Abstract: A robot is controlled to move from a predetermined rest point to contact a moving target. The control parameters of the robot are not known. Control is effectuated by predetermining the time required for the robot to move from a rest position to each of a plurality of points within the region in which the target is expected to be found. When the target is identified, its location near the predetermined points at a future time is computed. The known time required from motion of the robot from the rest position to predetermined points adjacent the future location of the target is determined by reference to stored information. The exact time required for the motion may be interpolated between the predetermined points. The time for robot motion is subtracted from the future time to determine the time at which robot motion begins. In a particular embodiment of the invention, a robot coacts with a circular conveyor belt to retrieve objects from the conveyor and transport them to a dump point.

Abstract: An apparatus for singulating mailpieces such as envelopes spread out on a moving conveyor belt includes a robot for picking up the mailpiece associated with a leading edge. The conveyor belt has alternate black-and-white longitudinal stripes. A TV camera views the belt surface, and produces video representing the stripes and any mailpieces. The video is processed to produce signals representative of the locations of transitions in the video along the centers of the black and/or white stripes. The location representative signals are processed by calculating lines corresponding to one or more leading edges of the mailpiece, which may then be used for controlling the robot in known manner.