US 9,989,371 B1Granted

Determining handoff checkpoints for low-resolution robot planning

AssigneeX Development LLC

InventorJared Stephen Russell

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for determining and assigning intermediate handoff checkpoints for low-resolution robot planning. In various implementations, a global path planner may identify a task to be performed by a robot in an environment. In various implementations, the global path planner may determine, based at least in part on one or more attributes of the environment or the task, an intermediate handoff checkpoint for the robot to reach by a scheduled time while the robot performs the task. In various implementations, the global path planner may determine that a measure of reactivity that would be attributable to the robot upon the robot being assigned the intermediate handoff checkpoint satisfies a reactivity threshold. In various implementations, the global path planner may provide, to a local path planner associated with the robot, data indicative of the intermediate handoff checkpoint.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

identifying, by a global path planner implemented by a computing system, a task to be performed by a given robot of a plurality of robots in an environment, wherein the plurality of robots are in communication with the global path planner;
determining, by the global path planner, a first intermediate handoff checkpoint for the given robot to reach while the given robot performs the task;
transmitting, by the global path planner over one or more networks, to a local path planner associated with the given robot, data indicative of the first intermediate handoff checkpoint;
determining, by the global path planner, a second intermediate handoff checkpoint for the given robot to reach consecutively after the given robot meets the first intermediate handoff checkpoint while the given robot performs the task, wherein a spatial or temporal difference between the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints is selected based on one or more attributes of the environment;
and
transmitting, by the global path planner over one or more of the networks, to the local path planner associated with the given robot, data indicative of the second intermediate handoff checkpoint;
wherein transmitting the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints causes the given robot to operate in a manner in which the given robot consecutively reaches the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints.

4 more elements

A system comprising one or more processors and memory operably coupled with the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores instructions that, in response to execution of the instructions by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a global path planner that performs the following operations:

identifying a task to be performed by a given robot of a plurality of robots in an environment, wherein the plurality of robots are in communication with the global path planner;
determining a first intermediate handoff checkpoint for the given robot to reach while the given robot performs the task;
transmitting, over one or more networks, to a local path planner associated with the given robot, data indicative of the first intermediate handoff checkpoint;
determining a second intermediate handoff checkpoint for the given robot to reach consecutively after the given robot meets the first intermediate handoff checkpoint while the given robot performs the task, wherein a spatial or temporal difference between the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints is selected based on one or more attributes of the environment;
and
transmitting, over one or more of the networks, to the local path planner associated with the given robot, data indicative of the second intermediate handoff checkpoint;
wherein transmitting the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints causes the given robot to operate in a manner in which the given robot consecutively reaches the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints.

4 more elements

At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, in response to execution of the instructions by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a global path planner that performs the following operations:

identifying a task to be performed by a given robot of a plurality of robots in an environment, wherein the plurality of robots are in communication with the global path planner;
determining a first intermediate handoff checkpoint for the given robot to reach while the given robot performs the task;
transmitting, over one or more networks, to a local path planner associated with the given robot, data indicative of the first intermediate handoff checkpoint;
determining a second intermediate handoff checkpoint for the given robot to reach consecutively after the given robot meets the first intermediate handoff checkpoint while the given robot performs the task, wherein a spatial or temporal difference between the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints is selected based on one or more attributes of the environment;
and
transmitting, over one or more of the networks, to the local path planner associated with the given robot, data indicative of the second intermediate handoff checkpoint;
wherein transmitting the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints causes the given robot to operate in a manner in which the given robot consecutively reaches the first and second intermediate handoff checkpoints.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/602,425Filed 23 May 2017 · continuation
Priority: 22 Sep 2015
Granted: 5 Jun 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B25J 9/1666
Characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning: avoiding collision or forbidden zones
G05D 1/0287
Specially adapted to land vehicles: involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling
G05D 1/0297
Fleet control: by controlling means in a control room
G05B 2219/40437
Robotics, robotics mapping to robotics vision: local, directly search robot workspace