Protection system for multi-zone robotic area
First Claim
1. An inventory management system comprising:
- a mobile drive unit configured to autonomously move in a fulfillment center, the mobile drive unit associated with a height and a width of the mobile drive unit that are stored with a first specification of the mobile drive unit in a data store;
a robotic arm configured to pack and stow items moved by the mobile drive unit within the fulfillment center;
a plurality of sensors mounted in association with the robotic arm, locations of the plurality of sensors corresponding to the height or the width of the mobile drive unit, and the plurality of sensors being affixed at the locations in association with the robotic arm; and
a management module communicatively coupled with the mobile drive unit, the robotic arm, and the plurality of sensors, and configured to;
receive, from the plurality of sensors, sensor data in a detection space of the fulfillment center, and the detection space being adjacent to the robotic arm;
determine that an object has entered the detection space based at least in part on the sensor data;
determine that at least one of the plurality of sensors has changed a state in association with the object entering the detection space;
compare the sensor data received from the locations of the plurality of sensors with the specification of the mobile drive unit;
determine that a second specification of the object corresponds with the first specification of the mobile drive unit; and
when the second specification of the object is identified as the mobile drive unit based at least in part on the first specification and the changed state of the at least one of the plurality of sensors, deactivate protection rules associated with the robotic arm.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques described herein define a protection system for a multi-zone area where mobile drive units operate autonomously. For example, the protection system may receive sensor data in a particular detection space where the mobile drive units and potentially human operators enter and exit around a robotic arm. The sensor data may identify that an object has entered the detection space around the robotic arm. The sensor data may identify the likelihood of a mobile drive unit entering the area as compared to an operator entering the area. When the object is identified as an operator, any movement of the robotic arm may immediately stop. When the object is identified as the mobile drive unit, protection rules meant to protect the operator may be deactivated so that the mobile drive unit may receive inventory from the robotic arm.
23 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inventory management system comprising:
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a mobile drive unit configured to autonomously move in a fulfillment center, the mobile drive unit associated with a height and a width of the mobile drive unit that are stored with a first specification of the mobile drive unit in a data store; a robotic arm configured to pack and stow items moved by the mobile drive unit within the fulfillment center; a plurality of sensors mounted in association with the robotic arm, locations of the plurality of sensors corresponding to the height or the width of the mobile drive unit, and the plurality of sensors being affixed at the locations in association with the robotic arm; and a management module communicatively coupled with the mobile drive unit, the robotic arm, and the plurality of sensors, and configured to; receive, from the plurality of sensors, sensor data in a detection space of the fulfillment center, and the detection space being adjacent to the robotic arm; determine that an object has entered the detection space based at least in part on the sensor data; determine that at least one of the plurality of sensors has changed a state in association with the object entering the detection space; compare the sensor data received from the locations of the plurality of sensors with the specification of the mobile drive unit; determine that a second specification of the object corresponds with the first specification of the mobile drive unit; and when the second specification of the object is identified as the mobile drive unit based at least in part on the first specification and the changed state of the at least one of the plurality of sensors, deactivate protection rules associated with the robotic arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer system comprising:
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a mobile drive unit configured to autonomously move in a fulfillment center; a robotic arm configured to pack and stow items moved by the mobile drive unit within the fulfillment center; a plurality of sensors mounted in association with the robotic arm; and a management module communicatively coupled with the mobile drive unit and the plurality of sensors and configured to; receive, from the plurality of sensors, sensor data in a detection space of the fulfillment center, and the detection space being adjacent to the robotic arm; determine that an object has entered the detection space based at least in part on the sensor data; determine that at least one of the plurality of sensors has changed a state in association with the object entering the detection space; and when the object is identified as the mobile drive unit based at least in part on the changed state of the at least one of the plurality of sensors, deactivate protection rules associated with the robotic arm. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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receiving, by a computing system from a plurality of sensors, sensor data in a detection space, and the detection space being adjacent to a robotic arm and the plurality of sensors; determining, by the computing system, that an object has entered the detection space based at least in part on the sensor data; determining, by the computing system, that at least one of the plurality of sensors has changed a state in association with the object entering the detection space; and when the object is identified as a mobile drive unit configured to autonomously move in the detection space based at least in part on the changed state of the at least one of the plurality of sensors, deactivating, by the computing system, protection rules associated with the robotic arm. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification