US 12,109,708 B2
Systems and methods for providing processing of a variety of objects employing motion planning
Thomas Wagner, Concord, MA (US); Kevin Ahearn, Nebo, NC (US); Benjamin Cohen, Somerville, MA (US); Michael Dawson-Haggerty, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Christopher Geyer, Arlington, MA (US); Thomas Koletschka, Cambridge, MA (US); Kyle Maroney, North Attleboro, MA (US); Matthew T. Mason, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Gene Temple Price, Cambridge, MA (US); Joseph Romano, Arlington, MA (US); Daniel Carlton Smith, Canonsburg, PA (US); Siddhartha Srinivasa, Seattle, WA (US); Prasanna Velagapudi, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Thomas Allen, Reading, MA (US)
Assigned to Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed by Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc., Bedford, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/214,759.
Application 18/214,759 is a continuation of application No. 17/528,955, filed on Nov. 17, 2021, granted, now 11,724,394.
Application 17/528,955 is a continuation of application No. 16/505,500, filed on Jul. 8, 2019, granted, now 11,213,949, issued on Jan. 4, 2022.
Application 16/505,500 is a continuation of application No. 15/427,359, filed on Feb. 8, 2017, granted, now 10,350,755, issued on Jul. 16, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/292,538, filed on Feb. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0347515 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B07C 3/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); G05B 19/19 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1664 (2013.01) [B07C 3/008 (2013.01); B25J 9/0093 (2013.01); B25J 9/1694 (2013.01); B25J 9/1697 (2013.01); B25J 15/0616 (2013.01); G05B 19/19 (2013.01); G05B 2219/39102 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40053 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40078 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40431 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40519 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45047 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45063 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A processing system comprising:
a perception unit that obtains identification information for an object at an input location, said identification information being associated with object characteristic information;
an articulated arm including an end effector configured to acquire and move the object from the input location to any of a plurality of processing locations within a work environment;
a trajectory database storing for each of the plurality of processing locations, a plurality of trajectory paths from a base location to each of the plurality of processing locations, each of the plurality of trajectory paths having an associated time factor and an associated risk factor; and
a control system in communication with the trajectory database for selecting a target processing location of the plurality of processing locations responsive to the identification information, for selecting a selected trajectory path to the target processing location among the plurality of trajectory paths to the target processing location responsive to the object characteristic information associated with the identification information, and for directing the articulated arm to move the selected object from the base location to the target processing location via the selected trajectory path.
 
8. A method of processing object, said method comprising:
storing in a trajectory database a plurality of trajectory paths from a base location to each of a plurality of processing locations, each of the plurality of trajectory paths for each of the plurality of processing locations having an associated time factor and an associated risk factor;
perceiving identification information for an object at an input location, said identification information being associated with object characteristic information;
selecting a target processing location for the object responsive to the identification information;
moving the object from the input location to the base location using an articulated arm including an end effector configured to acquire and move the object from the input location to any of the plurality of processing locations within a work environment;
accessing the trajectory database and selecting a selected trajectory path among the plurality of trajectory paths from the base location to the target processing location responsive to the object characteristic information; and
moving the selected object from the base location to the target processing location via the selected trajectory path using the end effector of the articulated arm.
 
15. A method of processing objects, said method comprising:
storing in a trajectory database a plurality of trajectory paths from each of a plurality of processing locations to a base location, each of the plurality of trajectory paths for each of the plurality of processing locations having an associated time factor and an associated risk factor;
perceiving identification information for an object at an origin processing location of the plurality of processing locations, said identification information being associated with object characteristic information;
accessing the trajectory database and selecting a selected trajectory path among the plurality of trajectory paths from the origin processing location to the base location responsive to the object characteristic information;
moving the selected object from the origin processing location to the base location via the selected trajectory path using an end effector of an articulated arm; and
moving the selected object from the base location to a packing location using the end effector of the articulated arm.