Control device, picking system, distribution system, program, control method and production method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11007643-B2
Application number	US-201916592755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2019
Priority date	Apr 4, 2017
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A trajectory information generating unit is included, the trajectory information generating unit generating trajectory information that defines a trajectory for which a picking hand picks one of one or more works stored in one supply container included in one or more supply containers and arranges the work in one arrangement container included in one or more arrangement containers. After performing a process of generating trajectory information representing a first work included in the one or more works and before a movement of the first work is completed, the trajectory information generating unit may generate trajectory information representing a second work included in the one or more work and different from the first work by using an operation result in the process of generating the trajectory information regarding the first work.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control device for controlling a picking apparatus that moves, by using a picking hand, one or more works from one or more supply containers to one or more arrangement containers, the control device comprising:
a trajectory information generating unit for generating trajectory information defining a trajectory for which the picking hand picks one of the one or more works stored in one supply container included in the one or more supply containers and arranges the work in one arrangement container included in the one or more arrangement containers;
a container information acquiring unit for acquiring information representing a state of a surface of at least one of the one supply container and the one arrangement container, wherein
after performing a process of generating trajectory information representing a first work included in the one or more works and before a movement of the first work is completed, the trajectory information generating unit generates trajectory information representing a second work, included in the one or more works and different from the first work, by reusing information obtained or generated in the process of generating the trajectory information representing the first work,
the information obtained or generated in the process of generating the trajectory information representing the first work includes at least one of:
the information representing the state of the surface of the at least one of the one supply container and the one arrangement container obtained by the container information acquiring unit;
information representing a position and a posture that the picking hand is operable to pick the first work included in the trajectory information generated by the trajectory information generating unit; and
information representing a position and a posture that the picking hand is operable to arrange the first work included in the trajectory information generated by the trajectory information generating unit,

the trajectory information generating unit, in a process of generating trajectory information representing the second work:
(a) in a case that the first work and the second work are stored in the one supply container,
determines a position and a posture that the picking hand is operable to pick the second work or determines whether an interference is present or absent on a trajectory candidate of the second work based on (i) information acquired by the container information acquiring unit before a movement of the first work is completed and (ii) information representing a position and a posture that the picking hand is operable to pick the first work obtained or generated in the process of generating the trajectory information representing the first work, or
(b) in a case that the first work and the second work are arranged in the one arrangement container
determines a position and a posture that the picking hand is operable to arrange the second work or determines whether an interference is present or absent on a trajectory candidate of the second work based on (i) information acquired by the container information acquiring unit before a movement of the first work is completed and (ii) information representing a position and a posture that the picking hand is operable to arrange the first work obtained or generated in the process of generating the trajectory information representing the first work.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the trajectory information generating unit is for:
(a) acquiring or generating information representing a position and a posture of the first work in the one supply container before the picking apparatus moves the first work during the process of generating the trajectory information representing the first work; and
(b) generating trajectory information representing the second work by using (i) information acquired by the container information acquiring unit before the movement of the first work is completed and (ii) information representing the position and the posture of the first work in the one supply container during the process of generating the trajectory information regarding the second work.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the trajectory information generating unit is for:
(a) acquiring or generating information representing a position and a posture of the first work in the one arrangement container after the picking apparatus moves the first work during the process of generating the trajectory information regarding the first work; and
(b) generating trajectory information representing the second work by using (i) information acquired by the container information acquiring unit before the movement of the first work is completed and (ii) the information representing the position and the posture of the first work in the one arrangement container during the process of generating the trajectory information representing the second work.

4. The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising an order information acquiring unit for acquiring: (i) first order information that includes instructions to move the first work from a first supply container included in the one or more supply containers to a first arrangement container included in the one or more arrangement containers and (ii) second order information that includes instructions to move the second work from a second supply container, that is different from the first supply container and included in the one or more supply containers and different from the first supply container, to a second arrangement container that is included in the one or more arrangement containers and different from the first arrangement container, wherein
the trajectory information generating unit performs:
a process of generating trajectory information representing the first work in accordance with the first order information acquired by the order information acquiring unit, and

a process of generating trajectory information representing the second work in accordance with the second order information acquired by the order information acquiring unit.

5. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the trajectory information generating unit, in the process of generating trajectory information representing the second work:
(a) in the case that the first work and the second work are stored in the one supply container,
determines the position and the posture that the picking hand is operable to pick the second work based on (i) the information acquired by the container information acquiring unit before the movement of the first work is completed and (ii) the information representing the position and the posture that the picking hand is operable to pick the first work obtained or generated in the process of generating the trajectory information representing the first work, or
(b) in the case that the first work and the second work are arranged in the one arrangement container
determines the position and the posture that the picking hand is operable to arrange the second work based on (i) the information acquired by the container information acquiring unit before the movement of the first work is completed and (ii) the information representing the position and the posture that the picking hand is operable to arrange the first work obtained or generated in the process of generating the trajectory information representing the first work.

6. The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising
an execution sequence determining unit for (i) acquiring information representing a plurality of works that is to be a working target of the picking apparatus, and (ii) determining an execution sequence of the plurality of works such that a calculation amount or a calculation time by the trajectory information gener

Assignees

• Mujin Inc

Inventors

• Diankov Rosen

Classifications

• G05B2219/45063

  Pick and place manipulator · CPC title

• B65G47/90

  Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials · CPC title

• B25J9/1687 Primary

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

• G05B2219/40014

  Gripping workpiece to place it in another place · CPC title

• B25J9/1664 Primary

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title