Plural Processors Patents (Class 700/249)
  • Patent number: 7373220
    Abstract: A teaching device and a teaching modification device capable of easily attaining conformity between an operation program of a robot prepared by off-line programming and an actual operation of the robot. A layout of a robot system including three-dimensional models of the robot and peripheral objects thereof (table, a workpiece, etc.) are prepared by an off-line programming system and taught points are defined for the workpiece. The system layout and a model of the workpiece are displayed on a display device of a teaching pendant. An operator specifies a present position of the operator in the system layout and a taught point to be modified referring to the display device. A line-of-sight vector is automatically calculated and the model of the workpiece as viewed from a direction of the line-of-sight is displayed on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Watanabe, Yoshiharu Nagatsuka, Jun Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7366587
    Abstract: The characteristics of actuators themselves and the characteristics of controllers for the actuators are dynamically or statically controlled to achieve stable and highly efficient movements. In a stage in which a leg in the flight state is uplifted such that the reactive force from the floor received by the foot sole of the leg is zero, the characteristics of the respective actuators for the knee joint pitch axis and the ankle pitch and roll axes of the leg in the flight state are set for decreasing the low range gain, increasing the quantity of phase lead and for decreasing the viscous resistance of the actuators, in order to impart mechanical passiveness and fast response characteristics. The followup control for the high frequency range may be achieved as the force of impact at the instant of touchdown is buffered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignees: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masatsugu Iribe, Jinichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7346428
    Abstract: An autonomously movable home cleaning robot that incorporates a sweeper and dust bin as well as a dusting assembly in tandem in the direction of movement of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Huffman, Jonathon L. Miner
  • Patent number: 7343222
    Abstract: A system of self-organizing mobile robotic agents (MRAs) in a multi-robotic system (MRS) is disclosed. MRAs cooperate, learn and interact with the environment. The system uses various AI technologies including genetic algorithms, genetic programming and evolving artificial neural networks to develop emergent dynamic behaviors. The collective behaviors of autonomous intelligent robotic agents are applied to numerous applications. The system uses hybrid control architectures. The system also develops dynamic coalitions of groups of autonomous MRAs for formation and reformation in order to perform complex tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Solomon Research LLC
    Inventor: Neal Solomon
  • Patent number: 7340323
    Abstract: An industrial robot that uses a simulated force vector to allow a work piece held by the robot end effector to be mated with a work piece whose location and orientation is not precisely known to the robot. When the end effector makes contact with the location and orientation in which the other work piece is held the robot provides a velocity command to minimize the force of the contact and also provides a search pattern in all directions and orientations to cause the end effector to bring the work piece it is holding in contact with the other work piece. The search pattern and the velocity command are continued until the two work pieces mate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Hui Zhang, Zhongxue Gan, Torgny Brogardh, Jianjun Wang
  • Patent number: 7340322
    Abstract: A rubbing apparatus and method for liquid crystal display panels are provided. The apparatus includes at least one cassette for keeping at least one mother substrate to be rubbed, an internal port for keeping at least one dummy substrate for performing alignment of a rubbing material, at least one rubbing unit for receiving the at least one mother substrate from the at least one cassette to perform a rubbing thereon using the rubbing material, or receiving the at least one dummy substrate from the internal port to perform an alignment process of the rubbing material, and a robot for transferring or returning the at least one mother substrate kept in the at least one cassette, the at least one dummy substrate kept in the internal port, the at least one mother substrate which has been rubbed in the at least one rubbing unit, or the at least one dummy substrate on which the alignment process of the rubbing material has been performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-Joon Lee, Hyun-Ho Song, Joung-Won Choi
  • Patent number: 7333879
    Abstract: An offline programming device capable of automatically generating a measuring program by which the time and the workload for making an offline program may be greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Takizawa, Yoshiharu Nagatsuka, Hirohiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7330774
