IP Library Granted Patent US 12,636,780
Granted Patent B2
US 12,636,780 · App. 18/335,554 · Granted May 26, 2026

Anti-sway control for a robotic arm with adaptive grasping

Inventors: Jagtar Singh (Pittsburgh, PA); Ramdas M. Pai (Cary, NC); Abhijit Makhal (St. Louis, MO)
Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
B25J9/1638B25J9/163B25J9/1651B25J9/1653B25J9/1664B25J9/1697B25J13/088B25J15/0616
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,636,780
App. No.
18/335,554
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products for an improved anti-sway control system and adjustable end effector for a robotic arm are provided. An example method includes determining at least one of a size, shape, or orientation of a package to be picked up by an end effector of a robotic arm, adjusting a position of a suction cup on the end effector to grasp the package by linearly moving the suction cup from an initial position on a rail associated with the end effector to a predetermined end position on the rail associated with the end effector, determining a path for the robotic arm to move to the predetermined end position; and controlling movement of the end effector via a robotic joint to reduce force on the suction cup by the package due to an acceleration of the package due to movement of the robotic arm.

Claims (37)

1 . An anti-sway control system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising:

determining at least one of size, shape, or orientation of a package to be picked up by an end effector of a robotic arm;

adjusting a position of a suction cup on the end effector to grasp the package by linearly moving the suction cup from an initial position on a rail associated with the end effector to a predetermined end position on the rail associated with the end effector;

determining a path for the robotic arm to move based on one or more trajectory parameters, wherein the robotic arm transports the package grasped via the end effector; and

controlling movement of the end effector via a robotic joint to reduce an acceleration of the package due to movement of the robotic arm along the path, wherein the controlling movement of the end effector via the robotic joint further comprises oscillating the package in an opposite direction of trajectory motion to counter a force due to movement of the robotic arm.

2 . The anti-sway control system of claim 1 , wherein the oscillation of the package is based on an inverse of a transfer function of motion of the robotic arm to a goal position.

3 . The anti-sway control system of claim 1 , wherein the oscillation of the package is facilitated via one or more of rotation of the robotic joint, linear motion of a longitudinal extension of the robotic arm, and swivel motion of the end effector.

4 . The anti-sway control system of claim 1 , wherein the determining at least one of the size, the shape, or the orientation of the package is based on analyzing an image of the package.

5 . The anti-sway control system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined end position is determined based on at least one of the size, the shape, or the orientation of the package.

6 . The anti-sway control system of claim 1 , wherein the position of the suction cup is adjusted based on a machine learning perception model.

7 . The anti-sway control system of claim 1 , wherein the position of the suction cup is adjusted based on a surface area of the package to increase grip on the package and bring a center of mass of the package closer to the end effector.

8 . The anti-sway control system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic joint is a wrist joint or a spherical motor joint.

9 . A method, comprising:

determining at least one of a size, shape, or orientation of a package to be picked up by an end effector of a robotic arm;

adjusting a position of a suction cup on the end effector to grasp the package by linearly moving the suction cup from an initial position on a rail associated with the end effector to a predetermined end position on the rail associated with the end effector;

determining a path for the robotic arm to move based on one or more trajectory parameters, wherein the robotic arm transports the package grasped via the end effector; and

controlling movement of the end effector via a robotic joint to reduce force on the suction cup by the package due to an acceleration of the package during movement of the robotic arm along a trajectory of the path, wherein the controlling movement of the end effector via the robotic joint further comprises oscillating the package in an opposite direction of trajectory motion to counter a force due to movement of the robotic arm.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining at least one of the size, the shape, or the orientation of the package is based on analyzing an image of the package.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the position of the suction cup is adjusted based on a machine learning based perception model.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the machine learning based perception model is a convolutional neural network trained via historical package image data to determine an optimum placement of the suction cup.

13 . A robotic arm apparatus for grasping and moving a package, the robotic arm apparatus comprising:

an arm having a first joint; and

an end effector coupled to the first joint, the end effector comprising a fixed suction cup, one or more rails, and at least one movable suction cup,

wherein the fixed suction cup is fixed relative to the one or more rails and each of the at least one movable suction cup is movable relative to the one or more rails,

wherein each of the at least one movable suction cup is moveably attached to the one or more rails such that each movable suction cup can move along the one or more rails, and

wherein the arm is configured to control movement of the end effector via the first joint to reduce an acceleration of the package due to movement of the arm along a path, wherein the controlling movement of the end effector via the first joint further comprises oscillating the package in an opposite direction of trajectory motion to counter a force due to movement of the arm.

14 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the one or more rails extends out linearly from the end effector.

15 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the end effector is connected to the arm via the first joint.

16 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first joint has two or more degrees of freedom in order to rotate the end effector.

17 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least one of the one or more rails comprises one or more adjustable angles.

18 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first joint is a wrist joint or a spherical motor joint.

19 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the end effector is coupled to the first joint via a longitudinal extension, the longitudinal extension comprising a spring allowing the longitudinal extension to be extended or retracted in linear motion.

20 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first joint is configured to reduce an acceleration of the package.

21 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first joint has two or more degrees of freedom in order to rotate the end effector on an axis that extends through the first joint.

22 . The robotic arm apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the one or more rails associated with the end effector and the at least one movable suction cup are configured to only allow a linear movement of the at least one movable suction cup in relation to the at least one of the one or more rails.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 29, 2026
From: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC; TRANSNORM SYSTEM INC.; HILMOT, LLC; TREW, LLC; UNITED SORTATION SOLUTIONS LLC; TECH KING OPERATIONS, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 076077/0385 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2023
From: SINGH, JAGTAR; PAI, RAMDAS M.; MAKHAL, ABHIJIT
To: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063963/0517 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17182359 · Feb 23, 2021
Provisional Application 62981311 · Feb 25, 2020
Related Publication 20230321824A1 · Oct 12, 2023
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