Manual control modes for an autonomous mobile robot

• US 10,558,214 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2018
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Locus Robotics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Locus Robotics Corporation
• Inventors: Jaquez, Luis, Johnson, Sean, Johnson, Michael Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey, Patrick H
• Application Number:
  US15/888,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20190243358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/00 Programme-controlled manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/163 learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1375 the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/124 using tapes, cards or discs with optically sensed marks or codes G05B19/128, G05B19/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23363 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room

Abstract

A method for performing tasks on items located in a space using a robot, includes receiving an order to perform a task on at least one item and obtaining a pose associated with the at least one item. The pose is in a coordinate system defined by the space and the pose is where the task is to be performed on the at least one item. The method includes navigating the robot toward the pose associated with the at least one item and detecting, when in proximity to the pose, if the pose is obstructed by an object. If the pose is obstructed by an object, halting the robot at a location spaced from the pose and then causing the robot to provide a first signal indicating that the robot is in a holding mode at the location spaced from the pose.

Claims

1. A method for performing tasks on items located in a space using a robot, the method comprising:

receiving an order to perform a task on at least one item;

obtaining a pose associated with the at least one item;

the pose being in a coordinate system defined by the space and the pose being where the task is to be performed on the at least one item;

navigating the robot toward the pose associated with the at least one item;

detecting that the pose is obstructed by an object;

halting the robot at a location spaced from the pose; and

causing the robot to provide a first signal indicating that the robot is in a holding mode at the location spaced from the pose;

providing on a display inputs to allow a human operator to select one of pausing continued operation of the robot, bypassing the pose, or remaining in the holding mode;

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, causing the robot to pause at the location spaced from the pose to have the operator perform the task on the at least one item even though the robot has not reached the pose;

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of bypassing the pose, causing the robot to bypass the pose without performing the task on the at least one item; and

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of remaining in holding mode, causing the robot to remain in the holding mode until the robot detects that the pose is no longer obstructed by the object.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, causing the robot to provide a second signal different from the first signal to indicate that continued operation of the robot has been paused.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second signals are provided by causing one or more lights on an exterior of the robot to be illuminated.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more lights on an exterior of the robot are caused to be illuminated in more than one color or in an intermittent manner to distinguish between the first and second signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the task includes one of retrieving the at least one item and placing it on the robot or removing the at least one item from the robot and storing it proximate the pose.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the space is a warehouse containing a plurality of items stored in a plurality of containers dispersed throughout the warehouse.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is one of another robot, a human operator or an inanimate object.

8. A robot for performing tasks on items located in a space, the items being located proximate fiducial markers, each fiducial marker having a fiducial identification, the robot comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an order to perform a task on at least one item;

determine the fiducial identification associated with the at least one item;

obtain, using the fiducial identification of the at least one item, a pose associated with a position of the fiducial marker with the determined fiducial identification, in a coordinate system defined by the space;

a navigation system configured to navigate the robot to the pose of the fiducial marker associated with said determined fiducial identification;

a display configured to communicate to an operator the task to be performed on the at least one item; and

a sensor configured to detect that the pose is obstructed by an object;

wherein, when the sensor detects that the pose is obstructed by an object, the processor is configured to stop the robot a location spaced from the pose and cause the robot to provide a first signal that the robot is in a holding mode;

wherein the processor is configured to provide on the display inputs to allow a human operator to select one of pausing continued operation of the robot, bypassing the pose, or remaining in the holding mode;

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, the processor is configured to cause the robot to pause at the location spaced from the pose to have the operator perform the task on the at least one item even though the robot has not reached the pose;

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of bypassing the pose, the processor is configured to cause the robot to bypass the pose without performing the task on the at least one item; and

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of remaining in holding mode, the processor is configured to cause the robot to remain in the holding mode until the robot detects that the pose is no longer obstructed by the object.

9. The robot of claim 8 wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, the processor is configured to cause the robot to provide a second signal different from the first signal to indicate that continued operation of the robot has been paused.

10. The robot of claim 9 further including one or more lights on an exterior of the robot and wherein the processor is configured to cause the one or more lights to be illuminated to provide the first and second signals.

11. The robot of claim 10 wherein processor is configured to cause the one or more lights to be illuminated in more than one color or in an intermittent manner to distinguish between the first and second signals.

12. The robot of claim 8, wherein the task includes one of retrieving the at least one item and placing it on the robot or removing the at least one item from the robot and storing it proximate the pose.

13. The robot of claim 8, wherein the space is a warehouse containing a plurality of items stored in a plurality of containers dispersed throughout the warehouse.

14. The robot of claim 8, wherein the object is one of another robot or another human operator.

15. A method for performing tasks on items located in a space using a robot, the method comprising:

receiving an order to perform a task on at least one item;

determining a location associated with the at least one item;

navigating the robot to the location associated with the at least one item; and

communicating to an operator the task to be performed on the at least one item;

wherein the method further includes;

detecting that the location is obstructed by an object,

stopping the robot spaced from the location,

causing the robot to provide a first signal that the robot is in a holding mode; and

providing on a display inputs to allow a human operator to select one of pausing continued operation of the robot, bypassing the location, or remaining in the holding mode;

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, causing the robot to pause spaced from the location to have the operator perform the task on the at least one item even though the robot has not reached the location;

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of bypassing the location, causing the robot to bypass the location without performing the task on the at least one item; and

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of remaining in holding mode, causing the robot to remain in the holding mode until the robot detects that the location is no longer obstructed by the object.

16. A robot for performing tasks on items located in a space, the robot comprising:

a processor configured to receive an order to perform a task on at least one item and to

determine a location in the space associated with the at least one item;

a navigation system configured to navigate the robot to the location;

a display configured to communicate to an operator the task to be performed on the at least one item; and

a sensor configured to detect that the location is obstructed by an object;

wherein, when the sensor detects that the location is obstructed by an object, the processor is configured to stop the robot at a location spaced from the location and cause the robot to provide a first signal that the robot is in a holding mode;

wherein the processor is configured to provide on the display inputs to allow a human operator to select one of pausing continued operation of the robot, bypassing the pose, or remaining in the holding mode;

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of pausing continued operation of the robot, the processor is configured to cause the robot to pause spaced from the pose to have the operator perform the task on the at least one item even though the robot has not reached the location;

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of bypassing the location, the processor is configured to cause the robot to bypass the location without performing the task on the at least one item; and

wherein when the human operator selects the display input of remaining in holding mode, the processor is configured to cause the robot to remain in the holding mode until the robot detects that the location is no longer obstructed by the object.