    Abstract: An operation control unit of a reception system includes a visitor ID information DB for storing therein visitor comparison information and visitor ID information including a phone number of a receiver of a visitor; an identifying unit for identifying the visitor when visitor information obtained by a camera or the like of the robot is identical to the visitor comparison information; a phone calling module for calling the phone number of a mobile terminal of the receiver via a phone network, when the visitor is identified; an informing content determining unit for determining an informing content to the receiver based on the visitor ID information, when the visitor is identified; and a speech generating part for converting the received information into a voice. The informing content is sent to the mobile terminal of the receiver via the phone network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachie Hashimoto, Kimio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7330775
    Abstract: A legged mobile robot, a legged mobile robot controller and a legged mobile robot control method are provided to perform a loading operation to load a gripped object in parallel on a target place having a height where a stretchable range of arm portions of the legged mobile robot is enhanced with no operator's handling. The legged mobile robot includes the arm portions having links for gripping an object, and leg portions having links for moving, and the arm and the leg portions are joined to a body thereof. The legged mobile robot controller includes a data acquisition unit, a whole-body cooperative motion control unit and a loading detection unit, and controls motions of the legged mobile robot based on posture/position data regarding a posture/position of each link of the legged mobile robot and on an external force data regarding an external force affecting the arm portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuo Orita, Tadaaki Hasegawa, Kenichiro Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7324870
    Abstract: A cleaning robot and a control method thereof in which a cleaning path desired by the user is recognizable by the cleaning robot, thereby being capable of cleaning a cleaning area desired by the user in a pattern desired by the user. The cleaning robot includes a running unit to run the cleaning robot, a storage unit for storing a running path, along which the cleaning robot has learned, and a control unit to recognize the learned running path of the cleaning robot when a path learning operation is required, to store the recognized learned running path in the storage unit, and to drive the running unit. When a cleaning operation of the cleaning robot along the stored learned running path is required, the control unit controls the running unit to cause the cleaning robot to perform the required cleaning operation while running along the stored learned running path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 7324873
    Abstract: An offline teaching apparatus including a data acquiring section for acquiring position and orientation data and processing-condition data including interpolation commands, at respective predefined taught points, from an existing first processing program for a first workpiece; a processing-path calculating section for determining a processing path in the first program, based on the position and orientation data and the interpolation commands; a model generating section for generating, by using data of a second workpiece model of a second workpiece having geometrical features different from the first workpiece, a processing line showing a range of processing on the second workpiece; a taught-point calculating section for determining a geometrical correlation between the processing path and the processing line, and determining positions and orientations at respective taught points in the processing line; and a program generating section for generating a processing program for the second workpiece, by using the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Nagatsuka, Kozo Inoue
  • Patent number: 7324872
    Abstract: An external force estimation system for estimating an external force acting upon a robot apparatus which includes a machine body which in turn includes a plurality of movable joints is disclosed which includes a distribution type contacting state detection section, an actuator current state measurement section, a motion state measurement section, a motion equation setting section, a known term calculation section, and an external force estimation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichiro Nagasaka
  • Patent number: 7321808
    Abstract: When braking of a motion of a part of a first robot is assumed to be started at points in time, a first stop position of the first robot part is estimated at each point in time. When braking of a motion of a part of a second robot is assumed to be started at the points in time, an estimated second stop position of the second robot part is obtained at each point in time. When it is determined that the first stop position of the first robot part at one of the points in time and either the actual position or the second stop position of the second robot part for each interval at the one of the points in time are contained in the shared workspace, the first robot part is braked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Wave Incorporated
