Networked robotic manipulators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718188-B2
Application number	US-201514860584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2015
Priority date	Sep 21, 2015
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

Robotic manipulators may be used to manipulate objects. Manipulation data about manipulations performed on objects may be generated and accessed. This data may be analyzed to generate a profile indicating how an object may be manipulated. A portion of the profile may be transmitted to a particular robotic manipulator. For example, the portion may be based on a manipulation capability of the robotic manipulator. In turn, the robotic manipulator may use the portion of the profile to manipulate the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inventory system, comprising:
a central station comprising:
one or more processors, and
one or more computer-readable media comprising instructions;

a first robotic manipulator in communication with the central station over a data network, the first robotic manipulator configured to perform a first action and a second action associated with manipulating an inventory item; and
a second robotic manipulator in communication with the central station over the data network, the second robotic manipulator configured to perform the second action and a third action, the third action different from the first action and associated with manipulating the inventory item,
wherein, when the instructions are executed with the one or more processors, the instructions cause the central station to at least:
receive, from the first robotic manipulator over the data network, first data about performing the first action and the second action to manipulate the inventory item;
generate a manipulation profile based at least in part on the first data, the manipulation profile comprising instructions about manipulating the inventory item in association with performing the first action and the second action;
transmit a portion of the manipulation profile to the second robotic manipulator over the data network, the portion comprising a subset of the instructions associated with the second action;
receive, from the second robotic manipulator over the data network, second data about performing the second action and the third action to manipulate the inventory item; and
update the manipulation profile based at least in part on the second data, the update comprising updating the subset of the instructions associated with the second action and generating additional instructions about manipulating the inventory item in association with performing the third action.

2. The inventory system of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the portion of the manipulation profile comprises:
accessing a profile of the second robotic manipulator;
generating a customized manipulation profile from the manipulation profile based at least in part on the profile of the second robotic manipulator; and
transmitting the customized manipulation profile to the second robotic manipulator.

3. The inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the first robotic manipulator is configured to generate the first data about manipulating the inventory item based at least in part on one or more of: a multi-dimensional model generated by the first robotic manipulator and specifying manipulations of the inventory item, a grasp and a position of the grasp generated by the first robotic manipulator to manipulate the inventory item, or a feature of the inventory item identified by the first robotic manipulator to manipulate the inventory item.

4. The inventory system of claim 1 , wherein the second data about manipulating the inventory item comprises a failure to manipulate the inventory item based at least in part on the subset of the instructions, and wherein updating the manipulation profile comprises updating the subset of the instructions based at least in part on the failure.

5. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
accessing, by a computer system, first manipulation data of a first robotic manipulator about manipulations of an object type, the object type associated with an attribute that is common to objects of the object type and that impacts the manipulations of the object type;
generating, by the computer system, a profile associated with manipulating the object type based at least in part on the first manipulation data;
accessing, by the computer system, second manipulation data of a second robotic manipulator about the manipulations of the object type;
updating, by the computer system, the profile based at least in part on the second manipulation data;
transmitting, by the computer system, a portion of the profile to one or more of the first robotic manipulator or the second robotic manipulator based at least in part on the update;
receiving, by the computer system from the first robotic manipulator or the second robotic manipulator, a change to the attribute associated with the object type;
requesting, by the computer system from the first robotic manipulator or the second robotic manipulator, an indication whether the attribute has changed for the objects of the object type;
receiving, by the computer system from the first robotic manipulator or the second robotic manipulator based at least in part on the request, information that a first set of the objects comprises the attribute unchanged and that a second set of the objects comprises the attribute changed; and
generating, by the computer system, a second profile associated with manipulating the second set of the objects based at least in part on the change to the attribute.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the object type comprises a type of items, wherein the computer system is associated with a central station of an inventory of the items, wherein the items are offered from an electronic marketplace, and wherein the portion of the profile is transmitted over a network to the second robotic manipulator and comprises instructions about manipulating the type of the items based at least in part on actions supported by the second robotic manipulator.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the second manipulation data comprises one or more of: a multi-dimensional model associated with the object type, grasps and positions of the grasps associated with manipulating the object type, or features of the object type, and wherein the second manipulation data identifies successes and failures of manipulating the object type based at least in part on the one or more of: the multi-dimensional model, the grasps and the positions, or the features.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more of: the multi-dimensional model, the grasps and the positions, or the features are generated based at least in part on data received from one or more of: optical sensors, force sensors, pressure sensors, weight sensors, or touch sensors of a plurality of robotic manipulators.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the profile comprises one or more of: instructions about grasping, moving, and releasing an object of the object type, features of the object type to orient the object, a multi-dimensional model of the object type to manipulate the object, information about an end effector to use in association with manipulating the object, a force to apply by the end effector, a sequence of actions to apply by the end effector, or instructions about manipulating a bundle of two or more objects of the object type.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the portion of the profile is selected for transmission to the second robotic manipulation by at least:
identifying, by the computer system, a capability of the second robotic manipulator; and
customizing, by the computer system, the profile to generate the portion of the profile based at least in part on the capability.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the portion of the profile is selected for transmission to the second robotic manipulation by at least:
identifying, by the computer system, an action of the second robotic manipulator to be performed on an object of the object type; and
selecting, by the computer system, a subset of instructions about manipulating the object type from the profile based at least in part on the action.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the second rob

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Stubbs Andrew
• Mills Diane Grieselhuber
• Longtine John Gregory
• Verminski Matthew David

Classifications

• Y10S901/46

  Sensing device · CPC title

• B25J9/1679 Primary

  characterised by the tasks executed · CPC title

• B25J9/1682

  Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators · CPC title

• Y10S901/02

  Arm motion controller · CPC title

• G05B2219/39106

  Conveyor, pick up article, object from conveyor, bring to test unit, place it · CPC title