Collaborative inventory monitoring

• US 10,265,871 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2018
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hance, Christopher, Shaffer, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Randazzo, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US16/121,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20180370046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 230 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/021 Optical sensing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/162 Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/065 with self propelled cars
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1375 the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/124 using tapes, cards or discs with optically sensed marks or codes G05B19/128, G05B19/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4183 characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45056 Handling cases, boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0291 Fleet control monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes

Abstract

An example method is carried out in a warehouse environment having a plurality of inventory items located therein, each having a corresponding on-item identifier. The method involves determining a target inventory item having a target on-item identifier. The method also involves determining that a first inventory item having a first on-item identifier is loaded onto a first robotic device. The method further involves transmitting a request to verify the first on-item identifier. The method still further involves receiving data captured by a sensor of the second robotic device. The method yet further involves (i) analyzing the received data to determine the first on-item identifier, (ii) comparing the first on-item identifier and the target on-item identifier, and (iii) responsive to comparing the first on-item identifier and the target on-item identifier, performing an action.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing a robotic device to transport a load from a first location to a second location in an environment;

while the robotic device is transporting the load from the first location to the second location in the environment, making a determination to verify contents of the load using a sensor in the environment, wherein the sensor is separate from the robotic device;

in response to making the determination, causing the robotic device to transport the load within a field of view of the sensor before transporting the load to the second location; and

using sensor data from the sensor in the environment to verify the contents of the load.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is at a fixed location in the environment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor is mounted on a wall in the environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic device is a first robotic device, and wherein the sensor is on a second robotic device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising dispatching the second robotic device to a particular location in order to collect the sensor data used to verify the contents of the load.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising coordinating respective routes of the first robotic device and the second robotic device to cause the first robotic device and the second robotic device to pass each other to enable verification of the load transported by the first robotic device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising using additional sensor data from a different sensor on the first robotic device to verify contents of a different load being transported by the second robotic device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a weight of the load transported by the robotic device; and

identifying a discrepancy between the weight of the load and an expected weight of the load, wherein the determination to verify the contents of the load is made in response to identifying the discrepancy.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the weight of the load transported by the robotic device is performed using a scale on the robotic device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the discrepancy comprises determining that the weight of the load is not within a margin of error of the expected weight of the load.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein using the sensor data from the sensor in the environment to verify the contents of the load comprises detecting an on-item identifier on the load and comparing the on-item identifier to a target identifier.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a mismatch between the on-item identifier and the target identifier; and

performing an action based on the detected mismatch.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the on-item identifier is a barcode.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment is a warehouse, and wherein the load is a pallet.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a camera, and wherein the sensor data is image data.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising based on results of using the sensor data from the sensor in the environment to verify the contents of the load, causing the robotic device to transport the load to a third location, wherein the third location is different from the second location.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein using the sensor data from the sensor in the environment to verify the contents of the load comprises detecting a color of the load and comparing the color of the load to an expected color.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating inventory information in a database based on results of using the sensor data from the sensor in the environment to verify the contents of the load.

19. A robotic device, comprising a control system, wherein the control system is configured to:

cause the robotic device to transport a load from a first location to a second location in an environment;

while the robotic device is transporting the load from the first location to the second location in the environment, make a determination to verify contents of the load using a sensor in the environment, wherein the sensor is separate from the robotic device;

in response to making the determination, cause the robotic device to transport the load within a field of view of the sensor before transporting the load to the second location; and

use sensor data from the sensor in the environment to verify the contents of the load.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions executable by at least one processor to perform functions comprising:

causing a robotic device to transport a load from a first location to a second location in an environment;

while the robotic device is transporting the load from the first location to the second location in the environment, making a determination to verify contents of the load using a sensor in the environment, wherein the sensor is separate from the robotic device;

in response to making the determination, causing the robotic device to transport the load within a field of view of the sensor before transporting the load to the second location; and

using sensor data from the sensor in the environment to verify the contents of the load.