    Inventor: Kenji Nagamatsu
  • Patent number: 7313462
    Abstract: An integrated tool and automatic calibration systems that enable wet chemical processing chambers, lift-rotate units and other hardware to be quickly interchanged without having to recalibrate the transport system or other components to the replacement items. These tools are expected to reduce the down time associated with repairing or maintaining processing chambers and/or lift-rotate units so that the tools can maintain a high throughput. Several aspects of these tools are particularly useful for applications that have stringent performance requirements because components are more likely to require maintenance more frequently, and reducing the down time associated with maintaining such components will significantly enhance the integrated tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Semitool, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Woodruff, David P. Mattson, James J. Erickson, Matthew C. Egloff
  • Patent number: 7313461
    Abstract: A method for data connectivity in a room with a robotic device. In the method, at least one condition is detected with a plurality of sensors and the detected at least one condition is communicated from the sensors to associated access points. One or more of the access points are selected and the robotic device is maneuvered to a location in a vicinity of one or more of the selected access points. The detected at least one condition is communicated from one or more of the selected access points to the robotic device. In addition, the robotic device is maneuvered to a location in a vicinity of a base station and the detected at least one condition is communicated from the robotic device to the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ratnesh K. Sharma, Cullen E. Bash, Chandrakant D. Patel, Gopalakrishnan Janakiraman
  • Publication number: 20070293989
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for intelligent mobile vehicles that can be used in unmanned robotic or manned modes, the system having a plurality of controllers, with a low-level controller that controls basic operating functions for the mobile vehicles, and a high-level controller used to issue commands for unmanned robotic operation. Division of features between different controllers enables an ability to operate the mobile vehicle even if the high-level controller should fail or experience faults.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventor: William Robert Norris
  • Patent number: 7290997
    Abstract: A plant for the manufacture of tablets, comprising a rotary tabletting machine, a control cabinet which houses a machine computer, a control desk which preferably is mobile and houses a service computer to operate functions of the tabletting machine and store data including an emergency stop, a printer connected to the control desk, and peripheral devices such as a tablet tester, dust trap, etc., wherein said control cabinet, control desk, and further peripheral devices have a power supply and are connected to said tabletting machine, wherein said control desk and said tabletting machine have a transceiver each and two wireless transmission links are provided between said transceivers out of which one is designed to transmit data and control signals and the other one is designed to transmit an emergency stop signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Fette GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Hinzpeter, Ingo Schmidt, Joachim Greve, Mattias Meier, Klaus-Peter Preuss
  • Publication number: 20070255455
    Abstract: A robotic system with a common software and hardware platform for integration of a variety of modular components is provided that can be set up for a given application and reconfigured to address changing needs. Modules attach to the robotic platform with standard interfaces in order to maximize the platform's flexibility. Robotic arms also have interchangeability such as variable pitched Z-racks, powder handling or other technologies. The standard interfaces allow third party developers to develop and integrate their own custom modules. One module included with the robotic platform in accord with this invention is a module that both weighs and images a sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Symyx Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Busacca, Jeff Maag, William H. Chandler, Eric D. Carlson
  • Patent number: 7286903
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for transmitting data among robots and a controller computer system within an automated robotic library. A robotic library communication protocol is described for communicating among the robotic mechanisms and the controller computer system. The robotic library communication protocol defines multiple fields for each packet including a preamble field that describes a predetermined preamble value that is equal to a particular value. Data is transmitted among the robotic mechanisms and the controller computer system utilizing the robotic library communication protocol. Each packet that conforms to the protocol includes only the preamble value in the preamble field. Power is provided to the robotic mechanisms utilizing a power signal. Data that has been encoded according to the protocol is transmitted to the robotic mechanisms using the power signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventor: William Sehnert
