Dynamic changing of conveyor profile based on range of robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12306642-B2
Application number	US-202217654413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2022
Priority date	Mar 11, 2022
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A method, computer system, and a computer program product for robot assistance are provided. A computer identifies a position of a first robot in an environment and a range of movement of an arm of the first robot. The computer generates an alignment plan for moving a first conveyor to be aligned with the first robot so that the first conveyor is engageable with the arm of the first robot within the range of movement of the arm. The first conveyor and the first robot include respective supports that are separate from each other. The computer transmits the alignment plan for execution so that the first conveyor is moved according to the alignment plan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for robot assistance, the method comprising:
identifying, via a computer, a position of a first robot in an environment and a range of movement of an arm of the first robot;
generating, via the computer, an alignment plan for moving a first conveyor to be aligned with the first robot so that the first conveyor is engageable with the arm of the first robot within the range of movement of the arm, wherein the alignment plan is for aligning the first conveyor so that the arm of the first robot is capable of accepting an item from the first conveyor, and wherein the first conveyor and the first robot comprise respective supports that are separate from each other; and
transmitting, via the computer, the alignment plan for execution so that the first conveyor is moved according to the alignment plan.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first conveyor is an overhead conveyor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first conveyor is a ropeway conveyor.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying, via the computer, a task being accomplished via the first robot;
wherein:
the alignment plan comprises a first length for the first conveyor, the first length being determined based on the task being accomplished via the first robot, and
the alignment plan comprises positioning the first conveyor so that the first length is within the range of movement of the arm of the first robot.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the alignment plan is further for moving a second conveyor to be aligned with the first robot so that the arm of the first robot is engageable with the second conveyor within the range of movement of the arm.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying, via the computer, a position of a second robot in the environment and a range of movement of an arm of the second robot;
wherein the alignment plan is further for moving the first conveyor to be aligned with the second robot so that the arm of the second robot is engageable with the first conveyor within the range of movement of the arm of the second robot.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting of the alignment plan occurs to a first drone for the first drone to align the first conveyor.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sensing, via the computer, a change of position of the first robot in the environment;
generating, via the computer, a conveyor repositioning plan for moving the first conveyor to correspond to the change of position of the first robot; and
transmitting, via the computer, the conveyor repositioning plan for execution so that the first conveyor is moved according to the conveyor repositioning plan.

9. A computer system for robot assistance, the computer system comprising:
one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories for execution by at least one of the one or more processors to cause the computer system to:
identify a position of a first robot in an environment and a range of movement of an arm of the first robot;
generate an alignment plan for moving a first conveyor to be aligned with the first robot so that the first conveyor is engageable with the arm of the first robot within the range of movement of the arm, the first conveyor and the first robot comprising respective supports that are separate from each other;
transmit the alignment plan for execution so that the first conveyor is moved according to the alignment plan;
sense a change of position of the first robot in the environment;
generate a conveyor repositioning plan for moving the first conveyor to correspond to the change of position of the first robot; and
transmit the conveyor repositioning plan for execution so that the first conveyor is moved according to the conveyor repositioning plan.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions are further for execution to cause the computer system to identify a task being accomplished via the first robot,
wherein:
the alignment plan comprises a first length for the first conveyor, the first length being determined based on the task being accomplished via the first robot, and
the alignment plan comprises positioning the first conveyor so that the first length is within the range of movement of the arm of the first robot.

11. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the alignment plan is further for moving a second conveyor to be aligned with the first robot so that the second conveyor is engageable with the arm of the first robot within the range of movement of the arm.

12. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions are further for execution to cause the computer system to identify a position of a second robot in the environment and a range of movement of an arm of the second robot, wherein the alignment plan is further for moving the first conveyor to be aligned with the second robot so that the arm of the second robot is engageable with the first conveyor within the range of movement of the arm of the second robot.

13. A robot system comprising:
the computer system according to claim 9 ,
the first robot comprising a first support of the respective supports; and
the first conveyor comprising a second support that is separate from the first support and that is part of the respective supports.

14. The robot system of claim 13 , further comprising a drone, wherein the transmitting of the alignment plan occurs to the drone for the drone to align the first conveyor.

15. The robot system of claim 13 , wherein the first conveyor is an overhead conveyor.

16. The robot system of claim 13 , wherein the first conveyor is a ropeway conveyor.

17. A computer program product for robot assistance, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computer system to cause the computer system to:
identify a position of a first robot in an environment and a range of movement of an arm of the first robot;
generate an alignment plan for moving a first conveyor to be aligned with the first robot so that the first conveyor is engageable with the arm of the first robot within the range of movement of the arm, the first conveyor and the first robot comprising respective supports that are separate from each other, the first conveyor being an overhead conveyor; and
transmit the alignment plan for execution so that the first conveyor is moved according to the alignment plan.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the program instructions are further for execution to cause the computer system to identify a task being accomplished via the first robot, wherein:
the alignment plan comprises a first length for the first conveyor, the first length being determined based on the task being accomplished via the first robot, and
the alignment plan comprises positioning the first conveyor so that the first length is within the range of movement of the arm of the first robot.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the alignment plan is further for moving a second conveyor to be aligned with the first robot so that the second conveyor is engageable with the arm of the first robot within the range of movement of the arm.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the first conveyor is a ropeway conveyor.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Rakshit Sarbajit K
• Ghosh Partho
• Perumalla Saraswathi Sailaja
• Patnaikuni Subha Kiran

Classifications

• G05D1/695

  for maintaining a fixed relative position of the vehicles, e.g. for convoy travelling or formation flight · CPC title

• B65G61/00

  Use of pick-up or transfer devices or of manipulators for stacking or de-stacking articles not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B25J9/0084

  comprising a plurality of manipulators · CPC title

• G05D1/696

  involving a plurality of vehicles coupled together · CPC title

• G05D2105/45

  for manufacturing, maintenance or repairing · CPC title