# US 10,504,056 B1 · Learning force limits of items for use in GCU optimization

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- Number: US 10,504,056 B1
- Document ID: US10504056B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/371,022
- Filed: 2016-12-06
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-06
- Assignees: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Andrew Stubbs; Ennio Claretti; Andrew D. Marchese; Samuel Rubin Barrett
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504056B1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- B25J 9/163: {learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control}
- G01L 5/0028: {Force sensors associated with force applying means (G01L5/0052, G01L5/0057, G01L5/0061 take precedence)}
- G05B 19/402: characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position (G05B19/19 takes precedence)
- G05B 2219/39322: Force and position control
- G05B 2219/39505: Control of gripping, grasping, contacting force, force distribution
- G06F 16/235: {Update request formulation}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Described herein are techniques for optimizing gross cubic utilization of inventory space by compressing items into closer proximity. In some embodiments, the inventory system selects an initial force limit to which an item to be stored may be subjected. The inventory system may cause a robotic arm to grasp the item and to push that item into a determined storage location. The inventory system then pushes the item into the storage location while applying a force up to the initial force limit to the item. While monitoring the position of the item, the inventory system may detect that the changes in position of the item are decreasing or stopping and determine that the item is approaching its force limit. The inventory system then updates database records with the force limit associated with the item.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method comprising:
identifying a placement location for an item associated with force limit information;
determining a current force limit associated with the item;
causing a robotic arm to position the item proximate to the placement location;
causing the robotic arm to apply the current force limit to move the item against one or more additional items;
while applying the current force limit to the item, monitoring a rate of change in the position of the item with respect to time;
calculating, based on the rate of change in the position of the item, a new force limit for the item; and
updating the force limit information for the item with the new force limit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current force limit is determined based on a type of the item.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current force limit is determined based on a size and mass of the item.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the placement location is determined based at least in part on a size or shape of the item.

### Claim 5

An inventory management system comprising:
at least one robotic arm assembly;
a processor; and
a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the inventory management system to, at least:
remove an item from a first location;
determine a second location to receive the item, the second location determined based on an attribute of the item;
determine a level of force to be applied to the item;
move the item into the second location by applying the determined level of force;
monitor a rate of change in position of the item with respect to time; and
update the level of force based on the rate of change in the position of the item.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The inventory management system of claim 5, wherein the attribute of the item is a size or shape of the item.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The inventory management system of claim 5, wherein the second location is determined to maximize a number of items stored in an inventory space.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The inventory management system of claim 5, wherein the attribute of the item is a fragility of the item.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The inventory management system of claim 5, wherein the level of force is updated based on determining that the rate of change in the position of the item is below a threshold value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The inventory management system of claim 5, wherein the instructions further cause the inventory management system to determine a compressible size of the item based on the level of force.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The inventory management system of claim 5, wherein the rate of change in the position of the item decreases with respect to time.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The inventory management system of claim 11, wherein the level of force is calculated based on a negative slope of the rate of change in the position.

### Claim 13

An inventory system, comprising:
a robotic arm configured to interact with one or more inventory items;
a processor; and
a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the inventory system to, at least:
identify a placement location for an item associated with force limit information;
determine a current force limit associated with the item;
cause the robotic arm to position the item proximate to the placement location;
cause the robotic arm to apply the current force limit to move the item against one or more additional items;
while applying the current force limit to the item, monitor a rate of change in the position of the item with respect to time;
calculate, based on the rate of change in the position of the item, a new force limit for the item; and
update force limit information for the item with the new force limit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The inventory system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the inventory system to identify the item using one or more image processing techniques.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The inventory system of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the inventory system to determine a pose appropriate for the item.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The inventory system of claim 15, wherein moving the item against the one or more additional items comprises manipulating the item into the determined pose.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The inventory system of claim 13, wherein moving the item against the one or more additional items comprises pushing the item against the one or more additional items to position the item in a storage location.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The inventory system of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the inventory system to determine a level of compressibility for at least one item of the one or more additional items.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The inventory system of claim 13, wherein the new force limit is calculated upon detecting that a value for the rate of change in the position of the item is different from an expected value, wherein the expected value is determined based on a level of compressibility associated with the item.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The inventory system of claim 13, wherein the rate of change in position of the item is monitored using one or more machine vision techniques.