Terrain aware step planning system
    21.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11287826B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-03-29

    申请号:US16288205

    申请日:2019-02-28

    Abstract: A method for terrain and constraint planning a step plan includes receiving, at data processing hardware of a robot, image data of an environment about the robot from at least one image sensor. The robot includes a body and legs. The method also includes generating, by the data processing hardware, a body-obstacle map, a ground height map, and a step-obstacle map based on the image data and generating, by the data processing hardware, a body path for movement of the body of the robot while maneuvering in the environment based on the body-obstacle map. The method also includes generating, by the data processing hardware, a step path for the legs of the robot while maneuvering in the environment based on the body path, the body-obstacle map, the ground height map, and the step-obstacle map.

    Control of robotic devices with non-constant body pitch

    公开(公告)号:US11059532B1

    公开(公告)日:2021-07-13

    申请号:US16046510

    申请日:2018-07-26

    Abstract: An example implementation involves controlling robots with non-constant body pitch and height. The implementation involves obtaining a model of the robot that represents the robot as a first point mass rigidly coupled with a second point mass along a longitudinal axis. The implementation also involves determining a state of a first pair of legs, and determining a height of the first point mass based on the model and the state of the first pair of legs. The implementation further involves determining a first amount of vertical force for at least one leg of the first pair of legs to apply along a vertical axis against a surface while the at least one leg is in contact with the surface. Additionally, the implementation involves causing the at least one leg of the first pair of legs to begin applying the amount of vertical force against the surface.

    Leg Swing Trajectories
    23.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20210039731A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-02-11

    申请号:US16570152

    申请日:2019-09-13

    Inventor: Eric Whitman

    Abstract: A method of planning a swing trajectory for a leg of a robot includes receiving an initial position of a leg of the robot, an initial velocity of the leg, a touchdown location, and a touchdown target time. The method also includes determining a difference between the initial position and the touchdown location and separating the difference between the initial position and the touchdown location into a horizontal motion component and a vertical motion component. The method also includes selecting a horizontal motion policy and a vertical motion policy to satisfy the motion components. Each policy produces a respective trajectory as a function of the initial position, the initial velocity, the touchdown location, and the touchdown target time. The method also includes executing the selected policies to swing the leg of the robot from the initial position to the touchdown location at the touchdown target time.

    Footstep Contact Detection
    24.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20210039253A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-02-11

    申请号:US16573579

    申请日:2019-09-17

    Abstract: A method of footstep contact detection includes receiving joint dynamics for a swing leg of the robot where the swing leg performs a swing phase of a gait of the robot. The method also includes receiving odometry defining an estimation of a pose of the robot and determining whether an unexpected torque on the swing leg corresponds to an impact on the swing leg. When the unexpected torque corresponds to the impact, the method further includes determining whether the impact is indicative of a touchdown of the swing leg on a ground surface based on the odometry and the joint dynamics. When the impact is not indicative of the touchdown of the swing leg, the method includes classifying a cause of the impact based on the odometry of the robot and the joint dynamics of the swing leg.

    Robotically negotiating stairs
    25.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US12151380B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-11-26

    申请号:US17933066

    申请日:2022-09-16

    Abstract: A method for negotiating stairs includes receiving image data about a robot maneuvering in an environment with stairs. Here, the robot includes two or more legs. Prior to the robot traversing the stairs, for each stair, the method further includes determining a corresponding step region based on the received image data. The step region identifies a safe placement area on a corresponding stair for a distal end of a corresponding swing leg of the robot. Also prior to the robot traversing the stairs, the method includes shifting a weight distribution of the robot towards a front portion of the robot. When the robot traverses the stairs, the method further includes, for each stair, moving the distal end of the corresponding swing leg of the robot to a target step location where the target step location is within the corresponding step region of the stair.

    Robot choreographer
    26.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11691292B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-07-04

    申请号:US16600786

    申请日:2019-10-14

    CPC classification number: B25J11/0035 B25J9/162 B25J9/1694 G05D1/0212

    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for generating a joint command. The method includes receiving a maneuver script including a plurality of maneuvers for a legged robot to perform where each maneuver is associated with a cost. The method further includes identifying that two or more maneuvers of the plurality of maneuvers of the maneuver script occur at the same time instance. The method also includes determining a combined maneuver for the legged robot to perform at the time instance based on the two or more maneuvers and the costs associated with the two or more maneuvers. The method additionally includes generating a joint command to control motion of the legged robot at the time instance where the joint command commands a set of joints of the legged robot. Here, the set of joints correspond to the combined maneuver.

    Dynamic planning controller
    27.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11465281B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-10-11

    申请号:US16601035

    申请日:2019-10-14

    Abstract: A dynamic planning controller receives a maneuver for a robot and a current state of the robot and transforms the maneuver and the current state of the robot into a nonlinear optimization problem. The nonlinear optimization problem is configured to optimize an unknown force and an unknown position vector. At a first time instance, the controller linearizes the nonlinear optimization problem into a first linear optimization problem and determines a first solution to the first linear optimization problem using quadratic programming. At a second time instance, the controller linearizes the nonlinear optimization problem into a second linear optimization problem based on the first solution at the first time instance and determines a second solution to the second linear optimization problem based on the first solution using the quadratic programming. The controller also generates a joint command to control motion of the robot during the maneuver based on the second solution.

    Footstep contact detection
    28.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11383381B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-07-12

    申请号:US16573579

    申请日:2019-09-17

    Abstract: A method of footstep contact detection includes receiving joint dynamics for a swing leg of the robot where the swing leg performs a swing phase of a gait of the robot. The method also includes receiving odometry defining an estimation of a pose of the robot and determining whether an unexpected torque on the swing leg corresponds to an impact on the swing leg. When the unexpected torque corresponds to the impact, the method further includes determining whether the impact is indicative of a touchdown of the swing leg on a ground surface based on the odometry and the joint dynamics. When the impact is not indicative of the touchdown of the swing leg, the method includes classifying a cause of the impact based on the odometry of the robot and the joint dynamics of the swing leg.

    Control of Robotic Devices with Non-Constant Body Pitch

    公开(公告)号:US20210309310A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-10-07

    申请号:US17304198

    申请日:2021-06-16

    Abstract: An example implementation involves controlling robots with non-constant body pitch and height. The implementation involves obtaining a model of the robot that represents the robot as a first point mass rigidly coupled with a second point mass along a longitudinal axis. The implementation also involves determining a state of a first pair of legs, and determining a height of the first point mass based on the model and the state of the first pair of legs. The implementation further involves determining a first amount of vertical force for at least one leg of the first pair of legs to apply along a vertical axis against a surface while the at least one leg is in contact with the surface. Additionally, the implementation involves causing the at least one leg of the first pair of legs to begin applying the amount of vertical force against the surface.

    Dynamic Planning Controller
    30.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20210107150A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-04-15

    申请号:US16601035

    申请日:2019-10-14

    Abstract: A dynamic planning controller receives a maneuver for a robot and a current state of the robot and transforms the maneuver and the current state of the robot into a nonlinear optimization problem. The nonlinear optimization problem is configured to optimize an unknown force and an unknown position vector. At a first time instance, the controller linearizes the nonlinear optimization problem into a first linear optimization problem and determines a first solution to the first linear optimization problem using quadratic programming. At a second time instance, the controller linearizes the nonlinear optimization problem into a second linear optimization problem based on the first solution at the first time instance and determines a second solution to the second linear optimization problem based on the first solution using the quadratic programming. The controller also generates a joint command to control motion of the robot during the maneuver based on the second solution.

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