Workspace-adaptive robotic system for loading or unloading goods onto pallets or other containers

Abstract

A robotic system for loading or unloading goods onto or from pallets or other containers is disclosed. Image data is received and used to identify an item associated with the topmost container in a stack of one or more stackable containers. A robotic arm is controlled to perform a pick-and-place operation on the item relating to the topmost container in a stack of one or more stackable containers. A series of iterations of identifying, picking, and placing the item are performed until it is determined that a stop condition is met, the stop condition including one or more of the following: determining that there are no further items to process, and determining that the stack of one or more stackable containers contains the maximum allowable number of stackable containers.

Claims

1. It is a robotic system, A communication interface configured to receive image data, A processor connected to the aforementioned communication interface, Equipped with, The aforementioned processor, Using the aforementioned image data, identify the item associated with the top container in a stack of one or more stackable containers. Using a robotic arm, a pick-and-place operation is performed on the item in the topmost container of the stack of one or more stackable containers. A robotic system configured to continue a continuous iteration of identifying, picking, and placing items until it is determined that a stop condition has been met, wherein the stop condition includes one or more of the following: determining that there are no further items to be processed, and determining that the stack of one or more stackable containers contains the maximum allowable number of stackable containers.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the stackable container is a pallet.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the robot system is configured to perform an operation involving removing items from stackable containers in the stack and placing each container in an associated destination position, the stopping condition comprising determining that no further items remain in the topmost container and determining that the stack of one or more stackable containers contains the maximum allowable number of stackable containers.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to remove the stack of one or more stackable containers and replace it with a container having one or more items to be removed.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the processor is configured, at least in part, to cause an autonomous robot to remove the stack of one or more stackable containers by triggering an action to remove the stack of one or more stackable containers.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to replace the stack of one or more stackable containers with the container having one or more items to be removed by, at least in part, retrieving the container having one or more items to be removed, and causing an autonomous robot to move to place the container having one or more items to be removed in a position adjacent to the robot arm.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein a position adjacent to the robot arm includes a position from which the stack of one or more stackable containers has been removed.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the item includes a first item, the stack of one or more stackable containers includes a first stack of one or more stackable containers located at a first position adjacent to the robot arm, and the processor further comprises Using the aforementioned image data, a second item associated with the top container in a second stack of one or more stackable containers located at a second position adjacent to the robot arm is identified. A system configured to use a robotic arm to perform a pick-and-place operation on a second item relating to the topmost container in a second stack of one or more stackable containers.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to continuously perform a pick-and-place task with respect to items associated with the first stack of one or more stackable containers until it is determined that the stop condition has been met with respect to the first stack of one or more stackable containers, and to begin continuously performing a pick-and-place task with respect to items associated with the second stack of one or more stackable containers, at least in part, based on the determination that the stop condition has been met with respect to the first stack of one or more stackable containers.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to satisfy the stop condition with respect to the first stack of one or more stackable containers while items are being picked and placed with respect to the second stack of one or more stackable containers.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the stopping condition is satisfied with respect to the first stack of one or more stackable containers by removing the first stack of one or more stackable containers, at least in part.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the stop condition is satisfied with respect to the first stack of one or more stackable containers by replacing the first stack of one or more stackable containers with a full container.

13. The system according to claim 10, wherein the stopping condition is satisfied with respect to the first stack of one or more stackable containers by adding a full container on top of the first stack of one or more stackable containers.

14. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a camera configured to generate the image data.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the camera includes a 3D camera.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to provide a computer vision module configured to generate a three-dimensional view of the workspace in which the robotic arm, the items, and the stack of one or more containers are arranged, using the image data.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein the stop condition includes a determination that the uppermost container is full, and the processor is further configured to remove the uppermost container from the stack of one or more stackable containers.

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to verify that the item is not a stackable container.

19. A method for controlling a robotic arm, Receive image data, Using the aforementioned image data, identify the item associated with the top container in a stack of one or more stackable containers. Using the robotic arm, a pick-and-place operation is performed on the item in the topmost container of the stack of one or more stackable containers. A method comprising continuing a continuous iteration of identifying, picking, and placing items until it is determined that a stopping condition has been met, wherein the stopping condition includes one or more of the following: determining that there are no further items to be processed, and determining that the stack of one or more stackable containers contains the maximum allowable number of stackable containers.

20. A computer program product for controlling a robotic arm, which is embodied in a non-temporary computer-readable medium, Computer instructions for receiving image data, A computer instruction for identifying an item associated with the topmost container in a stack of one or more stackable containers, using the aforementioned image data, A computer instruction for performing a pick-and-place operation on an item in the topmost container of a stack of one or more stackable containers using the robot arm, A computer program product comprising: computer instructions for continuing a continuous iteration of identifying, picking, and placing items until it is determined that a stop condition is met, wherein the stop condition includes one or more of the following: determining that there are no further items to be processed, and determining that the stack of one or more stackable containers contains the maximum allowable number of stackable containers.

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