US 11,809,173 B2
Robotic cart configured for effective navigation and multi-orientation docking
Eric Diehr, San Jose, CA (US); Brian Cairl, Astoria, NY (US); Sarah Elliott, Mountain View, CA (US); Levon Avagyan, San Jose, CA (US); Rohan Bhargava, San Jose, CA (US); Russell Toris, San Jose, CA (US); John W. Stewart, III, San Francisco, CA (US); Derek King, San Jose, CA (US); Melonee Wise, San Jose, CA (US); and Niharika Arora, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Zebra Technologies Corporation, Lincolnshire, IL (US)
Filed by Fetch Robotics, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 11, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/120,104.
Application 17/120,104 is a continuation of application No. 16/380,892, filed on Apr. 10, 2019, granted, now 10,908,601.
Prior Publication US 2021/0191376 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
Int. Cl. G05B 19/418 (2006.01); B65G 1/02 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B66F 9/06 (2006.01); G06Q 10/08 (2023.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01)
CPC G05B 19/41895 (2013.01) [B65G 1/02 (2013.01); B65G 1/0492 (2013.01); B65G 1/1375 (2013.01); B66F 9/063 (2013.01); G05D 1/0242 (2013.01); G06Q 10/08 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); Y10S 901/01 (2013.01)] 40 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a cart comprising:
a plurality of legs, at least one of the plurality of legs having an indicium disposed thereon;
at least one shelf attached to the legs;
a robotic dock attached to a bottom shelf of the cart; and
a robot comprising:
a sensor configured to recognize the indicium on the at least one leg; and
a docking module configured to secure the robot to the bottom shelf of the cart, wherein the robot is configured to determine an orientation of the cart for at least one of docking or undocking with the robotic dock by identifying a location of the at least one leg on the cart based on the indicium.
 
20. A method for efficient robotic reversal of direction while carrying a cart, comprising:
by a robot comprising a sensor, driving in a first direction while the robot is attached to the cart;
by the robot, stopping and detaching the robot from the cart;
by the robot, rotating under the cart to point the robot to travel in a second direction;
by the robot, securing the robot to a bottom shelf of the cart; and
by the robot, driving in the second direction while the robot is attached to the cart,
wherein the robot is configured to determine an orientation of the cart for at least one of docking or undocking with a robotic dock of the cart by identifying a location of at least one leg on the cart based on an indicium disposed on the at least one leg.
 
36. A method in a mobile robot, the method comprising:
recognizing, by a sensor of the robot, an indicium disposed on at least one leg of a cart; and
determining an orientation of the cart for at least one of docking or undocking of the robot and the cart by identifying a location of the at least one leg on the cart based on the indicium.