With Plural Control Systems (e.g., The Interaction Of Plural Processors To Control The Plural Joints Of A Single Robot): Patents (Class 318/568.2)
  • Patent number: 11872700
    Abstract: A robot includes: a first member; a second member that is rotationally driven around a first axis with respect to the first member; a third member that is rotationally driven around a second axis with respect to the second member, the second axis being located at an interval from the first axis; a single axis torque detection unit that detects only at least one of torque around the first axis and torque around the second axis; and a force sensor that is provided between the first member and a surface to be installed, or in the first member, the second member or the third member, and is capable of detecting force in a direction intersecting with both the first axis and the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunobu Hatada, Toshihiro Nishimura, Kazutaka Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11745339
    Abstract: A horizontal articulated robot includes a base, a force detection unit provided in the base, a first arm coupled to the base and pivoting about a first pivot axis, a second arm coupled to the first arm and pivoting about a second pivot axis, a third arm coupled to the second arm, pivoting about a third pivot axis, and moving in an axial direction of the third pivot axis, a control unit that controls an action of the first arm, the second arm, or the third arm based on a detection value of the force detection unit, and an operation unit having a third arm operation part for operation of the third arm and a teaching point registration operation part for operation of registration of a position of a control point as a teaching point using the control unit, and provided in the second arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Goto
  • Patent number: 11383389
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot control apparatus that communicates with a device, wherein a transmission terminal of a clock synchronization serial communication system of the device and a reception terminal of the robot control apparatus are connected by a signal line, and the robot control apparatus receives an asynchronous signal from the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daiki Tokushima, Akitoshi Maeda
  • Patent number: 11292133
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to train interdependent autonomous machines are disclosed. An example method includes performing an action of a first sub-task of a collaborative task with a first collaborative robot in a robotic cell while a second collaborative robot operates in the robotic cell according to a first recorded action of the second collaborative robot, the first recorded action of the second collaborative robot recorded while a second robot controller associated with the second collaborative robot is trained to control the second collaborative robot to perform a second sub-task of the collaborative task, and training a first robot controller associated with the first collaborative robot based at least on a sensing of an interaction of the first collaborative robot with the second collaborative robot while the action of the first sub-task is performed by the first collaborative robot and the second collaborative robot operates according to the first recorded action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rita H. Wouhaybi, Shekoufeh Qawami, Hassnaa Moustafa, Chaitanya Sreerama, Nadine L. Dabby
  • Patent number: 11235462
    Abstract: A force detection system includes a force detection unit that outputs a signal corresponding to an external force, a first output unit that outputs first data based on a signal output from the force detection unit, and a second output unit that outputs second data based on the signal output from the force detection unit in a system different from the first output unit. The first data and the second data are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventors: Tsutomu Miyamoto, Toshiyuki Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11230009
    Abstract: A robot control method includes defining a robot monitor model that covers at least a part of the robot and defining a monitor region parallel to a coordinate system for the robot. The monitor region is configured to monitor a range of motion of the robot. The method further includes transforming a position of a definition point that is an arbitrary point contained in the robot monitor model into a position of the definition point in a coordinate system different from the coordinate system for the robot (ST9), determining whether or not the robot monitor model is put into contact with a boundary surface of the monitor region by using the transformed position of the definition point (ST6), and stopping motion of the robot if the robot monitor model is put into contact with the boundary surface (ST8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Kinugasa
  • Patent number: 11203112
    Abstract: A three-degree-of-freedom parallel mechanism, includes a fixed platform, a movable platform, and three kinematic chains, where at least one of the three kinematic chains is a flexible chain; and the flexible chain includes a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod, and an axis-variable revolute pair, the axis-variable revolute pair includes a fixed member, a movable member, and a spherical pair, one end of the fixed member is fastened on the fixed platform, the other end of the fixed member fits and abuts against an inclined surface of the movable member, the spherical pair is accommodated in the fixed member, a spherical hinge connecting rod of the spherical pair penetrates the movable member, the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the spherical hinge connecting rod and the second connecting rod, and the second connecting rod is spherically hinged to the movable platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN INSTITUTES OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Guoru Zhao, Yongfeng Wang
  • Patent number: 11037561
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for voice interaction control of a smart device, wherein the method comprises: monitoring and collecting in real time a voice signal emitted by a user of the smart device (S11); conducting voice recognition to the collected voice signal (S12); and according to a result of the voice recognition to the voice signal by the smart device, wakening a corresponding function of the smart device and judging whether to control the smart device to move, and if yes, acquiring a position of the user and controlling the smart device to move toward the user, to shorten a distance between the smart device and the user, and then recognizing a voice signal that the user again emits; and if not, directly according to the result of the voice recognition controlling the smart device to execute a corresponding operation (S13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Goertek Inc.
