US 10823576

Here's a concise summary of US Patent 10823576:

US Patent 10823576

• Title: Systems and methods for robotic mapping
• Assignee: Brain Corp (Current Assignee is also listed as Brain Corp, with a reassignment to HERCULES CAPITAL, INC. for security interest)
• Inventors: Jaldert Rombouts, Borja Ibarz Gabardos, Jean-Baptiste Passot, Andrew Smith
• Filing Date: March 18, 2019
• Issue Date (Publication Date): November 3, 2020
• Abstract: Systems and methods for robotic mapping are disclosed. In some exemplary implementations, a robot can travel in an environment. From travelling in the environment, the robot can create a graph comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein each node corresponds to a scan taken by a sensor of the robot at a location in the environment. In some exemplary implementations, the robot can generate a map of the environment from the graph. In some cases, to facilitate map generation, the robot can constrain the graph to start and end at a substantially similar location. The robot can also perform scan matching on extended scan groups, determined from identifying overlap between scans, to further determine the location of features in a map.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

US Patent 10823576 has three independent claims: Claim 1 (a method), Claim 8 (a robot), and Claim 15 (a non-transitory computer-readable storage apparatus).

• Independent Claim 1 (Method): This claim describes a method for a robot to generate a map. It involves the robot:

  1. Traveling in an environment.
  2. Creating a "graph" made of "nodes," where each node represents a scan taken by the robot's sensor at a specific location.
  3. Forcing the graph to begin and end at roughly the same location.
  4. Performing "scan matching" on groups of scans (called "extended scan groups") that are derived from the nodes.
  5. Assigning a range of possible locations to each node based on this scan matching.
  6. Determining how confident the robot is in each of these possible location ranges.
  7. Adjusting the graph to find the most likely actual locations of all the nodes, using those confidence levels.
  8. Finally, creating the map from this optimized (adjusted) graph.

• Independent Claim 8 (Robot): This claim describes a robot apparatus. The robot includes:

  1. A sensor designed to take scans of an environment at different "nodes," with each node linked to a specific location.
  2. A "mapping and localization unit" that is configured to:
     • Build a graph of these nodes using the scans it has taken.
     • Identify "extended scan groups" by grouping nodes together.
     • Perform scan matching on these extended scan groups.

• Independent Claim 15 (Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Storage Apparatus): This claim describes a computer memory device (non-transitory computer-readable storage apparatus) that holds instructions. When a processor executes these instructions, they cause a robot to:

  1. Instruct a sensor to take scans of an environment at various "nodes," where each node is connected to a specific location.
  2. Create a graph of these nodes based on the scans generated.
  3. Determine "extended scan groups" by looking at groups of scans associated with the nodes.
  4. Perform scan matching on these extended scan groups.

USPTO and CAFC Docket Search:

• USPTO Database: The patent US10823576B2 is active. It was filed by Brain Corp on March 18, 2019, and granted on November 3, 2020. There is a noted reassignment to HERCULES CAPITAL, INC. on October 8, 2021, for a "SECURITY INTEREST." A PTAB case IPR2025-01603 was filed, but "Not Instituted - Procedural."
• CAFC 2026 Dockets: A search of CAFC 2026 dockets did not return any specific cases related to patent number 10823576. The search results provided general information about other patent-related cases in 2026, but not for this specific patent.