Plural Processors Patents (Class 700/249)
  • Patent number: 11919164
    Abstract: A robot system (1) includes the robot (10), a motion sensor (11), a surrounding environment sensor (12, 13), an operation apparatus (21), a learning control section (41), and a relay apparatus (30). The robot (10) performs work based on an operation command. The operation apparatus (21) detects and outputs an operator-operating force applied by the operator. The learning control section (41) outputs a calculation operating force. The relay apparatus (30) outputs the operation command based on the operator-operating force and the calculation operating force. The learning control section (41) estimates and outputs the calculation operating force by using a model constructed by performing the machine learning of the operator-operating force, the surrounding environment data, the operation data, and the operation command based on the operation data and the surrounding environment data outputted by the sensors (11 to 13), and the operation command outputted by the relay apparatus (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hasunuma, Jun Fujimori, Hiroki Kinoshita, Takeshi Yamamoto, Hiroki Takahashi, Kazuki Kurashima
  • Patent number: 11789426
    Abstract: A motor control angle sensor includes a sensor that outputs a signal according to driving of a motor, an arithmetic processing unit, a motion history temporary memory unit, and a motion history storage unit, wherein the arithmetic processing unit generates position information data containing a position of the motor acquired based on the signal output from the sensor and a time when the position is acquired, repeats processing of storing the generated position information data in the motion history temporary memory unit, and, when an abnormality is sensed or a signal reporting an abnormality is received from an external apparatus, stores the position information data stored in the motion history temporary memory unit in the motion history storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventor: Ryosuke Imai
  • Patent number: 11623343
    Abstract: The controller includes a program storage that stores programs specifying a plurality of operations associated with at least one operable unit; a program executor that executes the programs; an operation executor that causes the operable unit to operate according to the programs; and an operable unit manager that manages control of the programs. When a program is called from one of the programs, the operable unit manager obtains control of a group associated with the operable unit and specified in the called program, and releases control of a group other than the group associated with the operable unit and specified in the called program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masafumi Ooba
  • Patent number: 11449068
    Abstract: A mobile work machine includes an operator compartment having an operator interface mechanism configured to receive operator input, a control system configured to generate a control signal to control the mobile work machine in an unmanned operation mode, a machine state detection system configured to detect a machine state of the mobile work machine in the unmanned operation mode, and a visualization system configured to control a visual indicator mechanism in the operator compartment to generate a visual indication of the detected machine state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Mario L. Donini, Troy K. Maddox, Joshua D. Hoffman, Margaux M. Ascherl
  • Patent number: 11426874
    Abstract: Methods and systems for insertion mounting workpieces are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes acquiring a position of the second fitting part of the receiving component, moving the first fitting part of the workpiece towards the second fitting part of the receiving component until the workpiece is in contact with the receiving component, and rotating the workpiece while pressing the workpiece towards the receiving component. The implementation of the present disclosure may be applied for various types of workpieces and receiving components and may overcome minor deviations of positions between the workpiece and the receiving component during the insertion operation, thereby improving the efficiency of the insertion operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: FLEXIV LTD.
