Interoperable robotic systems for loading and unloading trucks and other containers

Abstract

Disclosed is a robotic system comprising a communications interface and a processor coupled to the communications interface, the processor configured to receive instructions via the communications interface to establish a transfer path for transporting one or more items from a source location at a beginning of the transfer path to a destination location at a terminal of the transfer path, programmatically determine a plan for arranging and configuring one or more transfer structures to provide the transfer path, and request one or more robots to position, optionally couple, and optionally configure the one or more transfer structures to provide the transfer path.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 356,896, filed June 29, 2022, entitled "INTEROPERABLE ROBOTIC SYSTEM TO LOAD / UNLOAD TRUCKS AND OTHER CONTAINERS," which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. [Background technology]

[0002] Robotic systems have been used to automate warehouse operations, shipping operations, and order fulfillment operations. Increasingly, robots are working autonomously to perform tasks such as picking and placing items into boxes or other containers for shipping.

[0003] Typically, various combinations of stationary, portable, and / or variable geometry equipment have been used in warehouses, distribution centers, etc. to load boxes or other items into or out of trucks or other containers. For example, human workers typically load boxes or other items onto a chute or conveyor, and the items are moved to or from a loading area (e.g., a loading dock) by one or more of gravity, electric motor-driven belts, wheels, or rollers, and manual pushing or pulling by the human worker, etc.

[0004] For trucks or containers, a human worker typically receives items via a conveyor or similar structure and loads them into the truck or container, or a human worker manually unloads items from the truck and places them onto a conveyor or similar structure for movement into the warehouse toward a downstream destination (such as a shelf or other storage location within the warehouse).

[0005] Often, a combination of different manually placed, configured, and operated conveyor structures are used to move items to and from trucks or other containers. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] Various embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a robotic system and environment 100.

[0008] [Figure 2A] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of an extendable roller-type conveying structure (such as the roller-type conveying structure 112 in FIG. 1); [Figure 2B] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of an extendable roller-type conveying structure (such as the roller-type conveying structure 112 in FIG. 1);

[0009] [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an extendable belt type conveyor 300. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an extendable belt type conveyor 300.

[0010] [Figure 4A] A side view of a robotic track loader with a conveyor 402 and a mobile and / or relocatable base 404, one or more robotic arms 406, a suction or other end effector 408, an integrated conveyor belt 410, and one or more cameras 412. [Figure 4B] A side view of a robotic track loader with a conveyor 402 and a mobile and / or relocatable base 404, one or more robotic arms 406, a suction or other end effector 408, an integrated conveyor belt 410, and one or more cameras 412.

[0011] [Figure 4C] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system configured to plan, assemble, and configure transport paths using one or more robots and / or robotically controlled devices.

[0012] [Figure 5] 1 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for planning, assembling, and configuring a transport path using one or more robots and / or robotically controlled devices.

[0013] [Figure 6] 10 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for assembling and configuring a transport path.

[0014] [Figure 7] 10 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process for disassembling a transport path.

[0015] [Figure 8] 1 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for utilizing and / or learning to better utilize one or more robots and / or robotically controlled devices to plan, assemble, and configure transport paths. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The present invention may be embodied in various forms, including as a process, an apparatus, a system, a composition of matter, a computer program product embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, and / or a processor configured to execute instructions stored in and / or provided by a memory coupled to the processor. These embodiments, or any other form the present invention may take, may be referred to herein as technology. In general, the order of steps in a disclosed process may be varied within the scope of the present invention. Unless otherwise noted, components, such as a processor or memory, described as configured to perform a task may be implemented as general components temporarily configured to perform the task at a given time, or as specific components manufactured to perform the task. As used herein, the term “processor” refers to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores configured to process data, such as computer program instructions.

