Smart robot part

• US 10,632,616 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2017
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saunders, John Aaron, Murphy, Michael Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Holwerda, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US15/670,404
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33105 Identification of type of connected module, motor, panel
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40304 Modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 Sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/50 Miscellaneous

Abstract

Example implementations may relate a robot part including a processor, at least one sensor, and an interface providing wireless connectivity. The processor may determine that the robot part is removablly connected to a particular robotic system and may responsively obtain identification information to identify the particular robotic system. While the robot part is removablly connected to the particular robotic system, the processor may (i) transmit, to an external computing system, sensor data that the processor received from the at least one sensor and (ii) receive, from the external computing system, environment information (e.g., representing characteristics of an environment in which the particular robotic system is operating) based on interpretation of the sensor data. And based on the identification information and the environment information, the processor may generate a command that causes the particular robotic system to carry out a task in the environment.

Claims

1. A robot part comprising:

an interface providing wireless connectivity;

a sensor;

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by the one or more processors to;

while the robot part is removably connected to a particular robotic system of a robot, the particular robotic system comprising (i) one or more appendages and (ii) one or more actuators each coupled to at least one of the one or more appendages;

transmit, to an external computing system via the interface, sensor data that the one or more processors received from the sensor, the sensor data comprising image data of an environment in which the particular robotic system is operating; and

receive, from the external computing system via the interface, environment information based on interpretation of the sensor data, the environment information comprising identification of an object and a location of the identified object in the environment;

based on the environment information, generate a command specifying a task for the robot part of the particular robotic system of the robot; and

transmit the command to the particular robotic system, the command when received by the particular robotic system causing the particular robotic system to move the robot part to a spatial location relative to the location of the identified object in the environment, and

wherein the command that causes the particular robotic system to move the robot part causes the one or more actuators to move each of the one or more appendages to each of a plurality of spatial positions.

2. The robot part of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to determine movement capabilities of the particular robotic system based on the command specifying the task.

3. The robot part of claim 2, wherein the program instructions are further executable to transmit, to the external computing system, the determined movement capabilities of the particular robotic system.

4. The robot part of claim 3, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

determine that the robot part is disconnected from the particular robotic system;

after the robot part is disconnected from the particular robotic system, determine that the robot part is reconnected to the particular robotic system; and

in response to determining that the robot part is reconnected to the particular robotic system, obtain, from the external computing system, capability information representative of the determined movement capabilities of the particular robotic system.

5. The robot part of claim 2, wherein determining the movement capabilities of the particular robotic system comprises determining a kinematic model of the particular robotic system.

6. The robot part of claim 5, wherein the kinematic model of the particular robotic system is representative of one or more of:

(i) joint angle capabilities of the particular robotic system;

(ii) velocity capabilities of the particular robotic system;

or (iii) acceleration capabilities of the particular robotic system.

7. The robot part of claim 5, wherein:

determining the kinematic model comprises, based on movement of each of the one or more appendages to each of the plurality of spatial positions, determining one or more of;

(i) a range of motion of each of the one or more appendages;

or (ii) degrees of freedom through which the particular robotic system is capable of moving the one or more appendages.

8. The robot part of claim 7, wherein the command further causes the one or more actuators to move each of the one or more appendages to each of the plurality of spatial positions at each of a plurality of velocities, and wherein determining the kinematic model further comprises, based on movement of each of the one or more appendages to each of the plurality of spatial positions at each of the plurality of velocities, determining velocities at which the particular robotic system is capable of moving the one or more appendages.

9. The robot part of claim 7, wherein the command further causes the one or more actuators to move each of the one or more appendages to each of the plurality of spatial positions at each of a plurality of accelerations, and wherein determining the kinematic model further comprises, based on movement of each of the one or more appendages to each of the plurality of spatial positions at each of the plurality of accelerations, determining accelerations at which the particular robotic system is capable of moving the one or more appendages.

