# US 12,112,229 B2 · Systems and methods for distributing induction of objects to a plurality of object processing systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,112,229 B2 - Document ID: US12112229B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/202,697 - Filed: 2023-05-26 - Published: 2023-10-26 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-18 - Assignees: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc. - Applicants: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas Wagner; Matthew T. Mason; Christopher Geyer; John Richard Amend, Jr.; Kyle Maroney; Joseph Romano; Victoria Hinchey; Jeffrey Kittredge; Andrew Gauthier; Lakshman Kumar; Prasanna Velagapudi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112229B2 ## CPC - B07C 5/342: according to optical properties, e.g. colour {(according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416)} - G06K 7/10693: {for omnidirectional scanning} - B07C 5/3412: {according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication (sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00)} - B07C 5/36: Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)} - B65G 1/1378: {the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas} - B65G 25/04: the carrier or impeller having identical forward and return paths of movement, e.g. reciprocating conveyors - B65G 47/12: from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles - B65G 47/18: Arrangements or applications of hoppers or chutes - B65G 47/38: by dumping, tripping, or releasing load carriers (by flexing or tilting travelling structures B65G47/94) - B65G 47/46: and distributing, e.g. automatically, to desired points (in tube mail systems B65G51/36) - B65G 47/53: between conveyors which cross one another - B65G 47/82: Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels {(means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453)} - B65G 47/91: incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers - B65G 47/962: {tilting about an axis substantially parallel to the conveying direction} - B65G 2203/041: Camera - 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) - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - 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) ## Abstract An induction system is disclosed for filtering the induction of objects to a plurality of object processing systems. The induction system includes an evaluation means for evaluating at least one characteristic of an object, and routing means for routing the object in one of a plurality of directions responsive to the evaluated characteristic, at least one of the plurality of directions leading to a selected one of the plurality of object processing systems. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An object induction system for inducting objects to an object processing system, said object induction system comprising: evaluation means for evaluating at least one characteristic of an object, wherein the evaluation means includes: a conveyor section that includes a conveyor portion and at least one perturbation roller with an upper surface that is higher than a height of the conveyor portion; and a perception system that is directed toward the at least one perturbation roller, said perception system providing an evaluated characteristic regarding an object while passing over the at least one perturbation roller; and induction means for selectively inducting the object responsive to the evaluated characteristic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The object induction system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one perturbation roller has a rotational velocity that is faster than a velocity of the conveyor section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The object induction system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor section includes conveyor rollers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The object induction system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluated characteristic includes any of a weight, mass, volume or density. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The object induction system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluated characteristic includes non-rigid object data regarding whether the object is non-rigid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The object induction system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the evaluated characteristic identifies whether the object is a collapsible bag. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The object induction system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluated characteristic identifies whether the object includes more than one object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The object induction system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the induction means includes a three-way conveyor for moving the object in one of three selectable directions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The object induction system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object processing system includes a plurality of sets of destination locations, each set of destination locations being associated with one of a plurality of object processing stations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The object induction system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of object processing stations includes at least one automated object processing station and at least one manual object processing station. ### Claim 11 An object induction system for inducting objects to an object processing system, said object induction system comprising: evaluation means for evaluating at least one characteristic of an object, wherein the evaluation means includes: a conveyor section that includes a conveyor portion and at least one perturbation roller with an upper surface with a rotational velocity that is higher than a velocity of the conveyor portion; and a perception system that is directed toward the at least one perturbation roller, said perception system providing an evaluated characteristic regarding an object while passing over the at least one perturbation roller; and induction means for selectively inducting the object responsive to the evaluated characteristic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The object induction system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one perturbation roller has an upper surface that is higher than a height of the conveyor section. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The object induction system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the conveyor section includes conveyor rollers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The object induction system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaluated characteristic includes any of a weight, mass, volume or density. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The object induction system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaluated characteristic includes non-rigid object data regarding whether the object is non-rigid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The object induction system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the evaluated characteristic identifies whether the object is a collapsible bag. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The object induction system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evaluated characteristic identifies whether the object includes more than one object. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The object induction system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the induction means includes a three-way conveyor for moving the object in one of three selectable directions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The object induction system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the object processing system includes a plurality of sets of destination locations, each set of destination locations being associated with one of a plurality of object processing stations. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The object induction system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the plurality of object processing stations includes at least one automated object processing station and at least one manual object processing station. ### Claim 21 A method of inducting objects to an object processing system, said method comprising: evaluating at least one characteristic of an object including: passing the object over a conveyor section and a perturbation roller with an upper surface that is higher than a conveyor height of the conveyor section, and obtaining perception data regarding an evaluated characteristic of an object while passing over the perturbation roller; and inducting the object to the object processing system responsive to the evaluated characteristic. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the perturbation roller has a rotational velocity that is higher than a velocity of movement of the conveyor section. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the conveyor section includes conveyor rollers. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the perturbation roller has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the conveyor rollers. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the evaluated characteristic includes any of a weight, mass, volume or density. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the evaluated characteristic includes non-rigid object data regarding whether the object is non-rigid. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the evaluated characteristic identifies whether the object is a collapsible bag. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the evaluated characteristic identifies whether the object includes more than one object. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the inducting includes moving the object in one of three selectable directions on a three-way conveyor. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the object processing system includes a plurality of sets of destination locations, each set of destination locations being associated with one of a plurality of object processing station. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the plurality of object processing stations includes at least one automated object processing station and at least one manual object processing station.