Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Google Inc.

Frederik Schaffalitzky

Brian C Beckman

Amir Navot

Gur Kimchi

Daniel Buchmueller

Drew Edward Steedly

Jeffrey P Bezos

Brandon William Porter

Ethan Eade

Michael Ebstyne

Georg Klein

Ian Douglas McIntyre

Michael Grabner

Stephen G Latta

Arthur Charles Tomlin

Louis LeRoi LeGrand, Iii

Alex A Kipman

Adam G Poulos

Kathleen Patricia Mulcahy

Jonah Jones

Scott M Isaacs

Scott Raymond Harris

Scott A Green

Tony Ambrus

Jeffrey Cole

Robert John Anderson

Michael John Elzinga

Niek Bergboer

David Nister

Avi Bar-Zeev

Rod G Fleck

Daniel Joseph McCulloch

Ben J Sugden

Brian James Mount

Ryan Lucas Hastings

Christopher Brian Quirk

Alexandru Octavian Balan

Michael Kroepfl

Ibrahim Eden

Martin Thomas Shetter

Atishkumar Kalyan

Gavin Dean Lazarow

Matthew Sammis Ashman

Milan Vugdelija

Anthony Aue

Steven Gregory Dunn

Paul Albert Lalonde

Ivan Stojiljkovic

Jedd Perry

Michel Galley

Calvin Chan

Jack Clevenger

Dan Hou

The disclosure describes an automated aerial vehicle (AAV) and system for automatically detecting a contact or an imminent contact between a propeller of the AAV and an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal). When a contact or an imminent contact is detected, a safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the AAV. For example, if a contact with a propeller of the AAV by an object is detected, the rotation of the propeller may be stopped to avoid harming the object. Likewise, an object detection component may be used to detect an object that is nearing a propeller, stop the rotation of the propeller, and/or navigate the AAV away from the detected object.

Propeller safety for automated aerial vehicles

This disclosure describes a configuration of a multirotor aircraft that will facilitate enhanced yaw control. The multirotor aircraft includes one or more adjustable members that will twist the frame of the multirotor aircraft, thereby adjusting the orientation of the motors and propellers and enhance the yaw control of the multirotor aircraft. In some implementations, the adjustable member(s) are passive and twist in response to differential thrusts generated by the propellers. In other implementations, the adjustable members are active and twist in response to a yaw command from the multirotor aircraft control system.

Operating multirotor aircraft with enhanced yaw control

Disclosed are methods and systems for delivery of items using an unmanned aerial vehicle ('UAV'). A user may be provided with a delivery location identifier ('DLI') that is to be placed at a delivery location within a delivery destination to identify where a UAV is to position an item as part of a delivery to the delivery destination. For example, the delivery destination may be a user's home. Within the deliver destination of the user's home, the user may select a delivery location, such as a spot in the back yard wherein the UAV is to position the ordered item as part of the delivery. To aid the UAV in navigating to the delivery location, the user places the DLI at the delivery location. The UAV detects the DLI and positions the item at or near the DLI as part of the item delivery.

Delivery location identifiers

This disclosure describes an automated mobile vehicle that includes one or more distance determining elements configured to detect the presence of objects and to cause the automated mobile vehicle to alter its path to avoid the object. For example, a distance determining element may be incorporated into one or more of the motors of the automated mobile vehicle and configured to determine a distance to an object. Based on the determined distance, a path of the automated mobile vehicle may be altered.

Sense and avoid for automated mobile vehicles

In some examples, an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. The unmanned aerial vehicle may include a propulsion device, a sensor device, and a management system. In some examples, the management system may be configured to receive sensor information associated with visible human gestures via the sensor device and, in response, instruct the propulsion device to perform an action associated with an identified visible human gesture.

Human interaction with unmanned aerial vehicles

An automated aerial vehicle (AAV) and system for automatically detecting a contact or an imminent contact between a propeller of the AAV and an object (e.g., human, pet, or other animal) are described. A safety profile for the AAV may be selected based on various factors including a position or configuration of the AAV. When a contact or an imminent contact is detected, the selected safety profile may be executed to reduce or avoid any potential harm to the object and/or the AAV. For example, if a contact with a propeller of the AAV by an object is detected, the rotation of the propeller may be stopped to avoid harming the object. Likewise, an object detection component may be used to detect an object that is nearing a propeller, stop the rotation of the propeller, and/or navigate the AAV away from the detected object.

This disclosure describes an automated aerial vehicle that includes one or more object detection elements configured to detect the presence of objects and an avoidance determining element configured to cause the automated aerial vehicle to automatically determine and execute an avoidance maneuver to avoid the objects. For example, an object may be detected and an avoidance maneuver determined based on a position of the object and an object vector representative of a direction and a magnitude of velocity of the object.

Object avoidance methods for automated aerial vehicles

Embodiments are disclosed for methods and systems of distinguishing movements of features in a physical environment. For example, on a head-mounted display device, one embodiment of a method includes obtaining a representation of real-world features in two or more coordinate frames and obtaining motion data from one or more sensors external to the head-mounted display device. The method further includes distinguishing features in one coordinate frame from features in another coordinate frame based upon the motion data.

Determining coordinate frames in a dynamic environment

This disclosure describes a system and method for determining the center of gravity of a payload engaged by an automated aerial vehicle and adjusting components of the automated aerial vehicle and/or the engagement location with the payload so that the center of gravity of the payload is within a defined position with respect to the center of gravity of the automated aerial vehicle. Adjusting the center of gravity to be within a defined position improves the efficiency, maneuverability and safety of the automated aerial vehicle. In some implementations, the stability of the payload may also be determined to ensure that the center of gravity does not change or shift during transport due to movement of an item of the payload.

Aerial vehicle center of gravity adjustment

In some examples, an unmanned aerial vehicle is provided. The unmanned aerial vehicle may include a propulsion device, a sensor device, and a management system. In some examples, the management system may be configured to receive human gestures via the sensor device and, in response, instruct the propulsion device to affect an adjustment to the behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Human gestures may include visible gestures, audible gestures, and other gestures capable of recognition by the unmanned vehicle.

A system and related methods for a resource management in a head-mounted display device are provided. In one example, the head-mounted display device includes a plurality of sensors and a display system for presenting holographic objects. A resource management program is configured to operate a selected sensor in a default power mode to achieve a selected fidelity. The program receives user-related information from one or more of the sensors, and determines whether target information is detected. Where target information is detected, the program adjusts the selected sensor to operate in a reduced power mode that uses less power than the default power mode.

Display resource management

Object avoidance for automated aerial vehicles

A configuration of a multirotor aircraft that will facilitate enhanced yaw control includes one or more adjustable members that will twist the frame of the multirotor aircraft, thereby adjusting the orientation of the motors and propellers and enhancing the yaw control of the multirotor aircraft. In some implementations, the adjustable member(s) are passive and twist in response to differential thrusts generated by the propellers. In other implementations, the adjustable members are active and twist in response to a yaw command from the multirotor aircraft control system.

Multirotor aircraft with enhanced yaw control

Embodiments related to mapping an environment of a machine-vision system are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method includes acquiring image data resolving one or more reference features of an environment and computing a parameter value based on the image data, wherein the parameter value is responsive to physical deformation of the machine-vision system.

3D mapping with flexible camera rig

Growing community of inventors

Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Frederik Schaffalitzky