US 9,381,645 B1Granted

System for automating manipulation of items

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsPradeep Krishna Yarlagadda, Cédric Philippe Charles Jean Ghislain Archambeau, James Christopher Curlander, Michael Donoser, Ralf Herbrich, Barry James O'Brien, Marshall Friend Tappen

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Abstract

Described are techniques for storing and retrieving items using a robotic manipulator. Images depicting a human interacting with an item, sensor data from sensors instrumenting the human or item, data regarding physical characteristics of the item, and constraint data relating to the robotic manipulator may be used to generate one or more configurations for the robotic manipulator. Points of contact and force vectors of the configurations may correspond to the points of contact and force vectors determined from the images and sensor data.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a robotic manipulator;
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions;
and
a hardware processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
access a plurality of images indicative of interactions between one or more human operators and an item;
determine at least one point of contact between the one or more human operators and the item using the plurality of images;
access force data received from one or more sensors associated with one or more of the one or more human operators or the item, wherein the force data corresponds to one or more force vectors applied by the one or more human operators to the item;
access item data comprising at least one physical characteristic of the item;
access constraint data relating to one or more of the robotic manipulator or the at least one physical characteristic of the item;
generate at least one configuration of the robotic manipulator based at least partially on the plurality of images, the force data, and the constraint data, wherein the at least one configuration comprises:
one or more points of contact between the robotic manipulator and the item;
and
one or more force vectors associated with at least a portion of the one or more points of contact;
receive a request associated with placement of the item;
access location data associated with the item;
position one or more of:
the item relative to the robotic manipulator or the robotic manipulator relative to the item to enable movement of the item by the robotic manipulator;
contact one or more portions of the item with the robotic manipulator, wherein the one or more portions of the item correspond to the one or more points of contact of the at least one configuration;
apply one or more forces to at least a subset of the one or more portions of the item with the robotic manipulator, wherein the one or more forces correspond to the one or more force vectors of the at least one configuration;
and
move the item from a first location to a second location using the robotic manipulator.

18 more elements

A system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions;
and
a hardware processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
receive a request associated with placement of an item;
access at least one image indicative of the item within a container configured to contain the item;
determine a position of the item relative to at least one additional object using the at least one image;
access at least one configuration for manipulation of the item by a robotic manipulator, wherein the at least one configuration comprises:
one or more points of contact between the robotic manipulator and the item;
and
one or more force vectors associated with at least a portion of the one or more points of contact;
access constraint data relating to the robotic manipulator;
determine at least one constraint using the constraint data and the position of the item relative to the at least one additional object;
determine correspondence between the at least one configuration and the at least one constraint;
cause the robotic manipulator to contact one or more portions of the item, wherein the one or more portions of the item correspond to the one or more points of contact of the at least one configuration;
cause the robotic manipulator to apply one or more forces to at least a subset of the one or more portions of the item, wherein the one or more forces correspond to the one or more force vectors of the at least one configuration;
cause the robotic manipulator to move the item relative to the container;
and
generate at least one additional image indicative of the container subsequent to movement of the item.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/563,609Filed 8 Dec 2014
Granted: 5 Jul 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B25J 9/1697
Characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor…:…
B25J 9/1633
Characterised by the control loop: compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
B65G 1/1378
For fulfilling orders in warehouses: the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
G05B 19/42
Electric: recording and playback systems, i.e. in which the program is recorded from a cycle of operations, e.g. the cycle of operations being…