  • Patent number: 7283888
    Abstract: Method and system for a direct transmission of motion path data (310) from a generating system (204) to a control system (205) for use in controlling a servo-driven machine. For example, a machine tool for machining stock material, and the data generating system includes a computer-aided-design software package (301). Tool paths for directing the tool members of the machine tool can be extracted from a design file opened by the CAD software through the operation interface of the CAD software (302). Alternatively, the design file can be used to specify motion paths rather than end product geometry. The CAD interpreter application extracts the motion path data from the design file, eliminating the need to translate the data into another or intermediate form for controlling the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Brigham Young University
    Inventors: Mark S. Evans, Walter Edward Red, Charles Gregory Jensen, C. Porter Bassett, Corey Lynn McBride, Jonathan Edward Bosley, Girish C. Ghimire
  • Publication number: 20070219668
    Abstract: According to the hand control system (2), the position and posture of a palm (10) are controlled such that the object reference point (Pw) and the hand reference point (Ph) come close to each other and such that the i-th object reference vector (?wi) and the i-th hand reference vector (?hi) come close to each other. During the controlling process of the position and posture of the palm, the operation of a specified finger mechanism is controlled such that the bending posture of the specified finger mechanism gradually changes (for example, such that the degree of bending gradually increases). This ensures accurate grasping of an object of an arbitrary shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takahashi, Tadaaki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7254464
    Abstract: Methods for operating robotic devices (i.e., “robots”) that employ adaptive behavior relative to neighboring robots and external (e.g., environmental) conditions. Each robot is capable of receiving, processing, and acting on one or more multi-device primitive commands that describe a task the robot will perform in response to other robots and the external conditions. The commands facilitate a distributed command and control structure, relieving a central apparatus or operator from the need to monitor the progress of each robot. This virtually eliminates the corresponding constraint on the maximum number of robots that can be deployed to perform a task (e.g., data collection, mapping, searching). By increasing the number of robots, the efficiency in completing the task is also increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: James McLurkin, Jennifer Smith
  • Patent number: 7245989
    Abstract: A robot arm includes a drive assembly and an articulated arm assembly pivotally connected to the drive assembly. The articulated arm includes a pivoting base link system, a wrist link system, and a first elbow link system rotatably connected to the base link system by a pair of upper arms and connected to the wrist link system by a pair of forearms, a second elbow link system rotatably connected to the base link system by another at least one upper arm and connected to the wrist link system by another at least one forearm, wherein the drive assembly is connected to at least one of the upper arms and the base link system to provide three degrees of freedom by driving the at least one of the upper arms and pivoting the pivoting base link system to position the wrist link system at a given location with a predetermined skew relative to an axis of translation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Hosek, Michael Valasek
  • Patent number: 7239940
    Abstract: A medical system that allows a medical device to be controlled by one of two input devices. The input devices may be consoles that contain handles and a screen. The medical devices may include robotic arms and instruments used to perform a medical procedure. The system may include an arbitrator that determines which console has priority to control one or more of the robotic arms/instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc
    Inventors: Yulun Wang, Modjtaba Ghodoussi, Darrin Uecker, James Wright, Amante Mangaser
  • Patent number: 7233842
    Abstract: A method determines axial alignment between the centroid of an end effector and the effective center of a specimen held by the end effector. The method is implemented with use of an end effector coupled to a robot arm and having a controllable supination angle. A condition in which two locations of the effective center of the specimen measured at 180° displaced supination angles do not lie on the supination axis indicates that the centroid is offset from the actual effective center of the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Bacchi, Paul S. Filipski
  • Patent number: 7228201