    Inventors: Shuyun Chung, Shiquan Wang
  • Patent number: 11345045
    Abstract: A robot has a base, a first arm provided at the base and pivoting about a first axis relative to the base, a second arm provided at the first arm and pivoting about a second axis parallel to the first axis relative to the first arm, an inertial sensor provided in the second arm and detecting one or both of an angular velocity about an angular velocity detection axis orthogonal to an axial direction of the second axis and an acceleration in the second axis direction, a pipe located outside of the first arm and coupling the base and the second arm, and a wire placed through the pipe and electrically coupled to the inertial sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventors: Shingo Hoshino, Masaki Motoyoshi
  • Patent number: 11203119
    Abstract: A method and robot for inserting an object into an object-receiving area using an actuator-driven robot manipulator of a robot, wherein the robot manipulator has an effector at its distal end, designed to receive and/or grip the object, and wherein an inserting trajectory T is defined for the object-receiving area and the object to be inserted, and a target orientation Osoll({right arrow over (R)}T) of the object to be inserted is defined along the inserting trajectory T for locations {right arrow over (R)}T of the inserting trajectory T including the following operations: receiving/gripping the object using the effector, moving the object using the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory {right arrow over (T)} into the object-receiving area while continuously performing predetermined tilting motions of the object that are closed and cyclical motions relative to the target orientation Osoll({right arrow over (R)}T) via a force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated control of the robot manipulator unti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Franka Emika GmbH
    Inventor: Sami Haddadin
  • Patent number: 11126154
    Abstract: A control device adapted to control a robot including a robot arm provided with a force detector includes a processor that is configured to execute computer-executable instructions so as to control the robot, wherein the processor is configured to: operate the robot arm to move a screw gauge which is disposed on a tip side of the force detector of the robot arm, used for an inspection of a screw hole, and provided with an external thread, to make the external thread have contact with the screw hole; then detect force applied to the screw gauge using the force detector to perform force control in a direction perpendicular to a direction of an axis of the screw hole based on detection information of the force detector; and operate the robot arm to move the screw gauge based on the force control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventors: Junya Ueda, Yuji Shimada
  • Patent number: 11045954
    Abstract: A plurality of robots each has a plurality of control modes including an automatic mode, a manual mode, and a corrected automatic mode in which the robot operates based on a task program while being sequentially corrected by the operator's manipulation. A first robot performs a first work to a work target in one of the corrected automatic mode and the manual mode, location data of the work target in a robot coordinate system of the first robot is acquired. Based on the location data of the work target in the robot coordinate system of the first robot and a relative relation between the robot coordinate system of the first robot and the robot coordinate system of the second robot, location data of the work target in a robot coordinate system of a second robot is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Saito, Yasunori Oyama, Akihiro Tokumoto
  • Patent number: 11029681
    Abstract: A semi-autonomous work machine having an operator compartment with a user-input interface; a machine CAN bus configured to receive a local user-input signal from the user-input interface; a controllable subsystem communicatively coupled to the machine CAN bus; a gateway interface controller configured to receive a remote user-input signal from a remote controller remotely located from the work machine, the gateway interface controller further configured to generate a CAN signal based on the remote user-input signal to command and actuate the controllable subsystem using the machine CAN bus, wherein the local user-input signal overrides the remote user-input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: David J Rulseh, Jeffery R Kreiling
  • Patent number: 10864627
    Abstract: Embodiments of a method and system for sharing toy robot programs enabling toy robots to interact with physical surroundings can include receiving a robot program; automatically processing a token for the robot program; and processing a program request for the robot program based on the token. The embodiments can additionally or alternatively include controlling a toy robot based on a robot program; recommending a robot program; publishing a robot program; processing modifications of robot programs S160; and/or any other suitable functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Wonder Workshop, Inc.
