Systems, devices, articles, and methods for using trained robots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10322506-B2
Application number	US-201715589673-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2017
Priority date	May 6, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

Robotic systems, methods of operation of robotic systems, and storage media including processor-executable instructions are disclosed herein. The system may include a robot, at least one processor in communication with the robot, and an operator interface in communication with the robot and the at least one processor. The method may include executing a first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes a robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in an autonomous mode, and generating a second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the first set of autonomous robot control instructions and a first set of environmental sensor data received from a senor. The second set of autonomous robot control instructions when executed causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task. The method may include producing at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operation in a robotic system including a robot, at least one processor in communication with the robot, and an operator interface in communication with the robot and the at least one processor, the method comprising:
receiving, by the at least one processor, a first set of autonomous robot control instructions which when executed causes the robot to autonomously perform at least one task;
receiving, at the at least one processor from at least one sensor, a first set of environmental sensor data that represents an environment of the robot;
executing, by the at least one processor, the first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in an autonomous mode;
generating, by the at least one processor, as a result of the robot completing execution of the first set of autonomous robot control instructions in the autonomous mode, a second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the first set of autonomous robot control instructions and the first set of environmental sensor data, wherein the second set of autonomous robot control instructions when executed causes the robot to autonomously perform a modified version of the at least one task; and
producing, by the at least one processor, at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one task comprises:
gripping, by the robot, an item.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one task is selected from the group consisting of:
identifying an item;
releasing an item; and
placing an item in an order container.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein executing the first set of autonomous robot control instructions is autonomously performed in response to detection of a defined condition or defined feature in the first set of environmental sensor data.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, by the at least one processor, information that represents completion of the at least one task in the autonomous mode from the at least one sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating, by the at least one processor, at least one nontransitory tangible computer-readable storage medium with the second set of autonomous control instructions.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing, by the at least one processor, the at least one signal to be sent across a network.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the at least one processor, a set of piloted robot control instructions which when executed causes the robot to simulate the at least one task performed by an operator;
receiving, by the at least one processor, a second set of environmental sensor data that represents the environment of the robot during the performance of the at least one task; and
generating, by the at least one processor, the first set of autonomous control instructions from the pilot control instructions, and the second set of environmental sensor data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein generating, by the at least one processor, a second set of autonomous robot control instructions, further comprises:
generating, by the at least one processor, the second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the set of piloted robot control instructions, the first set of autonomous robot control instructions, the first set of environmental sensor data, and the second set of environmental sensor data.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the at least one processor, annotation data created by at least one human observer of the robot,
wherein, the annotation data represents completion of the at least one task in the autonomous mode.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one task includes one or more of: grasping an item, releasing an item, or placing an item in an order container, and receiving annotation data created by at least one human observer of the robot includes receiving annotation data that indicates whether the robot has grasped the item, released the item or placed the item in the order container.

12. A system comprising:
at least one processor;
a robot;
an operator interface communicatively coupled to the robot and the at least one processor;
at least one sensor communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; and
at least one nontransitory processor-readable storage device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and which stores processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
receive a first set of autonomous robot control instructions which when executed causes the robot to autonomously perform at least one task;
receive from at least one sensor, a first set of environmental sensor data that represents an environment of the robot;
execute the first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in an autonomous mode;
generate a second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the first set of autonomous robot control instructions and the first set of environmental sensor data, wherein the second set of autonomous robot control instructions include a machine learning model or an artificial intelligence model that. as a result of execution, causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task; and
produce at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the at least one task comprises the robot gripping an item; and
when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to direct the robot to grip the item.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one task is selected from the group consisting of:
identify an item;
release an item; and
place an item in an order container.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
detect a defined condition or defined feature in the first set of environmental sensor data; and
in response to detection of the defined condition or defined feature, cause the at least one processor to execute the first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in the autonomous mode.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
generate information that represents completion of the at least one task in the autonomous mode from the at least one sensor.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
receive annotation data created by at least one human observer of the robot, wherein, the annotation data represents completion of the at least one task in the autonomous mode.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:
update, based on based on the at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions, the at least one nontransitory processor-readable storage device with the second set of autonomous control instructions.

19. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a communicatio

Assignees

• Kindred Sys Inc

Inventors

• Ding Weiguang
• Rudy Jan Stanislaw
• Norton Olivia S
• Rose George Samuel
• Bergstra James Sterling
• Rodrigues Oswin

Classifications

• B25J9/1656

  characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators · CPC title

• B25J9/163 Primary

  learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control · CPC title

• B65G1/1378

  the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas · CPC title

• B25J9/161

  Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor · CPC title

• B25J9/1687

  Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement · CPC title