    Abstract: A robot device (1) has a central processing process (CPU) having a plurality of objects and adapted for carrying out control processing on the basis inter-object communication carried out between the objects, the central processing process controlling accesses by the plurality of objects to a shared memory shared by the plurality of objects and thus carrying out inter-object communication. Specifically, the central processing process generates pointers P11, P12, P13, P21, P22 in accordance with accesses by the objects to predetermined areas M1, M2 on a shared memory M, then measures the pointers by the corresponding number-of-reference measuring objects RO1, RO2, and controls the accesses in accordance with the number of pointers measured, thereby carrying out inter-object communication. This enables easy realization of smooth inter-process communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kohtaro Sabe, Kenta Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 7212886
    Abstract: A robot control apparatus including a motion torque calculating section for calculating a motion torque command which is required for a motion of a servo motor, a disturbance torque estimating section for calculating a disturbance torque, a minute displacement relationship calculating section for calculating a minute displacement relationship between a task coordinate system of a robot and a joint coordinate system of the servo motor, an external force calculating section for carrying out a conversion to an external force on the task coordinate system, a force control section for calculating a position correction amount on the task coordinate system of the robot, and a joint angle correction amount calculating section for carrying out a conversion to a joint angle correction amount on the joint coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Hideo Nagata, Kenichi Yasuda, Yasuyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 7206667
    Abstract: The robot alignment system is used for establishing a predetermined alignment position between a movable robot member and an article that is processed by the robot. The system includes a laser transmitter that emits a focused laser beam and a target against which the focused laser beam is directed. The laser transmitter is preferably supported by the robot and the target is supported by the article that is processed by the robot. A signaling device cooperates with the target to produce a detectable signal when the focused laser beam is received at a predetermined location on the target. The detectable signal signifies establishment of a predetermined alignment position between the robot and the article that is processed by the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions Diagnostics
    Inventor: David Kleinschmitt
  • Patent number: 7206662
    Abstract: A crane installation, especially a container crane, includes at least one hoist mechanism provided with at least one motor for lifting and lowering a load suspended from the hoist mechanism. The operation of the hoist mechanism is controlled by a control unit which receives load-specific information signals from a device. The load-specific information signals are determined on the basis of load-dependent measuring signals generated by a load measuring assembly associated with the hoist mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ernst Sparenborg, Stephan Wöbse
  • Patent number: 7191036
    Abstract: A model's ZMP (full-model's ZMP) is calculated using a dynamic model (inverse full-model) 100c2 that expresses a relationship between a robot movement and floor reaction, a ZMP-converted value of full model's corrected moment about a desired ZMP is calculated or determined based on a difference (full-model ZMP's error) between the calculated model's ZMP and the desired ZMP, whilst a corrected desired body position is calculated or determined. Since the robot posture is corrected by the calculated ZMP-converted value and the corrected desired body position, the corrected gait can satisfy the dynamic equilibrium condition accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Tadaaki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7181314
    Abstract: An industrial robot that has uses a simulated force vector to allow a work piece held by the robot end effector to be mated with a work piece whose location and orientation is not precisely known to the robot. When the end effector makes contact with the location and orientation in which the other work piece is held the robot provides a velocity command to minimize the force of the contact and also provides a search pattern in all directions and orientations to cause the end effector to bring the work piece it is holding in contact with the other work piece. The search pattern and the velocity command are continued until the two work pieces mate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignees: ABB Research Ltd., ABB Automation Technologies AB Robotics
    Inventors: Hui Zhang, Zhongxue Gan, Torgny Brogardh, Jianjun Wang
  • Patent number: 7179346
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for transferring components from a pick-up position amongst a supply of components to a placement position on a receptor, such as a die pad, during semiconductor processing. It includes a first delivery device and a second delivery device operative to alternatively transfer the components from the pick-up position to the placement position. The second delivery device is arranged opposite the first delivery device about a line passing through the pick-up position and the placement position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: ASM Assembly Automation Ltd.
