IP Library Granted Patent US 10,933,533
Granted Patent B2
US 10,933,533 · App. 16/012,568 · Granted Mar 2, 2021

Systems, devices, articles, and methods for stow verification

Inventors: Neil Isaac (Toronto, CA); David Gabriel Hallock (Redwood City, CA)
Assignee: Kindred Systems Inc.
B25J9/1697B25J9/161B25J9/163B25J9/1679B25J19/023G06T1/0014G05B2219/40078
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,933,533
App. No.
16/012,568
Granted
Mar 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An end-effector may be summarized substantially as described and illustrated herein.

Claims (57)

1. A method controlled by at least one processor in communication with at least one end-effector and at least one camera physically coupled to the at least one end-effector, the method comprising:

causing the at least one camera to capture a plurality of reference images for a plurality reception spaces, wherein a respective reference image in the plurality of reference includes respective reference information;

partitioning sequentially, by the at least one processor and the at least one end-effector, a plurality of items, wherein the partitioning includes:

grasping, by the at least one end-effector, a respective item from the plurality of items;

after causing the at least one camera to capture the plurality of reference images, releasing, by the at least one end-effector, the respective item to a respective reception space in the plurality of reception spaces, wherein the respective reception space is associated with a respective reference image in the plurality of reference images;

after releasing the respective item to the respective reception space, capturing, by the at least one camera, a comparison image of the respective reception space, wherein the comparison image includes comparison information;

comparing, by the at least one processor, respective reference information for a respective reference image in the plurality of reference images with comparison information included in the comparison image; and

when the respective reference information and the comparison information once compared show the respective item was not correctly stowed in the respective reception space, generating, by the at least one processor, an error signal that includes error information that represents respective item was not correctly stowed in the respective reception space.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein grasping a respective item from the plurality of items comprises grasping, by the at least one end-effector, a respective item from an input space reachable by the at least one end-effector.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one camera is physically coupled to at least one manipulator, the method further comprising:

by the at least one processor, directing the at least one manipulator to move the at least one camera in to a plurality of locations, wherein a respective location in the plurality of locations includes respective view of a respective reception space included in the plurality of reception spaces.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: when the respective reference information for the respective reference image in the plurality of reference images and the comparison information included in the comparison image once compared show the respective item was correctly stowed in the respective reception space, generating, by the at least one processor, a success signal including success information that represents the respective item was correctly stowed in the respective reception space.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing, by the at least one processor, the respective reference image in the plurality of reference images with the comparison image.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

extracting, by the at least one processor, the respective reference information from the respective reference image in the plurality of reference images; and

extracting, by the at least one processor, the comparison information from the comparison image.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one processor, processor-readable information that represents a request to partition the plurality of items.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing, by the at least one processor, the plurality of reference images as processor-readable information in a processor-readable storage device.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing, by the at least one processor, the reference information for the respective one of the reference images as processor-readable information in a processor-readable storage device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

replacing, by the at least one processor, the respective reference information for the respective reference image in the plurality of reference images with comparison information included in the comparison image.

11. A system comprising:

at least one end-effector moveable to be at least proximate with a plurality of reception spaces including a first reception space;

at least one camera physically coupled to the at least one end-effector;

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least the at least one end-effector, and the at least one camera; 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:

cause the at least one camera to capture a first image of the first reception space, wherein the first image includes reference information;

direct the at least one end-effector to grasp a first item from an input space reachable by the at least one end-effector;

after the at least one camera captures the first image, direct the at least one end-effector to release the first item to the first reception space;

after the at least one end-effector releases the first item, cause the at least one camera to capture a second image of the first reception space, wherein the second image includes comparison information;

compare the reference information and the comparison information; and

if the reference information and the comparison information once compared show the first item was not correctly stowed in the first reception space, generate an error signal including error information that represents first item was not correctly stowed in the first reception space.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor-executable instructions to cause the at least one camera to take a first image of a first reception space, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

cause the at least one camera to capture a plurality of images of the plurality of reception spaces, wherein a respective image in the plurality of images is of a respective reception spaces in the plurality of reception spaces.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a frame;

at least one manipulator physically coupled to the frame and the at least one camera; and

wherein the processor-executable instructions to cause the at least one camera to capture the plurality of images of the plurality of reception spaces when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

direct the at least one manipulator to move the at least one camera in to a plurality of locations, wherein a respective location in the plurality of locations includes respective view of a respective reception space included in the plurality of reception spaces.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

if the reference information and the comparison information once compared show the first item was correctly stowed in the first reception space, generate a success signal including success information that represents first item was correctly stowed in the first reception space.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor-executable instructions to compare the reference information and the comparison information, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

compare the first image and the second image.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor-executable instructions to compare the reference information and the comparison information, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

extract the reference information from the first image; and

extract the comparison information from the second image.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one camera is disposed below and physically coupled to the at least one end-effector.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

store the first image of the first reception space as processor-readable information.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

store the reference information as processor-readable information.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:

replace the reference information with the comparison information.

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 (2)
Provisional Application 62524348 · Jun 23, 2017
Related Publication 20180370038A1 · Dec 27, 2018