or more predefined navigational constraints; determine an actual navigational action for the host vehicle, wherein the actual navigational action includes at least one modification of the desired navigational action determined based on the one or more predefined navigational constraints; and cause at least one adjustment of a navigational actuator of the host vehicle in response to the determined actual navigational action for the host vehicle. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034069 | CLEANER AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A cleaner performing autonomous traveling includes a main body, a driving unit moving the main body, a camera capturing an image around the main body at every preset period, and a controller selecting at least one of a plurality of traveling modes and controlling the driving unit and the camera to perform the selected traveling mode, wherein the controller changes a set value related to illumination of the camera while the camera is continuously capturing images. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034070 | ROBOT - A robot includes a first arm, a second arm to be displaced relative to the first arm, a capacitance-type first proximity sensor provided on the second arm, and a capacitance-type second proximity sensor provided on the second arm, wherein a distance from the first arm to the first proximity sensor is different from a distance from the first arm to the second proximity sensor. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034071 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CHECKING A CALIBRATION OF ENVIRONMENT SENSORS - A device, transportation vehicle, and method for checking a calibration of surroundings sensors, wherein the surroundings sensors at least partially detect similar surroundings and provide mutually time-synchronized sensor data, periodic features at least for at least one distinguished area are detected in the sensor data of the surroundings sensors belonging to the same surroundings, a transformation of the sensor data corresponding to the at least one distinguished area to a frequency domain is carried out at least for the at least one distinguished area, a frequency and/or a phase angle of the periodic features is determined in the sensor data transformed to the frequency domain, a decalibration of the surroundings sensors is detected based on a comparison of the determined frequencies and/or of the determined phase angles, and a result of the check is provided. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034072 | SWARM-BASED TRAJECTORIES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES - Technologies and techniques for producing swarm trajectories for a specified lane of a roadway section, wherein a plurality of vehicles driving in the specified lane transmits the respective driving trajectories of the vehicles to a back-end computer, which determines a swarm trajectory for the specified lane from the transmitted trajectories. The vehicles determine specified constraints during driving in the lane, and the determined constraints are transmitted to the back-end computer together with the trajectory in question. The back-end computer determines at least one swarm trajectory for the specified lane as a function of at least one constraint from the transmitted trajectories and the constraints. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034073 | AERIAL VEHICLES AND CONTROL THEREFOR - A method for turning an aerial vehicle such as a drone-type vehicle is provided, according to one embodiment. The method provides for receiving a turning input and detecting a current momentum of the aerial vehicle. The method provides for converting the turning input into a yaw command and calculating a change in yaw associated with the turning input. The method provides for calculating a roll command based on the current momentum of the aerial vehicle and based on the change in yaw associated with the turning input. Further, the method provides for executing the yaw command and the roll command in synchrony, wherein the executing the yaw command and the roll command in synchrony causes the aerial vehicle to perform a turn. | 2021-02-04 |
20210034074 | CONTROL DEVICE OF VEHICLE - An electronic control unit of a vehicle includes (a) a target operating point setting unit that calculates a request driving force requested for a vehicle, and set a target engine operating point through a slow change process for obtaining an engine output that slowly changes with respect to a request engine output implementing the request driving force, (b) a smoothing factor setting unit that changes a smoothing factor used for the slow change process according to an amount of change in a turbocharging pressure in the engine and sets the smoothing factor to a smaller value when the amount of change in the turbocharging pressure is smaller than when the amount of change in the turbocharging pressure is larger, and (c) a drive controller that controls the engine and the continuously variable transmission such that the engine operating point is the target engine operating point. | 2021-02-04 |