Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for providing a dynamic clearance system for depalletizing objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12583694-B2
Application number	US-202218052139-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2022
Priority date	Nov 8, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems, computing devices, and/or the like are provided. An example method may include determining a height value associated with a highest object on a pallet; causing a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor to travel to a height based at least in part on the height value; determining whether a detection signal from the LiDAR sensor indicates a first clear status; in response to determining that the detection signal indicates the first clear status, causing a robotic arm to lift the object until the detection signal indicates a blocked status and then a second clear status.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a stand positioned adjacent to a pallet of plurality of objects, wherein the stand comprises a vertical beam connected to a horizontal beam; a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor secured to a carriage device, wherein the carriage device travels along rail mounted on the vertical beam; one or more image capture devices configured to capture one or more images, wherein the one or more image capture devices are disposed on the horizontal beam; at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory comprising a computer program code, the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
determine a height value associated with highest object of the plurality of objects on the pallet;
cause the LiDAR sensor to travel to a height based at least in part on the height value determined based on the one or more images captured by the one or more image capture devices;
determine whether a detection signal from the LiDAR sensor indicates a first clear status, wherein the first clear status indicates that the detection signal is unblocked by the plurality of objects on the pallet; and
in response to determining that the detection signal indicates the first clear status, cause a robotic arm to lift an object of the plurality of objects until the detection signal indicates a blocked status and then a second clear status, wherein the second clear status indicates that the object has been lifted to a height at least equal to or greater than a dimensional height of the object.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
cause the LiDAR sensor to travel to the height equals the height value and a predetermined height buffer value.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined height buffer value is 50 millimeters.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non- transitory memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
communicate with a robotic controller.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
in response to determining that the detection signal does not indicate the first clear status, determine whether to search for the highest object on the pallet.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
in response to determining to search for the highest object on the pallet, cause the LiDAR sensor to move up incrementally.

7 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
determining, based on one or more images captured by the one or more image capture devices, a height value associated with highest object of a plurality of objects on a pallet; causing a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor to travel to a height based at least in part on the height value determined based on the one or more images captured by the one or more image capture devices; determining whether a detection signal from the LiDAR sensor indicates a first clear status, wherein the first clear status indicates that the detection signal is not blocked by the plurality of objects on the pallet; and in response to determining that the detection signal indicates the first clear status, causing a robotic arm to lift an object of the plurality of objects until the detection signal indicates a blocked status and then a second clear status, wherein the second clear status indicates that the object has been lifted to a height at least equal to or greater than a dimensional height of the object.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 comprising:
causing the LiDAR sensor to travel to the height equals the height value and a predetermined height buffer value.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined height buffer value is 50 millimeters.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 comprising:
communicating with a robotic controller.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 comprising:
in response to determining that the detection signal does not indicate the first clear status, determining whether to search for the highest object on the pallet.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 comprising:
in response to determining to search for the highest object on the pallet, causing the LiDAR sensor to move up incrementally.

13 . A computer program product comprising at least one non- transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising an executable portion configured to:
determine, based on one or more images captured by the one or more image capture devices, a height value associated with highest object of a plurality of objects on a pallet; cause a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor to travel to a height based at least in part on the height value determined based on the one or more images captured by the one or more image capture devices; determine whether a detection signal from the LiDAR sensor indicates a first clear status, wherein the first clear status indicates that the detection signal is not blocked by the plurality of objects on the pallet; and in response to determining that the detection signal indicates the first clear status, cause a robotic arm to lift an object of the plurality of objects until the detection signal indicates a blocked status and then a second clear status, wherein the second clear status indicates that the object has been lifted to a height at least equal to or greater than a dimensional height of the object.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer-readable program code portions comprise the executable portion configured to:
cause the LiDAR sensor to travel to the height equals the height value and a predetermined height buffer value.

15 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined height buffer value is 50 millimeters.

16 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer-readable program code portions comprise the executable portion configured to:
communicate with a robotic controller.

17 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the computer-readable program code portions comprise the executable portion configured to:
in response to determining that the detection signal does not indicate the first clear status, determine whether to search for the highest object on the pallet.

Assignees

• Intelligrated Headquarters Llc

Inventors

• Nilson Benjamin E
• Evans Thomas
• Krishnamoorthy Sai Prasanth
• Simone Thomas S
• Pathak Mayank
• Witwer Kevin J
• Germer Matthew C
• Goshvadi Katayoon
• Lewis Patrick

Classifications

• B65G59/02

  De-stacking from the top of the stack · CPC title

• B25J19/022

  using lasers · CPC title

• B25J9/1687 Primary

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

• G01S17/04

  Systems determining the presence of a target · CPC title

• G01S17/894

  Three-dimensional [3D] imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a two-dimensional [2D] array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar · CPC title