Systems and methods for singulation of an object immersed in a volume containing a plurality of objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10909336-B2
Application number	US-201916697052-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2019
Priority date	Nov 27, 2018
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying an object being extracted from or moved among a plurality of objects in a designated area, the plurality of objects equipped with transponders that emit a reply signal encoding an identifier. A set of antennas proximately located to the designated area are controlled to emit interrogation signals that cause the transponders to emit the reply signal in response. Sets of information are obtained regarding the reply signals received by the set of antennas, the reply signals including an indication of a signal characteristic and an identifier particular to the type of the object. The sets of information are analyzed to identify an identifier of the object being extracted based on fluctuations in the signal characteristic relative to the plurality of objects. One or more operations may be performed involving the object based on identification of the identifier.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
controlling a set of antennas proximately located to a designated area to emit interrogation signals during a time period in which a robotic manipulator moves an object of a plurality of objects relative to remaining objects of the plurality of objects, the plurality of objects located in the designated area and each equipped with a transponder configured to emit a reply signal encoding an identifier of an associated object;
obtaining a first set of information regarding a first plurality of reply signals received by the set of antennas during a first time period of the time period, the first plurality of reply signals generated by the transponders in response to a first interrogation signal;
obtaining a second set of information regarding a second plurality of reply signals received by the set of antennas during a second time period of the time period, the second plurality of reply signals generated by the transponders in response to a second interrogation signal;
comparing a signal characteristic indicated in the first set of information for the first plurality of reply signals with a signal characteristic indicated in the second set of information for the second plurality of reply signals;
identifying a first identifier included in the first set of information and in the second set of information based on a difference in the signal characteristic between the first plurality of reply signals and the second plurality of reply signals; and
determining, based on the first identifier, a set of operations to be performed that involve the object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of information and the second set of information indicate a plurality of identifiers each having a value for the signal characteristic that does not exceed a defined threshold for the signal characteristic, and the first identifier is identified as a result of determining that the difference in the signal characteristic exceeds the defined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
controlling, in connection with controlling emission of the interrogation signals, the robotic manipulator to manipulate the object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of information and the second set of information each include signal information for each of the transponders, the signal information indicating the identifier and a received signal strength identifier for the reply signal generated by the corresponding transponder.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of information includes information regarding the first plurality of reply signals received by a first antenna and a second antenna of the set of antennas, the first antenna located on a first side of the designated area and the second antenna located on a second side of the designated area opposite to the first side, and the second set of information includes information regarding the second plurality of reply signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
determining a first difference in the signal characteristic between a first reply signal of the first plurality of reply signals and a second reply signal of the second plurality of reply signals, the first difference associated with the first identifier.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising:
determining a second difference in the signal characteristic between a third reply signal of the first plurality of reply signals and a fourth reply signal of the second plurality of reply signals, the second difference associated with the first identifier, wherein the first difference and the second difference indicate a motion characteristic of the object.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transponders are passive RFID transponders configured to emit an RF reply signal encoding the identifier of the associated object, and the set of antennas is controlled to emit RF interrogation signals having a signal frequency specific to the passive RFID transponders.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of information includes information regarding the first plurality of reply signals received by a first antenna and a second antenna of the set of antennas, the second set of information includes information regarding the second plurality of reply signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna of the set of antennas, the first antenna located on a first side of the designated area and the second antenna located on a second side of the designated area transverse to the first side.

10. A system, comprising:
one or more processors;
a first antenna coupled to the one or more processors; and
memory storing non-transitory computer-readable instructions that, as a result of execution by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
detect a presence of a plurality of objects to be processed by a robotic manipulator in a designated area, the plurality of objects each equipped with a transponder configured to emit a reply signal encoding an identifier of the transponder;
control the first antenna to emit interrogation signals in connection with movement of an object of the plurality of objects relative to the remaining objects of the plurality of objects, the first antenna located proximate to the designated area;
obtain a first set of information regarding a first plurality of reply signals received by the first antenna during a first time period, the first plurality of reply signals generated by the transponders in response to a first interrogation signal;
obtain a second set of information regarding a second plurality of reply signals received by the first antenna during a second time period, the second plurality of reply signals generated by the transponders in response to a second interrogation signal;
determine a first fluctuation in a signal characteristic between the first set of information for the first plurality of reply signals and the second set of information for the second plurality of reply signals; and
identify the identifier included in the first set of information and the second set of information based on the first fluctuation in the signal characteristic, the identifier being of the object moved by the robotic manipulator.

11. The system of claim 10 , comprising:
the robotic manipulator, wherein the computer-readable instructions, as a result of execution by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
control the robotic manipulator to extract the object from among the plurality of objects.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first antenna is located proximate to a first side of the designated area, the system further comprising:
a second antenna coupled to the one or processors and located proximate to a second side of the designated area opposite to the first side, execution of the computer-readable instructions causing the one or more processors to:
obtain a third set of information regarding the first plurality of reply signals received by the second antenna during the first time period;
obtain a fourth set of information regarding the second plurality of reply signals received by the second antenna during the second time period; and
determine a second fluctuation in the signal characteristic between the third set of information and the fourth set of information, wherein the identifier is identified as being included in the third set of information and the fourth set of information.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first antenna is located proximate to a first side of the designated area, the system further comprising:
a second antenna coupled to the one or

Assignees

• Kindred Sys Inc

Inventors

• Hallock David Gabriel
• Martin Adrian
• Whittington Bryan
• George Kevin

Classifications

• G06K7/10445

  the record carriers being fixed to further objects, e.g. RFIDs fixed to packages, luggage, mail-pieces or work-pieces transported on a conveyor belt · CPC title

• G06K7/10158

  methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field · CPC title

• G05B19/4183

  characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification · CPC title

• Y02P90/02

  Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS] · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title