Robotic navigation utilizing semantic mapping

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10019015-B2
Application number	US-201715608543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2017
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A method for performing tasks on items located in a space using a robot, the items being located proximate fiducial markers, each fiducial marker having a fiducial identification. The method includes receiving an order to perform a task on at least one item and determining the fiducial identification associated with the at least one item. The method also includes obtaining, using the fiducial identification of the at least one item, a set of coordinates representing a position of the fiducial marker with the determined fiducial identification, in a coordinate system defined by the space. The method further includes navigating the robot to the coordinates of the fiducial marker associated with said determined fiducial identification.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for performing tasks on items located in a space using a robot, the items being located proximate fiducial markers, each fiducial marker having a fiducial identification, the method comprising:
Receiving an order to perform a task on at least one item, the at least one item including a SKU;
Based on the SKU, determining the fiducial identification associated with the at least one item;
Obtaining, using the fiducial identification of the at least one item, a set of coordinates representing a position of the fiducial marker with the determined fiducial identification, in a coordinate system defined by the space;
Navigating the robot to the coordinates of the fiducial marker associated with said determined fiducial identification; and
wherein obtaining the set of coordinates representing the position of said fiducial marker includes determining a pose for the fiducial marker within the warehouse and the step of navigating includes propelling the robot to the pose without using intermediate fiducial markers or the fiducial marker correlated to the determined fiducial identification to guide the robot to the pose.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including communicating with a human operator to perform the task on the at least one item; 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 fiducial marker.

3. 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.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein each fiducial marker is associated with and located proximate to one or more of the containers.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of determining the fiducial identification includes establishing a fiducial identification system based on a physical layout of the containers dispersed throughout the warehouse and associating each container to a fiducial identification corresponding to the physical location of the container in the warehouse.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of associating each container to a fiducial identification further includes linking the fiducial identification of the container to the items.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of determining the set of coordinates representing a position of the fiducial marker with the determined fiducial identification includes correlating the determined fiducial identification with its corresponding fiducial marker and retrieving a set of coordinates representing the position of said fiducial marker in the coordinate system of the warehouse.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of navigating further includes using a predetermined map of the warehouse including a pose for each fiducial marker to guide the robot to the fiducial marker.

9. A robot configured to perform 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 determine a fiducial identification associated with a SKU of at least one item on which the robot is to perform a task; and further configured to obtain, using the fiducial identification of the at least one item, a set of coordinates representing 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 coordinates of the fiducial marker associated with said determined fiducial identification; and
wherein the processor is further configured to determine a pose for the fiducial marker within the warehouse and the navigation system is configured to propel the robot to the pose without using intermediate fiducial markers or the fiducial marker correlated to the determined fiducial identification to guide the robot to the pose.

10. The robot of claim 9 , further including an interface device configured to communicate with a human operator to perform the task on the at least one item; 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 fiducial marker.

11. The robot of claim 9 , wherein the space is a warehouse containing a plurality of items stored in a plurality of containers dispersed throughout the warehouse.

12. The robot of claim 11 , wherein each fiducial marker is associated with and located proximate to one or more of the containers.

13. The robot of claim 12 , wherein each container in the warehouse is associated to a fiducial identification corresponding to the physical location of the container in the warehouse.

14. The robot of claim 13 , wherein the fiducial identification of the container is linked to the items stored in the containers.

15. The robot of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to correlate the determined fiducial identification with its corresponding fiducial marker and retrieve a set of coordinates representing the position of said fiducial marker in the coordinate system of the warehouse.

16. The robot of claim 9 , wherein the navigation system includes a map of the warehouse with a pose for each fiducial marker.

Assignees

• Locus Robotics Corp

Inventors

• Johnson Michael Charles
• Powers Bradley
• Welty Bruce
• Johnson Sean

Classifications

• G05D1/0246 Primary

  using a video camera in combination with image processing means · CPC title

• B25J5/007

  mounted on wheels · CPC title

• G05D2201/0211

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0276

  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 title

• B25J11/008

  Manipulators for service tasks · CPC title