[0017] The following is a detailed description of one or more embodiments of the present invention with reference to figures that illustrate the principles of the invention. While the present invention has been described in connection with such embodiments, it is not limited to any particular embodiment. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the claims, and the present invention includes many alternatives, modifications, and equivalents. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. These details are for the purpose of example, and the present invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For simplicity, technical matters that are well known in the art related to the present invention have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

[0018] An autonomous, integrated robotic system is disclosed that moves items to and from and / or into and out of trucks or other containers for loading and unloading operations. In various embodiments, the systems disclosed herein incorporate a number of different conveying structures, including, but not limited to, one or more chutes, gravity-based roller conveyors and / or other gravity-based conveying structures, motorized conveyor belts or other powered conveying structures, and variable length or other variable shape conveying structures, such as gravity-based conveying structures and compressing or extending and / or conveyor belts that extend or retract manually or under power, for example, from a loading dock into a truck or other container.

[0019] In various embodiments, the robotic systems disclosed herein are configured to construct and adjust one or more transport structures as needed to establish an operable, continuous path from a source or item to a destination within a warehouse or similar facility (e.g., from a storage or staging area to a truck or other container for loading, or from a truck or other container to a receiving area for unloading).

[0020] In some embodiments, the transport structures may need to be manually positioned and configured, such as by moving the structures to a starting location, extending or otherwise positioning the end and / or intermediate structures of the transport structures in the desired positions, and configuring the end and / or intermediate structures as needed to configure the path, such as by ensuring that items move along the transport structures as a result of gravity and / or adjusting the height to align the end of one transport structure with the start of another transport.

[0021] In some embodiments, one or more transport structures may be movable and / or configurable under their own motive force. For example, the terminus or each end of a transport structure may be on wheels or treads or other moving base. The robotic systems disclosed herein may determine positions and configurations for such transport structures and control the transport structures to position and configure them.

[0022] In some embodiments, the robotic systems disclosed herein may use one or more mobile robots to pull, push, or otherwise position a transport structure in place. A robot may be used to connect the end of one transport structure to the starting end of the next transport structure. A robot may be used to configure a transport structure, such as by adjusting the height at one or both ends. For example, the robot may be equipped with a tool for insertion into a receptacle associated with mechanical adjustment of the height, and may rotate the receptacle to raise or lower the height. Alternatively, the robot or a remote robot control computer may actuate pneumatic or electrical mechanisms on a transport structure provided and configured to raise or lower the height.

[0023] In various embodiments, the robotic systems disclosed herein include a control computer configured to determine the need to move a set of items from a storage and / or staging location to a truck or other container or vice versa, create a plan to position and configure a set of one or more transport structures to move the items, and build and configure a path between the storage / staging area and the truck or other container using robots and / or robotically controlled equipment of the transport structures to position and configure the transport structures as needed.

[0024] 1 illustrates one embodiment of a robotic system and environment 100. In the illustrated example, a box 102 to be loaded onto a truck 104 begins its journey by sliding down a chute 106 onto a belt-type conveyor 108 having a telescoping end 110 with gravity (or motor-driven) rollers positioned between accordion-style telescoping sides. The telescoping end 110 of the conveyor 108 is aligned and flush with the receiving end of a telescoping and bendable gravity roller 112, the distal end of which is shown extended into (or near) the opening of the truck 104. In the illustrated example, the box 114 has traversed the entire path (chute 106, conveyor 108 and end 110, and rollers 112) and is ready to be loaded onto the truck 104, for example, by a human worker or a robot.

[0025] 1 , in various embodiments, one or more of the chute 106, conveyor 108, end 110, and rollers 112 may be positioned and / or configured by control computer 116. For example, control computer 116 may operate the robotic control functions of chute 106, conveyor 108, end 110, and rollers 112, such as by adjusting the height to facilitate gravity-driven item flow from the start end to the end end of rollers 112. In some embodiments, control computer 116 may operate one or more robots (such as mobile robot 118 in the illustrated example) to position and / or configure one or more of the chute 106, conveyor 108, end 110, and rollers 112. In various embodiments, control computer 116 uses images from a camera (such as camera 120) within the workspace to install, position, and configure transport structures (such as chute 106, conveyor 108, end 110, and rollers 112) and / or load, unload, or move items along a path including chute 106, conveyor 108, end 110, and rollers 112.

