# US 12,179,360 B2 · Automated control of multi-process using robotic equipment for complex workflows > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,360 B2 - Document ID: US12179360B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/814,389 - Filed: 2022-07-22 - Published: 2022-11-10 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-05 - Assignees: Biosero Inc. - Applicants: Biosero Inc. - Inventors: Jonathan David Dambman; Corey McCoy; Andrew St. Yves; Prabhakar Henry; William Berg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179360B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/1661: {characterised by task planning, object-oriented languages} - B25J 9/1658: {characterised by programming language} - B25J 9/1669: {characterised by special application, e.g. multi-arm co-operation, assembly, grasping} - G06Q 10/0631: Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations - G05B 19/41865: {characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow} - G05B 2219/32287: Medical, chemical, biological laboratory - G05B 2219/39167: Resources scheduling and balancing - 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}) - 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 - 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 An approach for fully automating the use of robotic devices in a laboratory workflow includes defining sequences for automating tasks and equipment involved in such a workflow, and calculating a path for each sequence that resolves get, handoff, and placement procedures. The approach develops a schedule that executes resolved pathways in and between each device. The approach is provided with an easy-to-use interface, in which a user drags and drops devices to automatically configure them, defines operations to be performed by these devices, and then runs the laboratory workflow. The interface also provides the ability to monitor progress of the workflow, and make modifications and adjustments as needed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of executing an automated performance of tasks within a workflow, comprising: creating a transportation request specifying an origin instrument, a destination instrument, at least one item, and one or more tasks performed by one or more robots in a workflow, the one or more tasks representing station-to-station item transfers between the origin instrument and the destination instrument performed by the one or more robots, and including task parameters defining a performance of the one or more tasks; modeling one or more paths for executing the transportation request, by querying instrument properties for each of the origin instrument and the destination instrument to determine whether the one or more robots have access to instrument nests, and to determine whether any stations between the at least an origin instrument and the destination instrument are accessible directly or accessible via the one or more robots, and simulating get, handoff, and put sequences for the one or more robots relative to the instrument properties and the task parameters, by identifying one or more segments for transferring the at least one item between the origin instrument and the destination instrument, determining a number of robots for completing the get, handoff and put sequences, identifying a grip operation for performing the get, handoff, and put sequences from the task parameters, and executing a plurality of path resolvers for each task in the one or more tasks, wherein the plurality of path resolvers analyze the one or more segments for transferring the at least one item between the origin instrument and the destination instrument in at least one of a single robot path resolver, a multi-robot path resolver, and an advanced transfer resolver; selecting a specific path from the one or more paths simulated by the plurality of path resolvers; and executing the transportation request by performing the specific path, wherein the one or more robots are activated and operated, and wherein the one or more tasks are executed in the performance of the workflow by the one or more robots. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation request includes timing data that defines when the one or more tasks are performed within the workflow, and prioritization rules that further define a processing of the at least one item. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting the specific path further comprises selecting the specific path that satisfies at least the prioritization rules in the transportation request. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the simulating the get, handoff, and put sequences further includes applying one or more techniques of machine learning to generate multiple outcomes of different get, handoff, and put sequences, and predicting paths representing different get, handoff, and put sequences for performing the one or more tasks according to the prioritization rules in the transportation request, relative to the instrument properties, the task parameters, and the timing data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling an execution of the transportation request according to a defined sequence of get, handoff, and push sequences for each segment, wherein the specific path includes the defined sequence of get, handoff, and push sequences for each segment for executing the transportation request. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each grip operation includes a grip force, and a grip offset at specific cartesian x, y, z, points representing yaw, pitch and roll of the at least one robot during the at least one get, handoff, and put sequence, to execute a specific grip for the at least one item. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one item comprises content that includes biological material, and wherein the workflow is a laboratory workflow for processing the biological material. ### Claim 8 A system comprising: a data reception and initialization component configured to create a transportation request specifying an origin instrument, a destination instrument, at least one item, and one or more tasks performed by one or more robots in a workflow, the one or more tasks representing station-to-station item transfers between the origin instrument and the destination instrument performed by the one or more robots, and including task parameters defining a performance of the one or more tasks; one or more simulation components arranged to model one or more paths for executing the transportation request, by querying instrument properties for each of the origin instrument and the destination instrument to determine whether the one or more robots have access to instrument nests, and to determine whether any stations between the at least an origin instrument and the destination instrument are accessible directly or accessible via the one or