Processing systems and methods for providing processing of a variety of objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10625432-B2
Application number	US-201615348498-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2016
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A sortation system is disclosed for providing processing of homogenous and non-homogenous objects in both structured and cluttered environments. The sortation system includes a programmable motion device including an end effector, a perception system for recognizing any of the identity, location, and orientation of an object presented in a plurality of objects, a grasp selection system for selecting a grasp location on the object, the grasp location being chosen to provide a secure grasp of the object by the end effector to permit the object to be moved from the plurality of objects to one of a plurality of destination locations, and a motion planning system for providing a motion path for the transport of the object when grasped by the end effector from the plurality of objects to the one of the plurality of destination locations, wherein the motion path is chosen to provide a path from the plurality of objects to the one of the plurality of destination locations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing system for providing processing of homogenous and non-homogenous objects in both structured and cluttered environments, said processing system comprising:
a programmable motion device including an end effector;
a perception system for recognizing any of the identity, location, and orientation of an object presented in a plurality of objects, and for capturing real time two dimensional (2D) and/or three dimensional (3D) image data of the plurality of objects at an input area of the processing system; and
a grasp location selection system for selecting a grasp location on the object that permits the object to be grasped and moved by the end effector from the plurality of objects to a destination location,
wherein said grasp location selection system determines a candidate grasp location on the object based on the real time 2D and/or 3D image data of the plurality of objects and displays the real time 2D and/or 3D image data of the plurality of objects on a display device including a graphical indication superimposed on the displayed image data that represents the candidate grasp location on the object and an angle of approach to the candidate grasp location, and
wherein said grasp location selection system permits a physical human interaction with the real time 2D and/or 3D image data on the display device to modify the candidate grasp location.

2. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the perception system further recognizes whether the object is at least partially obscured by one or more other objects.

3. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the real time 2D and/or 3D image data is real time 2D data that is provided by a two dimensional imaging device.

4. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the real time 2D and/or 3D image data is real time 3D data that is provided by a three dimensional imaging device.

5. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the grasp location selection system provides for operator assistance in the event that the grasp location selection system cannot identify a successful grasp location of one or more objects.

6. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the grasp location is modified by selecting a represented grasp location on the display device to delete the grasp location from the image data.

7. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the grasp location is associated with a grasp angle.

8. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the candidate grasp location is determined responsive to learned information provided by a set of learning experiences in which the grasp location selection system is provided with learned information regarding a plurality of grasp locations for a plurality of objects.

9. The processing system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the set of learned experiences is provided by past grasp attempts by the end effector.

10. The processing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the perception system further identifies planar or low curvature portions of a surface of the object and a direction normal to each identified planar or low curvature portion of the surface of the object.

11. The processing system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the grasp location selection system selects an approach path toward the object along the direction normal to an identified portion of the surface of the object.

12. The processing system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the grasp location selection system selects an approach path toward the object along a direction that is selected to avoid environmental constraints on m movement of the programmable motion device.

13. A processing system including a programmable motion device, said processing system for use in an environment that includes an input area containing objects to be processed, and destination locations at which processed objects are to be placed, said processing system comprising:
a perception system for capturing real time two dimensional (2D) and/or three dimensional (3D) image data of at least a portion of the input area containing the objects to be processed;
an end effector for grasping the objects to be processed in the input area;
a grasp location selection system for determining a grasp location that permits the end effector to grasp a selected object of the objects to be processed in the input area,
wherein said grasp location selection system determines a plurality of candidate grasp locations associated with the objects to be processed in the input area based on the real time 2D and/or 3D image data of the objects and displays the real time 2D and/or 3D image data of the objects to be processed on a display device with a plurality of graphical indications superimposed on the displayed image data that represent the plurality of candidate grasp locations on the objects to be processed, and
wherein said grasp location selection system permits a physical human interaction with the real time 2D and/or 3D image data on the display device to delete at least one candidate grasp location from a delete location object of the objects to be processed shown in the image having more than one candidate grasp location; and
a grasp direction selection system for determining a grasp direction from which to grasp the selected object in the input area.

14. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said end effector includes a vacuum source.

15. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said perception system includes a camera that is positioned above the input area.

16. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the perception system includes any of one or more depth sensors and one or more long range infrared (IR) sensors.

17. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the grasp location selection system provides for operator assistance in the event that a grasp location cannot be determined or the end effector is unable to grasp an unknown object.

18. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein a portion of the programmable motion device is configured to agitate the objects in a bin containing the objects to be processed in order to create new object orientations for the perception system.

19. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the perception system is mounted on at least one of the programmable motion device and the end effector, for viewing grasps.

20. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of candidate grasp locations is associated with a grasp angle.

21. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said grasp location selection system determines a candidate grasp location for the selected object responsive to detection of any of a bar code, a QR code, UPC code, or other product code.

22. The processing system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said candidate grasp location is determined to be a location of the bar code, QR code, UPC code or other product code.

23. The processing system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the grasp direction selection system determines a direction that is normal to a plane that is tangent to a surface of the selected object at a selected grasp location.

24. The processing system as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the end effector is provided with command signals to approach the object along the direction that is normal to the plane that is tangent to the surfa

Assignees

• Berkshire Grey Inc

Inventors

• Wagner Thomas
• Ahearn Kevin
• Cohen Benjamin
• DAWSON-HAGGERTY Michael
• GEYER Christopher
• Koletschka Thomas
• MARONEY Kyle
• Mason Matthew T
• Price Gene Temple
• Romano Joseph
• Smith Daniel
• SRINIVASA Siddhartha
• Velagapudi Prasanna
• Allen Thomas

Classifications

• G05B2219/40538

  Barcode reader to detect position · CPC title

• G05B2219/40078

  Sort objects, workpieces · CPC title

• G05B2219/39548

  Enter interactively parameter for gripper, then teach movement · CPC title

• G05B2219/39504

  Grip object in gravity center · CPC title

• G05B2219/39484

  Locate, reach and grasp, visual guided grasping · CPC title