Granted Patent B2

US 12,304,082 · App. 17/805,005 · Granted May 20, 2025

Inventor: Gene Brown Merewether (Chestnut Hill, MA)

Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.

B25J9/1664B25J9/162B25J9/1697B25J19/023

Abstract

Claims (62)

1. A computer-implemented method when executed by data processing hardware of a robot causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a navigation route for the robot, the navigation route comprising a first route waypoint, a second route waypoint, and a first route edge connecting the first route waypoint and the second route waypoint, wherein navigation by the robot according to the navigation route is constrained by a first constraint, wherein the first constraint is based on at least one of the first route waypoint or the second route waypoint;

receiving, from an image sensor, image data;

determining, using the image data and the first constraint, that the first route edge is at least partially blocked by an obstacle;

generating, using the image data and the navigation route, a first alternate route waypoint and a first alternate route edge connecting the first alternate route waypoint and the first route waypoint;

adjusting the navigation route to obtain an adjusted navigation route, the adjusted navigation route comprising the first alternate route waypoint and the first alternate route edge, wherein the first alternate route waypoint and the first alternate route edge bypass the first route edge that is at least partially blocked by the obstacle; and

instructing the robot to navigate according to the adjusted navigation route.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein instructing the robot to navigate according to the adjusted navigation route comprises:

providing instructions to the robot;

wherein the operations further comprise;

executing, by the robot, the instructions, wherein, based on executing the instructions, the robot navigates from the first route waypoint to the first alternate route waypoint via the first alternate route edge.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the navigation route comprises:

obtaining a first cost associated with the first route edge;

obtaining a second cost associated with the first alternate route edge; and

determining the adjusted navigation route based on the first cost and the second cost.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the second cost is less than the first cost.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first alternate route waypoint is offset from the second route waypoint by an offset distance associated with the image sensor.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a second alternate route edge connecting the first alternate route waypoint and a second alternate route waypoint.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the second alternate route edge is at least partially blocked; and

readjusting the navigation route to obtain a readjusted navigation route, the readjusted navigation route comprising a third alternate route waypoint.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first alternate route waypoint comprises:

generating the first alternate route waypoint based on a polyline buffer.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first alternate route waypoint comprises:

generating one or more alternate route waypoints within a threshold distance of a location of the robot.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the navigation route is based on one or more locations of one or more obstacles.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein navigation by the robot according to the adjusted navigation route is constrained by a second constraint.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first alternate route waypoint comprises:

generating at least two alternate route waypoints and at least two alternate route edges, each alternate route edge of the at least two alternate route edges connecting a respective alternate route waypoint of the at least two alternate route waypoints and the first route waypoint.

13. A system comprising:

data processing hardware of a robot; and

memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a navigation route for the robot, the navigation route comprising a first route waypoint, a second route waypoint, and a first route edge connecting the first route waypoint and the second route waypoint, wherein navigation by the robot according to the navigation route is constrained by a first constraint, wherein the first constraint is based on at least one of the first route waypoint or the second route waypoint;

receiving, from an image sensor, image data;

determining, using the image data and the first constraint, that the first route edge is at least partially blocked by an obstacle;

generating, using the image data and the navigation route, a first alternate route waypoint and a first alternate route edge connecting the first alternate route waypoint and the first route waypoint;

adjusting the navigation route to obtain an adjusted navigation route, the adjusted navigation route comprising the first alternate route waypoint and the first alternate route edge, wherein the first alternate route waypoint and the first alternate route edge bypass the first route edge that is at least partially blocked by the obstacle; and

instructing the robot to navigate according to the adjusted navigation route.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein instructing the robot to navigate according to the adjusted navigation route comprises:

providing instructions to the robot;

wherein the operations further comprise:

executing, by the robot, the instructions, wherein, based on executing the instructions, the robot navigates from the first route waypoint to the first alternate route waypoint via the first alternate route edge.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein adjusting the navigation route comprises:

obtaining a first cost associated with the first route edge;

obtaining a second cost associated with the first alternate route edge; and

determining the adjusted navigation route based on the first cost and the second cost.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second cost is less than the first cost.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first alternate route waypoint is offset from the second route waypoint by an offset distance associated with the image sensor.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise;

generating a second alternate route edge connecting the first alternate route waypoint and a second alternate route waypoint.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the second alternate route edge is at least partially blocked; and

readjusting the navigation route to obtain a readjusted navigation route, the readjusted navigation route comprising a third alternate route waypoint.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein generating the first alternate route waypoint comprises;

generating the first alternate route waypoint based on a polyline buffer.

21. The system of claim 13 , wherein generating the first alternate route waypoint comprises:

generating one or more alternate route waypoints within a threshold distance of a location of the robot.

22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the navigation route is based on one or more locations of one or more obstacles.

23. The system of claim 13 , wherein navigation by the robot according to the adjusted navigation route is constrained by a second constraint.

24. The system of claim 13 , wherein generating the first alternate route waypoint comprises:

generating at least two alternate route waypoints and at least two alternate route edges, each alternate route edge of the at least two alternate route edges connecting a respective alternate route waypoint of the at least two alternate route waypoints and the first route waypoint.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (235)

Cited By (1)

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