# US 2021/0276794 A1 · Bulk store slope adjustment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276794 A1 - Document ID: US20210276794A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/195,021 - Filed: 2021-03-08 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-09 - Assignees: Grain Weevil Corporation - Applicants: Grain Weevil Corporation - Inventors: Benjamin H. Johnson; Chad E. Johnson; Zane ZENTS - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276794A1 ## CPC - G05D 1/0219: {ensuring the processing of the whole working surface} - G05D 1/648: Performing a task within a working area or space, e.g. cleaning - B01F 33/5021: {the vehicle being self-propelled, e.g. truck mounted, provided with a motor, driven by tracks (B01F33/5022 - B01F33/5027 take precedence)} - B25J 5/00: Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages (B25J1/00 takes precedence; program-controlled manipulators B25J9/00) - B25J 9/1664: {characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning} - B62D 57/036: screw type, e.g. Archimedian screw {(amphibious vehicles comprising screw-type ground-engaging means B60F3/0023)} - B65D 88/68: using rotating devices - G05D 1/246: using environment maps, e.g. simultaneous localisation and mapping [SLAM] - G05D 2105/05: for soil shifting, building, civil engineering or mining, e.g. excavators - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - 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}) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract A robot comprises an auger-based drive system, a memory, and a processor coupled with the memory and configured to control movement of the robot via the auger-based drive system. The processor obtains a first measurement of an angle of slope of a portion of piled granular material in a bulk store. In response to the first measurement satisfying a first condition, the robot traverses the portion of piled granular material to incite sediment gravity flow in the portion of piled granular material by disruption of viscosity of the portion of piled granular material through agitation of the portion of piled granular material by auger rotation of the auger-based drive system. The processor obtains a second measurement of the angle of slope of the portion of piled granular material. In response to the second measurement satisfying a second condition, the robot ceases traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot comprising: an auger-based drive system; a memory; and a processor coupled with the memory and configured to: control movement of the robot via the auger-based drive system; obtain a first measurement of an angle of slope of a portion of piled granular material in a bulk store; responsive to the first measurement satisfying a first condition, traverse, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material to incite sediment gravity flow in the portion of piled granular material by disruption of viscosity of the portion of piled granular material through agitation of the portion of piled granular material by auger rotation of the auger-based drive system; and obtain a second measurement of the angle of slope of the portion of piled granular material; and responsive to the second measurement satisfying a second condition, cease traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: continue the traversal, by the robot, of the portion of piled granular material in response to the second measurement failing to satisfy the second condition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: capture, by a sensor of the robot, a measurement of a characteristic of the portion of piled granular material during the traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: capture, by a sensor of the robot, a temperature measurement of the portion of piled granular material during the traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: direct a collection device of the robot to collect a sample from the portion of piled granular material during the traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to obtain the first measurement from a sensor of the robot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to direct the traversal of the portion of piled granular material according to a predetermined pattern of movement stored in the memory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to direct the traversal of the portion of piled granular material in a patternless manner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to direct the traversal of the portion of piled granular material in a dynamically determined manner. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the first condition is related to a first angle and the second condition is related to a second angle, and wherein the second angle is smaller than the first angle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the portion of piled granular material comprises piled grain. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The robot of claim 1, wherein the robot is free of mechanical coupling with a structure in which the bulk store is contained. ### Claim 13 A method of bulk store slope adjustment, the method comprising: obtaining, by a robot, a first measurement of an angle of slope of a portion of piled granular material in a bulk store, wherein the robot comprises an auger-based drive system; responsive to the first measurement satisfying a first condition, traversing, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material to incite sediment gravity flow in the portion of piled granular material by disruption of viscosity of the portion of piled granular material through agitation of the portion of piled granular material by auger rotation of the auger-based drive system; and obtaining, by the robot, a second measurement of the angle of slope of the portion of piled granular material; and responsive to the second measurement satisfying a second condition, ceasing traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: responsive to the second measurement failing to satisfy the second condition, continuing the traversal, by the robot, of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: capturing, by a sensor of the robot, a measurement of a characteristic of the portion of piled granular material during the traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: capturing, by a sensor of the robot, a temperature measurement of the portion of piled granular material during the traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: collecting, by the robot, a sample from the portion of piled granular material during the traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the obtaining, by a robot, a first measurement of an angle of slope of a portion of piled granular material in a bulk store comprises: obtaining the first measurement from a sensor of the robot. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the traversing, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material comprises: traversing, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material in a predetermined pattern. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the traversing, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material comprises: traversing, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material in a patternless manner. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the traversing, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material comprises: traversing, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material in a dynamically determined manner. ### Claim 22 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions embodied thereon which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method of bulk store slope adjustment, the method comprising: obtaining, by a robot, a first measurement of an angle of slope of a portion of piled granular material in a bulk store, wherein the robot comprises an auger-based drive system; responsive to the first measurement satisfying a first condition, traversing, by the robot, the portion of piled granular material to incite sediment gravity flow in the portion of piled granular material by disruption of viscosity of the portion of piled granular material through agitation of the portion of piled granular material by auger rotation of the auger-based drive system; and obtaining, by the robot, a second measurement of the angle of slope of the portion of piled granular material; and responsive to the second measurement satisfying a second condition, ceasing traversal of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises: responsive to the second measurement failing to satisfy the second condition, continuing the traversal, by the robot, of the portion of piled granular material. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises: capturing, by a sensor of the robot, a measurement of a characteristic of the portion of piled granular material during the traversal of the portion of piled granular material.