US 12,459,110 B2
Determination of picking order of workpieces
Ryo Kabutan, Fukuoka (JP); Ryohei Suzuki, Tokyo (JP); and Takuya Kadoya, Fukuoka (JP)
Filed by KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI, Kitakyushu (JP)
Filed on Jul. 19, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/354,653.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-127016 (JP), filed on Aug. 9, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0051117 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/12 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01); B65G 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/0093 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1653 (2013.01); B25J 9/1656 (2013.01); B25J 9/1697 (2013.01); B25J 13/088 (2013.01); B65G 1/00 (2013.01); B25J 9/126 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot system comprising circuitry and a robot, wherein the circuitry is configured to:
set, based on a plurality of workpieces that move along a conveying surface, a window corresponding to n workpieces of the plurality of workpieces, according to an inflow order that is an order in which the plurality of workpieces have moved along the conveying surface, where n>1, and wherein the window is a data structure that virtually indicates the n workpieces;
determine a picking order for the window by an optimization algorithm, based on a position of each of the n workpieces on the conveying surface, the picking order being an order of picking one or more of the workpieces from the conveying surface and being different from the inflow order; and
select m workpieces from the window based on the picking order, where n>m,
wherein the robot is configured to pick the selected m workpieces from the conveying surface in the picking order, and
wherein the circuitry is configured to, each time the m workpieces are picked from the conveying surface by the robot:
delete the m workpieces from the window, while leaving at least one workpiece of the n workpieces in the window;
add one or more workpieces of the plurality of workpieces to the window thereby updating the window to include the one or more workpieces and the at least one workpiece that is left in the window after deleting the m workpieces;
determine a next picking order for the updated window;
select next m workpieces from the updated window based on the next picking order; and
cause the robot to pick the next m workpieces from the conveying surface in the next picking order.