# US 10,870,538 B2 · Systems and methods for processing objects, including automated processing stations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,538 B2 - Document ID: US10870538B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/742,166 - Filed: 2020-01-14 - Published: 2020-05-14 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-04 - Assignees: Berkshire Grey, Inc. - Applicants: Berkshire Grey, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas Wagner; Kevin Ahearn; John Richard Amend, Jr.; Benjamin Cohen; Michael Dawson-Haggerty; William Hartman Fort; Christopher Geyer; Jennifer Eileen King; Thomas Koletschka; Michael Cap Koval; Kyle Maroney; Matthew T. Mason; William Chu-Hyon McMahan; Gene Temple Price; Joseph Romano; Daniel Smith; Siddhartha Srinivasa; Prasanna Velagapudi; Thomas Allen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870538B2 ## CPC - B65G 1/1376: {the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor} - B65G 47/962: {tilting about an axis substantially parallel to the conveying direction} - B07C 5/00: Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches (sorting by hand only B07C7/00; separating solids from solids by sieving, screening, or sifting or by using gas currents or other separating by dry methods applicable to bulk material B07B) - B65G 43/00: Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting - B65G 1/1378: {the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas} - B65G 2201/0235: Containers - G05B 19/4183: {characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12) - 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) ## Abstract A processing system for processing objects using a programmable motion device is disclosed. The processing system a perception unit for perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of an object associated with an input conveyance system, and an acquisition system for acquiring the object from a plurality of objects at an input area using an end effector of the programmable motion device, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location. The identified processing location being associated with the identifying indicia and said identified processing location being provided as one of a plurality of processing locations. The processing system also includes a delivery system for receiving the object in a carrier and for delivering the object toward the identified processing location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A processing system for processing objects using a programmable motion device, said processing system comprising: a perception unit for perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of an object associated with an input conveyance system; an acquisition system including, in part, an end effector attached to the programmable motion device for acquiring the object from a plurality of objects at an input area using the end effector of the programmable motion device, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location, said identified processing location being associated with the identifying indicia and said identified processing location being provided as one of a plurality of processing locations; and a delivery system for receiving the object in a tray that travels in a circuit, said tray for selectively providing the object to a carriage that delivers the object to the identified processing location, wherein the processing system is provided as one of a plurality of processing systems that are each in communication with the input conveyance system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input conveyance system includes a primary conveyor and an input area conveyor onto which the plurality of objects may be diverted from the primary conveyor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects is provided in a bin that is one of a plurality of bins, each including a further plurality of objects. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tray is continuously moving. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tray is adapted for delivering the object toward the identified processing location by dropping the object into a shuttle carriage that shuttles between a plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The processing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shuttle carriage is actuatable to tip in either of two opposing directions to drop the object into either of the two processing locations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The processing system as claimed in claim 1, where the tray is one of a plurality of shuttle carriages that travel in a loop. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acquisition system is adapted for causing the object to be delivered toward the identified processing location by placing the object into the tray using the end effector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acquisition system is adapted for causing the object to be delivered toward the identified processing location by placing the object into the tray using the end effector while the tray is moving. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The processing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the tray may be tipped in either of two opposing directions to drop the object onto the identified processing location. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing system is provided as one of a plurality of processing systems that are each in communication with the circuit along which the tray travels. ### Claim 12 A processing system for processing objects using a programmable motion device, said processing system comprising: a perception unit for perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of a plurality of objects associated with an input conveyance system; an acquisition system including, in part, and end effector attached to the programmable motion device for acquiring an object from the plurality of objects at an input area using an end effector of the programmable motion device, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location, said identified processing location being associated with the identifying indicia and said identified processing location being provided as one of a plurality of processing locations; and a delivery system for delivering the object to the identified processing location, said delivery system including a plurality of trays that travel in a loop, any of which tray may receive the object, and said delivery system including at least one movable carriage for receiving the object from any of the plurality of trays, and for providing the object via the movable carriage to the identified processing location. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The processing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the input conveyance system includes a primary conveyor and an input area conveyor onto which the plurality of objects may be diverted from the primary conveyor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The processing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the plurality of objects is provided in a bin that is one of a plurality of bins, each including a further plurality of objects. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The processing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the plurality of trays is continuously moving. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The processing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of trays is adapted for delivering the object toward the identified processing location by dropping the object into the at least one movable carriage that shuttles between a plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The processing system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the movable carriage is actuatable to tip in either of two opposing directions to drop the object into either of two processing locations. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The processing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the acquisition system is adapted for causing the object to be delivered toward the identified processing location by placing the object into the tray using the end effector. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The processing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing system is provided as one of a plurality of processing systems that are each in communication with the input conveyance system. ### Claim 20 A method of processing objects using a programmable motion device, said method comprising the steps of: perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of an object of a plurality of objects associated with an input conveyance system including an input area; acquiring the object from the plurality of objects at the input area using an end effector of the programmable motion device, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location, said identified processing location being associated with the identifying indicia and said identified processing location being provided as one of a plurality of processing locations; and delivering the object toward the identified processing location, said step of delivering the object toward the identified processing location including receiving the object in a tray while the tray is moving in a continuous circuit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the input conveyance system includes a primary conveyor and an input area conveyor onto which the plurality of objects may be diverted from the primary conveyor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the plurality of objects is provided in a bin that is one of a plurality of bins, each including a further plurality of objects. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the tray drops the object into a reciprocating carriage. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step of delivering the object toward the identified processing location includes dropping the reciprocating carriage shuttles between a plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the step of delivering the object toward the identified processing location includes actuating the reciprocating carriage to tip in either of two opposing directions to drop the object into either of the two processing locations. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method as claimed in claim 24, where the reciprocating carriage is one of a plurality of reciprocating carriages. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step of causing the object to be delivered toward the identified processing location includes placing the object into the tray using the end effector. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the method further includes the step of moving the tray in the continuous circuit proximate a plurality of processing locations.