Abstract: A control processor in a robotic system treats optically sensed locations along the seam path ahead of the tool, which are classified in relation to elapsed distances and identified in 3-D coordinates and 3-axes tool orientation, to apply in real time and under feedforward a control signal representing the error between anticipated tool position and anticipated sensed location on the path. In the process, the anticipated sensed location is obtained by interpolation between actually sensed locations. A taught path is recovered from the robot. The control processor operation is also based on elapsed distances and related to actual tool position provided by the robot.

Abstract: A method for contactless profiling is performed while tilting an optic axis of a distance measuring probe (PB), which is capable of measuring a distance optically, by an angle .theta. from the vertical axis. When a point (P.sub.1) at which distance measurement is impossible is reached and measurement of distance the thus becomes impossible, the movement of the distance measuring probe (PB) is halted and the distance measuring probe is rotated to tilt the optical axis thereof from the vertical axis by the angle .theta. in the opposite direction, after which contactless profiling is resumed. Thereafter, when the points (P.sub.2, P.sub.3) at which distance measurement is impossible are reached, the distance measuring probe (PB) is made to perform the same operations so that contactless profiling may continue.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically inspecting the geometry of a surface in an environment which is subject to the presence of external light noise perturbations. A beam of monochromatic light having a predetermined wavelength and a structured light pattern is projected onto the surface to thereby scatter the structured light beam and produce a scattered light beam which is thereafter separated into first and second scattered beam portions. The first scattered beam portion is passed through a first optical filter having a narrow bandwidth and a central wavelength corresponding substantially to the wavelength of the projected light, thereby providing a first optical output signal representative of the surface geometry and of external light noise perturbation.

Abstract: A rough taught tentative seam track is refined using the electronic image of a matrix camera. The sensed image is rotated perpendicular to the tentative track. A horizontal row of pixels is processed with a filter to enhance the seam and reject other signals. Weighted voting of various features aids in selection of the proper seam image and its location. Offset is applied to the tentative track to provide a true track.

Abstract: An adaptive tracking vision and guidance system for use with robot systems includes a structured light vision system and an expert system based look ahead feature tracker. The adaptive tracking vision system may be used to track a feature on which the robot is to operate and to supply guidance information in real time to the robot or to an adaptive stage on the robot arm train. The vision system may be a structured light system capable of scanning a relatively large window, and a control computer. The feature tracker includes an expert system software package and interface packages for the robot controller, host computer, vision camera and operator console. The vision system does an initial search to locate a feature based on a priori knowledge of characteristics of the feature. Then the system tracks the feature by scanning ahead, adaptively planning future scans, predicting the feature path and choosing the data to be used to reduce processing time.

Abstract: A robot system in which a force (torque) exerted on an end effector disposed at an end of a robot to hold an object is sensed to achieve a positioning control. The robot system includes a unit to sense an inertial force exerted on the end effector and the sensed result is fed back so as to remove the influence of the inertia force, thereby effecting an accurate positioning control.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of creating NC data for machining the interior of an area. The method includes displaying, on a graphic display unit (106), contours (CNT1, CNT2) inputted in order to specify the area (AR.sub.M), recognizing the area (AR.sub.M), which is designated by a graphic cursor by manipulation of a tablet (108) and painting the interior of the area in a predetermined color, subsequently removing the paint in a linear area (AR.sub.1), having a width equivalent to a width of a tool, which connects a machining starting point (P.sub.S) and a machining end point (P.sub.E) designated by the graphic cursor, adopting the machining end point as the next machining starting point, thereafter inputting machining end points in succession, and creating NC data for machining the interior of the area (AR.sub.M) by traversing a finally designated machining starting point and machining end point while moving the tool linearly.