    Inventors: Honglong Ma, Chuan Chen, Cui Liu
  • Patent number: 10987808
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide a control solution for a robotic actuator. The actuator can have one or two degrees of freedom of control, and can connect with a platform using an arm. The arm can have at least two degrees of freedom of control, and the platform can have at least two degrees of freedom of control. The platform can be subjected to unpredictable forces requiring a control response. The control solution can be generated using operational space control, using the degrees of freedom of the arm, platform, and actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventor: Oussama Khatib
  • Patent number: 10967525
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing haptic guidance during manipulation of an end-effector includes a robotic arm. The robotic arm has at least one actuated joint, at least one other joint connected to the at least one actuated joint, and a physical constraint movable by actuation of the at least one actuated joint. The physical constraint limits the motion of the at least one other joint in at least one direction. The apparatus further includes an end-effector configured to be manipulated by an application of external forces and connected to the at least one other joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: MAKO Surgical Corp.
    Inventor: Hyosig Kang
  • Patent number: 10940586
    Abstract: In a method for correcting a target position, a three-dimensional matrix is formed by piling up, in a Z-direction at predetermined intervals, matrix planes each formed by continuously connecting, in X- and Y-directions, quadrangular areas that are parallel to an XY-plane and each have a reference point, and a target position of a work robot designated in an operation space of the three-dimensional matrix is corrected. In this method, a first block and a second block are set which are individually contiguous with the specific block, and the target position is corrected based on respective reference points in the upper area and the lower area of the specific block, the first block, and the second block and the measured deviation amount of the work robot from the reference points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideki Hosaka
  • Patent number: 10890900
    Abstract: One or more aspects of the present invention relate to a client device and a system for data acquisition and pre-processing of process-related mass data from at least one CNC machine or an industrial robot and for transmitting said process-related data to at least one data recipient, for continuously recording hard-realtime process-related data via at least one realtime data channel, and for recording non-realtime process-related data via at least one non-realtime data channel. The client device may further include at least one data processing unit for data-mapping at least the recorded non-realtime data to the recorded hard-realtime data to aggregate a contextualized set of process-related data. Moreover, the client device may further include at least one second data interface for transmitting the contextualized set of process-related data to the data recipient and for further data communication with the data recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: BIG DATA IN MANUFACTURING GMBH
    Inventors: Volker Kreidler, Knut Lagies
  • Patent number: 10836031
    Abstract: A plug-in adapter includes a thread designed to screw the plug-in adapter to an adjustment instrument, a plug-in device designed for detachably connecting the plug-in adapter to a counter plug-in device of an access opening on a robot for a reference position marking of the robot, and a stylus designed to couple a measuring tip of the adjustment instrument to the reference position marking. The plug-in device has a plug-in section that is designed for axially plugging of the plug-in section into the counter plug-in device of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Tscharnuter, Gernot Nitz, Gerhard Brändle
  • Patent number: 10821610
    Abstract: A method of determining a joint torque in a joint of an articulated industrial robot, the robot having a first arm and a second arm which are coupled to each other by the joint and which are movable relative to each other by an electric drive unit coupled to the first and second arm, includes: controlling the electric drive unit by an electronic control device; assigning a measuring device to the electric drive unit, the measuring device measuring an electric current supplied to the drive unit; determining an actual value of the torque which is applied to the second arm from the measured electric current; and comparing, using the electronic control device, the determined actual torque value with a predetermined desired torque value for the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Bjoern Matthias, Hao Ding, Roger Mellander, Tomas Groth
  • Patent number: 10780583
    Abstract: A robot control system includes: an interface configured to receive a user input; a controller configured to generate a motion command corresponding to the user input and a motion command group including the motion command, and generate hardware interpretable data by analyzing the motion command; and a driver configured to drive a motion of at least one hardware module based on the hardware interpretable data to be interpreted by the at least one hardware module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: HANWHA PRECISION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Hwan Kim, Byung Chan Jung
  • Patent number: 10751883
