US 12,693,681 B1Granted

System to characterize collision of an autonomous mobile device

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsShreekant Gayaka, Chang Young Kim, Xin Yang

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An autonomous mobile device (AMD) moves within in a physical space. The AMD may encounter features in the physical space, such as flooring transitions, or obstacles that may impede movement. Sensors such as an ultrasonic sensor, optical time of flight sensors, inertial measurement unit (IMU), wheel speed sensors, and motor torque sensors acquire sensor data. Based on the sensor data, a location of an obstacle, and characterize whether that obstacle is traversable or non-traversable, is determined. If traversable, the AMD may continue moving past the obstacle. If non-traversable, the location of the obstacle may be added to a map used for route planning. Based on the location of the non-traversable obstacle, the AMD may move to a recovery location away from the obstacle, and resume moving.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An autonomous mobile device (AMD) comprising:

one or motors;
one or more wheels;
one or more processors;
and
one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing processor executable instructions which, when executed using the one or more processors of the AMD, cause the AMD to perform operations comprising:
determining, based on wheel data for the one or more wheels, a first measured linear velocity and a first measured angular velocity for the AMD,
determining, based on torque data for the one or more wheels, a first predicted linear velocity and a first predicted angular velocity for the AMD,
determining, based on the first predicted linear velocity and the first predicted angular velocity and the first measured linear velocity and the first measured angular velocity, that a collision has occurred,
based on the determining that the collision has occurred:
predicting, based on the first predicted linear velocity and the first predicted angular velocity and the first measured linear velocity and the first measured angular velocity, whether the collision is traversable, and
based on the predicting whether the collision is traversable, causing the one or more motors to effect movement of the AMD.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/622,408Filed 29 Mar 2024
Granted: 28 Jul 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G05D 1/639
Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards: resolving or avoiding being stuck or obstructed
G05D 1/241
Arrangements for determining position or orientation: means for detecting physical contact, e.g. touch sensors or bump sensors
G05D 2101/15
Using artificial intelligence [AI] techniques: using machine learning, e.g. neural networks
G05D 2107/40
Specific environments of the controlled vehicles: indoor domestic environment