    Inventors: Saurabh Gupta, Vikas Gupta, Kevin Liang
  • Patent number: 10635076
    Abstract: An automated manufacturing system includes two simultaneous and independently operating toolheads accessing any location within the same work volume, with the exception of locations in proximity to each other. The system includes a bed platform connected with X and Y linear axes. A ? rotational axis rotates the bed and its linear axes as a unit. A first toolhead has a fixed position relative to the ? axis, and a second toolhead is coupled with a linear R axis parallel to the bed. The bed X and Y axes move the bed relative to the first toolhead, enabling the first toolhead to reach any portion of the bed. The R linear axis and ? rotational axis allow the second toolhead to move almost anywhere in a circular area that is always centered near the first toolhead. The system's kinematics ensure that it is impossible for the toolheads to collide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Inventor: Jonathan Worthy Hollander
  • Patent number: 10377043
    Abstract: A robot control apparatus includes a robot control part that controls a robot; and a force detection information acquisition part that acquires force detection information from a force detection unit. The robot control part, in which a range of control values for operating a robot by force control based on the force detection information is designated, operates the robot based on the control values and the designated range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kaoru Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10365635
    Abstract: A production module for implementing a production function on a product, wherein the production module is configured couple to a second production module which is configured implement a second production function on the product, where self-description information relating to properties of the production module is stored on a storage device of the production module, and the second production module comprises second self-description information relating to properties of the second production module, where the production module is further configured to transmit the self-description information to the second production module and to receive second self-description information from the second production module, and where port information relating to the coupling process with the second production module is stored on the storage device, or the production module is configured to store port information relating to the coupling process with the second production module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Vladimir Zahorcak
  • Patent number: 10345819
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a recharging robot system. The recharging robot system may include a signal emission device including at least one signal emission channel. The at least one signal emission channel each comprises an opening. A distance between two central axes of any two adjacent signal emission channels is gradually increased along a direction facing away the signal emitters. As such, an overlapping area of signal ranges of the at least two signal emitters may be reduced, and the robot may accurately determine which signal range that the robot is within, so as to accurately align with the recharging dock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP.
    Inventors: Youjun Xiong, Libing Zhou, Jibang Cui, Gaobo Huang
  • Patent number: 9802125
    Abstract: A first user of a first device may interact with a character presented on the first device where the character presented on the first device is guided by a second user of a second device. To begin a communications session, the first user may request to communicate with the character. A server may process the request to speak with the character and identify the second user from a plurality of guiding users, where the second user is identified by comparing profile information of the first user with profile information of the second user. The server may then send a request to the second device of the second user to guide the character presented by the first device. The first user may then communicate with the character with the guidance of the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: The Affinity Project, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Steven Suskind, Stuart R. Patterson, John Nguyen, Mark Alan Fanty, Stephen R. Springer, Erik Martin Gregory
  • Patent number: 9478147
    Abstract: Methods and systems for interpersonal coordination analysis and training are provided. In an example embodiment of a method for interpersonal coordination analysis and training, at least one physical action is selected to be performed. A leader subject is instructed to perform the at least one physical action in the presence of at least one follower subject. The at least one physical action of the leader subject is tracked. The at least one follower subject is instructed to mimic the at least one physical action of the leader subject. The at least one physical action of the at least one follower subject is tracked. Tracking data obtained from the tracking of the leader subject and the at least one follower subject is analyzed. From the analyzing of the tracking data, a responsiveness of the at least one follower subject to mimic the leader subject can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: The University of Connecticut
    Inventors: Timothy Gifford, Anjana Bhat, James Dixon, Kerry Marsh
  • Patent number: 9286807
    Abstract: A collision avoidance system including a receiver configured to receive navigational data regarding intruding aerial vehicle and own aircraft. Storage is configured to store a plurality of predefined escape trajectories. A processor is configured to compare at least a subset of the predefined escape trajectories with a presumed trajectory of the intruding aerial vehicle and to select one of the predefined escape trajectories based on the comparison. The predefined escape trajectories are pre-simulated, wherein each escape trajectory is associated to a set of navigational data and to an escape maneuver direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: SAAB AB
    Inventor: Bengt-Göran Sundqvist
  • Patent number: 9242402
    Abstract: An injection molding machine includes a machine base supporting a first platen and at least a second platen for supporting respective mold sections, and a part handling apparatus for manipulating parts associated with molded part production. The part handling apparatus includes an upright supporting an end-of-arm tooling and an adjustable mount adjustably coupling the upright to the machine base. The adjustable mount includes at least a first linear rail extending parallel to the machine axis and structurally integrated with, and fixed relative to, the machine base at an elevation below an uppermost extent of the platens. The adjustable mount further includes a carriage fixed to the upright, the carriage adjustably coupled to the first rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: ATHENA AUTOMATION LTD.