[0026] 2A and 2B illustrate an example of a telescoping roller-type transport structure (such as roller-type transport structure 112 of FIG. 1). In the illustrated example, in the upper FIG. 2A, roller 200 is shown in a non-extended or compressed state, with scissor-shaped telescoping sides 204 in a compressed position and legs 206 relatively close to each other. Roller or wheel 202 rests on a transverse shaft disposed between sides 204, which are generally adjacent in the state shown in FIG. 2A. To deploy roller 200, the right side can be pulled, as indicated by arrow 208, while the left side remains stationary. In this example, a handle or hitch 210 is provided to assist a human worker, robot, or another robotically controlled device in extending roller 200, for example, to the extended state shown in FIG. 2B.

[0027] In some embodiments, the legs 206 at least at the ends of the rollers 200 may include manual, mechanical, electrical, and / or pneumatic structures for adjusting the height of the associated end of the rollers 200 (e.g., to facilitate movement along the rollers 200 due to gravity). For example, one or more of the angle of the floor (if any) (i.e., the height difference between the wheels), the extended length of the rollers 200, the weight (average / median / max / min) of the items being moved along the rollers 200, etc., may be taken into account to determine and adjust the height at one or both ends, in addition to the height of adjacent conveying structures or other structures or devices.

[0028] Figures 3A and 3B show an example of a telescoping belt-type conveyor 300. In the upper view of Figure 3A, the conveyor 300 is shown in a retracted state (length L1), while in Figure 3B, the conveyor 300 is shown in an extended state (length L2). The conveyor 300 includes a belt 302 driven by motorized rollers or wheels 302a, 302b. A fixed base 304 houses nested extension segments 306, 308, and 310, which telescopically extend as shown in Figure 3B to extend the right end of the conveyor 300, for example, into a truck or other container attached to and / or otherwise positioned on or adjacent to a loading dock, as shown.

[0029] In the retracted state shown in Figure 3A, for example, excess conveyor belt material is held within spool 312. When conveyor 300 is extended, additional belt material is unwound from spool 312, as shown in Figure 3B.

[0030] In various embodiments, a telescoping conveyor (such as conveyor 300) may be operated under robotic control. For example, a control computer (such as control computer 116 in FIG. 1) may use image or other sensor data to determine that a truck has been placed in an associated loading bay of conveyor 300 and may send a command or other signal to extend conveyor 300 to the extent that the right end of conveyor 300 is in or near the truck or other container, e.g., to the condition shown in FIG. 3B.

[0031] In some embodiments, a conveyor (such as conveyor 300) includes structure for adjusting the height of one or both ends of conveyor 300, such as by raising or lowering one or both ends of base 304 or by adjusting the relative height and / or position of structure containing and / or supporting belt 302 to position one or both ends at a desired height.

[0032] 4A and 4B are side views of a robotic track loader including a conveyor 402 and a mobile and / or relocatable base 404, one or more robotic arms 406, a suction or other end effector 408, an integrated conveyor belt 410, and one or more cameras 412. In some embodiments, the robotic track loader includes one or more of the structures and features disclosed and described in Appendix A.

[0033] 4A and 4B uses image data and / or other sensor data from camera 412, user input, and / or contextual data to configure the robotic track loader for loading or unloading, as needed, such as by adjusting the tilt angle of conveyor 410 to align the end of conveyor 410 adjacent to conveyor 402 at a height determined at least in part based on the perceived height of the adjacent end of conveyor 402. For example, for unloading, the control computer may adjust the angle (and / or height) of conveyor 410 to the relative position shown in FIG. 4A so that an item grasped from within a truck or other conveyor, using, for example, robotic arm 406 and end effector 408, placed on conveyor 410 at its right end, and moved along conveyor 410 to its left end will slide down onto the receiving end of conveyor 402 as it descends conveyor 410. Conversely, for loading, the control computer may adjust the angle (and / or height) of conveyor 410 to the relative position shown in FIG. 4B so that items arriving via conveyor 402 slide down onto the left end of conveyor 410 and are carried by conveyor 410 to the right end of conveyor 410, as shown, allowing the robotic arm 406 and end effector 408 to pick the items from conveyor 410 and load them into a truck or other container.

