Systems, devices, articles, and methods for robots in workplaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017269607-A1
Application number	US-201715460057-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Sep 21, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, devices, articles, and methods as disclosed, described, illustrated, and claimed herein. The systems, devices, articles, and methods generally relates to the field of robotics.

First claim

1 . A method of operation in a robotic system including at least one robot that is selectively operable in an autonomous mode and operable in a piloted mode by a human operator via an operator interface operator, at least one processor in communication with the robot, and in communication with the operator interface, the method comprising:
receiving, by the at least one processor, a request to process a pipeline of tasks including at least a plurality of tasks; assessing, by the at least one processor, an ability to complete one of the plurality of tasks; in response to a positive assessment of the ability to complete one of the plurality of tasks, performing the one of the plurality of tasks by the robot without human intervention; assessing, by the at least one processor, an ability to complete another one of the plurality of tasks; in response to a negative assessment of the ability to complete the other one of the plurality of tasks, requesting, by the at least one processor, a pilot to operate the robot for the other one of the plurality of the tasks; and performing the other one of the plurality of the tasks under guidance of a human operator based at least in part on instructions received from the human operator via an operator interface.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least a plurality of tasks comprises:
gripping, by the robot, an item.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least a plurality of tasks comprises a task selected from the group consisting of:
identifying an item;
releasing an item; and
placing an item in an order container.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein performing the task by the robot without human intervention further comprises:
executing, one or more times, by the robot, the autonomous control instructions which when executed by the robot causes the robot to autonomously perform the one of the plurality of tasks.

5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising:
producing, by the robot, data that represents non-completion of the task; and
including, by the at least one processor, the data that represents the non-completion of the task in the assessment of completion of the first task.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
creating, by the at least one processor, a motion plan for the robot to autonomously perform the first task in the pipeline of tasks; and
deriving, by the at least one processor, a probability of completion of the first task from the motion plan.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
requesting the pilot to operate the robot for the other one of the plurality of the tasks occurs before performing the one of the plurality of tasks by the robot without human intervention.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
producing, by the robot, environmental sensor data that represents an environment of the robot; and
updating, by the at least one processor, at least one tangible computer readable storage medium with processor readable information that represents one or more of:
the environmental sensor data,
the other one of the plurality of tasks, and
the instructions received from the human operator via an operator interface.

9 . A method of operation in a robotic system including a robot, at least one processor in communication with the robot, and an operator interface in communication with the robot and the at least one processor, the method comprising:
receiving, by the at least one processor, a request to process a pipeline of tasks; directing, by the at least one processor, the robot to autonomously perform a first task in the pipeline of tasks; deriving, by the at least one processor, an assessment of completion of the first task; if the assessment of completion of the first task is negative, requesting, by the at least one processor, an operator at an operator interface perform the first task; sending, from the robot, environmental sensor data that represents the environment of the robot; and receiving, at the robot, device control instructions, generated at the operator interface, which when executed by the robot causes the robot to perform the first task in the pipeline of tasks.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the first task in the pipeline of tasks further comprises:
gripping, by the robot, an item.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the first task in the pipeline of tasks further comprises a task selected from the group consisting of:
identifying an item;
releasing an item; and
placing an item in an order container.

12 . The method of claim 9 wherein directing the robot to autonomously perform a first task in the pipeline of tasks further comprises:
executing, by the robot, autonomous control instructions, which when executed by the robot causes the robot to autonomously perform the first task in the pipeline of tasks.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
producing, by the robot, data that represents non-completion of the task; and including, by the at least one processor, the data that represents the non-completion of the task in the assessment of completion of the first task.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
creating, by the robot, a motion plan for the robot to autonomously perform the first task in the pipeline of tasks; and deriving, by the robot, the assessment of completion of the first task from the motion plan.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein:
deriving of completion of the first task from the motion plan, further comprises deriving, by the at least one processor, a probability for completion of the first task; and
the assessment of completion of the first task is negative when the probability of completion of the first task is below a defined threshold.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
directing, by the at least one processor, the robot device to autonomously perform a second task in the pipeline of tasks.

17 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
updating, by the at least one processor, at least one tangible computer readable storage medium with at least one processor readable information that represents the environmental sensor data, and the device control instructions.

18 . A method of operation in a robotic system including a plurality of robots comprising a first robot, and a second robot, and at least one processor in communication with the plurality of robots, the method comprising:
receiving, by the at least one processor, a plurality of requests for an operator to pilot the plurality of robots, wherein the plurality of requests includes:
a first request for the operator to pilot the first robot, and
a second request for the operator to pilot the second robot;
adding to a queue, by the at least one processor, the plurality of requests for the operator to pilot plurality of robots; removing, by the at least one processor, the first request from the queue for requests; receiving, by the at least one processor, environment sensor information that represents an environment associated with the first robot; causing, by the at least one processor, a display of a representation of the environment associated with the first robot to the operator; causing, by the at least one processor, a number of device control instructions to be sent to the first robot which when executed by the first robot, causes the first robot to simulate at least one action taken by the operator in response to the representation of the environment associated with the first robot; and causing, by the at least one processor, the first

Assignees

• Kindred Sys Inc

Inventors

• Fulop Douglas Ian

Classifications

• B25J5/007 Primary

  mounted on wheels · CPC title

• B25J13/006

  by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title

• B25J9/0087

  Dual arms (double SCARA arms B25J9/043) · CPC title

• B25J13/084

  Tactile sensors (in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22) · CPC title