    Abstract: A supplementary metrology position coordinates determination system is provided for use with an articulated robot. A first accuracy level defined as a robot accuracy (e.g., for controlling and sensing an end tool position of an end tool that is coupled to a robot arm portion that moves in an XY plane), is based on using position sensors (e.g., rotary encoders) included in the robot. The supplementary system includes an imaging configuration, XY scale, image triggering portion and processing portion. One of the XY scale or imaging configuration is coupled to the robot arm portion and the other is coupled to a stationary element (e.g., a frame located above the robot). The imaging configuration acquires an image of the XY scale, which is utilized to determine a relative position that is indicative of the end tool position, with an accuracy level that is better than the robot accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Nahum
  • Patent number: 10730184
    Abstract: A control system (10) according to the present invention includes a robot arm (11) provided in a manner capable of moving in a given space, a motor (14) for operating the robot arm (11), a torque adjustment device (16) for operating in a manner capable of adjusting a transmitted torque that is transmitted from the motor (14) to the robot arm (11), and a control device (19) for performing operation control of the robot arm (11). The robot arm (11) is provided with a gravity-compensating mechanism (12) for cancelling an effect of gravity due to the robot arm (11), and the control device (19) commands adjustment of the transmitted torque at the torque adjustment device (16), without taking into account the effect of the gravity of the robot arm (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: WASEDA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Alexander Schmitz, Soumya Bhavaraju, Yoshihiro Sakamoto, Gonzaro Aguirre Dominguez, Ritsuki Sato, Wei Wang, Shigeki Sugano
  • Patent number: 10698384
    Abstract: In a robot system, a data amount of operation information (log) to be transferred or recorded is reduced, thereby enabling the operation information (log) to be transferred or recorded with a low load. The system has a control unit for controlling the operation of a robot of a robot device and transfers a log regarding the robot operation to a managing terminal. While making the robot operative, the control unit generates log data regarding the robot operation and stores into a short-term storage log recording unit (temporary storage device) (log data generating step). When log transfer timing comes, a part of the log data stored in the recording unit (temporary storage device) is extracted and transferred as a log to a log storage device in accordance with the robot operation (log transferring step).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10688665
    Abstract: A robot system is provided in which various kinds of articles can be treated only with a small number of articles registered in advance, and an unknown article can be further treated as long as the article has a shape close to that of the article registered in advance. A robot system is disclosed which includes: a mechanism unit that manipulates an article to be manipulated; a shape measurement unit that measures a shape of an object; a basic operation storage unit that stores basic operation representing basic operation of the mechanism unit; an operation method calculation unit that deforms the stored basic operation to calculate an operation method on the basis of the shape of the object measured by the shape measurement unit; and a control unit that executes a control of the mechanism unit on the basis of the operation method calculated by the operation method calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Fujimoto, Nobutaka Kimura, Kohsei Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10661438
    Abstract: A robotic system (“new robot”) operative for performing at least one task in an environment, the system comprising: learn-from-predecessor functionality governed by a data exchange protocol, which controls short-range wireless knowledge transfer from a short-range wireless transmitter in a predecessor robot system (“old robot”) to a short-range wireless receiver in said robotic system, said knowledge comprising at least one environment-specific datum previously stored by the predecessor robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: ANTS TECHNOLOGY (HK) LIMITED
    Inventors: Gal Perets, Ilya Blayvas, Ron Fridental, Pavel Nosko, Alex Rosen, Ophir Gvirtzer
  • Patent number: 10647002
    Abstract: An articulated arm system is disclosed that includes an articulated arm including an end effector, and a robotic arm control systems including at least one sensor for sensing at least one of the position, movement or acceleration of the articulated arm, and a main controller for providing computational control of the articulated arm, and an on-board controller for providing, responsive to the at least one sensor, a motion signal that directly controls at least a portion of the articulated arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Berkshire Grey, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Kevin Ahearn, Michael Dawson-Haggerty, Christopher Geyer, Thomas Koletschka, Kyle Maroney, Matthew T. Mason, Gene Temple Price, Joseph Romano, Daniel Smith, Siddhartha Srinivasa, Prasanna Velagapudi, Thomas Allen
  • Patent number: 10639788
    Abstract: A parallel link robot includes a base portion; a movable portion that is disposed below the base portion; a plurality of arms that link the base portion and the movable portion so as to be parallel to each other; and a wrist shaft that is supported by the movable portion so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis in a substantially vertical direction. A pair of marks indicate a relative phase between the movable portion and the wrist shaft about the rotation axis are on the movable portion and the wrist shaft, at positions visible from the upper side or the lateral side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventor: Yunfeng Wu
  • Patent number: 10644619