10. The robot part of claim 2, wherein the program instructions are further executable to

based on the determined movement capabilities of the particular robotic system, determine movement capabilities of the robot part, wherein the determined movement capabilities of the robot part are in effect when the robot part is removably connected to the particular robotic system;

and

transmit, to the external computing system, the determined movement capabilities of the robot part.

11. The robot part of claim 10, wherein determining movement capabilities of the robot part comprises determining a kinematic model of the robot part in combination with the particular robotic system.

12. The robot part of claim 11, wherein the kinematic model of the robot part in combination with the particular robotic system is representative of one or more of:

(i) spatial positioning capabilities of the robot part when the robot part is removably connected to the particular robotic system;

(ii) velocity capabilities of the robot part when the robot part is removably connected to the particular robotic system;

or

(iii) acceleration capabilities of the robot part when the robot part is removably connected to the particular robotic system.

13. The robot part of claim 10, wherein determining movement capabilities of the particular robotic system comprises determining joint angle capabilities of the particular robotic system, wherein determining movement capabilities of the robot part comprises, based on the determined joint angle capabilities of the particular robotic system, determining spatial positioning capabilities of the robot part, and wherein the spatial positioning capabilities of the robot part are in effect when the robot part is removably connected to the particular robotic system.

14. The robot part of claim 10, wherein determining movement capabilities of the particular robotic system comprises determining velocity capabilities of the particular robotic system, wherein determining movement capabilities of the robot part comprises, based on the determined velocity capabilities of the particular robotic system, determining velocity capabilities of the robot part, and wherein the velocity capabilities of the robot part are in effect when the robot part is removably connected to the particular robotic system.

15. The robot part of claim 10, wherein determining movement capabilities of the particular robotic system comprises determining acceleration capabilities of the particular robotic system, wherein determining movement capabilities of the robot part comprises, based on the determined acceleration capabilities of the particular robotic system, determining acceleration capabilities of the robot part, and wherein the acceleration capabilities of the robot part are in effect when the robot part is removably connected to the particular robotic system.

16. The robot part of claim 1, wherein the robot part is a first robot part, and wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

determine that a second robot part is also removably connected to the particular robotic system, wherein the second robot part also comprises (i) one or more processors, (ii) a sensor, and (iii) an interface providing wireless connectivity; and

in response to determining that the second robot part is also removably connected to the particular robotic system, engage in communications with the second robot part via the at least one external computing system.

17. The robot part of claim 1, wherein the robot part is configured to couple to each of a plurality of end effectors, and wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

determine that the robot part is coupled to a particular end effector of the plurality of end effectors; and

in response to determining that the robot part is coupled to the particular end effector, identify the particular end effector, wherein the command also causes the particular end effector to carry out the task.

18. The robot part of claim 17, wherein identifying the particular end effector comprises obtaining, from the external computing system, end effector identification information to identify the particular end effector.

19. A method comprising:

while a robot part is removably connected to a particular robotic system of a robot, the particular robotic system comprising (i) one or more appendages and (ii) one or more actuators each coupled to at least one of the one or more appendages;

transmitting, by one or more processors of the robot part to an external computing system via an interface of the robot part, sensor data that the one or more processors received from a sensor of the robot part, the sensor data comprising image data of an environment in which the particular robotic system is operating; and

receiving, by the one or more processors from the external computing system via the interface, environment information based on interpretation of the sensor data, the environment information comprising identification of an object and a location of the identified object in the environment;

based at least in part on the environment information, generating, by the one or more processors, a command specifying a task for the robot part of the particular robotic system of the robot; and

transmitting, by the one or more processors, the command to the particular robotic system, the command when received by the particular robotic system causing the particular robotic system to move the robot part to a spatial location relative to the location of the identified object in the environment, and

wherein the command that causes the particular robotic system to move the robot part causes the one or more actuators to move each of the one or more appendages to each of a plurality of spatial positions.