more robots, and simulating get, handoff, and put sequences for the one or more robots relative to the instrument properties and the task parameters, by identifying one or more segments for transferring the at least one item between the origin instrument and the destination instrument, determining a number of robots for completing the get, handoff and put sequences, identifying a grip operation for performing the get, handoff, and put sequences from the task parameters, and executing a plurality of path resolvers for each task in the one or more tasks, wherein the plurality of path resolvers analyze the one or more segments for transferring the at least one item between the origin instrument and the destination instrument in at least one of a single robot path resolver, a multi-robot path resolver, and an advanced transfer resolver; and a path execution manager configured to select a specific path from the one or more paths simulated by the plurality of path resolvers, and execute the transportation request by performing the specific path, wherein the one or more robots are activated and operated, and wherein the one or more tasks are executed in the performance of the workflow by the one or more robots. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the transportation request includes timing data that defines when the one or more tasks are performed within the workflow, and prioritization rules that further define a processing of the at least one item. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the path execution manager is further configured to select the specific path that satisfies at least the prioritization rules in the transportation request. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more simulation components arranged to model one or more paths include one or more techniques of machine learning applied to generate multiple outcomes of different get, handoff, and put sequences, and predict paths representing different get, handoff, and put sequences for performing the one or more tasks according to the prioritization rules in the transportation request, relative to the instrument properties, the task parameters, and the timing data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising a scheduling module configured to schedule an execution of the transportation request according to a defined sequence of get, handoff, and push sequences for each segment, wherein the specific path includes the defined sequence of get, handoff, and push sequences for each segment for executing the transportation request. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein each grip operation includes a grip force, and a grip offset at specific cartesian x, y, z, points representing yaw, pitch and roll of the at least one robot during the at least one get, handoff, and put sequence, to execute a specific grip for the at least one item. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one item comprises content that includes biological material, and wherein the workflow is a laboratory workflow for processing the biological material. ### Claim 15 A method, comprising: receiving a transportation request for one or more tasks in a performance of a workflow, the transportation request specifying an origin instrument, a destination instrument, and at least one item, the one or more tasks performed by one or more robots and representing station-to-station transfers of the at least one item between the origin instrument and the destination instrument according to task parameters; determining whether the one or more robots have access to instrument nests, and whether any stations between the at least an origin instrument and the destination instrument are accessible directly or accessible via the one or more robots, from queries of instrument properties for each of the origin instrument and the destination instrument; simulating get, handoff, and put sequences for the one or more robots relative to the instrument properties and the task parameters, by identifying one or more segments for transferring the at least one item between the origin instrument and the destination instrument, determining a number of robots for completing the get, handoff and put sequences, identifying a grip operation for performing the get, handoff, and put sequences from the task parameters, and executing a plurality of path resolvers for each task in the one or more tasks, wherein the plurality of path resolvers analyze the one or more segments for transferring the at least one item between the origin instrument and the destination instrument in at least one of a single robot path resolver, a multi-robot path resolver, and an advanced transfer resolver; and selecting a path simulated by the plurality of path resolvers for the executing the transportation request according to the instrument properties and the task parameters, wherein the transportation request is executed by activating and operating the one or more robots to perform the path and the one or more tasks. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the transportation request includes timing data that defines when the one or more tasks are performed within the workflow, and prioritization rules that further define a processing of the at least one item. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the selecting the path further comprises selecting a specific path that satisfies at least the prioritization rules in the transportation request. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the simulating the get, handoff, and put sequences further includes applying one or more techniques of machine learning to generate multiple outcomes of different get, handoff, and put sequences, and predicting paths representing different get, handoff, and put sequences for performing the one or more tasks according to the prioritization rules in the transportation request, relative to the instrument properties, the task parameters, and the timing data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the specific path includes a defined sequence of get, handoff, and push sequences for each segment for executing the transportation request. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising scheduling an execution of the transportation request according to a defined sequence of get, handoff, and push sequences for each segment. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein each grip operation includes a grip force, and a grip offset at specific cartesian x, y, z, points representing yaw, pitch and roll of the at least one robot during the at least one get, handoff, and put sequence, to execute a specific grip for the at least one item. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one item comprises content that includes biological material, and wherein the workflow is a laboratory workflow for processing the biological material.