Robotic Picking Retry Control for Plan and Pickup Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current picking systems in logistics and industrial settings face challenges in efficiently picking and transporting objects due to failures in holding operation plans and pickup operations, leading to reduced productivity and increased downtime.
Innovation Solution
A picking system equipped with a holder, controller, and sensors that includes an acquirer, planner, motion controller, failure detector, and determiner to generate and execute holding operation plans, detect failures, and perform retry determinations for successful object pickup and transport operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the picking system performs retry operations upon failure detection, then the reliability of object pickup is improved, but the time consumption increases due to additional retry motions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional retry approach by having the holder retract upon failure detection instead of attempting pickup again. This reversal eliminates useless retry motions that consume time, while maintaining reliability through alternative failure handling procedures that prevent repeated unsuccessful attempts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the failure detection and retry determination functions as separate control modules within the controller. By isolating these functions, the system can intelligently decide when to retry and when to retract, optimizing the balance between reliability and time efficiency without requiring full system redesign
2Productivity
If the system performs multiple retry operations, then the productivity is improved by reducing downtime, but the object may be damaged through repeated unsuccessful pickup attempts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by detecting failure conditions before they can cause object damage. The failure detector monitors pickup operations and triggers a retract command upon detecting abnormality, preventing the harmful effect of repeated unsuccessful attempts that could damage the object
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through the failure detector that continuously monitors pickup operations and provides real-time information to the controller. This feedback loop enables the system to adjust its behavior dynamically, retracting when failure is detected and maintaining productivity by making informed retry decisions without causing object damage
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment, a picking system having a holder, a controller, and a sensor is provided. The holder holds the object. The controller controls a motion of the holder. The sensor acquires information of the object. A failure detector of the controller detects a failure in a generation of the holding operation plan or a failure in a holding operation on the object by the holder. A determiner of the controller performs a first retry determination of deciding an operation for a retry in a case in which the failure detector detects the failure in the generation of the holding operation plan, and performing a second retry determination of deciding an operation for a retry in a case in which the failure detector detects the failure in a pickup of the object by the holder, the second retry determination being different from the first retry determination.