Offline computation and caching of precalculated joint trajectories

A method implemented one or more processors of a robot, comprising:

• obtaining an instruction to move an end effector of the robot between a first pair of start and target positions;
• identifying, in a database that includes a plurality of precalculated joint trajectories, a subset of precalculated joint trajectories that each would move the end effector of the robot between comparable other pairs of start and target positions that are comparable to the first pair;
• determining poses of one or more obstacles present in an environment in which the robot operates;
• selecting, from the subset of precalculated joint trajectories, a particular joint trajectory that avoids collision with the one or more obstacles;
• and
• operating the robot to effectuate the selected particular joint trajectory.

A robot comprising one or more processors and non-transitory memory, wherein the non-transitory memory includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the following operations:

• performing, in real time, a first type of trajectory planning to calculate a first joint trajectory of the robot that moves the end effector from the start position to the target position, wherein performing the first type of trajectory planning requires a first amount of resources;
• operating the robot to effectuate the first joint trajectory;
• performing a second type of trajectory planning to precalculate a second joint trajectory of the robot to move the end effector from the start position to the target position, wherein performing the second type of trajectory planning requires a second amount of resources that is greater than the first amount of resources required by the first type of trajectory planning;
• and
• storing, in a database that is accessible to one or more robots, data indicative of the precalculated second joint trajectory of the robot, wherein the precalculated second joint trajectory is subsequently usable by one or more of the robots upon receiving a subsequent instruction that is comparable to the instruction.