    Inventors: Kui Kam Lam, Man Chung Raymond Ng, Yen Hsi Terry Tang
  • Patent number: 7174238
    Abstract: The invention is a computerized mobile robot with an onboard internet web server, and a capability of establishing a first connection to a remote web browser on the internet for robotic control purposes, and a capability of establishing a second short range bi-directional digital radio connection to one or more nearby computerized digital radio equipped devices external to the robot. The short-range bi-directional digital radio connection will typically have a maximum range of about 300 feet. In a preferred embodiment, this short-range wireless digital connection will use the 2.4 gHz band and digital protocols following the IEEE 802.11, 802.15, or other digital communications protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventor: Stephen Eliot Zweig
  • Patent number: 7164968
    Abstract: A robotic system, and corresponding method, performs the function of a human scrub technician in an operating room. A device, and associated method for using the device, performs one, or more, of the following functions: instrument identification, instrument localization, instrument handling, interaction with a human, and integration of functions through a cognitive system. A method for movement of the device comprises the steps of modeling the arm of the robot to create a model comprising elements of finite mass joined by junctions, using an algorithm to calculate results of the effect of applying force to the elements of the model, using attractive, replusive and postural forces in the algorithm, and using the results of the model to direct motion of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
    Inventors: Michael R. Treat, Martin T. Lichtman, David M. Brady
  • Patent number: 7162331
    Abstract: A charging/discharging circuit electrically controls the charge of a battery using supplied current and discharge of it. A micro-controller drives a robot according to instructions from a personal computer, controls the charging/discharging circuit while monitoring the battery state, and during the charge, prohibits the operation of a travel mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Katsushi Sakai
  • Patent number: 7155316
    Abstract: A robot system for use in surgical procedures has two movable arms each carried on a wheeled base with each arm having a six of degrees of freedom of movement and an end effector which can be rolled about its axis and an actuator which can slide along the axis for operating different tools adapted to be supported by the effector. Each end effector including optical force sensors for detecting forces applied to the tool by engagement with the part of the patient. A microscope is located at a position for viewing the part of the patient. The position of the tool tip can be digitized relative to fiducial markers visible in an MRI experiment. The workstation and control system has a pair of hand-controllers simultaneously manipulated by an operator to control movement of a respective one or both of the arms. The image from the microscope is displayed on a monitor in 2D and stereoscopically on a microscope viewer. A second MRI display shows an image of the part of the patient the real-time location of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Microbotics Corporation
    Inventors: Garnette Roy Sutherland, Deon Francois Louw, Paul Bradley McBeth, Tim Fielding, Dennis John Gregoris
  • Patent number: 7148644
    Abstract: A robot adapted to operate in association with an interface surface having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of a plurality of reference points of the interface surface, the robot comprising: movement means to allow the robot to move over the interface surface; a sensing device which senses at least some of the coded data and generates indicating data indicative of a position of the robot on the interface surface; communication means to transmit the indicating data to a computer system running a computer application, and to receive movement instructions from the computer application; and, a marking device adapted to selectively mark the interface surface in response to marking instructions received from the computer application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Zhenya Alexander Yourlo, Paul Lapstun, Kia Silverbrook
  • Patent number: 7149604
    Abstract: A manufacturing facility includes a plurality of programmable logic controllers that contain operating programs and process parameters. The programmable logic controllers are connected to a network such that the operating programs and process parameters from the programmable logic controllers can be backed-up to a remote data storage device. Preferably, the backing-up of the programmable logic controllers takes place automatically and periodically in a manner that does not interrupt the manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rick Dalton, Scott Hamilton, Al Oravet, Atsushi Ueyama, John Deno
  • Patent number: 7133746
    Abstract: An autonomous robot is designed for docking in a docking station. The autonomous robot is configured such that it will locate the docking station and dock therein, before its battery power is exhausted. The docking is such that the autonomous robot is automatically charged, such that its batteries will be fully powered for the subsequent operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: F Robotics Acquistions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shai Abramson, Alon Gandel
