IP Library Granted Patent US 10,322,506
Granted Patent B2
US 10,322,506 · App. 15/589,673 · Granted Jun 18, 2019

Systems, devices, articles, and methods for using trained robots

Inventors: Weiguang Ding (Toronto, CA); Jan Stanislaw Rudy (Toronto, CA); Olivia S. Norton (Vancouver, CA); George Samuel Rose (Vancouver, CA); James Sterling Bergstra (Toronto, CA); Oswin Rodrigues (Toronto, CA)
Assignee: Kindred Systems Inc.
B25J9/163B25J9/161B25J9/1656B25J9/1687B25J9/1694B65G1/1378
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,322,506
App. No.
15/589,673
Granted
Jun 18, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Robotic systems, methods of operation of robotic systems, and storage media including processor-executable instructions are disclosed herein. The system may include 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 may include executing a first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes a robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in an autonomous mode, and generating a second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the first set of autonomous robot control instructions and a first set of environmental sensor data received from a senor. The second set of autonomous robot control instructions when executed causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task. The method may include producing at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions.

Claims (70)

1. 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 first set of autonomous robot control instructions which when executed causes the robot to autonomously perform at least one task;

receiving, at the at least one processor from at least one sensor, a first set of environmental sensor data that represents an environment of the robot;

executing, by the at least one processor, the first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in an autonomous mode;

generating, by the at least one processor, as a result of the robot completing execution of the first set of autonomous robot control instructions in the autonomous mode, a second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the first set of autonomous robot control instructions and the first set of environmental sensor data, wherein the second set of autonomous robot control instructions when executed causes the robot to autonomously perform a modified version of the at least one task; and

producing, by the at least one processor, at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one task comprises:

gripping, by the robot, an item.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one task is 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 executing the first set of autonomous robot control instructions is autonomously performed in response to detection of a defined condition or defined feature in the first set of environmental sensor data.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating, by the at least one processor, information that represents completion of the at least one task in the autonomous mode from the at least one sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating, by the at least one processor, at least one nontransitory tangible computer-readable storage medium with the second set of autonomous control instructions.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing, by the at least one processor, the at least one signal to be sent across a network.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one processor, a set of piloted robot control instructions which when executed causes the robot to simulate the at least one task performed by an operator;

receiving, by the at least one processor, a second set of environmental sensor data that represents the environment of the robot during the performance of the at least one task; and

generating, by the at least one processor, the first set of autonomous control instructions from the pilot control instructions, and the second set of environmental sensor data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein generating, by the at least one processor, a second set of autonomous robot control instructions, further comprises:

generating, by the at least one processor, the second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the set of piloted robot control instructions, the first set of autonomous robot control instructions, the first set of environmental sensor data, and the second set of environmental sensor data.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one processor, annotation data created by at least one human observer of the robot,

wherein, the annotation data represents completion of the at least one task in the autonomous mode.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one task includes one or more of: grasping an item, releasing an item, or placing an item in an order container, and receiving annotation data created by at least one human observer of the robot includes receiving annotation data that indicates whether the robot has grasped the item, released the item or placed the item in the order container.

12. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

a robot;

an operator interface communicatively coupled to the robot and the at least one processor;

at least one sensor communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; and

at least one nontransitory processor-readable storage device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and which stores processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive a first set of autonomous robot control instructions which when executed causes the robot to autonomously perform at least one task;

receive from at least one sensor, a first set of environmental sensor data that represents an environment of the robot;

execute the first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in an autonomous mode;

generate a second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the first set of autonomous robot control instructions and the first set of environmental sensor data, wherein the second set of autonomous robot control instructions include a machine learning model or an artificial intelligence model that. as a result of execution, causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task; and

produce at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the at least one task comprises the robot gripping an item; and

when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to direct the robot to grip the item.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one task is selected from the group consisting of:

identify an item;

release an item; and

place an item in an order container.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

detect a defined condition or defined feature in the first set of environmental sensor data; and

in response to detection of the defined condition or defined feature, cause the at least one processor to execute the first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in the autonomous mode.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

generate information that represents completion of the at least one task in the autonomous mode from the at least one sensor.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

receive annotation data created by at least one human observer of the robot, wherein, the annotation data represents completion of the at least one task in the autonomous mode.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

update, based on based on the at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions, the at least one nontransitory processor-readable storage device with the second set of autonomous control instructions.

19. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

a communication channel communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; and

wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to direct the at least one signal that represents the second set of autonomous robot control instructions to be sent through the communication channel.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

receive a set of piloted robot control instructions which when executed causes the robot to simulate the at least one task performed by an operator at the operator interface;

receive from the at least one sensor a second set of environmental sensor data that represents the environment of the robot during the performance of the at least one task; and

generate the first set of autonomous control instructions from the pilot control instructions, and the second set of environmental sensor data.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein, when executed, the processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

generate the second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the set of piloted robot control instructions, the first set of autonomous robot control instructions, the first set of environmental sensor data, and the second set of environmental sensor data.

22. 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 a first processor separate from the robot, a first set of autonomous robot control instructions that. as a result of execution, cause the robot to autonomously perform at least one task;

receiving, at the first processor, a first set of environmental sensor data that represents an environment of the robot;

executing, by the first processor, the first set of autonomous robot control instructions which causes the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task in an autonomous mode; and

generating, by a second processor that is part of the robot, a second set of autonomous robot control instructions from the first set of autonomous robot control instructions and the first set of environmental sensor data, wherein the second set of autonomous robot control instructions that, as a result of execution, cause the robot to autonomously perform the at least one task.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded May 1, 2023
From: KINDRED SYSTEMS INC.
To: OCADO CANADA HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 063503/0314 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 1, 2023
From: OCADO CANADA HOLDINGS INC.
To: KINDRED SYSTEMS II INC.
Reel/Frame 063503/0343 →
CONFIRMATORY ASSIGNMENT DOCUMENT Recorded May 1, 2023
From: KINDRED SYSTEMS II INC.
To: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 063503/0359 →
Continuity (4)
Provisional Application 62332858 · May 6, 2016
Provisional Application 62340907 · May 24, 2016
Provisional Application 62348513 · Jun 10, 2016
Related Publication 20170320210A1 · Nov 9, 2017
Cited By (3)
US 12,233,438 US 12,325,594 US 12,617,617