    Inventors: Robert D. Schad, Carsten Link, Yanghuan Chen
  • Patent number: 9195233
    Abstract: The present invention provides a general purpose operating system that shows particular usefulness in the robotics and automation fields. The operating system provides individual services and the combination and interconnections of such services using built-in service extensions, built-in completely configurable generic services, and a way to plug in additional service extensions to yield a comprehensive and cohesive framework for developing, configuring, assembling, constructing, deploying, and managing robotics and/or automation applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: PERRONE ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventor: Paul J. Perrone
  • Patent number: 9183463
    Abstract: A sensor system for arrangement in a vehicle includes a plurality of sensor elements, a satellite navigation system, and a signal processing device. The signal processing device calculates and/or uses a first group of data of physical variables, whose values relate to a vehicle coordinate system, and calculates and/or uses a second group of data of physical variables, whose values relate to a world coordinate system, for describing the orientation and/or dynamic variables of the vehicle in the world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL TEVES AG & CO., OHG
    Inventor: Nico Steinhardt
  • Patent number: 9140568
    Abstract: A navigation system integrated into a materials transport vehicle for use by an operator, the system including a plurality of display devices each having a screen; a location determining component operable to determine the current location of the materials transport vehicle; a memory operable to store one or more modules, the memory including vehicle operator transport preferences comprising time periods available for operating the materials transport vehicle and materials transport requirements comprising a materials transport destination; and a processor operable to execute the one or more modules to determine a transport schedule for use by the materials transport vehicle operator, the transport schedule based on the materials transport requirements and the vehicle operator transport preferences, determine a transport route from the current location to the materials transport destination using the transport schedule, and present the transport route on one of the display devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Stephen P. Waite, James E. Brockman, Marcus A. Moilanen, James P. Ross, Brian G. Schoenfish, David S. Wilson
  • Patent number: 9114537
    Abstract: Devices and methods for providing power to tools when the tools are not attached to a robotic device. The power source may be an energy storage device that is attached to a tool frame of a tool cluster. The power provides for the tools to be maintained in a ready state which expedites and/or eliminates the initiation process when the tools and the tool cluster are subsequently reattached to the robotic device. This reduces the time necessary for the tools to be used in the assembly process thereby increasing the efficiency of the tooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Apex Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: David Wise, Manfred Kogel, Klaus Wohlfarth, Peter Wiedenhöfer, Ulrich Kaminski, Martin Douglas Rola
  • Patent number: 9104207
    Abstract: A walking robot and a control method thereof. The control method of the walking robot which walks using two legs includes applying first virtual gravity torque including a vector component in the anti-gravity direction to respective joints of a support leg from among the two legs during walking, and applying second virtual gravity torque including a vector component in the gravity direction to respective joints of a swing leg from among the two legs during walking. Thereby, the walking robot implements a natural walking motion having a low energy consumption rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo Hyung Kim, Kee Hong Seo, Kyung Shik Roh, Jae Ho Park
  • Patent number: 9063539
    Abstract: In a method and a device for entering control commands into a controller of a manipulator, such as a robot, a first force or movement or sequence of forces or movements is detected, and the detected force, movement or sequence is electronically compared with stored forces, movements or sequences, respectively. Each of the stored forces or movements or sequences has a control command associated therewith. Upon the comparison indicating a coincidence between the detected force or movement or sequence with one of the stored forces or movements or sequences, the control command associated with that one of the stored forces, stored movements or stored sequences is automatically supplied as an input to the controller for operating the manipulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Kuka Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Schreiber, Uwe Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 9043023
    Abstract: A robot system, including an arm capable of controlling a position and orientation of an arm tip portion, a hand, which is attached to the arm tip portion and which includes a grasping mechanism configured to grasp an operation target, capable of controlling a relative position and orientation from the arm tip portion of the grasped operation target, and a position and orientation measurement apparatus configured to perform relative position and orientation measurement from the arm tip portion of the grasped operation target, wherein measurement of the relative position and orientation from the arm tip portion of the operation target is performed after the operation target is grasped by the grasping mechanism, while the arm tip portion is still moving, and correction of the relative position and orientation from the arm tip portion of the hand is performed based on a result of the position and orientation measurement so that the arm tip portion takes a predetermined relative position and orientation from the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideo Noro