  • Patent number: 7120518
    Abstract: A model's ZMP (full-model's ZMP) is calculated using a dynamic model (inverse full-model) 100c2 that expresses a relationship between a robot movement and floor reaction, a ZMP-converted value of full model's corrected moment about a desired ZMP is calculated or determined based on a difference (full-model ZMP's error) between the calculated model's ZMP and the desired ZMP, whilst a corrected desired body position is calculated or determined. Since the robot posture is corrected by the calculated ZMP-converted value and the corrected desired body position, the corrected gait can satisfy the dynamic equilibrium condition accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Tadaaki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7117067
    Abstract: Methods for operating robotic devices (i.e., “robots”) that employ adaptive behavior relative to neighboring robots and external (e.g., environmental) conditions. Each robot is capable of receiving, processing, and acting on one or more multi-device primitive commands that describe a task the robot will perform in response to other robots and the external conditions. The commands facilitate a distributed command and control structure, relieving a central apparatus or operator from the need to monitor the progress of each robot. This virtually eliminates the corresponding constraint on the maximum number of robots that can be deployed to perform a task (e.g., data collection, mapping, searching). By increasing the number of robots, the efficiency in completing the task is also increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: James McLurkin, Jennifer Smith
  • Patent number: 7113847
    Abstract: A robotic vacuum cleaner (10) with a self-propelled controller (12) with a vacuum source (36, 38) and a dirt receptacle (32), a self-propelled cleaning head (14) with a suction inlet (24), and an interconnecting hose (16) is provided. The controller and cleaning head cooperatively traverse a surface area in tandem when the interconnecting hose is connected between the cleaning head and the controller. In one embodiment, the controller includes a power source (56) making the robotic vacuum autonomous. In another embodiment, the controller includes a power cord dispense/retract assembly (168) to provide access to utility power. In another aspect, the controller includes a portable vacuum (20) that is removed for manual operations. In still another aspect, a method of semi-automated environment mapping for a self-propelled robotic vacuum is provided. With respect to the method, the robotic vacuum also includes a remote control (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Royal Appliance Mfg. Co.
    Inventors: Bryan Chmura, Robert N. McKee, Victor Younger, Mark E. Reindle
  • Patent number: 7113849
    Abstract: The stability of attitude of a robot can be recovered by an ambulation control apparatus and an ambulation control method according to the invention if it is lost in the course of a gesture for which the upper limbs take a major role. The apparatus and the method obtain the pattern of movement of the entire body for walking by deriving the pattern of movement of the loins from an arbitrarily selected pattern of movement of the feet, the trajectory of the ZMP, the pattern of movement of the trunk and that of the upper limbs. Therefore, according to the invention, a robot can determine the gait of the lower limbs so as to realize a stable walk regardless if the robot is standing upright or walking. Particularly, if the robot is made to gesture, using the upper body half including the upper limbs and the trunk while standing upright, it can determine the gait of the lower limbs so as to make a stable walk in response to such a gait of the upper body half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Jinichi Yamaguchi
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kuroki, Tatsuzo Ishida, Jinichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7107124
    Abstract: A teleoperator system with telepresence is shown which includes right and left hand controllers (72R and 72L) for control of right and left manipulators (24R and 24L) through use of a servomechanism that includes computer (42). Cameras (46R and 46L) view workspace (30) from different angles for production of stereoscopic signal outputs at lines (48R and 48L). In response to the camera outputs a 3-dimensional top-to-bottom inverted image (30I) is produced which, is reflected by mirror (66) toward the eyes of operator (18). A virtual image (30V) is produced adjacent control arms (76R and 76L) which is viewed by operator (18) looking in the direction of the control arms. Use of the teleoperator system for surgical procedures also is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventor: Philip S. Green
  • Patent number: 7103447
    Abstract: A robot (1) is provided which includes a situated behaviors layer (SBL) (58). This SBL (58) is formed in the form of a tree structure in which a plurality of schemata (behavior modules) is connected hierarchically in such a matter that the schemata are highly independent of each other for each of them to behave uniquely. A patent schema can define a pattern in which child schemata are connected, such as an OR type pattern in which the child schemata are caused to behave uniquely, AND type pattern in which the plurality of child schemata are caused to behave simultaneously or a SEQUENCE type pattern indicating a sequence in which the plurality of child schemata should behave, thereby permitting to select a behavior pattern of the robot (1). Also, a new child schema can additionally be included in the SBL (58) without having to rewrite the schemata connection in the tree structure, whereby a new behavior or function can be added to the robot (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ugo Di Profio, Masahiro Fujita, Tsuyoshi Takagi, Yukiko Yoshiike, Hideki Shimomura
