US 12,291,396 B2
Method for controlling warehouse robot to store and fetch inventory materials
Han Lin, Guangdong (CN)
Assigned to HAI ROBOTICS CO., LTD., Shenzhen Guangdong (CN)
Filed by HAI ROBOTICS CO., LTD., Guangdong (CN)
Filed on Jan. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/585,828.
Application 17/585,828 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CN2020/105514, filed on Jul. 29, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 201910703479.8 (CN), filed on Jul. 31, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0153522 A1, May 19, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B25J 5/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/00 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B66F 9/06 (2006.01); B66F 9/075 (2006.01); B66F 9/12 (2006.01); B66F 9/14 (2006.01); G06Q 10/08 (2024.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01)
CPC B65G 1/0435 (2013.01) [B65G 1/1373 (2013.01); B65G 1/1375 (2013.01); B66F 9/063 (2013.01); B66F 9/075 (2013.01); B66F 9/122 (2013.01); B66F 9/141 (2013.01); G06Q 10/08 (2013.01); B25J 5/007 (2013.01); B25J 9/0009 (2013.01); B25J 9/104 (2013.01); B25J 9/1638 (2013.01); B25J 9/1679 (2013.01); B25J 15/0014 (2013.01); B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/137 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0216 (2013.01); B65G 2203/041 (2013.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a warehouse robot to store and fetch inventory materials, wherein the inventory materials on a shelf are arranged in a front row and a back row, the warehouse robot comprises a material handling device and a multi-level shelves, and the method comprises the following steps:
receiving an instruction of transporting a first inventory material;
acquiring positioning information of the first inventory material from the received instruction, wherein the positioning information of the first inventory material comprises a position, a depth, and an orientation of the first inventory material, wherein the depth of the first inventory material indicates that the first inventory material is located in the back row;
instructing the warehouse robot to move to the position of the first inventory material;
detecting whether a second inventory material is located in the front row of the first inventory material;
extending the material handling device to the back row to acquire the first inventory material if no second inventory material exists in the front row;
fetching the second inventory material from the front row and placing the second inventory material on an empty first tray of the multi-level shelves of the warehouse robot if the second inventory material exists in the front row;
fetching the first inventory material from the back row and placing the first inventory material on an empty second tray of the multi-level shelves of the warehouse robot; and
returning the second inventory material to the shelf,
wherein extending the material handling device to fetch the inventory material comprises the following steps:
the warehouse robot reading an identification code of the shelf to calculate a position deviation of the inventory material, and determining whether the material handling device can directly reach the inventory material from a position of the warehouse robot based on the position deviation;
determining whether a tray of the material handling device is within a preset range if the inventory material cannot be reached directly, and adjusting the posture of the material handling device and rotating the tray if the tray is within the preset range, then reading the identification of the shelf code again to determine whether the position deviation is within the threshold range;
adjusting the posture of the warehouse robot and a relative position of the material handling device to the inventory material if the position deviation is not within the threshold range, and extending a robotic arm of the material handling device after the adjusting is completed to move the inventory material to the tray of the material handling device; wherein the robotic arm is used to drive the tray to move when retracting or extending along a sliding part of the material handling device.