Systems and methods for railyard robotics

• US 9,415,513 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Tian, Tai-Peng, Theurer, Charles Burton, Kannan, Balajee, Tan, Huan, Jain, Arpit, Song, Guiju
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/473,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20160059416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/253, 701/19, 701/23, 701/28, 701/468, 701/470, 701/516, 701/526, 340/546, 340/988, 340/900, 340/992, 342/357.34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/02 travelling along a guideway
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

A robot in one embodiment includes a navigation system, a manipulation unit, a visual recognition unit, and a processing unit. The visual recognition unit includes at least one detector configured to acquire presence information of humans within at least a portion of the area. The processing unit is operably coupled to the navigation system, manipulation unit, and visual recognition unit, and is configured to determine a presence of a human within at least one predetermined range of the robot using the presence information from the visual recognition unit, determine at least one control action responsive to determining the presence of the human within the at least one predetermined range, and control at least one of the navigation system or manipulation unit to implement the at least one control action.

Claims

1. A robot for use in a rail yard, the robot comprising:

a navigation system configured to move the robot about an area;

a manipulation unit configured to at least one of grasp items or provide an adjustable view for collection of information;

a visual recognition unit comprising at least one detector configured to acquire presence information within at least a portion of the area; and

a processing unit operably coupled to the navigation system, manipulation unit, and visual recognition unit, the processing unit configured to;

determine a presence of a human within at least one predetermined range of the robot using the presence information from the visual recognition unit;

determine at least one control action responsive to determining the presence of the human within the at least one predetermined range; and

control at least one of the navigation system or manipulation unit to implement the at least one control action.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein the visual recognition unit comprises a camera mounted on an adjustment unit, the adjustment unit configured to at least one of pan or tilt the camera.

3. The robot of claim 1, wherein the visual recognition unit comprises at least a first detector and a second detector, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a navigation control action using information from the first detector and to determine a manipulation control action using information from the second detector.

4. The robot of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine if the robot is in a narrow portion of the area or an open portion of the area, and to determine the at least one control action using a first strategy if the robot is in the narrow portion and to determine the at least one control action using a second strategy if the robot is in the open portion.

5. The robot of claim 4, wherein the processing unit is configured to control the navigation system to maintain the robot in a stationary position when the robot is in the narrow portion and a human is detected within a buffer zone.

6. The robot of claim 4, wherein the processing unit is configured to control the navigation system to avoid a human when the robot is in the open portion and the human is detected within a buffer zone.

7. The robot of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to maintain the manipulation unit in a stationary position when a human is detected within a manipulation zone.

8. The robot of claim 1, wherein the visual recognition unit comprises a lidar detector.

9. The robot of claim 1, wherein the visual recognition unit comprises stereo cameras.

10. A method for controlling a rail yard robot within an area, the method comprising:

obtaining presence information within at least a portion of the area using a visual recognition unit;

determining a presence of a human within at least one predetermined range of the robot using the presence information;

determining at least one control action for the robot responsive to the determination of the presence of the human; and

controlling at least one of a navigation system or manipulation unit of the robot using the at least one control action.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining if the robot is within a narrow portion or an open portion of the area, wherein determining the at least one control action comprises using a first strategy to determine the at least one control action if the robot is in the narrow portion and using a second strategy to determine the at least one control action if the robot is in the open portion.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling the navigation system to maintain the robot in a stationary position when the robot is in the narrow portion and a human is detected within a buffer zone.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling the navigation system to avoid a human when the robot is in the open portion and the human is detected within a buffer zone.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining if the robot is operating in a navigation mode or a manipulation mode.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising using information from a first detector for determining, navigation control actions and using information from a second detector for determining manipulation control actions.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising controlling, the manipulation unit to maintain the manipulation unit in a stationary position when a human is detected within a manipulation zone.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the visual recognition unit comprises a lidar detector.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the visual recognition unit comprises stereo cameras.

19. A tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more computer software modules configured to direct one or more processors to:

obtain presence information within at least a portion of a rail yard area using a visual recognition unit;

determine a presence of a human within at least one predetermined range of a rail yard robot using the presence information;

determine at least one control action for the robot responsive to the determination of the presence of the human; and

control at least one of a navigation system or manipulation unit of the robot using the at least one control action.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the visual recognition unit comprises a lidar detector and/or stereo cameras.