Patents by Inventor Marc-Walter Ueberle

Marc-Walter Ueberle 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: 10350765
    Abstract: A method for switching a control of a robot into a manual operating mode, wherein the robot is movable by a user manually applying at least one of a force or a torque upon the robot, includes detecting at least one of joint forces or joint torques of the robot, and triggering an error reaction in response to the switching and based on at least one of the detected joint forces and/or joint torques, target joint forces and/or target joint torques, or a pose of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Marc-Walter Ueberle, Matthias Rohmer, Tobias Reichl, Gunter Schreiber, Martin Mueller-Sommer, Uwe Bonin
  • Patent number: 10239207
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot having a drive arrangement with at least one drive includes determining an actual velocity of the robot, determining a target velocity for the robot, and determining a damping drive parameter based on a difference between the target velocity and the actual velocity. The target velocity is determined based on at least one of a predetermined maximum velocity, a predetermined minimum velocity, or a first distance of the robot from at least one predetermined boundary. The drive arrangement of the robot is then controlled based on the damping drive parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Rohmer, Martin Mueller-Sommer, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Gunter Schreiber, Uwe Bonin
  • Patent number: 10016894
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot in at least one pose of the robot wherein the robot can be operated in either a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation. In the second mode of operation the robot can be moved by manually applying a guiding force to the robot. The method includes determining a distance of a state variable of the robot from a first limit and then triggering a safety response when the distance satisfies a first condition and the robot is operating in the first mode of operation. When the robot is operating in the second mode of operation and the distance satisfies the first condition, the method includes not triggering the safety response, and motorically applying a positioning force to the robot in dependence on the determined distance so that the distance can be reduced when the robot is unobstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Hietmann, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Christian Hartmann, Richard Schwarz, Richard Rudolf
  • Patent number: 9902072
    Abstract: A telepresence system includes a man-machine interface and a teleoperator configured to communicate bidirectionally with the man-machine interface via a communications channel. The teleoperator performs actions based on first signals generated due to a manual operation of the man-machine interface and transmitted over the communication channel, and sends second signals to the man-machine interface over a second communication channel. At least one buffer device buffers signals transferred through the communication channel and releases the signals delayed so that the signals coming from the man-machine interface and the signals coming from the teleoperator each are transmitted through the communication channel with an effective constant time delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Jacob, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Thomas Neff, Martin Kuschel, Tobias Ortmaier
  • Patent number: 9746843
    Abstract: A method of safety monitoring for a robot assembly with at least one robot that is configured with a linking function arrangement with at least one first linking function including a fixed and predetermined number of monitoring functions of a monitoring function arrangement. The monitoring functions are logically linked to one another such that the first linking function has a reaction state whenever all of the monitoring functions indicate the violated and/or error state. The first linking function does not have a reaction state whenever any monitoring function from the plurality of monitoring functions does not indicate the violated and/or error state. The reaction state is executed by the controller when all of the monitoring functions are in the violated and/or error state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Bonin, Jonas Rumping, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Christian Hartmann, Denis Pesotski, Botond Gorog, Giulio Milighetti, Robert Bertossi
  • Patent number: 9724827
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a kinematically redundant robot includes detecting joint forces acting in the joints of the robot, determining an external work force between a robot-permanent reference point and an environment based on the detected joint forces, determining a further monitoring variable that is at least substantially independent of an external force acting on the robot-permanent reference point based on the detected joint forces, and monitoring the determined external work force and the determined further monitoring variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventor: Marc-Walter Ueberle
  • Publication number: 20170144302
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot having a drive arrangement with at least one drive includes determining an actual velocity of the robot, determining a target velocity for the robot, and determining a damping drive parameter based on a difference between the target velocity and the actual velocity. The target velocity is determined based on at least one of a predetermined maximum velocity, a predetermined minimum velocity, or a first distance of the robot from at least one predetermined boundary. The drive arrangement of the robot is then controlled based on the damping drive parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Matthias Rohmer, Martin Mueller-Sommer, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Gunter Schreiber, Uwe Bonin
  • Publication number: 20160375588
    Abstract: A method for switching a control of a robot into a manual operating mode, wherein the robot is movable by a user manually applying at least one of a force or a torque upon the robot, includes detecting at least one of joint forces or joint torques of the robot, and triggering an error reaction in response to the switching and based on at least one of the detected joint forces and/or joint torques, target joint forces and/or target joint torques, or a pose of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Marc-Walter Ueberle, Matthias Rohmer, Tobias Reichl, Gunter Schreiber, Martin Mueller-Sommer, Uwe Bonin
  • Patent number: 9409295
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot includes monitoring the robot, and carrying out a fault reaction, selected from a number of specified fault reactions, on the basis of the monitoring of the robot, wherein the fault reaction is selected on the basis of a monitoring of an operational capability and/or an output variable of at least one motor of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Marc-Walter Ueberle, Hartmut Keyl
  • Publication number: 20160016314
