Multi-pallet mixed-case robotic palletizer

A method to control a robot, comprising:

• receiving, via the communication interface, data associated with a plurality of items to be stacked on or in a destination location;
• detect a state of a platform or receptacle placed in at least one zone included in a plurality of predefined zones within a workspace for a robotic arm;
• in response to determining, based on the state, that the at least one zone does not have a properly aligned platform or receptable to which items are to be placed, implementing an active measure in connection with correcting the state;
• generating, by one or more processors, a plan to stack the items on or in the destination location, the plan being generated based at least in part on the received data, and the generation of the plan for each item comprising:
• determining the destination location based at least in part on a characteristic associated with the item, and at least one of (i) a characteristic of a platform or receptacle on which one or more items are to be stacked, and (ii) an existing stack of one or more items on the platform or receptacle, wherein:
• the determining the destination location includes:
• determining a set of possible destination locations for placing a corresponding item, simulating placements for the set of possible destination locations, determining for at least one of the set of possible destination locations an expected packing metric based at least in part on the simulating of a placement of the at least one possible destination location, and selecting a selected destination location from the set of possible destination locations based at least in part on a determination that the expected packing metric satisfies a threshold value;
• the set of possible destination locations comprise at least (i) a first destination location on a first platform or receptacle in a first zone of the plurality of zones, and (ii) a second destination location on a second platform or receptacle in a second zone of the plurality of zones;
• the first platform or receptable and the second platform or receptacle are associated with a first downstream location;
• and
• the destination location is determined from among a plurality of zones in which platforms or receptacles are disposed;
• and
• implementing the plan at least in part by controlling the robotic arm to pick up to the items and stack the items on or in the destination location according to the plan.

A computer program product to control a robot, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

• receiving, via the communication interface, data associated with a plurality of items to be stacked on or in a destination location;
• detect a state of a platform or receptacle placed in at least one zone included in a plurality of predefined zones within a workspace for a robotic arm;
• in response to determining, based on the state, that the at least one zone does not have a properly aligned platform or receptable to which items are to be placed, implementing an active measure in connection with correcting the state;
• generating, by one or more processors, a plan to stack the items on or in the destination location, the plan being generated based at least in part on the received data, and the generation of the plan for each item comprising:
• determining the destination location based at least in part on a characteristic associated with the item, and at least one of (i) a characteristic of a platform or receptacle on which one or more items are to be stacked, and (ii) an existing stack of one or more items on the platform or receptacle, wherein:
• the determining the destination location includes:
• determining a set of possible destination locations for placing a corresponding item, simulating placements for the set of possible destination locations, determining for at least one of the set of possible destination locations an expected packing metric based at least in part on the simulating of a placement of the at least one possible destination location, and selecting a selected destination location from the set of possible destination locations based at least in part on a determination that the expected packing metric satisfies a threshold value;
• the set of possible destination locations comprise at least (i) a first destination location on a first platform or receptacle in a first zone of the plurality of zones, and (ii) a second destination location on a second platform or receptacle in a second zone of the plurality of zones;
• the first platform or receptable and the second platform or receptacle are associated with a first downstream location;
• and
• the destination location is determined from among a plurality of zones in which platforms or receptacles are disposed;
• and
• implementing the plan at least in part by controlling the robotic arm to pick up to the items and stack the items on or in the destination location according to the plan.