[0034] In various embodiments, sensors other than or in addition to cameras (such as camera 412) may be used to determine the absolute and / or relative positions of the various transport structures and / or to adjust their positions and / or configurations as needed to assemble the desired end-to-end path. For example, RF tags and readers, GPS transponders and receivers, LIDAR, or other sensing technologies may be used.

[0035] 4A and 4B, the robotic track loader includes an integral conveyor 410 that runs between the two robotic arms and is mounted on the same moving chassis as the robotic arms, but in other embodiments, there is no chassis-mounted conveyor. Instead, the robotic track loader is positioned within the truck or container to be loaded or unloaded, and a conveyor or other transport structure is positioned between the robotic arms to enable the robotic arms to pick items from and / or place items onto the non-integral transport structure.

[0036] 4C illustrates an embodiment of a system configured to plan, assemble, and configure a transport path using one or more robots and / or robotically controlled devices. In the illustrated example, a transport path 420 is assembled, for example, by one or more robots, including an extendable conveyor belt 300 of the type shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B extending from a loading dock 422 to an adjacent track (shown in dashed lines) and passing between the robotic arms of a robotic track loader 424 having two robotic arms with a conveyor 300 extended between them, thereby enabling the track loader 424 to place items directly onto or pick items from the conveyor 300. In the illustrated example, the conveyor 300 is configured / positioned, at least in part, by, for example, a robot, to slope upward from the loading dock 422 at a height such that the conveyor 300 extends between the robotic arms of the robotic track loader 424 without hitting the moving chassis of the robotic track loader 424, and at an angle such that the bottom of the conveyor 300 extends through the robotic track loader 424 without hitting both the loading dock 422 and the bottom edge of the track. In various embodiments, the angle of the conveyor 300 required to clear all structures is calculated by a robot involved in configuring the transport path 420 and / or the conveyor 300 is configured and / or positioned by one or more robots involved in configuring the transport path 420.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for planning, assembling, and configuring a transport route using one or more robots and / or robotically controlled devices. In various embodiments, process 500 of FIG. 5 may be performed by one or more control computers (such as control computer 116 in the example shown in FIG. 1). In the illustrated example, instructions to establish and configure a transport route are received at step 502. For example, an indication may be received that a truck or other container has already been positioned at a particular unloading area, such as a loading / unloading dock area, or that it will be positioned at a particular or approximate future time. The information received at step 502 may include and / or be used to obtain one or more of information regarding the items to be loaded or unloaded, the order in which the items will be loaded or unloaded, in the case of an unloading operation, the destination to which the items to be unloaded are provided, in the case of a loading operation, the source from which the items to be loaded are obtained, etc.

[0038] In step 504, a plan is developed to provide the required transport route by acquiring, arranging, combining, and otherwise configuring one or more transport structures (e.g., the transport structures shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B, etc.). The plan may include identification information indicating which (and what type of) transport structures to use, in what order, and how each should be arranged, configured, and / or otherwise deployed to provide a continuous transport route from a truck, container, pallet, or other source of items to an internal location within a warehouse or other logistics facility, for example, in the case of an unloading operation, or from a source of items to a truck, container, palletization area, or other destination location, for example, in the case of a loading, packing, or palletizing operation.

[0039] In step 506, one or more robots and / or robotically controlled devices are used to position and configure the transport structure according to the plan developed in step 504. For example, a mobile robot (such as robot 118 of FIG. 1) may be used to move the transport structure into position. In the case of a telescoping transport structure (such as transport structure 112 of FIG. 1 and the example shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B), the robot may place a first end of the transport structure in a first position, lock the first end in place such as by locking a set of wheels, secure a connector structure such as to an anchor point or an adjacent transport structure, and then pull the opposite end to a second position.