Abstract: In an optical pattern tracer which uses sample and hold circuits for signal processing filtering of the signal to reduce undershoot can be attained by manipulation of the sample and hold processing circuits. The present application varies the holding capacitor to produce a varied low pass filter effect.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system for strictly positioning along an axis an object such as a wafer of semi-conducting material during a process of constructing integrated circuits, wherein it comprises:means for controlling the drive means for causing the carriage to make a displacement of acquisition of which the amplitude is at least equal to the step of the second optical grating;a generator generating, during said displacement of acquisition, a periodic reference signal, of period equal to the step of said second grating;multiplication means for forming the product of said period reference signal and of the signal actually delivered by said photoelectric sensor;means for summing the signal formed by the succession of said products;calculating means for determining the possible offset existing between said optical gratings; andmeans controlling the drive means to bring said optical gratings into strict alignment.

Abstract: Curve following apparatus for providing digital output signals indicative of the mathematical shape and/or location of a curve comprising a scanning means having a large number of individual sensors unitarily grouped together into a two dimensional array so as to define a viewing window, a driving mechanism for holding and driving the scanning means, and processing means for developing and transforming vector components from the output signal of said scanning means and for controlling the position of said scanning means.

Abstract: A water jet trim head simulator has the same configuration and dimensions as a cutting or trim head nozzle on a water jet apparatus for trimming workpiece scrap. The simulator is used to guide a robot arm of the apparatus into various multi-axes trim head positions during a teaching mode of operation of the controller for the apparatus. The simulator includes mounting means for connection to the robot arm. The simulator further includes tracking means including a hollow body connected to a fiber optics bundle for directing light from a source to an objective lens for focusing a spot of light on a premarked trim path point on a master workpiece to establish one of a plurality of spatial points to be taught into the controller. The simulator further includes a feeler gauge for physically positioning the simulator with respect to the workpiece to assist the alignment of the light beam to its focused point on the workpiece.

Abstract: The invention relates to optoelectronic instrumentation engineering and, in particular, to cutting process control systems for CNC machine tools. A control system includes an optical transducer (2) mounted on a carriage (1) of a machine tool in the zone of movement of a cutting tool (8) and made up of a laser (10), and, mounted in the path of a beam (10') of said laser (10), a narrow-field slit diaphragm (12), a reference half plane (13) arranged in the plane of an axis (15) of rotation of a workpiece (9), a Fourier lens (19), and an electronic interface unit (3). The reference half plane (13) is located on the side opposite an apex (8') of a cutting wedge of the tool (8) in relation to the workpiece (9) so as to define an optically transparent slit (16) with the profile of a surface (17) of the workpiece (9).

Abstract: In an optical line tracer sudden changes of velocity can cause instability and vibration. Means are provided to limit acceleration or deceleration to a specific rate of change. Speed change signals are processed through a ramp circuit which converts the step function signal to a ramp function before application.

Abstract: An image processing system uses the digital expression of the video image of a light stripe derived optically from a seam to create a 1-D signal representative of a one-pixel wide line. The target coordinates for the tool operating on the seam is converted directly into 3-D tool position and orientation from the 1-D signal. Matching with models is effected in real time by comparing symbolic attributes of the graphs built up with the 1-D signal and with standard seams. From such matching is selected the operative corner, or target for the tool.

Abstract: A control processor in a robotic system treats optically sensed locations along the seam path ahead of the tool, which are classified in relation to elapsed distances and identified in 3-D coordinates and 3-axes tool orientation, to apply in real time and under feedforward a control signal representing the error between anticipated tool position and anticipated sensed location on the path. In the process, the anticipated sensed location is obtained by interpolation between acutally sensed locations. A taught path is recovered from the robot. The control processor operation is also based on elapsed distances and related to actual tool position provided by the robot.

Abstract: An industrial robot supports an operating member mounted on the robot hand for carrying out work or monitoring operation on an object. The robot has a sensor which controls the path of movement of the robot hand during the operation. The robot is provided with means which during the work operation investigates whether a quantity, sensed with the aid of the sensor, for example a sudden change in the direction of the path, fulfills a predetermined criterion and, in dependence thereon, interrupts the movement of the robot hand if the criterion is fulfilled.

Abstract: An optical system moving apparatus having first and second driving motors, transmitting screws coupled to the first and second driving motors, and a moving table on which an optical system is mounted and which is coupled through the transmitting screws to the first and second driving motors, wherein the moving table is driven by a combined output of the first and second driving motors.

