Robotic radar assistance

• US 10,215,852 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2015
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Byrne, Paul Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US14/875,020
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/881 for robotics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

Examples relate to implementing robotic radar assistance. A robotic device may use radar antennas coupled at different positions on the robotic device to monitor a buffer that extends proximate around one or more portions of the robotic device. In some instances, the buffer has a shape that corresponds to exterior shapes of the one or more portions of the robotic device. The robotic device may receive object location information from the radar antennas that indicates positions of respective objects within the buffer relative to the robotic device. Using the object location information, the robotic device may identify when an unexpected object enters within the buffer, and adjust robotic operation as a result.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, at a computing system using a plurality of curved radar antennas coupled at respective positions of a robotic device, a buffer that extends proximate around one or more portions of the robotic device, wherein the plurality of curved radar antennas are configured to monitor the buffer such that the buffer has a shape that mirrors exterior shapes of the one or more portions of the robotic device;

receiving object location information from the plurality of curved radar antennas, wherein the object location information indicates positions of respective objects within the buffer relative to the robotic device;

identifying, based on the object location information, an unexpected object within the buffer; and

based on identifying the unexpected object within the buffer, causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of curved radar antennas includes at least one set of three curved radar antennas coupled around a portion of the robotic device at 120 degree increments.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the portion of the robotic device corresponds to an arm of the robotic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein based on identifying the unexpected object within the buffer, causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation comprises:

causing the robotic device to stop moving;

receiving, at the computing system from at least one sensor, sensor data corresponding to the unexpected object, wherein the at least one sensor differs from the plurality of curved radar antennas; and

based on the sensor data, causing the robotic device to perform a subsequent robotic operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein based on identifying the unexpected object within the buffer, causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation comprises:

causing the robotic device to stop performing a current robotic operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein based on identifying the unexpected object within the buffer, causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation comprises:

causing the robotic device to stop operating until detecting that the unexpected object is no longer positioned in the buffer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of curved radar antennas includes at least a first radar antenna having a first size and a second radar antenna having a second size, wherein the first size is different than the second size.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring, using the plurality of curved radar antennas coupled at respective positions of the robotic device, the buffer that extends proximate around one or more portions of the robotic device comprises:

monitoring a first buffer that extends proximate around a body of the robotic device and a second buffer that extends proximate around an arm of the robotic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first buffer and the second buffer overlap at one or more points.

10. A robotic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a plurality of curved radar antennas coupled at respective positions of the robotic device; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium, configured to store instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the robotic device to perform functions comprising;

monitoring, using the plurality of curved radar antennas, a buffer that extends proximate around one or more portions of the robotic device, wherein the plurality of curved radar antennas are configured to monitor the buffer such that the buffer has a shape that mirrors exterior shapes of the one or more portions of the robotic device;

receiving object location information from the plurality of curved radar antennas, wherein the object location information indicates positions of respective objects within the buffer relative to the robotic device;

identifying, based on the object location information, an unexpected object within the buffer; and

based on identifying the unexpected object within the buffer, causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation.

11. The robotic device of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying, using the object location information from the plurality of curved radar antennas, respective parameters of the unexpected object that indicates the unexpected object corresponds to a person, wherein the respective parameters includes a height of the unexpected object.

12. The robotic device of claim 11, wherein based on identifying the unexpected object within the buffer, causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation comprise:

causing the robotic device to stop performing the robotic operation.

13. The robotic device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of curved radar antennas coupled at respective positions of the robotic device includes at least one radar antenna coupled to a front of a body of the robotic device, at least one radar antenna coupled to a back of the body, at least one radar antenna coupled to a left side of the body, and at least one radar antenna coupled to a right side of the body.

14. The robotic device of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying, based on the object location information, an expected object within the buffer; and

based on identifying the expected object within the buffer, causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation based on a position of the expected object.

15. The robotic device of claim 14, wherein causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation based on the position of the expected object comprises:

causing the robotic device to grip the expected object.

16. The robotic device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of curved radar antennas includes a set of six radar antennas coupled around a portion of the robotic device at 60 degree increments.

17. The robotic device of claim 10, wherein the object location information further includes information indicating a size and a velocity of the unexpected object.

18. The robotic device of claim 10, wherein the buffer that extends proximate around one or more portions of the robotic device corresponds to a volume of space comprising the one or more portions of the robotic device.

19. The robotic device of claim 10, wherein the buffer that extends proximate around one or more portions of the robotic device corresponds to a two-dimensional area that extends around the one or more portions of the robotic device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing system to perform functions comprising:

monitoring, using a plurality of curved radar antennas coupled at respective positions of a robotic device, a buffer that extends proximate around one or more portions of the robotic device, wherein the plurality of curved radar antennas are configured to monitor the buffer such that the buffer has a shape that mirrors exterior shapes of the one or more portions of the robotic device;

receiving object location information from the plurality of curved radar antennas, wherein the object location information indicates positions of respective objects within the buffer relative to the robotic device;

identifying, based on the object location information, an unexpected object within the buffer; and

based on identifying the unexpected object within the buffer, causing the robotic device to adjust robotic operation.