Inventory Management

• US 20180370727A1
• Filed: 08/07/2018
• Published: 12/27/2018
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,518,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0492 with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0267 Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/0216 Codes or marks on the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/041 Camera
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

An example system includes a robotic device deployed in a warehouse environment including a plurality of inventory items. The system also includes a camera coupled to the robotic device, configured to capture image data. The system also includes a computing system configured to receive the captured image data. The computing system is configured to, based on the received image data, generate a navigation instruction for navigation of the robotic device. The computing system is also configured to analyze the received image data to detect one or more on-item visual identifiers corresponding to one or more inventory items. The computing system is further configured to, for each detected visual identifier, (i) determine a warehouse location of the corresponding inventory item, (ii) compare the determined warehouse location to an expected location, and (iii) initiate an action based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving image data captured by a camera coupled to a first robotic device navigating within an environment;

analyzing the image data to detect an on-item visual identifier corresponding to an inventory item in the environment;

determining a location of the inventory item corresponding to the detected on-item visual identifier based on the image data;

based on a comparison of the determined location of the inventory item to an expected location of the inventory item, detecting a difference between the expected location and the determined location; and

responsive to detecting the difference between the expected location and the determined location, dispatching a second robotic device to the determined location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising based on the received image data, generating a navigation instruction for navigation of the first robotic device within the environment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the navigation instruction based on the received image data and analyzing the received image data to detect the on-item visual identifier occur contemporaneously.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a target inventory item having a target on-item visual identifier corresponding to a target location, wherein generating the navigation instruction comprises generating an instruction to move the first robotic device to the target location;

causing the first robotic device to move to the target location; and

capturing, by the camera, the target on-item visual identifier.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the navigation instruction comprises a first navigation instruction that causes the camera to capture image data including a first number of on-item visual identifiers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

generating a second navigation instruction that causes the camera to capture image data including a second number of on-item visual identifiers, wherein the second number of on-item visual identifiers is greater than the first number of on-item visual identifiers; and

causing the first robotic device to carry out the second navigation instruction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera mounted on the first robotic device is positionable, and wherein a selected position of the camera is determined based on a value of one or more on-item visual identifiers to be captured by the camera.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera mounted on the first robotic device is positionable, and wherein a selected position of the camera is determined based on an accuracy of navigation of the first robotic device when the camera is in the selected position.

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

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first robotic device and the second robotic device are autonomous guided vehicle (AGVs).

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the environment is a warehouse environment and wherein the inventory item is a pallet.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-item visual identifier is a barcode.

13. A system comprising:

a first robotic device comprising a camera configured to capture image data;

a second robotic device; and

a computing system configured to;

receive image data captured by the camera when the first robotic device is navigating within an environment;

analyze the image data to detect an on-item visual identifier corresponding to an inventory item in the environment;

determine a location of the inventory item corresponding to the detected on-item visual identifier based on the image data;

based on a comparison of the determined location of the inventory item to an expected location of the inventory item, detect a difference between the expected location and the determined location; and

responsive to detecting the difference between the expected location and the determined location, dispatch a second robotic device to the determined location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the environment is a warehouse environment and wherein the first robotic device and the second robotic device are both autonomous fork trucks.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the camera on the first robotic device is positionable, and the first robotic device is configured to select a position of the camera based on a value of one or more target on-item visual identifiers to be captured by the camera.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the camera on the first robotic device is positionable, and the first robotic device is configured to select a position of the camera based on a number of one or more target on-item visual identifiers to be captured by the camera.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the camera on the first robotic device is positionable, and the first robotic device is configured to dynamically change a position of the camera to capture a plurality of target on-item visual identifiers during navigation of the first robotic device.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the camera on the first robotic device is a stereo camera.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first robotic device and the second robotic device are different types of robotic devices.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving image data captured by a camera coupled to a first robotic device navigating within an environment;

analyzing the image data to detect an on-item visual identifier corresponding to an inventory item in the environment;

determining a location of the inventory item corresponding to the detected on-item visual identifier based on the image data;

based on a comparison of the determined location of the inventory item to an expected location of the inventory item, detecting a difference between the expected location and the determined location; and

responsive to detecting the difference between the expected location and the determined location, dispatching a second robotic device to the determined location.