Abstract: A numerical control apparatus comprising a display device capable of displaying not only the configuration of a workpiece to be machined and the machining paths of machining tools relative to the workpiece but also the movement of the workpiece as a machining path of relative movement of the machining tool with respect to a stationary workpiece. The machining path of the relative movement of the machining tool is obtained based on data representing the movement of the workpiece per se.

Abstract: A water jet trim head simulator has the same configuration and dimensions as a cutting or trim head nozzle on a water jet apparatus for trimming workpiece scrap. The simulator is used to guide a robot arm of the apparatus into various multi-axes trim head positions during a teaching mode of operation of the controller for the apparatus. The simulator includes mounting means for connection to the robot arm. The simulator further includes tracking means including a hollow body connected to a fiber optics bundle for directing light from a source to an objective lens for focusing a spot of light on a premarked trim path point on a master workpiece to establish one of a plurality of spatial points to be taught into the controller. The simulator further includes a feeler gauge for physically positioning the simulator with respect to the workpiece to assist the alignment of the light beam to its focused point on the workpiece.

Abstract: In a photoelectric apparatus for tracing a scanning head (8) along a pattern track (13), a constant arrangement (17) of tightly spaced light-sensitive elements (16) is provided in the scanning head forming together with an addressing device (25) scanning patterns (14) which can be sampled. On the arrangement of the light-sensitive elements, a section of a pattern plane for scanning including an essential transversal component of the scanning pattern is imaged. From illumination state signals of the sampled light-sensitive elements, control signals are generated by means of an evaluation device (28, 31, 32), controlling the tracing movement of the scanning head in two movement directions (4, 5) rectangularly oriented relative to each other.

Abstract: A method of cutting a contour in an image film according to the present invention includes a rough contour-selecting and recording step in which a rough contour of required portions in the image film are memorized in the form of coordinates X, Y; and error-detecting step for establishing a true contour from a concentration-difference of an image taken by a picture-taking element, which is controllably driven by memory output of the recorded rough contour, by determining the magnitude of a deviation between the true contour and the rough contour and the direction of the deviation; a step of correcting the record of the rough contour by the determined value and memorizing the true contour in another memory medium as a collection of new X, Y coordinates; and a step of cutting the film by a cutter controlled by output from the memory medium.

Abstract: Dual light beams directed onto adjacent surface elements defining a seam therebetween produce reflected light images which contact an electro-optic linear array sensor which in turn generates light spot position information for determining seam location via triangulation calculations.

Abstract: The welding position detecting apparatus incorporates a detecting portion including light emitter for emitting a light stripe onto a beveling surface of a work to be welded and a camera for receiving a reflected light from the beveling surface, a support member to which the detecting portion is mounted, which is disposed for rotation about an axis of the welding torch, and a motor for rotating the support member, whereby the detecting portion is rotated to a desired angular position about the axis of the welding torch.

Abstract: In an optical pattern follower, of the rotating scanning type, in which co-ordinated drive signals are produced by sampling two co-ordinate sinusoids, an adjustable kerf off-set is provided by selectably delaying the sampling pulse.

Abstract: A series of independent parallel pairs of light emitting and detecting diodes for a linear pixel array, which is laterally positioned over an edge-like discontinuity in a workpiece to be scanned, is disclosed. These independent pairs of light emitters and detectors sense along intersecting pairs of separate optical axes. A discontinuity, such as an edge in the sensed workpiece, reflects a detectable difference in the amount of light from that discontinuity in comparison to the amount of light that is reflected on either side of the discontinuity. A sequentially sychronized clamping and sampling circuit detects that difference as an electrical signal which is recovered by circuitry that exhibits an improved signal-to-noise capability for the system.

