Inventory robot

• US 10,137,567 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Tiffany
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US15/270,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20180079081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 700245, 700257, 700259, 700250, 700258, 700264, 901 2, 901 3, 901 31, 382155
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A robot includes a camera for detecting image data in an area, a memory for storing an object location of objects, an input device for receiving user input, and a robot controller. The robot controller can determine that an object is a desired object to track based on user input or previously detected image data indicating that the desired object has been previously manipulated. The robot controller can also determine an identifier of the desired object based on at least one of a comparison of the image data to a database of objects and identifiers or an identifier received via the input device. The robot controller can also determine a current location of the desired object based on the image data and update the object location of the desired object to include the current location of the desired object.

Claims

1. A robot for tracking or locating objects within an area comprising:

a camera configured to detect image data of a plurality of objects within the area;

a memory configured to store an identifier and an object location for an object of the plurality of objects; and

a robot controller coupled to the camera and the memory and configured to;

determine that the object among the plurality of objects is to be tracked based on a manipulation of the object or a request to manipulate the object,

associate the object with the identifier

determine a current location of the object based on the image data, and

update, using the identifier and in the memory, the object location for the object to include the current location to keep track of the object.

2. The robot of claim 1 further comprising:

an output device coupled to the robot controller and configured to output data;

an input device configured to receive user input, wherein the user input includes a request to locate the object;

wherein the robot controller is further configured to determine the current location of the object based on the object location stored in the memory and to cause the output device to output data indicating the current location of the object.

3. The robot of claim 2 wherein at least one of the user input or the image data indicates that the object is not at the stored object location and wherein the robot controller is further configured to predict the current location of the object based on characteristics of surrounding objects in the area.

4. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a display coupled to the robot controller and wherein the robot controller is further configured to control the display to output a map of the area including the object location of the object.

5. The robot of claim 1 wherein the robot controller is further configured to:

identify a hot object as one of the plurality of objects whose location changes frequently or is requested frequently, and

output or transmit a message indicating that the hot object has been moved when the image data indicates that the hot object has been moved.

6. The robot of claim 1 wherein the image data indicates that the object being object has been moved to a new location by another object or person and the robot controller is further configured to store the new location of the object and an identifier of the other object or person in the memory.

7. The robot of claim 1 further comprising at least one actuator coupled to the robot controller and configured to manipulate objects and wherein:

the memory is further configured to store behaviors of the object; and

the robot controller is further configured to control the at least one actuator to move the object based on the stored behaviors of the object and the detected image data.

8. The robot of claim 1 further comprising:

an input device configured to receive user input; and

at least one actuator coupled to the robot controller and configured to manipulate objects and wherein the user input includes a request for the object and the robot controller is further configured to control the at least one actuator to move the object from the current location to a user location in response to the request for the object.

9. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor configured to detect a RFID tag of the object and wherein the robot controller is further configured to determine the current location of the object based on the detected RFID tag of the object.

10. A robot for tracking or locating object comprising:

a camera configured to detect image data of a plurality of objects within an area;

a memory configured to store an object database including an identifier and a location for an object of the plurality of objects;

an input device configured to receive a request to provide a location of the object;

a robot actuator configured to move the robot within the area;

an output device configured to output data; and

a robot controller coupled to the camera, the memory, and the robot actuator and configured to;

control the robot actuator to cause the robot to move within the area,

determine that the object of the plurality of objects is to be tracked based on a manipulation of the object,

associate the object with the identifier,

determine a current location of the object based on the image data,

update, using the identifier, the object database to include the current location of the object, and

control the output device to output data indicating the current location of the object in response to receiving the request to provide the location of the object.

11. The robot of claim 10 wherein at least one of user input or the image data indicates that the object is not at the location of the object stored in the object database and wherein the robot controller is further configured to predict the current location of the object based on characteristics of surrounding objects in the area.

12. The robot of claim 10 further comprising a display coupled to the robot controller and wherein the robot controller is further configured to control the display to output a map of the area including the location of the object.

13. The robot of claim 10 wherein the robot controller is further configured to:

identify a hot object as an object whose location changes frequently or is requested frequently, and

output or transmit a message indicating that the hot object has been moved when the image data indicates that the hot object has been moved.

14. The robot of claim 10 further comprising an object actuator coupled to the robot controller and configured to manipulate objects and wherein:

the memory is further configured to store behaviors of the object; and

the robot controller is further configured to control the object actuator to move the object based on the stored behaviors of the object and the detected image data.

15. The robot of claim 10 further comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor configured to detect a RFID tag of the object and wherein the robot controller is further configured to determine the current location of the object based on the detected RFID tag of the object.

16. A method for tracking or locating objects within an area by a robot comprising:

detecting, by a camera, image data of a plurality of objects within the area;

storing, by a memory, an identifier and an object location for an object of the plurality of objects;

determining, by a robot controller, that the object among the plurality of objects is to be tracked based on a manipulation of the object or a request to manipulate the object;

associating, by the robot controller, the object with the identifier;

determining, by the robot controller, a current location of the object based on the image data; and

updating, by the robot controller and using the identifier, the object location of the object to include the current location to keep track of the object.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving, by an input device, a request to provide the current location of the object; and

outputting, by an output device, output data indicating the current location of the object.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

identifying, by the robot controller, a hot object as one of the plurality of objects whose location changes frequently or is requested frequently; and

outputting or transmitting, by the robot controller, a message indicating that the hot object has been moved when the image data indicates that the hot object has been moved.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

storing, in the memory, behaviors of the object; and

controlling, by the robot controller, an actuator of the robot to move the object based on the stored behaviors of the object and the detected image data.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

detecting, by a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, a RFID tag of the object; and

determining, by the robot controller, the current location of the object based on the detected RFID tag of the object.