Abstract: A smart camera system provides focused images to an operator at a host computer by processing digital images at the imaging location prior to sending them to the host computer. The smart camera has a resident digital signal processor for preprocessing digital images prior to transmitting the images to the host. The preprocessing includes image feature extraction and filtering, convolution and deconvolution methods, correction of parallax and perspective image error and image compression. Compression of the digital images in the smart camera at the imaging location permits the transmission of very high resolution color or high resolution grayscale images at real-time frame rates such as 30 frames per second over a high speed serial bus to a host computer or to any other node on the network, including any remote address on the Internet.

Abstract: A smart camera system provides focused images to an operator at a host computer by processing digital images at the imaging location prior to sending them to the host computer. The smart camera has a resident digital signal processor for preprocessing digital images prior to transmitting the images to the host. The preprocessing includes image feature extraction and filtering, convolution and deconvolution methods, correction of parallax and perspective image error and image compression. Compression of the digital images in the smart camera at the imaging location permits the transmission of very high resolution color or high resolution grayscale images at real-time frame rates such as 30 frames per second over a high speed serial bus to a host computer or to any other node on the network, including any remote address on the Internet.

Abstract: A smart camera system provides focused images to an operator at a host computer by processing digital images at the imaging location prior to sending them to the host computer. The smart camera has a resident digital signal processor for preprocessing digital images prior to transmitting the images to the host. The preprocessing includes image feature extraction and filtering, convolution and deconvolution methods, correction of parallax and perspective image error and image compression. Compression of the digital images in the smart camera at the imaging location permits the transmission of very high resolution color or high resolution grayscale images at real-time frame rates such as 30 frames per second over a high speed serial bus to a host computer or to any other node on the network, including any remote address on the Internet.

Abstract: A smart camera system provides focused images to an operator at a host computer by processing digital images at the imaging location prior to sending them to the host computer. The smart camera has a resident digital signal processor for preprocessing digital images prior to transmitting the images to the host. The preprocessing includes image feature extraction and filtering, convolution and deconvolution methods, correction of parallax and perspective image error and image compression. Compression of the digital images in the smart camera at the imaging location permits the transmission of very high resolution color or high resolution grayscale images at real-time frame rates such as 30 frames per second over a high speed serial bus to a host computer or to any other node on the network, including any remote address on the Internet.

Abstract: A smart camera system provides focused images to an operator at a host computer by processing digital images at the imaging location prior to sending them to the host computer. The smart camera has a resident digital signal processor for preprocessing digital images prior to transmitting the images to the host. The preprocessing includes image feature extraction and filtering, convolution and deconvolution methods, correction of parallax and perspective image error and image compression. Compression of the digital images in the smart camera at the imaging location permits the transmission of very high resolution color or high resolution grayscale images at real-time frame rates such as 30 frames per second over a high speed serial bus to a host computer or to any other node on the network, including any remote address on the Internet.

Abstract: The processing status of a plurality of semiconductor wafers undergoing processing is positively identified by the use of indicator flags associated with cassettes containing the wafers. The flags are moved between at least two processing state indicating positions during processing of the wafers by a robotic arm that also transfers the wafers between the cassettes and a wafer processing station.

Abstract: A method for simulating, analyzing and/or designing an automated assembly system including a plurality of resources comprises: defining at least one cell from an automated assembly line; associating an action table with each cell; calculating a duration, a success rate and a repair time for each process step using fundamental data of the resources; and associating the duration, the success rate and the repair time with each process step in each action table. The action table of a respective cell specifies all process steps that are executed in the respective cell. A system for simulating, analyzing and/or designing an automated assembly system comprises a discrete event simulator and a three-dimensional kinematic and dynamic simulator coupled with the discrete event simulator. The kinematic and dynamic simulator generates timing data for the automated assembly system that is used by the discrete event simulator. A system for determining a costed-throughput is also provided.

Abstract: The processing status of a plurality of semiconductor wafers undergoing processing is positively identified by the use of indicator flags associated with cassettes containing the wafers. The flags are moved between at least two processing state indicating positions during processing of the wafers by a robotic arm that also transfers the wafers between the cassettes and a wafer processing station.

Abstract: A flexible parts feeder includes a flexible membrane for supporting parts and defining a selection zone where the positional state of parts is analyzed by a machine vision system. The output of the sensor is used to control a transformer that selectively applies impulse energy to the flexible membrane so as to change the positional states of at least some parts in the selection zone to a desired positional state. Those parts having the desired positional state are selected and removed from the membrane by a robot.

Abstract: A parts feeder conveys parts to a selection zone viewed by a vision system, which selects parts having an orientation allowing them to be gripped and transferred from the conveyor. Non-selected parts are conveyed from the selection zone to a hopper for recirculation to the selection zone. The parts are tumbled between successive passes through the selection zone and eventually assume orientations allowing them to be gripped. The gripper has rotatable finger pads which can be either driven or passively rotated.