Abstract: In an X-Y addressable workpiece positioner the workpiece to be positioned, such as a semiconductive wafer to be aligned with a mask image, is coupled to move with a work stage moveable in X and Y direction and having a two-dimensional array of positioning indicia affixed thereto for movement therewith. An enlarged image of a portion of the positioning array is projected onto a relatively stationary sensor stage to derive an output determinative of the X and Y coordinates of the positioning array relative to the position of the sensor. The sensed X and Y coordinates of the positioning array are compared with the X and Y coordinates of a reference positioning address to derive an error output. The work stage is moved in response to the error output for causing the workpiece to be positioned to the reference address.

Abstract: A CRT or other screen display represents a preliminary trace during an EDM or other electrical machining operation upon which can be superimposed a trace representing the action position of the tool vis-a-vis the workpiece or which may be optically scanned so that deviations of the actual machining path from the visible trace can be detected and used for shutdown of the machine.

Abstract: A line following system comprising a matrix generating optical scanning device which produces a matrix representing a portion of a line being followed and a computer which locates points on said line from said matrixes and directs the optical scanning device to proceed along the line based on a course indicated by vectors between previously located points.

Abstract: In a circular scanning pattern tracing system, a dual scanning pattern is provided to detect pattern changes in advance of the system steering axis. Pattern detection pulses from both the scanning patterns are adjustable in length and the overlap of the pulses is used to determine whether the system should slow down.

Abstract: An electrically controlled pattern tracer selectively uses stored detected pattern information from a sensor differently depending upon the value of a selected entered kerf entered to control the tracing element to follow a pattern turn. The tracer also distinguishes one type of pattern turn from another and delays use of stored pattern information for control of the tracing element by different amounts depending upon the type of turn detected and the entered kerf.

Abstract: An edge detecting device in an optical measuring instrument for detecting a transmitted or a reflected light to directly or indirectly measure a dimension of an object to be measured is disclosed. The edge detecting device comprisesA sensor including two light receiving elements disposed coaxially with each other and the two light receiving elements so as to produce phase shift signals in response to a bright or a dark portion during the relative movement. Levels of sensor output signals appearing at sensor output terminals in response to outputs of the light receiving elements become equal in value to each other each time the bright or dark portion is generated during the relative movement.

Abstract: A pattern tracer with circuitry for electronically adjusting the lateral offset of the tracing element for kerf compensation, that produces a control signal based on a temporal relationship between a reference signal and a pattern detection signal associated with a preselected kerf compensation. The pattern is traced with the selected lateral offset in accordance with a control signal. The control signal is developed in response to both a line width compensation signal and a kerf compensation signal. A photometric detector is calibrated by electronically adding a compensation angle to a pattern detection angle to compensate for any physical misalignment of the detector.

Abstract: In a circular scanning pattern tracing system having a sample and hold circuit, the width of the sample pulse is made adjustable. This variable width is equivalent to a variable low pass filter in the system. The effective cut off frequency of the filter is made dependent on the system tangential tracing velocity.

Abstract: A device for determining and adjusting the position of a web, the device having two sensor units each with a respective light source element directed towards the web and a respective photoelectric sensor element responsive to reflected light, a control unit responsive to respective output signals of the two sensor units, and a device connected to the control unit and fed by an adjusting signal from the control unit for adjusting the position of the web, including reflectors disposed at a side of the web facing away from the sensor units and projecting beyond respective opposite edges of the web, one of the two elements of one of the sensor units being directed towards one of the opposite edges of the web and the other of the two elements of the one of the sensor units being directed to a reference surface, the other of the two elements of the other sensor unit being directed towards the other of the opposite edges of the web and the other of the two elements of the other sensor unit being also directed to a r

Abstract: The optical tracker of this invention is for tracking a boundary on an illuminated surface where the reflectivity of the surface changes at the boundary. In the preferred embodiment the optical tracker includes an optic foot which rides on the surface to be tracked. The optic foot comprises a housing with two channels for receiving a transmitter optical fiber and the receiver optical fiber. The two channels converge to form an opening in the housing which faces the surface to be tracked. Light supplied by the transmitter optical fiber illuminates the portion of the surface underneath the opening and the reflected light from such portion of the surface enters the receiver optical fiber which transmits the light to a detecting means for locating and tracking the boundary on the surface. In the preferred embodiment the receiver optical fiber is oriented substantially normal to the surface and the transmitter optical fiber substantially at 60 degrees thereto to reduce dynamic range.