  • Publication number: 20150127147
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot arm, a drive unit that drives the robot arm, a first control unit that controls drive of the drive unit, a plurality of detection units at least one of which is an angular velocity sensor as an inertial sensor, and a wiring unit that series-connects the plurality of detection units and the first control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Takema YAMAZAKI, Izumi IIDA, Munenori SAWADA, Daisuke SATO, Isamu SEJIMO, Shigenori SASAI
  • Patent number: 9002514
    Abstract: Methods and systems for positioning wafers using a dual side-by-side end effector robot are provided. The methods involve performing place moves using dual side-by-side end effector robots with active wafer position correction. According to various embodiments, the methods may be used for placement into a process module, loadlock or other destination by a dual wafer transfer robot. The methods provide nearly double the throughput of a single wafer transfer schemes by transferring two wafers with the same number of moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Damon Genetti, Shawn Hamilton, Rich Blank, Sheldon Templeton
  • Patent number: 9002515
    Abstract: The present embodiments relate to a monitoring system for a medical device, wherein the medical device comprises a robot and an image recording part which can be moved by the robot. Provision is made for a radiation source which is attached to the medical device, and for a radiation receiver which is situated remotely from the medical device and is for receiving radiation that is emitted from the radiation source. A comparison entity compares the point of impact of radiation on the radiation receiver with one or more predetermined points of impact of radiation on the radiation receiver. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for monitoring a medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Oliver Hornung, Donal Medlar
  • Patent number: 8972053
    Abstract: Robotic payloads are abstracted to provide a plug-and-play system in which mission specific capabilities are easily configured on a wide variety of robotic platforms. A robotic payload architecture is presented in which robotic functionalities are bifurcated into intrinsic capabilities, managed by a core module, and mission specific capabilities, addressed by mission payload module(s). By doing so the core modules manages a particular robotic platform's intrinsic functionalities while mission specific tasks are left to mission payloads. A mission specific robotic configuration can be compiled by adding multiple mission payload modules to the same platform managed by the same core module. In each case the mission payload module communicates with the core module for information about the platform on which it is being associated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: 5D Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Bruemmer, Curtis W. Nielsen, Benjamin C. Hardin, Jonathan M. Whetten
  • Publication number: 20150012132
    Abstract: A method includes receiving first sensor data acquired by a first sensor in communication with a cloud computing system. The first sensor data has a first set of associated attributes including a time and a location at which the first sensor data was acquired. The method also includes receiving second sensor data acquired by a second sensor in communication with the cloud computing system. The second data has a second set of associated attributes including a time and a location at which the second sensor data was acquire. Further, the method includes generating a data processing result based at least in part on the first sensor data, the first set of associated attributes, the second sensor data, and the second set of associated attributes and instructing a robot in communication with the cloud computing system to perform a task based at least in part on the data processing result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Anthony G. Francis, Jr., Ryan Hickman, Arshan Poursohi
  • Patent number: 8918216
    Abstract: A robot system includes a robot, a robot controller, and a portable remote operating device. The portable remote operating device includes a display unit, an acquiring unit, and a display switching unit, and is connected to the robot controller. The acquiring unit acquires a reception/transmission process and a customized screen, which are created by a user. The display switching unit switches between the customized screen and a previously-prepared standard screen at a predetermined time during the operation of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Yumie Kubota, Seishiro Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 8886390
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for managing and prioritizing for action fleets of mobile robots deployed at various locations. The system/method includes a plurality of homebase servers, each corresponding to a different location, with each of the homebase servers receiving operational parameter data (representing operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robot) from a plurality of mobile robots operating at the particular location where the homebase server is deployed. A central server receives the operational parameter data from the plurality of homebase servers. The central server included a data analysis module for processing the operational parameter data and prioritizing the mobile robots operating at the various locations for action by support staff. A list is generated ranking the mobile robots in order of importance for action by support staff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Aethon, Inc.
