Granted Patent B1

US 12,650,695 · App. 18/539,565 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Inventors: Matthew Anthony Brady (Boston, MA); Dincer Bozkaya (Andover, MA); Rakesh Mishra (Hudson, MA); Jonathan Lee Zerez (Waltham, MA); Eric Jones (Somerville, MA); Chris John Schuchmann (Rockledge, FL); Stephen Charles Paschall (Acton, MA)

Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.

G05D1/241G05D1/646

Abstract

Claims (85)

1 . An autonomous robot configured to transport a container, the autonomous robot comprising:

a first load cell;

a second load cell arranged along a first axis with respect to the first load cell;

a third load cell arranged along a second axis with respect to the first load cell;

a motor;

a plurality of wheels; and

a controller configured to:

determine that the container is loaded on the autonomous robot;

determine, using at least one of the first load cell and the second load cell, that a first change in load distribution along the first axis satisfies a threshold, wherein the first change is based at least in part on a force applied to the container;

determine a first direction of movement associated with the first change;

cause the motor to propel the autonomous robot in the first direction of movement;

determine that the first change in load distribution is not present based at least in part on removing the force applied to the container;

determine a first rate of change at which the force is removed; and

cause the mobile robot to stop movement at a rate of braking that corresponds to the first rate of change.

2 . The autonomous robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a second change in load distribution while the motor is propelling the autonomous robot in the first direction of movement;

determine a second direction of movement associated with the second change; and

cause the motor to propel the autonomous robot in the second direction of movement.

3 . The autonomous robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a second rate of change at which the first change in load distribution occurred;

determine a speed that corresponds to the second rate of change; and

cause the motor to propel the autonomous robot in the first direction of movement at the speed.

4 . The autonomous robot of claim 1 , further comprising:

a lift plate;

wherein the first load cell, the second load cell, and the third load cell are disposed on the lift plate.

5 . A mobile robot configured to transport a container, the mobile robot comprising:

a first sensor;

a second sensor;

a motor; and

a controller configured to:

determine that the container is loaded;

determine, using at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor, a first change in load distribution, wherein the first change is based at least in part on a force applied to the container;

determine a first direction of movement associated with the first change;

cause the motor to propel the mobile robot in the first direction of movement;

determine that the first change in load distribution is not present based at least in part on removing the force applied to the container;

determine a first rate of change at which the force is removed; and

cause the mobile robot to stop movement at a rate of braking that corresponds to the first rate of change.

6 . The mobile robot of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a second change in load distribution while the motor is propelling the mobile robot in the first direction of movement;

determine a second direction of movement associated with the second change; and

cause the motor to propel the mobile robot in the second direction of movement.

7 . The mobile robot of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine, after determining that the container is loaded, a first baseline load distribution using the first sensor and the second sensor;

wherein the first change in load distribution is relative to the first baseline load distribution.

8 . The mobile robot of claim 5 , further comprising:

a brake system;

wherein the controller is configured to cause the mobile robot to stop movement by causing the brake system to be applied.

9 . The mobile robot of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a weight of the container using at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor; and

determine that the first change in load distribution along the first axis satisfies a threshold prior to causing the motor to propel the mobile robot, wherein the threshold is a function of the weight.

10 . The mobile robot of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the first change in load distribution has persisted for a first length of time prior to causing the motor to propel the mobile robot.

11 . The mobile robot of claim 5 , further comprising:

a third sensor;

wherein the first sensor and the third sensor are configured to detect a second change in load distribution along a different axis than the first sensor and the second sensor.

12 . The mobile robot of claim 11 , further comprising:

a wheel; and

an actuator;

wherein the controller is further configured to:

cause the actuator to orient the wheel in the first direction of movement.

13 . The mobile robot of claim 11 , further comprising:

a lift plate;

wherein the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor are disposed on the lift plate.

14 . The mobile robot of claim 11 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are aligned along a first axis, and the first sensor and the third sensor are aligned along a second axis; and

wherein the first axis and the second axis are non-perpendicular.

15 . The mobile robot of claim 5 , wherein the first sensor comprises a first subsensor and a second subsensor, and the second sensor comprises a third subsensor and a fourth subsensor.

16 . A method comprising:

determining, by a mobile robot comprising a first sensor, a second sensor, and a motor, that a container is loaded on the mobile robot;

determining, using at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor, a first change in load distribution, wherein the first change is based at least in part on a force applied to the container;

determining a first direction of movement associated with the first change;

causing the motor to propel the mobile robot in the first direction of movement;

determining that the first change in load distribution is not present based at least in part on removing the force applied to the container;

determining a first rate of change at which the force is removed; and

causing the mobile robot to stop movement at a rate of braking that corresponds to the first rate of change.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining a second change in load distribution while the motor is propelling the mobile robot in the first direction of movement;

determining a second direction of movement associated with the second change; and

causing the motor to propel the mobile robot in the second direction of movement.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining, after determining that the container is loaded, a first baseline load distribution using the first sensor and the second sensor;

wherein the first change in load distribution is relative to the first baseline load distribution.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining a second rate of change at which the first change in load distribution occurred;

determining a speed that corresponds to the second rate of change; and

causing the motor to propel the mobile robot in the first direction of movement at the speed.

Assignments (1)

References Cited (18)