[0040] In various embodiments, conveyor structures may be deployed and / or configured in various ways appropriate for a given conveyor structure and / or adjacent structures that interoperate with that conveyor structure to provide a transport path. For example, the height of each of the adjacent ends of a pair of transport structures may be adjusted to provide a flow of items from a terminal or exit end of a first transport structure to a starting / entrance end of an adjacent transport structure. Bridges, connectors, and / or similar structures may be deployed, adjusted, and / or otherwise configured to provide a continuous path between two transport structures.

[0041] In some embodiments, a transport structure may facilitate movement of items along a transport path, rather than comprising part of the transport path. For example, a robotically controlled transport structure may be used to push items along the transport path as needed / desired. Cameras or other sensor information may be used to monitor the flow of items along the transport path. If an item is observed not to be moving along the transport path, or is not moving at an expected or desired speed, a robotically controlled transport structure may be used to push the item along the path with a calculated degree of force. In another example, a transport structure may be used to control the entry of items, e.g., to space items out as they flow along the transport path, e.g., to avoid overloading one or more robots and / or other personnel or equipment handling items at the far end (or other downstream points) of the transport path.

[0042] In various embodiments, one or more tasks of positioning, connecting, and / or configuring one or more transport structures to provide a transport path may be assigned to one or more human workers. A human worker may be scheduled to perform a given task at a given time and / or upon completion of a task on which the task performed by the human worker depends. For example, a mobile robot may position the inlet end of a first transport structure adjacent to the outlet end of a second transport structure, and a human worker may be utilized to connect the transport structures, for example, by manually manipulating a coupling or other structure for connecting the transport structures and / or by deploying a bridge or other connector between the transport structures. In another example, a human worker may be utilized to adjust the height of one or other of two transport structures to facilitate the movement of items between the transport structures. A human worker may be scheduled to perform a task, or in some embodiments, assistance from a human worker may be sought as needed (e.g., when a robot assigned to perform a task is unable to complete the task).

[0043] In various embodiments, the plan established in step 504 may include one or more events, triggers, or other contingencies that must occur before the next set of tasks can be performed. For example, the system may be configured to wait until it receives notification, e.g., from a mobile robot, that a particular transport structure is positioned before dispatching another robot and / or human worker to perform a related task (e.g., connecting the transport structure to another structure or otherwise configuring the transport structure for operation). In some embodiments, the system may utilize cameras or other sensors (e.g., contact, force, pressure, electrical continuity) to detect the completion of a prerequisite task upon which another task is contingent. For example, computer vision may be used to detect that the transport structure has been placed where it needs to be to enable the next task to be completed.

[0044] While many of the examples described herein involve mobile or other robots positioning, connecting, and / or configuring the transport structure, in various embodiments, a robotically controlled device including the transport structure may be used. For example, the transport structure may include an electromechanical mechanism to adjust the height of its exit end and / or entrance end. Examples of electromechanical mechanisms for adjusting height include, but are not limited to, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators, jacks, motor-operated cables or gears, and linear actuators. A mobile robot, a human worker, or a remote robotic application process may control the electromechanical mechanism to configure the transport structure.

[0045] In some embodiments, the mobile robot may manipulate cranks, levels, knobs, handles, or other physical control structures on the transport structure to adjust the height of the transport structure and / or otherwise configure the transport structure for operation. In some embodiments, the mobile robot may grasp, insert, and utilize tools to configure the transport structure (e.g., tools on or near the transport structure, or tools carried by or integrated into an end effector of the mobile robot).

[0046] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for assembling and configuring a transport path. In various embodiments, process 600 of FIG. 6 may be performed by one or more control computers (such as control computer 116 in the example shown in FIG. 1). In the illustrated example, at step 602, a transport structure including a portion of the transport path is deployed. At step 604, the transport structure deployed at step 602 is coupled to one or more adjacent transport structures, as needed / desired. At step 606, the transport structure is configured to interoperate with one or more other transport structures to provide the transport path, as needed / desired.

[0047] Process 600 is repeated for each transport structure that makes up the transport path until the entire transport path is established. In various embodiments, a mobile robot and / or robotic device, including a transport structure, may act fully or partially autonomously to perform one or more of the steps of process 600 for a given transport structure.

