HIGH THROUGHPUT PARCEL HANDLING

• US 20120253507A1
• Filed: 04/04/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Eldershaw, Craig, Shrader, Eric J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/218
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1669 characterised by special application, e.g. multi-arm co-operation, assembly, grasping
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/00 Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39109 Dual arm, multiarm manipulation, object handled in cooperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39117 Task distribution between involved manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40006 Placing, palletize, un palletize, paper roll placing, box stacking
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40053 Pick 3-D object from pile of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40424 Online motion planning, in real time, use vision to detect workspace changes
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40518 Motion and task planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40604 Two camera, global vision camera, end effector neighbourhood vision camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00

Abstract

A high throughput parcel unloading system includes a robotic arm arrangement, including a cluster of robotic arms having grouping mechanisms. A conveyor system is also provided onto which parcels are placed by the robotic arm system. An image recognition system determines the position and arrangement of parcels within a container, and a control system is configured to receive image information from the image recognition system and control operation of the robotic arm system and conveyor system.

Claims

1. A parcel unloading system comprising:

a robotic arm system including a plurality of robotic arms having gripping mechanisms;

a conveyor system;

an image recognition system; and

a control system configured to receive image information from the image recognition system and to control operation of the robotic arm system and the conveyor system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each robotic arm of the plurality of robotic arms is operationally independent of the other robotic arms of the plurality and configured to be used independently and cooperatively with the other robotic arms.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the robotic arms are configured to operate in multiple degrees of freedom.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of robotic arms is of a size different from at least one of the other of the plurality of robotic arms.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to provide real time layered planning for the robotic arm system, and the real time layered planning includes motion (servo level) control, a motion planner, and a task planner, and wherein the motion (servo level) control is configured to control movement of the robotic arms, the motion planner is configured to generate plans to control the movement of the robotic arms of the robotic arm system by the motion control, and the task planner is configured to generate task plans to determine an order of parcel movement using the image information received from the image recognition system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the gripping mechanisms of the robotic arms are vacuum grippers.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the object recognition system performs repeated object recognition operations to update the information of the parcels in the container.

8. The system of claim 1 further including a detail (fine feature) camera system, wherein cameras of the detail (fine feature) camera system are positioned at an end portion of the robotic arms.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the detail camera system is configured to provide information to motion (servo-level) control for fine control of the movement of the robotic arms.

10. A method of unloading parcels from a container holding a plurality of parcels, the method:

acquiring information related to parcels in a container by a image recognition system;

generating a parcel pile model of some but not all of the parcels in the container;

using the parcel pile model to generate a task plan, by a task planner, the task plan assigning robotic arms of a robotic arm system to specific parcels in the container;

supplying the task plan to a motion planner to generate a motion plan, wherein the motion plan defines the movement of the robotic arms to accomplish the objectives of the task plan;

supplying the motion plan to a motion (servo-level) control system to operate and control the robotic arms; and

unloading the parcels by the robotic arms.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the parcel pile model is updated by the object recognition system as parcels are unloaded.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the unloading includes placing the parcels onto a conveyor belt system.

13. The method according to claim 10 further including operating at least two of the plurality of robotic arms in a cooperative manner to move the same parcel.

14. The method according to claim 10 further including operating at least some of the plurality of robotic arms in parallel.

15. The method according to claim 10 further including using feedback information in at least one of the task planner or the motion planner to adjust at least one of the task plan or the motion plan while parcels are being unloaded.

16. The method according to claim 10 wherein the unloading of the parcels by the robotic arms include moving the parcels by use of vacuum grippers.

17. The method according to claim 10 further including applying detail (fine feature) image recognition information to the motion control to provide detailed information regarding a particular parcel.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the robotic arms are configured to operate in multiple degrees of freedom.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the plurality of robotic arms is of a size different from at least one of the other of the plurality of robotic arms.