Variable compliance EOAT for optimization of GCU

• US 10,207,868 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stubbs, Andrew, Claretti, Ennio, Marchese, Andrew D., Barrett, Samuel Rubin
• Primary Examiner(s): Logan, Kyle O
• Application Number:
  US15/371,077
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 700218
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Described herein is an inventory management system and methods of operating a robotic arm assembly in which the level of compliance of the robotic arm assembly is altered in order to achieve a high gross cubic utilization. In at least some embodiments, a robotic arm assembly may adopt a low level of compliance when grasping an item. The inventory management system may identify an appropriate storage location for the item and move the item to that storage location. Upon reaching the storage location, the robotic arm assembly may adopt a higher level of compliance. The robotic arm assembly may then push the item against one or more other items in order to insert the item into the determined storage location.

Claims

1. An inventory system, comprising:

a robotic arm assembly comprising an end effector designed to interact with one or more inventory items;

one or more compliance variation mechanisms;

a processor; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor, cause the robotic arm assembly to, at least;

identify an item to be manipulated;

determine a placement location in which the identified item is to be stowed;

cause the robotic arm assembly to grasp the item using the end effector;

cause the robotic arm assembly to move the item to the determined placement location;

cause the one or more compliance variation mechanisms to vary a compliance level of the end effector based at least in part on a determination that the item is within a threshold distance of the placement location; and

cause the robotic arm assembly to place the item in the determined placement location.

2. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein the placement location is determined based at least in part on a size or shape of the identified item.

3. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein prior to causing the robotic arm assembly to grasp the item using the end effector, the instructions further cause the robotic arm assembly to cause the one or more compliance variation mechanisms to vary the compliance level of the end effector.

4. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises a portion of an end-of-arm tool (EOAT).

5. A computer-implemented method;

comprising;

identifying an item to be manipulated using an end effector;

determining a placement location for the identified item based at least n part on an attribute of the item;

grasping the item using the end effector;

moving the item to the placement location;

varying a compliance associated with the end effector based at least in part on a determination that the item is within a threshold distance of the placement location; and

placing the item at the placement location.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising selecting the end effector based at least in part on a type associated with the item.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the placement location for the identified item is determined based at least in part on attributes of other items located proximate to the placement location.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the variation to the compliance associated with the end effector is determined based on the item.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the item is identified using one or more image processing techniques.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising determining a pose appropriate for the item and the placement location.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein placing the item into the placement location comprises placing the item into the determined pose.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein placing the item at the placement location comprises pushing aside one or more items in a vicinity of the placement location.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising altering the compliance associated with the end effector prior to grasping the item using the end effector.

14. An inventory management system comprising:

at least one robotic arm assembly;

a processor; and

a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor, cause the robotic arm assembly to, at least;

remove an item from a first location;

determine a second location to receive the item, the second location determined to optimize a gross cubic utilization;

move the item into proximity of the second location;

vary a level of compliance of the robotic arm assembly; and

place the item into the second location.

15. The inventory management system of claim 14, wherein the second location is determined based at least in part on a size and/or shape of the item.

16. The inventory management system of claim 14, wherein the level of compliance of the robotic arm assembly is varied using a variable compliance actuator.

17. The inventory management system of claim 14, wherein the level of compliance of the robotic arm assembly is increased by loosening a connection between the item and an end effector.

18. The inventory management system of claim 14, wherein placing the item into the second location comprises pushing the item against one or more items in proximity to the second location.

19. The inventory management system of claim 14, wherein optimizing the gross cubic utilization comprises maximizing a number of items stored in an inventory space.

20. The inventory management system of claim 14, wherein the second location is determined based on a fragility of the item.