[0048] FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for disassembling a transport path. In various embodiments, process 700 of FIG. 7 may be performed by one or more control computers (such as control computer 116 in the example shown in FIG. 1). In the illustrated example, at step 702, an indication that a transport path is no longer needed is received. For example, a loaded or unloaded truck or container may be fully loaded or unloaded. At step 704, transport structures comprising the transport path are separated and / or deconfigured as needed / desired. For example, one or more mobile robots may be deployed to decouple adjacent transport structures, stow bridges or other connecting structures, and return transport structure mechanisms to a default or stowed configuration (e.g., lowest height or other default height). At step 706, the transport structures are stowed, e.g., in a staging or storage area, and / or redeployed for use in providing another transport path, if needed.

[0049] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a process for utilizing and / or learning to better utilize one or more robots and / or robotically controlled devices to plan, assemble, and configure a transport path. In various embodiments, process 800 of FIG. 8 may be performed by one or more control computers (such as control computer 116 in the example shown in FIG. 1). In the illustrated example, step 802 oversees planning (selection of transport structures and how they will be arranged, connected, and configured), organization (e.g., which transport structures to utilize), placement (how the transport structures will be positioned or arranged to form a path), bonding (how the transport structures will be connected), configuration (how the transport structures will be configured to provide the transport path), etc. For example, a list of transport structures and the order, position, and orientation in which they will be used may be received, or video or other image data may be received that shows the transport path being assembled and / or utilized. In step 804, machine learning and / or artificial intelligence techniques are utilized to generate and / or update models and / or otherwise learn how to (better) develop and implement plans to provide a transfer path using one or more transfer structures. Transfer path utilization may be observed to understand how well the planning and its implementation supported successful completion of a set of tasks (e.g., unloading a truck or other container). In some embodiments, transfer paths established by human workers may be observed, thereby enabling a robotic system disclosed herein to learn to generate and implement plans to select, arrange, position, connect, configure, and / or operate one or more transfer structures to provide a transfer path as disclosed herein.

[0050] In various embodiments, machine learning models or other representations or repositories of learned knowledge may be used by the robotic systems disclosed herein to generate and implement, fully or maximally autonomously, plans to select, arrange, position, connect, configure, and / or operate one or more transport structures to provide a transport route in a given context for a given set of inputs (such as the loading dock where the truck is parked, and the nature, number, size, weight, fragility, etc. of the contents to be unloaded, and the destination where the contents are to be provided).

[0051] In some embodiments, a transport path disclosed herein, such as for unloading a truck or other container, may include a truck / container and one or more robotic loaders / unloaders, such as those shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In some embodiments, the robotic loader / unloader may be deployed under its own power, such as by driving itself on a robotically controlled powered chassis into the truck or container to be loaded / unloaded. Other elements comprising the transport path, such as an extendable transport, may then be deployed or extended adjacent to the robotic loader / unloader, and so on, until a continuous path is established from / to the truck or other container to / from the opposite end of the transport path.

[0052] In some embodiments, the systems disclosed herein may be configured to test the operation of a transport path created as described herein using one or more test loads of known size, weight, etc. For example, in the context of truck unloading, a test item may be placed on the transport path at the end of the truck and sent to the far end of the path to verify that a smooth, continuous path is provided. If such a path is not provided, the robotic systems disclosed herein may deploy one or more mobile robots to make adjustments or address malfunctions and / or may seek the assistance of one or more human operators if the adjustments / corrections cannot be performed fully autonomously.

[0053] In some embodiments, fully automatic and autonomous robotic systems are used to position and configure transport paths for loading and unloading trucks or other containers, although in various embodiments, human workers may be incorporated, for example, a human may manually position movable transport structures, connect one structure to another, adjust the height of structures to align them, etc.

[0054] In various embodiments, the technology disclosed herein may be utilized to provide an interoperable, integrated, and in some embodiments, fully automated system for arranging and configuring transport structures for moving boxes or other items between locations within a warehouse, logistics facility, or similar facility (e.g., from a storage or staging location to a truck or other container, or from a truck or other container to a storage or staging location).

