Systems and methods for time-based parallel robotic operation

A system comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium;
• and
• program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor to:
• receive ordered sequences of operations for a plurality of corresponding robotic devices, wherein an ordered sequence of operations comprises an ordered sequence of target positions within a workcell;
• determine time-based sequences of operations for each of the plurality of corresponding robotic devices, wherein each of the time-based sequences of operations indicates positions of the corresponding robotic device within the workcell at corresponding timesteps of a global timeline, and wherein the positions of the corresponding robotic device within each of the time-based sequences of operations comprise the target positions from the ordered sequences of operations for the corresponding robotic device;
• determine one or more potential collisions involving the robotic devices that would result from parallel execution of the time-based sequences of operations within the workcell;
• modify the time-based sequences of operations in order to prevent the one or more potential collisions;
• and
• provide instructions to cause parallel execution of the modified time-based sequences of operations at timesteps of the global timeline by the robotic devices within the workcell.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform functions comprising:

• receiving ordered sequences of operations for a plurality of corresponding robotic devices, wherein an ordered sequence of operations comprises an ordered sequence of target positions within a workcell;
• determining time-based sequences of operations for each of the plurality of corresponding robotic devices, wherein each of the time-based sequences of operations indicates positions of the corresponding robotic device within the workcell at corresponding timesteps of a global timeline, and wherein the positions of the corresponding robotic device within each of the time-based sequences of operations comprise the target positions from the ordered sequences of operations for the corresponding robotic device;
• determining one or more potential collisions involving the robotic devices that would result from parallel execution of the time-based sequences of operations within the workcell;
• modifying the time-based sequences of operations in order to prevent the one or more potential collisions;
• and
• providing instructions to cause parallel execution of the modified time-based sequences of operations at timesteps of the global timeline by the robotic devices within the workcell.