IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,817,764
Granted Patent B2
US 10,817,764 · App. 16/137,673 · Granted Oct 27, 2020

Robot system for processing an object and method of packaging and processing the same

Inventors: Wei Xi (Mountain View, CA); Hui Cheng (Mountain View, CA)
Assignees: Beijing Jingdong Shangke Information Technology Co., Ltd.; JD.com American Technologies Corporation
G06K19/06B25J9/1697B25J11/005G01B11/26G06K9/00664G06K9/2018G06K9/2054G06K9/3233G06K19/06037G06T7/11G06T7/70G06K2009/00644
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,817,764
App. No.
16/137,673
Granted
Oct 27, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A robot system for processing an object to be packaged as a product, a packaging method, and a method of processing the same are provided. The object has multiple surfaces, and multiple e-package information tags are provided on the surfaces of the object for storing information of the product. Each surface is provided with one of the e-package information tags. The information of the product includes information of a location, an orientation and physical features of the object. In operation, the robot system controls a sensing device to detect and capture one of the e-package information tags on the object to obtain a captured image, and processes the captured image to obtain the information of the product. Based on the information of the product, the robot system controls a robotic grasping device to perform a robotic manipulation for handling the object.

Claims (64)

1. A packaging method, comprising:

providing an object as a product to be packaged; and

providing a plurality of e-package information tags on a plurality of surfaces of the object for storing information of the product,

wherein each of the surfaces is provided with at least one of the plurality of e-package information tags thereon, and

the information of the product comprises information of a location, an orientation and physical features of the object,

wherein each of the plurality of e-package information tags is in a form of a 2-dimensional code having a first area and a second area, the first area of each of the plurality of e-package information tags is designed to detect and estimate pose of the object; and

wherein the pose of the object is estimated by obtaining tilt angles of the plurality of e-package information tags and distance variance from a sensing device to different points on the plurality of e-package information tags and processing the tilt angles and the distance variance by the sensing device.

2. The packaging method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of e-package information tags provided on each of the surfaces is provided at a different relative location thereon, and with a different size, or a different shape.

3. The packaging method of claim 1 , wherein the second area of each of the plurality of e-package information tags stores the information of the physical features of the object, wherein the physical features of the object comprises:

a dimension of the object;

a weight of the object;

a weight distribution of the object;

a property of the object;

product information of the object; and

the location and the orientation of the object.

4. The packaging method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of e-package information tags is in a form of a tag, a 1-dimensional barcode, or a watermark tag.

5. The packaging method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of e-package information tags stores information of robotic manipulation for handling the object.

6. A robot system for processing the object provided in claim 1 , comprising:

a plurality of robotic grasping devices, each being configured to grasp the object;

a plurality of sensing devices, each being configured to obtain the information of the product; and

a controller configured to control the robotic grasping devices and the sensing devices,

wherein the controller is configured to perform:

controlling one of the sensing devices to detect and capture one of the plurality of e-package information tags on the object to obtain a captured image;

processing the captured image to obtain the tilt angles of the plurality of e-package information tags and distance variance from the one of the plurality of sensing devices to different points on the plurality of e-package information tags;

processing the tilt angles and the distance variance to determine the pose of the object; and

based on the pose of the object, controlling one of the robotic grasping devices to perform a robotic manipulation for handling the object.

7. The robot system of claim 6 , wherein each of the sensing devices is a camera, and each of the robotic grasping devices is a suction device, a robot arm, a gripper, or an electrical adhesive device.

8. A method of processing an object using a robot system, comprising:

providing the object as a product, wherein a plurality of e-package information tags is provided on a plurality of surfaces of the object for storing information of the product, each of the surfaces is provided with at least one of the plurality of e-package information tags thereon, and the information of the product comprises information of a location, an orientation and physical features of the object;

controlling a sensing device of the robot system to detect and capture one of the plurality of e-package information tags on the object to obtain a captured image;

processing the captured image to obtain tilt angles of the plurality of e-package information tags and distance variance from the sensing devices to different points on the plurality of e-package information tags;

processing the tilt angles and the distance variance to determine pose of the object; and

based on the pose of the object, controlling a robotic grasping device of the robot system to perform a robotic manipulation for handling the object.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensing device is a camera, and the robotic grasping device is a suction device, a robot arm, a gripper, or an electrical adhesive device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one of the plurality of e-package information tags provided on each of the surfaces is provided at a different relative location thereon, with a different size, or with a different shape.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of e-package information tags is in a form of a 2-dimensional code having a first area and a second area.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first area of each of the plurality of e-package information tags is designed for easy detection and robust pose estimation, and the second area of each of the plurality of e-package information tags stores the information of the physical features of the object, wherein the physical features of the object comprises:

a dimension of the object;

a weight of the object;

a weight distribution of the object;

a property of the object;

product information of the object; and

the location and the orientation of the object.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of e-package information tags is in a form of a tag, a 1-dimensional barcode, or a watermark tag.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of e-package information tags stores information of the robotic manipulation for handling the object.

15. A packaging method, comprising:

providing an object as a product to be packaged; and

providing a plurality of e-package information tags on a plurality of surfaces of the object for storing information of the product, one e-package information tag being provided on each corner of each of the plurality of surfaces,

wherein the information of the product comprises information of a location, an orientation and physical features of the object;

wherein each of the plurality of e-package information tags is in a form of a 2-dimensional code having a first area and a second area, the first area of each of the plurality of e-package information tags is designed to detect and estimate pose of the object: and

wherein the pose of the object is estimated by obtaining tilt angles of the plurality of e-package information tags and distance variance from a sensing device to different points on the plurality of e-package information tags and processing the tilt angles and the distance variance by the sensing device.

16. The packaging method of claim 15 , wherein the e-package information tag comprises Apriltags or QR codes, and the e-package information tag comprises dimension, order ID, weight, weight distribution, and product information of the object.

17. The packaging method of claim 15 , wherein the e-package information tag comprises maximal speed, maximal force can be applied, fragility, property, humidity, and temperature of the object.

18. The packaging method of claim 15 , wherein each surface of the object that is operable by a robot is further provided with a surface point for determination of the surface as an operable surface and determination of a geometric center of the object.

19. A robot system for processing the object provided in claim 15 , comprising:

a plurality of robotic grasping devices, each being configured to grasp the object;

a plurality of sensing devices, each being configured to obtain the information of the product; and

a controller configured to control the robotic grasping devices and the sensing devices,

wherein the controller is configured to perform:

controlling one of the sensing devices to detect and capture one of the plurality of e-package information tags on the object to obtain a captured image and to detect location of the plurality of e-package information tags;

processing the captured image to obtain tilt angles of the plurality of e-package information tags and distance variance from the one of the plurality of sensing devices to different points on the plurality of e-package information tags;

processing the tilt angles and the distance variance to determine pose of the object; and

based on the pose of the object and the location of the plurality of e-package information tags, controlling one of the robotic grasping devices to perform a robotic manipulation for handling the object.

20. The robot system of claim 19 , wherein each of the sensing devices is a camera, and each of the robotic grasping devices is a suction device, a robot arm, a gripper, or an electrical adhesive device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2018
From: XI, WEI; CHENG, HUI
To: BEIJING JINGDONG SHANGKE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; JD.COM AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046934/0674 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200094414A1 · Mar 26, 2020