[0055] Although the above-described embodiments have been described in some detail for ease of understanding, the invention is not limited to the details provided. There are many alternative ways of implementing the invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and are not intended to be limiting.

Claims

1. 1. A robotic system comprising: a communication interface; a processor connected to the communication interface; Equipped with The processor: receiving, via the communications interface, instructions to establish a transport path for transporting one or more items from a source location at a beginning of the transport path to a destination location at a terminal of the transport path; programmatically determining a plan for arranging and configuring one or more transport structures to provide said transport path; a system configured to require one or more robots to position, optionally couple, and optionally configure said one or more transport structures to provide said transport path.

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to include one or more tasks to be completed by a mobile robot in the plan and to control the mobile robot to perform the one or more tasks.

3. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to include one or more tasks to be completed by human workers in the plan and to schedule or otherwise cause the human workers to perform the one or more tasks.

4. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises one or both of multiple processors and multiple processor cores.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more robots include one or more mobile robots.

6. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more robots include one or more robot-controlled devices of one or more of the transport structures.

7. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to use one or more of the one or more robots to position transport structures included in the one or more transport structures to define at least a partial transport path from an entrance end of the transport structure to an exit end of the transport structure.

8. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the transport structure includes a first transport structure, the entrance end includes a first entrance end, and the exit end includes a first exit end, and the processor is configured to couple the first exit end of the first transport structure to a second entrance end of a second transport structure using one or more of the one or more robots.

9. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to configure one or both of the first transport structure and the second transport structure using one or more of the one or more robots.

10. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to configure one or both of the first and second transport structures, at least in part, by using one or more of the one or more robots to adjust the respective heights of the one or both of the first and second transport structures.

11. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to configure one or both of the first and second transport structures using one or more of the one or more robots, at least in part, by placing a connecting structure between the first and second transport structures.

12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the connecting structure comprises a bridge configured to carry items from the first exit end of the first transport structure to the second entrance end of the second transport structure.

13. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein a robot included in the one or more robots is configured to perform a transport path planning task at least partially autonomously, and the processor is configured to assign the robot a task of performing the transport path planning task at least partially autonomously.

14. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the transport path construction task includes one or more of: arranging a transport structure included in the one or more transport structures to define at least a portion of the transport path; connecting a first transport structure to a second transport structure; and configuring a transport structure included in the one or more transport structures.

15. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive, via the communication interface, sensor data that can be used by the processor in programmatically determining the plan for arranging and configuring one or more transport structures to provide the transport path, and to request one or more robots to position, optionally couple, and optionally configure the one or more transport structures to provide the transport path.

16. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an indication via the communication interface that the transport path is no longer needed, and to use the one or more robots to dismantle the transport path and store or redeploy the one or more transport structures.

17. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to observe one or more of the planning, placement, coupling, configuration, and utilization of one or more of the one or more transport structures to provide one or more training transport paths, learn based at least in part on the observations to programmatically determine the plan for arranging and configuring the one or more transport structures to provide the transport paths, and request the one or more robots to place, couple if necessary, and configure if necessary the one or more transport structures to provide the transport paths.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more transport structures are a plurality of different types of transport structures.

19. 1. A method comprising: receiving, via the communications interface, instructions to establish a transport path for transporting one or more items from a source location at a beginning of the transport path to a destination location at a terminal of the transport path; programmatically determining a plan for arranging and configuring one or more transport structures to provide said transport path; requiring one or more robots to position, optionally couple and optionally configure said one or more transport structures to provide said transport path; A method comprising:

20. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, computer instructions for receiving, via a communications interface, instructions to establish a transport path for conveying one or more items from a source location at a beginning of the transport path to a destination location at a terminal of the transport path; computer instructions for programmatically determining a plan for arranging and configuring one or more transport structures to provide said transport path; computer instructions for requesting one or more robots to position, optionally couple, and optionally configure the one or more transport structures to provide the transport path; A computer program product comprising:

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