    Abstract: A disclosed motor control device includes: a PI controller which controls a velocity of a motor; an input unit which receives specification information including information of a weight and a center of mass of a tool; a calculation unit which calculates a gravitational torque based on the specification information; a storage which stores the gravitational torque output from the calculation unit and an integral value output from the PI controller, and outputs the gravitational torque and the integral value in response to a break signal; and a selection unit which sets, to the PI controller, the integral value output from the storage, according to a collision sensitivity input from the input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Nakata, Atsumi Hashimoto, Yasuyoshi Honuchi
  • Patent number: 10639799
    Abstract: A robot system includes: a robot that is movable according to an external force applied thereto by a worker; a force detecting unit that is provided in the robot and that detects the magnitude of an external force acting on the robot; a warning part that vibrates the robot when an external force having a magnitude equal to or greater than a first predetermined threshold is detected by the force detecting unit; and a stop part that stops the robot when an external force having a magnitude equal to or greater than a second predetermined threshold that is greater than the first predetermined threshold is detected by the force detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoki Katou, Tomoyuki Yamamoto, Takeaki Aramaki
  • Patent number: 10498267
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a drive signal of a drive circuit. A period of the drive signal is determined and an advance angle count value is extracted from a storage register in accordance with the period of the drive signal. The advance angle count value and a first control signal are used to determine an advance angle adjustment range, where the first control signal is from a source external to the drive circuit. The advance angle adjustment range and a second control signal are used to determine an advance angle adjustment range start angle, where the second control signal is from a source external to the drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10456917
    Abstract: A robot system, a robot controller and a robot control method, by which a coordinated control of a plurality of robots can be taught while appropriately considering a positional deviation of each robot into consideration. A gripping misalignment of a first workpiece in a leading robot is detected, and then a first amount of correction for correcting the misalignment is calculated. Further, a gripping misalignment of a second workpiece in a following robot is detected, and then a second amount of correction for correcting the misalignment is calculated. In the coordinated control, a taught position/orientation of the leading robot is corrected based on the first amount of correction, and a taught position/orientation of the following robot is corrected based on both the first mount of correction and the second amount of correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORARATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10345827
    Abstract: A motor control device may include a position command output means, a first subtraction means that calculates and outputs a position deviation, a position control means, a second subtraction means that calculates and outputs a position deviation, a speed control means that outputs a torque command, a limiter limits the level of the torque command, a motor drive means, and a voltage fluctuation detection means. When the voltage fluctuation detection means detects that the voltage of said power source has dropped below a predetermined reference level, either the position command output means varies the position command so as to reduce the rotational speed of the motor and/or said position control means limits said speed command to be output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Otsuji, Akihiro Ito, Hirokazu Watanabe, Hideyuki Odagiri
  • Patent number: 10207407
    Abstract: Example implementations relate to robotic operations libraries. An example library may include sets of operation instructions and other information for robotic devices to use to complete desired tasks. For instance, a respective set of operation instructions is determined based on successive simulations in which a virtual robotic device comprising an adjustable configuration initially based on the given configuration of a robotic device performs operations related to a task in an adjustable virtual environment until one or more simulations result in the virtual robotic device performing respective operations that complete the task at a success level that satisfies a predefined threshold. The library may provide a set of instructions for performing operations to a robotic device based on a query received from the robotic device that includes information indicative of a configuration and an environment of the robotic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: James Joseph Kuffner
  • Patent number: 10144135
    Abstract: A method of handling humanoid robot interaction with human is disclosed. The method allows systematically storing all events detected within a humanoid robot environment, and classifying as temporary stimuli. When the robot is set to analyze the events, a process allows selecting one preferred stimulus among the stored stimuli and depending on the current activity of the robot, one or more actions are generated for the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: SOFTBANK ROBOTICS EUROPE
    Inventors: Mathias Le Borgne, Bruno Maisonnier, Jérôme Monceaux, Taylor Veltrop, Thibault Hervier, Guillaume Jacob, Gwennaël Gate
  • Patent number: 10139041
