US 10001780

As a senior US patent analyst, I have reviewed the records for US Patent 10,001,780. Below is a concise summary based on the information available as of today, May 13, 2026.

I can confirm that there is no public record of US Patent 10,001,780 being involved in any litigation before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in the 2026 dockets.

Summary of U.S. Patent No. 10,001,780

Title: Systems and methods for dynamic route planning in autonomous navigation

Assignee: The patent was originally assigned to Brain Corp. The latest assignment on record with the USPTO, dated October 8, 2021, indicates a security interest assignment to Hercules Capital, Inc.

Inventors:

• Borja Ibarz Gabardos
• Jean-Baptiste Passot

Filing Date: November 2, 2016

Issue Date: June 19, 2018

Abstract:
The patent describes systems and methods for an autonomous robot to dynamically plan its route. The robot uses sensors to collect data about its environment, including the location of objects. It plans a route composed of "route poses," which represent the robot's position, size, and shape at various points. These poses are subject to forces: repulsive forces from nearby objects and attractive forces from other poses along the path. In response to these forces, the route poses can reposition themselves. The robot then uses interpolation between these adjusted poses to create a new, collision-free path.

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Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

This patent contains three independent claims which define the core of the invention.

Claim 1: This claim protects the robot itself. The robot is equipped with sensors to perceive its surroundings and a controller. The controller is configured to perform a series of steps:

1. Create a map of the environment from sensor data.
2. Determine an initial route on that map.
3. Generate a series of "route poses" along this route. Each pose is like a footprint of the robot, having a specific position and a set of points within it.
4. Calculate forces acting on the points within each pose. These forces include a "push" (repulsive force) from detected objects and a "pull" (attractive force) from other poses on the route.
5. Adjust the position and orientation of the poses based on the net effect of these forces.
6. Generate a final, collision-free path for the robot to follow by interpolating, or creating a smooth connection, between the newly repositioned poses.

Claim 9: This claim protects the method of dynamic navigation, rather than the physical robot. It outlines a process for a robot to navigate:

1. Generate a map using sensor data.
2. Define a route on the map using one or more "route poses," where each pose represents the robot's shape and position.
3. Calculate the repulsive forces that a nearby object exerts on the points within a specific route pose.
4. Reposition that route pose in response to these repulsive forces.
5. Perform an interpolation between the newly moved pose and another pose on the route to create a navigable path.

Claim 17: This claim covers a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a hard drive or flash memory. This medium stores instructions that, when run by a robot's processor, cause the robot to:

1. Create a map of its environment using its sensors.
2. Establish a route on the map composed of one or more "route poses," which are footprints representing the robot's shape and position.
3. Calculate the repulsive forces exerted by a point on a detected object onto the various points that make up a specific route pose.