Identification Information for Warehouse Navigation

• US 20180088586A1
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hance, Christopher, Shaffer, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 10,353,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/28 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading, distribution or shipping

Abstract

An example method includes receiving image data captured by a sensor on a robotic device. The robotic device is in a warehouse, including multiple inventory items stored at storage locations in the warehouse. Each inventory item has an on-item identifier that identifies it in a warehouse management system (WMS), each storage location has a storage-location identifier that identifies it in the WMS, and a first on-item identifier for a first inventory item is associated in the WMS with a first storage-location identifier for a first storage location. The method includes analyzing the received sensor data to detect an identifier captured by the sensor. The detected identifier includes one or both of the first on-item identifier and the first storage-location identifier. The method includes determining a warehouse location associated with the detected identifier and, based on the warehouse location, determining a location of the robotic device within the warehouse.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving sensor data captured by a sensor coupled to a robotic device,

responsive to receiving the sensor data, performing an analysis of the sensor data;

detecting an identifier captured by the sensor using the analysis of the received sensor data;

determining a warehouse location associated with the identifier in a warehouse management system (WMS); and

based on the warehouse location, determining a location of the robotic device in a warehouse environment,

wherein the robotic device is deployed in the warehouse environment, a plurality of inventory items are stored at a plurality of storage locations in the warehouse environment, each inventory item has an on-item identifier that identifies the inventory item in the WMS, and each storage location has a storage-location identifier that identifies the storage location in the WMS,

wherein a first on-item identifier for a first inventory item of the plurality of inventory items is associated in the WMS with a first storage-location identifier for a first storage location of the plurality of storage locations, and the identifier detected using the analysis of the sensor data includes one or both of the first on-item identifier and the first storage-location identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-item identifier of the plurality of inventory items and the storage-location identifier of the plurality of storage locations are barcodes,

wherein the sensor is a camera, and

wherein the sensor data is image data captured by the camera.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a navigation instruction based on the determined location of the robotic device; and

moving the robotic device within the warehouse environment based on the navigation instruction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the navigation instruction comprises:

determining a target inventory item at a target location in the warehouse environment; and

generating the navigation instruction for moving the robotic device from the determined location of the robotic device to the target location.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving additional sensor data captured by the sensor coupled to the robotic device;

analyzing the received additional sensor data to detect a target on-item identifier for the target inventor item; and

responsive to detecting the target on-item identifier, determining that the robotic device navigated to the target location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is the first storage-location identifier, and determining the warehouse location comprises:

determining, from among the plurality of storage locations, the first storage location that is associated in the WMS with the first storage-location identifier; and

determining, from the WMS, the warehouse location is associated with the first storage location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is the first on-item identifier, and determining the warehouse location comprises:

determining, from the WMS, the first storage-location identifier is associated with the first on-item identifier;

determining, from among the plurality of storage locations, the first storage location that is associated in the WMS with the first storage-location identifier; and

determining, from the WMS, the warehouse location is associated with the first storage location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the robotic device comprises:

determining, based on the sensor data, one or both of a size and a shape of the detected identifier;

comparing the determined one or both of the size and the shape of the detected identifier to one or both of a reference size and a reference shape; and

based on the comparison, determining one or both a distance and an orientation of the robotic device relative to the determined warehouse location of the detected identifier; and

determining the location of the robotic device based on (i) the determined warehouse location of the detected identifier and (ii) the determined one or both of the distance and the orientation of the robotic device relative to the determined warehouse location of the detected identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the robotic device is the warehouse location associated with the detected identifier in the WMS.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the WMS comprises one or more components of the robotic device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the WMS comprises a computing system communicatively coupled to the robotic device via a wireless connection.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor coupled to the robotic device is a stereo camera.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the robotic device is an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV).

14. A system comprising:

a robotic device deployed in a warehouse environment,

a sensor coupled to the robotic device, wherein the sensor is configured to capture sensor data; and

a computing system configured to;

receive the sensor data captured by the sensor,

responsive to receiving the sensor data, perform an analysis of the sensor data,

detect an identifier captured by the sensor using the analysis of the sensor data,

determine a warehouse location associated with the identifier in a warehouse management system (WMS), and

based on the warehouse location, determine a location of the robotic device in the warehouse environment,

wherein a plurality of inventory items are stored at a plurality of storage locations in the warehouse environment, each inventory item has an on-item identifier that identifies the inventory item in the WMS, and each storage location has a storage-location identifier that identifies the storage location in the WMS,

wherein a first on-item identifier for a first inventory item of the plurality of inventory items is associated in the WMS with a first storage-location identifier for a first storage location of the plurality of storage locations, and the identifier detected using the analysis of the sensor data includes one or both of the first on-item identifier and the first storage-location identifier.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the on-item identifier of the plurality of inventory items and the storage-location identifier of the plurality of storage locations are barcodes,

wherein the sensor is a camera, and

wherein the sensor data is image data captured by the camera.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the camera is a stereo camera.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing system is further configured to:

determine a navigation instruction based on the determined location of the robotic device; and

cause the robotic device to move within the warehouse environment based on the navigation instruction.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein, to determine the location of the robotic device, the computing system is configured to:

determine, based on the sensor data, one or both of a size and a shape of the detected identifier;

compare the determined one or both of the size or the shape of the detected identifier to one or both of a reference size or a reference shape;

based on the comparison, determine one or both of a distance or an orientation of the robotic device relative to the determined warehouse location of the detected identifier; and

determine the location of the robotic device based on (i) the determined warehouse location of the detected identifier and (ii) the determined one or both of the distance or the orientation of the robotic device relative to the determined warehouse location of the detected identifier.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the robotic device comprises at least a portion of the computing system.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing system is located remotely relative to the robotic device, and wherein the computing system is communicatively coupled to the robotic device via a wireless connection.

21. A robotic device comprising:

a sensor configured to capture sensor data; and

a computing system configured to;

receive the sensor data captured by the sensor,

responsive to receiving the sensor data, perform an analysis of the sensor data,

detect an identifier captured by the sensor using the analysis of the sensor data,

determine a warehouse location associated with the identifier in a warehouse management system (WMS), and

based on the warehouse location, determine a location of the robotic device in a warehouse environment,

wherein the robotic device is deployed in the warehouse environment, a plurality of inventory items are stored at a plurality of storage locations in the warehouse environment, each inventory item has an on-item identifier that identifies the inventory item in the WMS, and each storage location has a storage-location identifier that identifies the storage location in the WMS,

wherein a first on-item identifier for a first inventory item of the plurality of inventory items is associated in the WMS with a first storage-location identifier for a first storage location of the plurality of storage locations, and the identifier detected using the analysis of the sensor data includes one or both of the first on-item identifier and the first storage-location identifier.

22. The robotic device of claim 21, wherein the on-item identifier of the plurality of inventory items and the storage-location identifier of the plurality of storage locations are barcodes,

wherein the sensor is a camera, and

wherein the sensor data is image data captured by the camera.

23. The robotic device of claim 21, wherein the computing system is further configured to:

determine a navigation instruction based on the determined location of the robotic device; and

cause the robotic device to move within the warehouse environment based on the navigation instruction.