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot in at least one pose of the robot wherein the robot can be operated in either a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation. In the second mode of operation the robot can be moved by manually applying a guiding force to the robot. The method includes determining a distance of a state variable of the robot from a first limit and then triggering a safety response when the distance satisfies a first condition and the robot is operating in the first mode of operation. When the robot is operating in the second mode of operation and the distance satisfies the first condition, the method includes not triggering the safety response, and motorically applying a positioning force to the robot in dependence on the determined distance so that the distance can be reduced when the robot is unobstructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Gerhard Hietmann, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Christian Hartmann, Richard Schwarz, Richard Rudolf
  • Publication number: 20150057799
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot includes monitoring the robot, and carrying out a fault reaction, selected from a number of specified fault reactions, on the basis of the monitoring of the robot, wherein the fault reaction is selected on the basis of a monitoring of an operational capability and/or an output variable of at least one motor of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Marc-Walter Ueberle, Hartmut Keyl
  • Publication number: 20140379126
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a kinematically redundant robot includes detecting joint forces acting in the joints of the robot, determining an external work force between a robot-permanent reference point and an environment based on the detected joint forces, determining a further monitoring variable that is at least substantially independent of an external force acting on the robot-permanent reference point based on the detected joint forces, and monitoring the determined external work force and the determined further monitoring variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Marc-Walter Ueberle
  • Patent number: 8828023
    Abstract: A medical work station for treating a living being using a medical instrument includes at least one robot arm, which has a plurality of members connected by joints, drives to move the members, and an attaching device, at least one control device coupled with the drives, which is set up to generate signals for actuating the drives, so that the attaching devices carry out movements assigned to the signals, and a display device coupled with the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Neff, Dirk Jacob, Martin Kuschel, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Tobias Ortmaier
  • Patent number: 8831779
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical robot (R) and a method for meeting the performance requirements of a medical robot (R). The robot (R) comprises several axes (1-6) and a controller (17). A medical tool (21-24) is fixed to a fixing device (18) on the robot (R) and the working range (30) of the robot (R) is set by the controller (17) in particular with safe techniques such that the robot (R) meets the performance requirements of the medical tool (21-24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Ortmaier, Marc-Walter Ueberle
  • Publication number: 20140195051
    Abstract: A safety monitoring means for a robot assembly with at least one robot includes a configuration means for configuring a linking function arrangement with at least one first linking function including a fixed and predetermined number of monitoring functions of a monitoring function arrangement. The monitoring functions are logically linked to one another such that the first linking function has a reaction state whenever none of the monitoring functions indicates a not-violated state. The configuration means may further include at least one second linking function including a fixed and predetermined number of monitoring functions that are logically linked to one another such that the second linking function does not have a reaction state whenever all monitoring functions indicate a violated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Bonin, Jonas Rumping, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Christian Hartmann, Denis Pesotski, Botond Gorog, Giulio Milighetti, Robert Bertossi
  • Publication number: 20130282179
    Abstract: The invention relates to a telepresence system (1) with a human-machine interface (2), and with a teleoperator (3) designed to communicate bid sectionally with the human-machine interface (2) via a communications channel (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Jacob, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Thomas Neff, Martin Kuschel, Tobias Ortmaier
  • Publication number: 20120116416
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical work station (1) for treating a living being (13) by means of a medical instrument (1). The work station (1) includes at least one robot arm (3), which has a plurality of members connected by means of joints, drives to move the members, and an attaching device (10), at least one control device (4) coupled with the drives, which is set up to generate signals for actuating the drives, so that the attaching devices (10) carry out movements assigned to the signals, and a display device (6) coupled with the control device (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: KUKA LABORATORIES GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Neff, Dirk Jacob, Martin Kuschel, Marc-Walter Ueberle, Tobias Ortmaier
  • Patent number: 8069714
    Abstract: In a method to test a brake of a robot that has a number of axes, an actuator associated with one of the axes, a brake associated with this axis that is set up to at least reduce a movement of this axis, and a torque sensor associated with this axis, which determines the torque acting on this axis. The brake is activated, the torque acting on the axis is determined by the torque sensor given an activated brake, and the functional capability of the brake is assessed in a processor based on an evaluation of the torque determined by the torque sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kuka Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Ortmaier, Marc-Walter Ueberle
  • Publication number: 20110190790
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a telemanipulated medical robot (R) guided by hand or by means of an input device, to a telemanipulated medical robot (R) guided by hand or by means of an input device, and to a medical work place. The medical robot (R) comprises a robot arm (M) with a plurality of moveable axes (1-6) and a control device (17) for moving the axes (1-6) of the robot arms (M) by means of drives (11-16). The control device (17) is adapted to automatically change the work region (A) of the medical robot (R) due to a change of position, relative to a robot base (B) of the medical robot (R), of a living being (P) that is being treated by means of the medical robot (R) in such a way that the work region (A) of the medical robot (R) stays the same relative to the living being (P).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Summerer, Thomas Neff, Tobias Ortmaier, Marc-Walter Ueberle
  • Publication number: 20110118872
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical robot (R) and a method for meeting the performance requirements of a medical robot (R). The robot (R) comprises several axes (1-6) and a controller (17). A medical tool (21 -24) is fixed to a fixing device (18) on the robot (R) and the working range (30) of the robot (R) is set by the controller (17) in particular with safe techniques such that the robot (R) meets the performance requirements of the medical tool (21-24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBH
    Inventors: Tobias Ortmaier, Marc-Walter Ueberle