  • Patent number: 7099742
    Abstract: An apparatus that controls the action of a pet robot. The apparatus includes a portable terminal (3) having an electrode that may contact a user (2). When the user touches the electrode provided on the head of the robot (1), the user ID stored in the memory section of the portable terminal (3) is transmitted to the robot (1) through the user (2). The robot (1) retrieves the information associated with the user ID it has received, thereby identifying the user (2). The robot (1) may determine that the user (2) touched it in the past. In this case, the robot (1) performs an action in accordance with the information about what the user (2) did to it in the past.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Tajima, Junichi Rekimoto, Yuji Ayatsuka, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Tota Hasegawa, Hidenori Karasawa, Eduardo A. Sciammarella
  • Patent number: 7099743
    Abstract: A two-legged walking robot includes a pair of foot members a calf member provided above each foot member, a double-axis ankle joint provided between the foot member and the calf member to allow the foot member to rotate relative to the calf member in forward and backward directions and in right and left directions. The robot also includes a femoral member provided above each calf member, a single-axis knee joint provided between the calf member and the femoral member, a hip member provided above the femoral member, and a double-axis hip joint provided between the femoral member and the hip member to allow the femoral member to rotate relative to the hip member in the forward, backward, right, and left directions. Thus, the two-legged walking robot operates similar to a human ankle, knee and hip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-kwun Lee, Yeon-taek Oh, Soo-sang Yang, Ja-woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7095203
    Abstract: A numerical controller which, after once stopping a slave axis during superposing control, can easily resume the superposing control. In the superposing control, a motion amount for a master axis and a motion amount for the slave axis are added to a workpiece coordinate value of the master axis and a workpiece coordinate value of the slave axis, respectively, to update their present position data (I2, II2). These motion amounts are supplied also to servo processing (I3, II3) for the master axis and the slave axis, where an amount obtained by superposing a motion amount ?zIm for the master axis ZIm on a motion amount ?zIIs for the slave axis ZIIs is supplied to the servo processing for the slave axis ZIIs. When a slave axis motion stop command is issued, the motion of the slave axis is stopped and a motion amount ?zIm for the master axis ZIm is subtracted from the workpiece coordinate value of the slave axis ZIIs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Fanuc LTD
    Inventors: Takahiko Endo, Yasushi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7096090
    Abstract: The invention is a computerized mobile robotic router with an onboard internet web server, and a capability of establishing a first connection to a remote web browser on the internet for robotic control purposes, and a capability of establishing a second short range bi-directional digital radio connection to one or more nearby computerized digital radio equipped computers or devices external to the robot. The short-range bi-directional digital radio connection will typically have a maximum range of about 300 feet. In a preferred embodiment, this short-range wireless digital connection will use the 2.4 gHz band and digital protocols following the IEEE 802.11, 802.15, or other digital communications protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Inventor: Stephen Eliot Zweig
  • Patent number: 7092792
    Abstract: A robot remote manipulation system is provided, including a bipedal walking robot and a remote manipulation device for remotely manipulating the bipedal walking robot. The robot is connected to the remote manipulation device via a communication network and controlled by controlling data from the remote manipulation device. In the system, the remote manipulation device comprises a pair of bilateral mechanical rotating elements providing a quantity of motion for each bilateral leg of the bipedal walking robot; and a controlling data transmitter for transmitting controlling data corresponding to the quantities of motion to the bipedal walking robot. The bipedal walking robot comprises a controlling data receiver for receiving the controlling data transmitted from the remote manipulation device; and a leg motion controller for processing the received controlling data and causing the bilateral legs to move forward or backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Kouki Hayashi, Yumiko Hiraiwa, legal representative, Hiroyuki Manabe, Takashi Ninjouji, Toshiaki Sugimura, Akira Hiraiwa, deceased