    Abstract: The invention relates to a telescopic arm (1), in particular, for a current collector system for a vehicle which can be driven along a power rail arrangement, wherein the telescopic arm (1) can be extended and/or retracted by means of an adjustment drive (7, 8, 9, 10) and the telescopic arm (1) has a base unit (2) which can be attached to the vehicle, on which a first telescopic stage (3) is arranged displaceably in a direction (RT), in particular, horizontally, and a second telescopic stage (4) is arranged displaceably on the first telescopic stage (3) in the same direction (RT), wherein the adjustment drive (7, 8, 9, 10) is arranged on the first telescopic stage (3), characterized in that the adjustment drive (7, 8, 9, 10) interacts with a rigid chain (S), which is connected with its one end (Sa) to the base unit (2) and with its other end (Sb) to the second telescopic stage (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Paul Vahle GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Raabe, Werner Vahle, Thomas Muller, Steffen Woyczechowski, Michael Heitmann, Micro Husarek
  • Patent number: 10073043
    Abstract: A multi-axis positioning system that may be used in conjunction with an inspection system includes multiple position sensors corresponding to multiple axes in conjunction with multiple motors also corresponding to multiple axes to provide high accuracy, high load and extended travel for controllable movement of an object in up to 6 degrees of freedom. Some embodiments of the multi-axis positioning system may include an x-y stage assembly, a bottom plate assembly coupled to the x-y stage assembly, a top plate assembly coupled to the bottom plate assembly, and a chuck secured to the top plate assembly with multiple position sensors configured to measure displacement between the x-y stage assembly and top plate assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: NEWPORT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alain Jeanne, Stéphane Bailloux, Laurent Courtemanche
  • Patent number: 9979327
    Abstract: The system has a converter for converting an AC current into a DC current, an inverter for inverting the DC power supplied from the converter into an AC power, a servo control device for controlling a drive of a servo motor, and a resistance regenerating circuit for consuming a regenerative energy. The servo control device has a plurality of motor control portions for enabling a plurality of servo motors to be controlled and a plurality of control port portions corresponding to a plurality of motor control portions. At least one of the plurality of motor control portions is configured so that a power supply regenerating control function portion and a control function portion for the servo motor can be switched. The robot control system capable of suppressing the increase of the development cost and adding the power supply regenerating function can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Tagashira, Koji Muneto
  • Patent number: 9969085
    Abstract: A control device for a robot, includes a speed calculator that calculates the speed of at least one target point of the robot operating according to an operation program, on the basis of a speed command value written in the operation program; a limitation direction specifier that specifies a direction in which the speed of the at least one target point is limited; a speed limit component calculator that calculates, out of the speed of the at least one target point calculated by the speed calculator, a speed component in the direction specified by the limitation direction specifier; and a speed limiter that limits, only upon motion exceeding a prespecified speed limit, a motion speed of the robot such that the speed component calculated by the speed limit component calculator is equal to or less than the prespecified speed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Sugio
  • Patent number: 9921569
    Abstract: A field device commissioning system includes a commissioning tool configured to communicate with a repository and an input-output (IO) device, the IO device is configured to communicate with a field device. The commissioning tool includes a first processor configured to retrieve engineering data for the IO device or the field device from the repository, retrieve a first configuration parameter value for the IO device or the field device from the IO device, determine a second configuration parameter value for the IO device or the field device from the retrieved engineering data, the second configuration parameter corresponds to the first configuration parameter, determine if the first configuration parameter value is the same as the second configuration parameter value; and generate alert on a user interface with when the first configuration parameter value is not the same as the second configuration parameter value, wherein the IO device comprises a second processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Bobby Varghese Alexander, Senthilkumar Chockalingam
  • Patent number: 9904271
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for joining first and second members to create a joined piece using a robot with pre-inputted instruction data. The method includes operating the robot to hold the second member for joining to the first member and photographing the second member to obtain an image of the second member at the holding position; comparing the image to a reference image of a joining position of a reference second member joined to a reference first member; determining a deviation amount by which the holding position of the second member deviates from the joining position in the reference image; determining a correction amount for correcting the holding position of the second member is to be corrected in order to reduce the deviation amount of the holding position of the second member; correcting the holding position of the second member according to the correction amount, and then subsequently joining the first and second members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Hayata, Satoru Takizawa
  • Patent number: 9744678
