Spatiotemporal controller for controlling robot operation

US10946518B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• inVia Robotics, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Joseph William Dinius · Oak Park, US
• Brandon Pennington · Sylvia Park, US
• Randolph Charles Voorhies · Culver City, US
• Lior Elazary · Craydon Court, US
• Daniel Frank Parks, II · Los Angeles, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 24, 2018
• Grant date: Mar 16, 2021
• Expiry date: Jul 25, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B25J9/1679
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A robot may include a spatiotemporal controller for controlling the kinematics or movements of the robot via continuous and/or granular adjustments to the actuators that perform the physical operations of the robot. The spatiotemporal controller may continuously and/or granularly adjust the actuators to align completion or execution of different objectives or waypoints from a spatiotemporal plan within time intervals allotted for each objective by the spatiotemporal plan. The spatiotemporal controller may also continuously and/or granularly adjust the actuators to workaround unexpected conflicts that may arise during the execution of an objective and delays that result from a workaround while still completing the objective within the allotted time interval. By completing objectives within the allotted time intervals, the spatiotemporal controller may ensure that conflicts do not arise as the robots simultaneously operate in the site using some of the same shared resource.