Seegrid Receives Two European Patents for Robotic Industrial Trucks
Submitted by: TR Cutler, Inc.
2012-06-24 13:06:16
(OPENPRESS) June 25, 2012 -- The leading robotic material handling company, Seegrid Corp., announced the issuance two new patents in Europe.
Seegrid has already been granted three other patents, including several earlier this year. The first of the two new patents granted (#001981242-0001) protects the unique look and shape of Seegrid's S-Kit camera head. "This patent will ensure that people will be able to tell they are using genuine Seegrid products, and not a "look-alike" with inferior performance," said Mitchell Weiss, Chief Operating Officer at Seegrid. Weiss continued, "This patent covers the distinctive arrangement of cameras which makes the robots useable in any facility without any tuning or setup." The shape of the vision guidance unit, (the S-Kit camera head), is mounted atop the robotic vehicle; it identifies the system as a Guided by Seegrid product, as well as allowing the cameras an unobstructed multi-directional view, enabling high reliability and accuracy of the Seegrid system.
The second patent issued, (EP2252190B1), protects the basic functionality of a Seegrid robot performing the same task at different times, taking advantage of its global position awareness. "This patent represents future capability where the robot will autonomously decide what to do along routes, and when to run them," stated Weiss. A robot delivering product to a production line may change its route after a certain number of deliveries are made to avoid blockages, or a cleaning robot may only travel along the route a certain number of times a week. This capability will not require the intervention of operators or users, allowing for more efficient, autonomous operation.
"Seegrid is getting foreign patents and protecting the technology wherever business is conducted. Seegrid has numerous patents pending internationally, and we are pleased that our Intellectual Property (IP) is beginning to gain protection in Europe where considerable commercialization efforts are underway. Seegrid's IP rights protect Seegrid, the customer, and Seegrid's OEM partners. As the leader in perception based service robotics and unmanned vehicles, Seegrid is gaining a significant IP portfolio in a number of fundamental technologies and designs," remarked Weiss.
Seegrid is the only supplier of commercial vision-guided vehicles and has developed core technologies making these unique robots possible. The issuance of these new patents further solidifies Seegrid's leadership in the $38 billion dollar material handling forklift market.
Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Seegrid Corp. (www.seegrid.com) has pioneered technology which transforms industrial vehicles into un-manned, automated pallet trucks and tow tractors that operate without the need for wire, tape, laser or other costly automated guided vehicle (AGV) guidance systems. Seegrid offers solutions that optimize workflow processes by increasing productivity and reducing costs, creating economic and operational advantages.
