US 2023/0068940 A1 · MAPPING PILED GRANULAR MATERIAL IN A BULK STORE

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 relative to a piled granular material in a bulk store, via the auger-based drive system, such that the robot traverses a first surface of the piled granular material in a mapping pattern. The processor is further configured to record a plurality of three-dimensional locations of the robot during the traversal in the mapping pattern. The processor or a computer system coupled with the processor is configured to assemble the plurality of three-dimensional locations of the robot into a three-dimensional surface map of the first surface of the piled granular material.

Claims25

Dependent claims

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 relative to a piled granular material in a bulk store, via the auger-based drive system, such that the robot traverses a first surface of the piled granular material in a mapping pattern;
record a plurality of three-dimensional locations of the robot during the traversal in the mapping pattern;
and
assemble the plurality of three-dimensional locations of the robot into a three-dimensional surface map of the first surface of the piled granular material.

5 more elements

A method of mapping within a bulk store of granular material, the method comprising:

traversing in a mapping pattern, by a robot comprising an auger-based drive system, a first surface of a piled granular material in a bulk store;
recording, by the robot, a plurality of three-dimensional locations of the robot during the traversal in the mapping pattern;
and
assembling, by the robot, the plurality of three-dimensional locations of the robot into a three-dimensional surface map of the first surface of the piled granular material.

1 more element

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions embodied thereon which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method of mapping within a bulk store of granular material, the method comprising:

traversing in a mapping pattern, by a robot comprising an auger-based drive system under control of the processor, a first surface of a piled granular material in a bulk store;
recording, by the robot under control of the processor, a plurality of three-dimensional locations of the robot during the traversal in the mapping pattern;
and
assembling, by the robot under control of the processor, the plurality of three-dimensional locations of the robot into a three-dimensional surface map of the first surface of the piled granular material.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/983,505Filed 9 Nov 2022

Priority

8 Mar 2021

Published

2 Mar 2023

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G01B 5/20
Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of mechanical techniques: for measuring contours or curvatures
B62D 57/04
Vehicles characterised by having other propulsion or other ground- engaging means than wheels or endless track, alone or in addition to wheels…
G01B 21/047
By measuring coordinates of points: accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes
G01B 21/20
Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not…:…

Family

Application17/195,021Continuation in part · filed 8 Mar 2021

Application63/277,232Us provisional application · filed 9 Nov 2021

Application63/320,791Us provisional application · filed 17 Mar 2022

Application17/983,505Continuation in part

US 12,037,185 B2Related patent

US 2021/0276794 A1Published application

US 2023/0068940 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Mapping piled granular material in a bulk store

Life of this patent

Mapping piled granular material in a bulk store

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25