    Abstract: Examples are provided that describe a motion based light display for a robotic arm. In one example, a robotic device comprising one or more components configured to be actuated for movement. The robotic device also includes one or more processors are configured to determine a motion per path metric of the one or more components based on a motion plan associated with the robotic device. The one or more processors are configured to determine one or more feedback characteristics based on the motion per path metric. The one or more feedback characteristics include information indicative of an effect of motion associated with the one or more components. The robotic device also includes an indicator coupled to the one or more components and configured to provide feedback about the one or more components based on the feedback characteristics indicative of the effect of motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
    Inventor: Aaron Edsinger
  • Patent number: 9748882
    Abstract: A motor controller configured to control different types of electronically commutated motors (ECMs) includes a range of different rotor orientation signal inputs to accommodate differences between ECM motor types. The motor controller includes a control unit that receives motor operation commands and controls operation of the ECM in accordance with the motor operation commands. The control unit receives and stores data designating ECM type and estimates rotor position based on the designated ECM type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Hugh Breheny, Shaun Steven Hayward, Kevin John Trenholme, Sean Garcen, William Joseph Sullivan
  • Patent number: 9703283
    Abstract: A first robot and at least one further second robot are provided to run through a plurality of positioning ranges during operation. A dynamic behavior and/or a load characteristic value of the robot in at least one first positioning range can be adapted to a dynamic behavior and/or a load characteristic value in at least one second positioning range of the robot and/or a dynamic behavior and/or a load characteristic value of the first robot in at least one first positioning range is adapted to a dynamic behavior and/or a load characteristic value of the second robot in at least one second positioning range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Durr Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Herre
  • Patent number: 9694456
    Abstract: The motor control system of the present invention includes a signal receiving unit for receiving a signal for operating a mechanical brake, a position monitoring unit for obtaining the history of the rotational position of the servo motor from the receipt of the signal to when the rotation of the servo motor stops using a position detector, a displacement amount calculation unit which calculates the rotational displacement of the servo motor from the receipt of the signal to when the rotation of the servo motor stops from the history, and an abnormality determining unit which determines that an abnormality exists in the mechanical brake when the calculated rotational displacement exceeds a predetermined first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Ikai, Tomoyuki Aizawa
  • Patent number: 9521768
    Abstract: Position indicator of the movements of bodies or elements of a tool machine, of the type comprising a numerator body (1), enclosed above and laterally in a carter (2) and below by a base (7), said body (1) providing a central bush (3) for the housing of a shaft, a position viewing screen (4), an electronic printed circuit (9) to which a magnetic ring (11) is connected, provided on said shaft and associated with a pair of reading sensors of the movement of said ring (11), a compartment (10) for the housing of a battery (6) powering said electronic printed circuit (9) and a frame (12) protecting the elements within said body (1), on the top of which an upturned-base bush (13) is kept in engagement, characterized in that there are provided means for the perfect sealing from dust and from temporary immersion in water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: ELESA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Alberto Bertani
  • Patent number: 9486918
    Abstract: Described is a system for a system for autonomous robotic manipulation. The system is configured to receiving a selected task from a task file library. The task is associated with causing a robot end effector to perform an action with a particular item, such as picking up an item. The selected task is transformed into a state machine. Thereafter, the system executes the state machine and, in doing so, causes the robot end effector to perform the selected task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Darren J. Earl, Derek W. Mitchell, Heiko Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9346162
    Abstract: A robot system includes a robot arm, one or more actuators that are provided in the robot arm to drive the robot arm, a sensor unit that detects an external force applied to at least one of the robot arm and the actuators, and a controller that controls an operation of each of the actuators and limits a torque instruction value for each of the actuators on the basis of a detection result of the sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yukio Hashiguchi, Shingo Ando, Takuya Fukuda, Takenori Oka, Shinji Murai, Takeomi Hidaka, Manabu Okahisa
  • Patent number: 9311608
    Abstract: A teaching system includes an image generating unit, a projecting unit, a work line generating unit, an arithmetic unit, and a job generating unit. The image generating unit generates a virtual image including a robot and a workpiece having a processed surface to be processed by the robot. The projecting unit generates a projection plane orthogonal to a normal direction of a desired point on the processed surface selected on the virtual image and projects the processed surface onto the projection plane. The work line generating unit generates a work line for the robot based on setting contents received via the projection plane. The arithmetic unit calculates a teaching value including the position and the posture of the robot at each point of the target points. The job generating unit generates a job program for operating the robot in an actual configuration based on the teaching value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventor: Koichi Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 9301722
