Other

Sony Corporation

Vehicle Radar Guidance, LLC

Freightliner Corporation

Richard Anthony Bishel

Patrick D Hoyle

Paul M Menig

Nicolae Ghitea, Jr

Goetz Renner

Jared A Powell

Peter Charles Brandt

G Gregory Wilson

Chris Kirn

An apparatus determines a lateral position of a land vehicle on a pathway, on a surface of which one or more microwave reflectors are distributed in a direction of travel of the vehicle. The microwave reflectors have reflectivity different from the surface of the pathway where no microwave reflectors are present. The apparatus comprises a radar sensor and a processor. The radar sensor is mounted to the vehicle and configured to transmit a radar signal having a beam pattern center aimed downward from the vehicle toward the surface of the pathway and sideways from the vehicle generally perpendicular to the direction of travel. The radar sensor is also configured to detect one or more reflections of the radar signal from the pathway. The processor is operatively connected to the radar sensor and configured to determine a lateral distance of the vehicle from at least one of the microwave reflectors.

Vehicle guidance system

An apparatus that physically and electrically attaches to an existing AC electrical switch, and controls the power to the electrical load via outputs from the existing electrical switch or from wireless commands from a remote controller.

Home automation apparatus

A method and guidance system guides a land vehicle along a pathway using a downward-looking, lateral position-sensing, radar guidance apparatus on the vehicle and microwave reflectors distributed along the pathway. A radar sensor transmits radar signals downward towards the pathway surface along which the vehicle travels. The signals are reflected back to the vehicle by the microwave reflectors distributed along the pathway.

A method and guidance system guides a land vehicle () along a pathway () using a downward-looking, lateral position-sensing, radar guidance apparatus on the vehicle and a microwave reflector () distributed along the pathway (). A radar sensor () transmits radar signals () downward towards the pathway () surface along which the vehicle () travels. The signals () are reflected back to the vehicle by the microwave reflector () distributed along the pathway ().

A beverage dispenser comprises a bottle holder, a motor, and a controller. The bottle holder is configured to hold a bottle of a liquid beverage. The motor is connected to the bottle holder and configured to move the bottle holder in an angular movement to bring the bottle into a pouring position. The controller is configured to control the bottle holder via the motor in a set pattern to dispense a portion of the liquid beverage from the bottle into a serving receptacle. The liquid beverage may be wine, and the serving receptacle may be a wine glass. The liquid beverage may be liquor, and the serving receptacle may be a shot glass. The portion of the liquid may be an amount of liquid to fill the receptacle to a designated level. The portion of the liquid beverage is less than the entire capacity of the bottle.

Motorized liquid dispenser

A semi-autonomous or autonomous mowing vehicle with a sensor that detects the boundary between a first, relatively higher surface, such as the un-mowed vegetation and a second, a relatively lower surface, such as the mowed vegetation, and a controller for steering the semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicle along detected boundary. The detected boundary is based on height differential between the two surfaces and two methods are discussed. For one, the boundary between the two surfaces is detected using a plurality of non-contact distance measuring sensors aligned in same direction, and processes these distance measuring sensors for determining the distance sensors that measure said first relatively higher surface and the distance sensors that measure the second relatively lower surface. For two, the boundary between the two surfaces is detected using a plurality of rotatable contact members on a rotating shaft and a plurality of slip clutches, each slip clutch associated with each contact member coupling the shaft to the contact member in rotating engagement, and processes the internal sensors for detecting impeded rotation of said contact members do to slippage of said clutches in response to contact with said first surface, relatively higher surface, but not contact with said second surface, a relatively lower surface.

Autonomous lawnmower

A nozzle apparatus in a distributed system controls the nozzle in the desired direction using a position-controlled motor and is controlled by a computer with pre-recorded or preset patterns. The apparatus may be a fountain apparatus, a sprinkler apparatus, or a pool apparatus where the nozzles of these apparatuses emit a pressurized liquid such as water. The position-controlled motor can be an inexpensive hobby servo, or an elaborate self-contained control system with a servomotor, and a computer commands the desired position of the motor with preset patterns. The preset patterns may have music along with control information of the nozzles, valves, lights, and pumps. An aesthetic water display is produced from the overall systems.

Robotic nozzle

Robotic valve

A method and apparatus that uses the Internet protocol, TCP/IP, for a home control network. The invention also provides embedded servers, email clients at the electrical boxes. The invention integrates the Internet to the electrical outlet, switch, or appliance boxes using a low cost embedded web server.

Internet/intranet-connected apparatus

A beverage dispenser comprises a bottle holder, a motor, and a controller. The bottle holder is configured to hold a bottle of a liquid beverage. The motor is connected to the bottle holder to cause the bottle holder to tilt. The controller is configured to control the bottle holder via the motor to experience multiple tilting movements, including multiple tilting movements each causing the bottle to tilt by a predetermined angular amount to bring the bottle into a pouring position to dispense a portion of the liquid beverage from the bottle into a serving receptacle. The liquid beverage may be wine, and the serving receptacle may be a wine glass. The liquid beverage may be liquor, and the serving receptacle may be a shot glass. The portion of the liquid may be an amount of liquid to fill the receptacle to a designated level.

A sensor that detects the boundary between a first, relatively higher surface, such as the un-mowed vegetation and a second, a relatively lower surface, such as the mowed vegetation, and a controller for steering the semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicle along detected boundary. The boundary between the two surfaces is detected using a plurality of non-contact distance measuring sensors aligned in same direction, and processes these distance measuring sensors for determining the distance sensors that measure said first relatively higher surface and the distance sensors that measure the second relatively lower surface.

Boundary sensor

A method and apparatus that uses the Internet protocol, TCP/IP, for a home control network. The apparatus also provides embedded servers, email clients at the electrical boxes. The apparatus integrates the Internet to the electrical outlet, switch or appliance boxes using a low cost embedded web server.

Growing community of inventors

Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Richard Anthony Bishel