Abstract: The optical properties of circular prisms, which are also known as axicons, are utilized in optical systems that generate one or more quiescent, steady in time, sharply focused circular and arc-shaped patterns of light. A laser beam incident on the circular prism is deviated by the prism effect and the emerging beam focused onto a target surface by a spherical lens or zoom lens; the radius of the circle is conveniently adjusted. Systems with stationary optics are described to efficiently form two concentric, uniform circles, or two offset circular or approximately circular arcs, from input beams derived from one or two lasers. These structured light patterns are used in tracking an edge or groove, for instance to locate the workpiece joint in robotic arc welding.

Abstract: A sensing and regulating apparatus for use with a tool such as a welding torch guided along a bevel, an oxygen cutting head, a chisel, a milling cutter, or a nibbling machine, comprises an optical apparatus projecting a light ray on a reference line where it delineates a spot which is diffused particularly toward a receiver consisting of elements sensitive to light. The spot of light falling on the receiver supplies two adjustment signals according to its position and its width. These signals are used to control elements carrying the optical apparatus so that the apparatus continually follows the reference line and so that it always remains at the same distance from the reference line. The movements of the optical apparatus control the associated working tool so that its path is equal, or homothetic, to that of the optical apparatus as a result of the reference line.

Abstract: The present invention applies to a circular scanning optical pattern tracer of the non-steering type. The scanner includes the normal circular scanning mirror and sensor and in addition a further circular scanning mirror and sensor to produce a scan of greater diameter than the normal scan. The signal from the second scan is used to indicate rapid changes of direction of the pattern by gating the produced signal through a gate produced from the normal scan.

Abstract: The optical tracker of this invention tracks a boundary on the surface where the light reflectivity of the surface changes at the boundary. The optical tracker includes a sensing means for sensing light reflected from an elongated portion of the surface defining a window. When the sensing means is moved over the surface it will receive consecutively light reflected from a sequence of windows that ir passes over and generates a set of electrical signals indicative of the intensity of light reflected from locations along the length of the window. A microprocessor control means derives from the signals provided by the sensing means secondary sets of signals useful for serving as a template and for finding the boundary when the window includes a selected portion of the boundary. The microprocessor control means can be activated to record a secondary set of signals as a template.

Abstract: An adaptive welding apparatus has an optical sensing system for detecting the cross sectional configuration of a weld groove by linearly scanning a monochromatic light source across the groove while viewing the reflected light with a raster scan type TV camera. A microprocessor receives signals from the camera, computes the weld groove cross sectional configuration, and calculates the area of the cross section. The angular deviation of the scan path is estimated and corrective calculations are made to compensate for the erroneously large computed area caused by the scan path being skewed from perpendicular to the weld groove. The microprocessor controls at least one of the wire feed speed, travel speed, and voltage to effect proper weld groove fill characteristics in response to the calculated area.

Abstract: Apparatus to control the automatic placing of material along a junction between surfaces with reference to the form and position of the junction including a tool controllably movable to deposit material progressively along the junction in response to a control signal, an imager linked to the movement of the tool to produce an image of the surfaces and junction, a system to extract from the image that portion unambiguously defining the junction form and position, an arrangement responsive to this image portion to derive the control signal to control the tool to move in a required manner along the junction to deposit material.

Abstract: A feedpath deviation preventive NC path-controlled machining system in which a plotting unit is used, in a preliminary operation in advance of a machining operation, to produce on a record medium a continuous plot equivalent to a programmed machining feed path to be followed by relative displacement between the tool member and the workpiece during the machining operation. In the latter, a sensing head is disposed in sensing relationship with the plotted record medium for relative displacement to the latter jointly with the relative displacement between the tool member and the workpiece. The sensing head continues to trace the continuous plot as long as the actual machining relative displacement proceeds along the programmed machining path to produce an OK signal.