    Abstract: In an example, a computer-implemented method receives one or more user inputs and captures a sound associated with a sound source via one or more capturing devices using sound source localization. The method then estimates one or more first posterior likelihoods of one or more positions of the sound source based on the one or more user inputs and a second posterior likelihood of a position of the sound source based on the sound. The method then estimates an overall posterior likelihood of an actual position of the sound source based on 1) the one or more first posterior likelihoods of the one or more positions of the sound source estimated based on the one or more user inputs and 2) the second posterior likelihood of the position of the sound source estimated based on the sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Inventor: Eric Martinson
  • Patent number: 9254569
    Abstract: In a trajectory control device (10) for an articulated robot, a first dynamic characteristic calculation unit (300) is provided with a high-frequency cutoff characteristic having a cutoff frequency which is lower than the natural oscillation frequency of the robot, performs filtering processing with respect to a joint-angle command value (?c), and outputs a processed joint-angle target value (?d). A second dynamic characteristic calculation unit (400) is provided with a high-frequency cutoff characteristic having a cutoff frequency which is lower than that of the first dynamic characteristic calculation unit (300), performs filtering processing with respect to the output from a coupling-torque compensation command value calculation unit (200), and outputs a processed coupling-torque compensation value (cd).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Nishida, Takashi Wada, Yoshihide Inoue, Shuichi Inada
  • Patent number: 9102054
    Abstract: Provided are a multi-joint robot arm, a manipulation force acquiring unit that acquires a manipulation force from a person, the manipulation force acquiring unit disposed on the multi-joint robot arm, an external force acquiring unit that acquires an external force to be applied to a gripped object, the external force acquiring unit disposed on the multi-joint robot arm, an impedance controller that performs impedance control on the multi-joint robot arm based on the manipulation force acquired by the manipulation force acquiring unit and a set impedance parameter, and an assist force correcting unit that corrects a force component vertical to the resistance force of an assist force generated by the impedance controller according to the resistance force generated by friction caused by contact between the gripped object and an external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasunao Okazaki
  • Patent number: 9089968
    Abstract: A single track legged vehicle having a body and at least three in-line legs aligned one behind the other is operated by controlling each in-line leg to develop a desired ballistic flight trajectory, by controlling foot force and torque during a first phase that produces thrust; controlling foot movement during a second phase that transitions from thrusting to flight, controlling in-line leg movement during a third phase characterized by flight; controlling foot positioning during a fourth phase characterized by a transition from flight to landing; and controlling foot force and torque during a fifth phase characterized by landing of the foot of the corresponding in-line leg. Each in-line leg is transitioned through the first phase, the second phase the third phase, the fourth phase and the fifth phase to propel and torque the body along three axes according to the desired ballistic flight trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Inventor: John R. Goulding
  • Patent number: 9048776
    Abstract: A motor drive system includes a power sub-assembly that comprises power electronic components and driver circuitry for controlling gate drive signals to the power electronic components. A control sub-assembly is removably mounted to the power sub-assembly and comprises control circuitry for implementing a motor control routine for control of an electric motor. In operation, all control signals originate in the control-subassembly, and are transmitted via mating connectors to the power sub-assembly for driving the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
  • Patent number: 9037292
    Abstract: A robot and a method of controlling the same are disclosed. The robot derives a maximum dynamic performance capability using a specification of an actuator of the robot. The control method includes forming a first bell-shaped velocity profile in response to a start time and an end time of a motion of the robot, calculating a value of an objective function having a limited condition according to the bell-shaped velocity profile, and driving a joint in response to a second bell-shaped velocity profile that minimizes the objective function having the limited condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bok Man Lim, Kyung Shik Roh, San Lim, Myung Hee Kim
  • Patent number: 9026247
    Abstract: The present technology is directed to motion and video capture for tracking and evaluating robotic surgery. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one tracking device coupled to a remote surgical tool. The tracking device is configured to use one or more sensors to sense one or more physical variables such as movement and electrical contact. In some embodiments, the data from multiple individual sensors is synchronized, received, and stored by a digital information system. The digital information system is configured to analyze the data to objectively assess surgical skill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Communication
    Inventors: Lee Woodruff White, Timothy Mariusz Kowalewski, Thomas S. Lendvay, Blake Hannaford