Abstract: An articulated direct drive robotic manipulator providing rotation of first and second arms about first and second parallel axes including first and second motors for driving the rotation of the first and second arms. A pedestal is mounted on a base, the first motor is directly coupled to a rotatable column in the pedestal for providing a first robot arm with a first degree of freedom, a second motor is coupled to a rotatable column coaxial to the first column for providing the manipulator with a second degree of freedom by rotation of the second arm. The distal end of the second arm includes support for an end effector for movement about a third axis which is a vertical axis and a fourth axis which is a rotational axis and support for a quill. Also included is a modular device adapted to be coupled to the end of the quill which can move within horizontal planes passing through the third axis to provide a fifth degree of freedom.

Abstract: A practical vision system for controlling the positioning of a robot arm recognizes and locates objects. The vision system processes binary images, but recognizes objects based on boundary features such as lines, arcs, corners and holes instead of "blob features" such as area and best-fit ellipse. Consequently, the vision system can process two common situations not handled by blob analysis: merged blobs due to touching or overlapping parts and incomplete blobs due to low image contrast. The microprocessor-based system is interfaced to the robot system and can recognize up to five parts per second.

Abstract: A robot assembly system which uses a set of related databases to separately describe (1) what task is to be performed by the system, (2) details about how to perform the task (e.g., specifying the strategy routine to be used to insert a part into an assembly), and (3) data describing the workcell and object locations. The system includes software routines which control how each robotic operation is performed, but those aspects of each robotic operation which vary from part to part or from operation to operation are determined by the data in the databases. By keeping the what, how and where aspects of each assembly task separate, the present invention makes it possible to change them independently. Furthermore, the task to be performed by the system is typically defined by a Sequence database, which enables new tasks to be defined by simple, task level programming instructions, such as TRANSFER PART sn7400 TO u20.

Abstract: An end effector comprises a force sensor cooperating with an output flange at the wrist of a robot arm. The force sensor includes a cylinder mounted in the robot arm having a piston whose outer end is attached to the output flange of the arm at its outer end; its inner end comprising one side of a pressure chamber pressurized to a known level. The piston is mounted on bushings for sliding linear movement within the sleeve of the piston along the axis of vertical movement of the arm, but levers or other mechanisms may be used to provide the required motion. The pressure in the chamber is calibrated to a known level of a pressure which is to be applied to the part being worked by the end effector. The piston carries a position encoder; when the pressure within the pressure chamber is exceeded, movement of the position encoder is detected and signaled to a position controlling computer.

Abstract: The invention is a variable reluctance motor using a stator comprised of a plurality of single tooth poles, wound so that every other pole of the same phase is of oppposite polarity. A movable member is also provided with a plurality of single tooth pole members. The spacing of rotor and stator poles is equal.

Abstract: A control system for a brushless DC torque motor is disclosed. The motor comprises three coils, the wires at the end of each coil being brought out and connected to an amplifier that provides the current control signals to the coils. These control signals are generated based on a combination of commutation input command bits which are effectively multiplied by a pulse-width modulation control input word to form a pseudo-sine wave current signal at the input to each coil. By combining the pulse width modulated (pwm) current command word with an input command which defines a square wave, a pseudo-sine wave signal is provided for each coil which effectively controls the current to the motor coil in accordance with the value of the pwm commands. In each amplifier, the current control signal is compared with a servo feedback signal from the coil to define an error signal which, when amplified, becomes the actual input current signal to the coil.

Abstract: A direct drive robot which includes a pedestal having two motors which rotate around a common axis to directly drive rotation of first and of second linking arms which are rotating in a plane perpendicular to this pedestal. The first, inner link is preferably driven through a column directly driven by a first motor rotor, the column supporting the inner end of the link. The second, outer link is driven by the second coaxial direct drive motor through a simple, highly-tensioned belt and pulley arrangement. As a result of this direct drive arrangement, movement is provided about two separate parallel axes by two arms arranged perpendicular to the first axis which mounts the two major driving motors of the robot. These two arms are linked together between this major pedestal and the end effector of the robot, centralizing the driving motors at the main stabilizing pedestal, while providing rapid rotational movement around each of the two axes.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit for controlling a direct drive motor has an input circuit for converting the digital control word to a pulse width modulated signal which is coupled to a control input of the amplifier through an isolation device. This isolation device and the other gain devices as well as many of the test circuitry devices and the feedback circuitry are referenced to a common, internally generated, stable reference level voltage. An input position control signal is coupled to an operational amplifier whose other inputs is a signal representing the current through the coil at any time. The output of the operational amplifier is a signals which will seek to equalize the two inputs signals. The output of the operational amplifier is coupled to the two controlling transistors which provide the drive current to the motor coil. Diodes are appropriately coupled to the switching transistor to incorporate regeneration effects for the minimization of power consumption.