Abstract: X-Y position measurement apparatus is employed with feedback controlled X-Y positioning apparatus for positioning a workpiece stage at a desired X-Y coordinate position in response to signals indicative of the actual position and the desired position of the workpiece stage. A normalization circuit is employed for gain correction of the signals indicative of the actual position of the workpiece stage.

Abstract: A mask feed method and apparatus for deeding and setting with a high degree of positional accuracy a circuit pattern printing mask in a proximity exposure replicate system for printing integrated circuit patterns on a semiconductor wafer. Arranged on the same stage but separated from a wafer chuck is a mask station on which a mask is set a position different from the exposure position and fed to a mask holder at the exposure position for mask feeding purposes. The mask station is provided with its own displacing means for aligning purposes.Thus, the required movements for mask feeding and alignment purposes are effected by a wafer transfer mechanism.

Abstract: An imaging sensing system (10) has a laser light source (12). Steering mirrors (16), (18) and (22) are used with scanning mirror (20) to produce scanning of beam (24) in a line (26) across a workpiece (28). Beam (36) is reflected from the workpiece (28) and directed to a linear photodiode array (38) by the scanning mirror (20). The scanning mirror (20) is connected to a galvanometer (40) to move the beams (24) and (36), both for scanning the workpiece (28) and for supplying the scanned image in sequential fashion to individual linear diodes (42) in the array (38).

Abstract: An image processing welding control method comprises detection of isothermal pattern of a weld zone in the welding state through photographing the weld zone by an infrared camera; calculation of the area of the region defined by the isothermal line detected; comparison of the area with a standard area which is obtained in advance; control of welding heat input such that the area will be substantially the same as the standard area whereby a suitable welding heat is input the welding portion; detection of an asymmetric extent of said isothermal pattern; and controlling the torch position such that the asymmetric extent will be within a predetermined value, so that the torch will be strictly aligned with the welding groove center. This method enables two kinds of welding control methods, torch position control and welding heat input control, based on the same image information.

Abstract: Apparatus to control the automatic placing of material along a junction between surfaces with reference to the form and position of the junction including means controllably movable to deposit material progressively along the junction in response to a control signal, means linked to the movement of the means to deposit material to produce an image of the surfaces and junction, filter means to remove from the image information resulting from illumination at other than a specific wavelength with a tapped delay line to provide a specific impulse response, means to extract from the image that portion unambiguously defining the junction form and position, means responsive to said image portion to derive said control signal to control the means to deposit material to move in a required manner along said junction to deposit material.

Abstract: The positioning system of an industrial robot having a vision sensor and structured light pattern projector, such as a welding robot, is centered and vectored along a joint to be tracked. Navigation information derived from the scene is used to compute move microvectors; the next move vector is extracted and computed while the current move vector is executed. To track 90.degree. corners and small radius turns, the parallelism between two lines formed by the intersection of concentric circular arc light stripes and the joint edges is determined. When the parallelism is out of limits the previously calculated microvector is used until parallelism is re-established.

Abstract: A pattern tracer and method of tracing in which the movement of a racing element along a pattern is controlled in accordance with an effective forward offset which is selectively less than the actual forward offset to optimize the tracing for speeds less than the maximum tracer speed. The effective forward offset is established by providing control angles which are based on the pattern angles as detected in accordance with a selected criterion depending upon the type of pattern curve detected. The control angles are either calculated from the detected pattern angles or are selected from previously stored pattern angles. A kerf setting for lateral offset of the tracing element from the pattern is partially defined by the actual forward offset, so that changes in the effective forward offset do not cause any corresponding changes to the lateral offset or require changes to the kerf setting.

Abstract: A device for automatically controlling the movement of a welding torch (10) while welding an elongated joint (18). A charge injection television camera (30) is carried on a movable support (20) and includes a matrix of individual light sensing video elements (pixels, 32) which generate voltages responsive to light reflected off of the joint (18) and surrounding areas of the workpiece (12). The voltages produced by the pixels (32) are converted to digital words which are fed to a microprocessor (54) for generating an error signal. This error signal is fed to a digital motor (26) which is used to drive a movable support (20) upon which the television camera (30) is carried.