Patents Assigned to OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
  • Publication number: 20240025639
    Abstract: A control device is provided to reliably locate objects and calculate appropriate grasp points for each object to thereby effectively control a robot system. grasp point calculation is based on, at least, properties of a surface of the object to be grasped by the robot system to more effectively calculate a grasp point for the surface of the object An organised point cloud generator and a robot system having a suction cup end are to generate an organised point cloud of a storage The robot system can grasp the object from the storage means. Normals of the organised point cloud and principal curvatures of the organised point cloud can be calculated. A grasp point can be calculated for the suction cup end effector of the robot system to grasp an object based on the organised point cloud, the calculated normal, the calculated principal curvatures, and a normal of a lower surface of the storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Graham DEACON, Osemwaro PEDRO
  • Publication number: 20240017922
    Abstract: A gripping device for being suspended from a load handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in stacks in a grid storage structure including a plurality of tracks arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers. The gripping device including a frame having a top side and a bottom side. The frame has a substantially downwardly extending peripheral wall defining at least one opening through the top side and bottom side of the frame. A gripping mechanism is mounted to the peripheral wall and is configured to releasably grip a container from below the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventor: Richard FARR
  • Publication number: 20240010423
    Abstract: A system and method for picking items is disclosed. The system includes a grid-based storage area and an order assembly area. The system includes an array of presentation positions, the presentation positions being configured and adapted so as to present storage containers delivered to the presentation positions so as to enable picking of items contained therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Lars Sverker Ture LINDBO, Andrew John INGRAM-TEDD
  • Publication number: 20240010426
    Abstract: A load-handling device for lifting and moving containers, the load-handling device including a body configured to house one or more operation components; a container-receiving space configured to accommodate at least part of a container; a container-engaging assembly configured to releasably engage a container; and a raising and lowering assembly configured to raise and lower the container-engaging assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventor: Del MAYADEEN
  • Publication number: 20240010425
    Abstract: A grid framework structure, configured to support one or more load handling devices, includes: a first set of grid members extending in a first direction and a second set of grid members extending in a second direction, to form a grid structure having grid cells. A plurality of vertical uprights create a storage space for storing containers in a stack such that load handling devices operative on the grid structure can lift containers through a grid cell from a stack below the grid structure. The vertical uprights are arranged such that a section of the grid structure including four adjoined grid cells is supported by five or fewer vertical uprights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Benjamin Arthur Portnoy NOAR, Pawel KAROLINCZAK, Andrew INGRAM-TEDD, Stephen MILLWARD, Christopher James PATON
  • Publication number: 20240010427
    Abstract: A storage system includes a plurality of grid members arranged in a grid pattern to form a grid structure including a plurality of grid cells. The storage system includes one or more stacks of storage containers and each stack is vertically located below a respective grid cell. Each storage container in the stack is made of a material containing thermoplastic and a fire retardant agent. The storage system includes one or more load handling devices including a grabber device operative to move on the grid structure to releasably grab one or more of the storage containers from each stack in the storage system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventor: Ian PARKS
  • Publication number: 20240000028
    Abstract: A farming system, method and a growing tray system for propagating, growing and harvesting a crop, the growing tray system including an espalier frame defining a growing volume, being mounted to a base and configured to be movable with respect to the base between a substantially horizontal plane growing position and an open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventor: Lars Sverker Ture LINDBO
  • Patent number: 11858738
    Abstract: A storage system and a load handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in the storage system are described. The storage system includes a plurality of rails or tracks arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers. The grid pattern can include a plurality of grid spaces and each stack is located within a footprint of only a single grid space. The load handling device is configured to move laterally on the rails or tracks above the stacks. The load-handling device includes a container-receiving space located above the rails or tracks in use and a lifting device arranged to lift a container from a stack into the container-receiving space. The load handling device has a footprint that, in use, occupies only a single grid space in the storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Lars Sverker Ture Lindbo, Robert Rolf Stadie
  • Patent number: 11858737
    Abstract: A storage system and a load handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in the storage system are described. The storage system includes a plurality of rails arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers. The grid pattern has a plurality of grid spaces and each stack is located within a footprint of a single grid space. The load handling device can move laterally on the rails above the stacks and includes a container receiving space located above the rails in use and a lifting device arranged to lift a container from a stack into the container receiving space. The load handling device also includes a mechanism for enabling lateral movement of the device in one of two transverse directions by enabling either a first or second set of wheels to selectively engage the first or second set of rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew John Ingram-Tedd, Pawel Karolinczak, Tom Clancy
  • Publication number: 20230415995
    Abstract: A storage system is disclosed which includes: at least one storage floor having a track network, based on a grid system, the track network including a first set of track members extending in a first direction, and a second set of track members extending in a second direction, the second set of track 5 members running transversely to the first set of track members in a substantially horizontal plane. Storage aisles of the track network include storage locations for receiving storage containers. A load handling device operates on the track network for lifting and transporting storage containers. A storage location includes a support for supporting a storage container. A control facility controls and operates the storage system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventor: Robert STADIE
  • Patent number: 11851276
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-executable coded instruction sets are disclosed for fully- and/or partly automated handling of goods. The disclosure provides improvements in the storage and retrieval of storage and delivery containers in order processing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Lars Sverker Ture Lindbo, Andrew John Ingram-Tedd, Stuart Richard North, Robert Rolf Stadie
