Robotic Navigation and Mapping
First Claim
1. A method for robotic navigation, the method comprising:
- scanning a plurality of markers with a sensor of a robot as the robot moves by the plurality of markers;
detecting based on said scanning by the robot at a first position, a first marker of the plurality of markers;
detecting based on said scanning by the robot at a second position near the first position, a second marker of the plurality of markers;
formulating a message from different data decoded from a combination of at least the first marker and the second marker; and
modifying operation of the robot based on the message.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments efficiently locate and map item locations in a distribution site using robots and a set of markers that the robots can scan without cessation of movement. Some embodiments optimally position a robot for item retrieval or placement. The optimal position is determined by affine transform computation or feature mapping. The robot first aligns itself according to the expected item position as indicated by one or more of the markers. The alignment is determined based on size and orientation of the markers in images obtained using the robot'"'"'s camera. The robot then aligns itself according to the actual item position. Here, the repositioning is determined based on size and orientation of the actual item in images obtained using the robot'"'"'s camera. Using the robot cameras and feature mapping, robots can traverse the shelves to identify and map item location therein.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for robotic navigation, the method comprising:
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scanning a plurality of markers with a sensor of a robot as the robot moves by the plurality of markers; detecting based on said scanning by the robot at a first position, a first marker of the plurality of markers; detecting based on said scanning by the robot at a second position near the first position, a second marker of the plurality of markers; formulating a message from different data decoded from a combination of at least the first marker and the second marker; and modifying operation of the robot based on the message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for robotic navigation, the method comprising:
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moving a robot to a first position before an object; scanning with a sensor of the robot, at least one particular marker on or adjacent to the object; determining, based on said scanning, size, orientation, or elevation of the particular marker as captured by said sensor with robot at the first position deviates from an expected size, orientation, or elevation; and repositioning the robot from the first position to a different second position at which the size, orientation, or elevation of the particular marker in subsequent scans of the sensor aligns with the expected size, orientation, or elevation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for robotic inventory management, the method comprising:
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navigating a robot to a first marker within an object warehouse based on an object mapping indicating a first location of a particular object adjacent to the first marker, the object warehouse storing a plurality of objects; scanning the first marker with a sensor of the robot upon the robot navigating to the location; retrieving the particular object with said robot in response to said scanning the first marker; identifying from said object mapping, a second marker indicating an open second location within the object warehouse; returning the particular object to said second location with said robot; scanning with the sensor of the robot, the second marker to which the particular object is returned; and updating the object mapping by changing a storage location of the particular object from the first marker to the second marker. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification