Patents by Inventor Günter Schreiber

Günter Schreiber has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11839985
    Abstract: A method for the control of a robot assembly having at least one robot. The method includes acquiring pose data from an object arrangement having at least one object, which data has a first time interval; determining modified pose data from the object arrangement, which data has a second time interval that is larger or smaller than the first time interval, or is equal to the first time interval, on the basis of the acquired pose data; and controlling the robot assembly on the basis of said modified pose data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Felix Allmendinger, Jan Bandouch, Günter Schreiber
  • Patent number: 10635074
    Abstract: A method for controlling a manipulator includes releasing the manipulator in reaction to a release request by an operator, wherein the recognition of the release request involves monitoring the variation over time of a measured value that is characteristic of a state of the manipulator. Increased robustness of the recognition of the release request results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Schreiber, Bettina Pfaff
  • Publication number: 20200114518
    Abstract: A method for the control of a robot assembly having at least one robot. The method includes acquiring pose data from an object arrangement having at least one object, which data has a first time interval; determining modified pose data from the object arrangement, which data has a second time interval that is larger or smaller than the first time interval, or is equal to the first time interval, on the basis of the acquired pose data; and controlling the robot assembly on the basis of said modified pose data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Felix Allmendinger, Jan Bandouch, Günter Schreiber
  • Publication number: 20180074475
    Abstract: A method for controlling a manipulator includes releasing the manipulator in reaction to a release request by an operator, wherein the recognition of the release request involves monitoring the variation over time of a measured value that is characteristic of a state of the manipulator. Increased robustness of the recognition of the release request results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Günter Schreiber, Bettina Pfaff
  • Publication number: 20180021944
    Abstract: A manipulator system for the coordinated control of at least two manipulators. The system includes a main computer that is configured for carrying out a sequence control, and at least two multiaxial manipulators. A manipulator controller and at least one axis controller are associated with each manipulator. The manipulator controllers are spatially separate from the main computer and set up in their own housings. Each manipulator preferably includes converters for controlling the actuators of the axes of the manipulator, wherein the converter associated with an actuator is situated in the vicinity of the actuator in such a way that the converter can be moved along with a movement of the associated manipulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventor: Günter SCHREIBER
  • Patent number: 9815196
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording positions in a control program of a manipulator, which includes a manipulator, a controller having a control program, and a manual control device, wherein the controller can actuate the manipulator 10 in a compliance control, in which the manipulator is allowed to occupy an actual position different to the nominal position, wherein the controller, when recording the current position of the manipulator in the control program, carries over into the control program in a situation-based manner the nominal position, the actual position or a hybrid position comprising nominal and actual components of the current position. In addition, a corresponding method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Zimmermann, Günter Schreiber
  • Publication number: 20160176046
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording positions in a control program of a manipulator, which includes a manipulator, a controller having a control program, and a manual control device, wherein the controller can actuate the manipulator 10 in a compliance control, in which the manipulator is allowed to occupy an actual position different to the nominal position, wherein the controller, when recording the current position of the manipulator in the control program, carries over into the control program in a situation-based manner the nominal position, the actual position or a hybrid position comprising nominal and actual components of the current position. In addition, a corresponding method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Uwe Zimmermann, Günter Schreiber
  • Patent number: 9227321
    Abstract: A method for controlling a manipulator includes determining by a control device one or more contact force values between the manipulator and a first workpiece. Each of the contact force values is based on an actual driving force of the manipulator and a drive force according to a dynamic model of the manipulator. The method also includes at least one of a) measuring in multiple stages an orientation and location of the first workpiece based on at least one of the one or more determined contact force values or b) joining a second workpiece and the first workpiece under a compliant regulation, where a joining state of the first and second workpieces is monitored based on at least one of an end pose of the manipulator obtained under the compliant regulation, a speed of a temporal change of the manipulator, or at least one of the one or more determined contact force values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Simon Klumpp, Günter Schreiber
  • Patent number: 9063539
    Abstract: In a method and a device for entering control commands into a controller of a manipulator, such as a robot, a first force or movement or sequence of forces or movements is detected, and the detected force, movement or sequence is electronically compared with stored forces, movements or sequences, respectively. Each of the stored forces or movements or sequences has a control command associated therewith. Upon the comparison indicating a coincidence between the detected force or movement or sequence with one of the stored forces or movements or sequences, the control command associated with that one of the stored forces, stored movements or stored sequences is automatically supplied as an input to the controller for operating the manipulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Kuka Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Schreiber, Uwe Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 8812158
    Abstract: A handling system and method for automatically moving a gravity-based load body using a robot. The load body is supported by a load body holding means connected to an end effector flange of the robot. A gravity compensation device includes a connector element acting on an element or the end effector flange of the robot to compensate for the gravity of the load body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Brudniok, Günter Schreiber, Johann Maischberger
  • Patent number: 8774969
    Abstract: In a method for allowing an end effector of a robotic manipulator to travel along a predetermined path or trajectory, wherein the manipulator has a null space with respect to the predetermined trajectory with at least two manipulator positions associated with the same end effector position, a placement of the manipulator in null space is detected and, in a processor, a process variable of the end effector is automatically modified according to the detected placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Kuka Laboratories GmbH
    Inventor: Günter Schreiber
  • Patent number: 8682487
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-directionally movable vehicle (10, 20) and to a method for operating the multi-directionally movable vehicle (10, 20). The vehicle (10, 20) has a vehicle body (11, 12), a plurality of multi-directionally movable wheels (13) which are rotatably arranged on the vehicle body (11, 12) and have the purpose of moving the vehicle (10), and a plurality of lighting devices (14, 15) which are each assigned to one of the wheels (13) and which can be activated as a function of the selected or intended direction of travel of the vehicle (10) in order to indicate visually to the outside the direction of travel of the vehicle (10) by means of one or more activated lighting devices (14, 15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Kurth, Günter Schreiber, Mario Selic
  • Patent number: 8594847
    Abstract: A manipulator for an industrial robot includes a plurality of actuators associated with a plurality of motion axes. An axis sensor is associated with each of the plurality of motion axes. Each axis sensor is configured to determine a single axis value for the corresponding axis of the plurality of motion axes. A redundant sensor arrangement is configured to ascertain an overall manipulator value. A control is configured to balance the overall manipulator value and the single axis values acquired by the axis sensors. A method of controlling the manipulator is also provided. Axis values are acquired by the axis sensors associated with each of the plurality of motion axes. A redundant manipulator value is acquired by the redundant sensor arrangement. The redundant manipulator value and the axis values acquired by the axis sensors are balanced, and a signal corresponding to the result of the balancing is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Schreiber, Ulrich Hagn
  • Publication number: 20130013109
    Abstract: A handling system and method for automatically moving a gravity-based load body using a robot. The load body is supported by a load body holding means connected to an end effector flange of the robot. A gravity compensation device includes a connector element acting on an element or the end effector flange of the robot to compensate for the gravity of the load body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBH
    Inventors: Sven Brudniok, Günter Schreiber, Johann Maischberger
  • Publication number: 20120283875
    Abstract: A method according to the invention for controlling a manipulator, in particular of a robot, comprises the step of detecting a contact force between the manipulator and a workpiece (2; 20) on the basis of actual drive forces (t) and drive forces (tModell) of a dynamic model (M d2q/dt2+h(q, dq/dt)=tModell) of the manipulator. The method also comprises at least one of the steps of a) multistage measuring of a position of the workpiece (2) on the basis of detected contact forces (S40, S70), in particular comprising the steps of: determining positions of misaligned contours, in particular edges (2.1, 2.2), of the workpiece (2) by detecting poses of the manipulator and at the same time contact forces acting thereon (S40); moving to reference points of the workpiece (2), in particular defined by recesses (3.1, 3.2, 3.3), on the basis of contours (2.1, 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventors: Simon Klumpp, Günter Schreiber
  • Publication number: 20120185089
    Abstract: In a method for allowing an end effector of a robotic manipulator to travel along a predetermined path or trajectory, wherein the manipulator has a null space with respect to the predetermined trajectory with at least two manipulator positions associated with the same end effector position, a placement of the manipulator in null space is detected and, in a processor, a process variable of the end effector is automatically modified according to the detected placement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventor: Günter Schreiber
  • Publication number: 20110313573
    Abstract: In a method and a device for entering control commands into a controller of a manipulator, such as a robot, a first force or movement or sequence of forces or movements is detected, and the detected force, movement or sequence is electronically compared with stored forces, movements or sequences, respectively. Each of the stored forces or movements or sequences has a control command associated therewith. Upon the comparison indicating a coincidence between the detected force or movement or sequence with one of the stored forces or movements or sequences, the control command associated with that one of the stored forces, stored movements or stored sequences is automatically supplied as an input to the controller for operating the manipulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Günter Schreiber, Uwe Zimmermann
  • Publication number: 20110098855
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-directionally movable vehicle (10, 20) and to a method for operating the multi-directionally movable vehicle (10, 20). The vehicle (10, 20) has a vehicle body (11, 12), a plurality of multi-directionally movable wheels (13) which are rotatably arranged on the vehicle body (11, 12) and have the purpose of moving the vehicle (10), and a plurality of lighting devices (14, 15) which are each assigned to one of the wheels (13) and which can be activated as a function of the selected or intended direction of travel of the vehicle (10) in order to indicate visually to the outside the direction of travel of the vehicle (10) by means of one or more activated lighting devices (14, 15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Kurth, Günter Schreiber, Mario Selic
  • Publication number: 20100234996
    Abstract: The invention relates to an industrial robot (10) having a robot base (20) and a manipulator (12) movably mounted thereon having a plurality of motion axes (13-18), each being associated with an actuator (33-38) and at least one axis sensor (43-48, 73-78), wherein a multi-axis redundant sensor arrangement (26) is provided that comprises a plurality of redundant sensors (22-24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBH
    Inventors: Günter Schreiber, Ulrich Hagn