  • Patent number: 11851275
    Abstract: A storage system and a load handling device for lifting and moving containers stacked in the storage system are described. The storage system includes a plurality of rails or tracks arranged in a grid pattern above the stacks of containers. The grid pattern can include a plurality of grid spaces and each stack is located within a footprint of only a single grid space. The load handling device is configured to move laterally on the rails or tracks above the stacks. The load-handling device includes a container-receiving space located above the rails or tracks in use and a lifting device arranged to lift a container from a stack into the container-receiving space. The load handling device has a footprint that, in use, occupies only a single grid space in the storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Lars Sverker Ture Lindbo, Robert Rolf Stadie, Matthew Robert Whelan, Christopher Richard James Brett
  • Patent number: 11850732
    Abstract: Underactuated robotic manipulators may include a plurality of links rotatably or rigidly coupled to one another at a plurality of joints. The links may include driven links that are driven to grasp an object to be held, driving links that are actuated by an actuator to drive movement of the driven links, and a plurality of connecting links that couple the driving links to the driven links. Such manipulators may include a plurality of driven links and associated touch points, and a plurality of independent degrees of freedom, and be driven by a single actuator, making them underactuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: David Gabriel Hallock, Thomas John Hummel, Bryan Whittington, Nicholas Keyes
  • Publication number: 20230406635
    Abstract: This disclosure relates a container storage and retrieval system including a frame structure configured to store a plurality of rows of containers. The system includes a load handling device including a first actuating assembly configured to move a container row lengthwise in order to retrieve a container from the container row for delivery to the workstation or add a container from the workstation to the container row.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Lars Sverker Ture LINDBO, Wilhelm Karl JOHANNISSON, Måns Fredrik Jonathan NILSSON
  • Patent number: 11841711
    Abstract: A controller is provided to control movement of transporting devices. Embodiments limit the loads imparted on a grid of pathways structure of transporting devices to prevent non-safety-critical damage from excess loads and/or fatigue. A controller is arranged to control movement of transporting devices arranged to transport containers stored in a facility. The facility includes pathways arranged in cells to form a grid-like structure which extends in first and second directions. A route determination unit determines a route from one location to another, and a clearance unit to provide clearance for each transporting device to traverse a portion of the determined route. A constraint area determination unit determines constraint areas based on the grid-like structure and a calculation unit calculates a constraint limit in each constraint area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Stadie, Matthew Whelan, Gareth Siret
  • Patent number: 11839983
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the control of robotic end-effectors in order to manipulate objects. An exemplary method includes updating a classifier based on sensor data obtained at a first time and applying the updated classifier to second sensor data obtained at a second time, to assess status of a robotic end-effector with respect to one or more objects. The method further includes determining a robotic action based on the status assessed and causing a robotic device including the robotic end-effector to perform the robotic action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Ryan John Dick, James Sterling Bergstra, Lavi Shpigelman
  • Patent number: 11839986
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a robotic control system and method that utilizes active perception to gather the relevant information related to a robot, a robotic environment, and objects within the environment, and allows the robot to focus computational resources where needed, such as for manipulating an object. The present disclosure also enables viewing and analyzing objects from different distances and viewpoints, providing a rich visual experience from which the robot can learn abstract representations of the environment. Inspired by the primate visual-motor system, the present disclosure leverages the benefits of active perception to accomplish manipulation tasks using human-like hand-eye coordination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventors: David Gabriel Hallock, Youssef Zaky, Gaurav Paruthi, Bryan Tripp, James Sterling Bergstra
  • Publication number: 20230391548
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a load handling system including a container having a load carrying platform and a side wall extending around at least part of the perimeter of the load carrying platform. The side wall is to move with respect to the load carrying platform between a first position in which the load carrying platform is held substantially at a lower end of the side wall and a second position in which the load carrying platform is located substantially at or above an upper end of the side wall. The load handling system is configured to receive the side wall as the side wall moves after the load carrying platform has been lowered onto the support station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: Ocado Innovation Limited
    Inventor: Matthew WHELAN
  • Publication number: 20230388042
    Abstract: A wireless communication system having base stations, remotely located terminal units and a base station controller. The base stations and the remotely located terminal units communicate data over operational wireless communication links between them. The base stations include respective in-channel detectors and out-of-channel detectors for detecting radar or other extraneous received signals. The in-channel detectors analyse signals over the operational communication links. The out-of-channel detectors include respective out-of-channel receiver elements that monitor possibly available channels alternative to the respective operational communication link channels. The base station controller registers whether channels are available or not for communication links, and allocates to the base stations respective target channel parameters including frequencies available for operational and alternative communication links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: David SHARP, Amy STEPHENS, Montague Fraser BARLOW, Adam Nikolai GREEN, Fraser Murray EDWARDS
  • Patent number: 11816721
    Abstract: A disclosed apparatus and method provide recommendations for products which a customer may need to order and/or items which the customer may have forgotten to order. An exemplary recommendation unit can communicate with a product information database, a product similarity database, a customer purchase history database and a customer order database. The recommendation unit includes a determining unit to store a determined similarity of products in the product similarity database, a training unit to train a model based on information about products previously purchased by each customer and information about at least one determined similarity as stored in the product similarity database, a similarity unit to generate at least one product similar to at least one product to be purchased by a customer based on information about a current order of a customer, and a calculating unit to calculate a probability that a customer forgot to add a similar product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Martyna Ksyta, Jakub Smajek, Michal Źelechowski, Jose Jimenez, Przemyslaw Pastuszka, Maciej Mnich