Patent ID: 8559699
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: B25J,G05B

Abstract:
1. A method of operating an image based autonomous object repositioning system, the method comprising: acquiring data indicative of an image of an area in which a plurality of objects may reside using at least one image sensor; analyzing the acquired image data for data indicative of a respective representation of any of the objects using at least one processor communicably coupled to the at least one image sensor; based on the analysis of the acquired image data, determining by the at least one processor a preferred non-object picking physical output action from a plurality of different possible non-object picking physical output actions to cause the physical movement of the objects in the area, without physically picking any of the objects, the determining the preferred non-object picking physical output action based at least in part on a uniformity of height of the plurality of objects over the area; based on the analysis of the acquired image data, determining by the at least one processor a preferred axis or direction of the preferred non-object picking physical output action in which to tilt, shake, sweep or blow the objects in the area to expose at least one pickable object in the plurality of objects; and communicatively transmitting by the at least one processor at least one signal to one or more outputs capable of physically displacing at least a portion of the objects in the area to cause the determined preferred non-object picking physical output action to occur along the preferred axis or direction.