    Inventors: David G. Wolfe, George F. Lucas, Mark Swaney
  • Patent number: 8886357
    Abstract: It is possible to perform robot motor learning in a quick and stable manner using a reinforcement learning apparatus including: a first-type environment parameter obtaining unit that obtains a value of one or more first-type environment parameters; a control parameter value calculation unit that calculates a value of one or more control parameters maximizing a reward by using the value of the one or more first-type environment parameters; a control parameter value output unit that outputs the value of the one or more control parameters to the control object; a second-type environment parameter obtaining unit that obtains a value of one or more second-type environment parameters; a virtual external force calculation unit that calculates the virtual external force by using the value of the one or more second-type environment parameters; and a virtual external force output unit that outputs the virtual external force to the control object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norikazu Sugimoto, Yugo Ueda, Tadaaki Hasegawa, Soshi Iba, Koji Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 8874261
    Abstract: A method and a system for operating a mobile robot comprise a range finder for collecting range data of one or more objects in an environment around the robot. A discriminator identifies uniquely identifiable ones of the objects as navigation landmarks. A data storage device stores a reference map of the navigation landmarks based on the collected range data. A data processor establishes a list or sequence of way points for the robot to visit. Each way point is defined with reference to one or more landmarks. A reader reads an optical message at or near one or more way points. A task manager manages a task based on the read optical message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Thomas Kent Hein, Karl-Heinz O. Mertins, Daniel W. Mairet
  • Publication number: 20140316565
    Abstract: A numerical controller includes a numerical control unit for executing a numerical control program, a robot control unit for executing a robot program, a multicore processor having a plurality of cores, and a peripheral control LSI. The numerical control unit is assigned to one of the cores of the multicore processor and the robot control unit is assigned to one of the others. The multicore processor is connected to an internal bus of the numerical controller via the peripheral control LSI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: FANUC Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari AOYAMA
  • Patent number: 8868234
    Abstract: A communication system for communicating over high-latency, low bandwidth networks includes a communications processor configured to receive a collection of data from a local system, and a transceiver in communication with the communications processor. The transceiver is configured to transmit and receive data over a network according to a plurality of communication parameters. The communications processor is configured to divide the collection of data into a plurality of data streams; assign a priority level to each of the respective data streams, where the priority level reflects the criticality of the respective data stream; and modify a communication parameter of at least one of the plurality of data streams according to the priority of the at least one data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Adam M. Sanders, Philip A. Strawser
  • Patent number: 8855812
    Abstract: A system and method for developing an intrusion detection zone substantially surrounding mobile components of a robot, training a model of the robot to accept selected intrusions into the intrusion detection zone, and, during application operations, triggering an application interrupt upon detecting an unexpected intrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Chetan Kapoor
    Inventor: Chetan Kapoor
  • Patent number: 8849452
    Abstract: A control system or the like capable of causing a controlled object to act in an appropriate form in view of an action purpose of the controlled object to a disturbance in an arbitrary form. Each of a plurality of modules modi, which are hierarchically organized according to the level of a frequency band, searches for action candidates which are candidates for an action form of a robot R matching with a main purpose and a sub-purpose while giving priority to a main purpose mainly under the charge of the module over a sub-purpose mainly under the charge of any other module. The actions of the robot R is controlled in a form in which the action candidates of the robot R searched for by a j-th module of a high frequency are reflected in preference to the action candidates of the robot R searched for by a (j+1)th module of a low frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Takeda, Mitsuhide Kuroda, Shigeru Kanzaki, Takahide Yoshiike, Takumi Kamioka
  • Patent number: 8843234
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling motion interference avoidance for a plurality of robots are disclosed, the system and method including a dynamic space check system wherein an efficiency of operation is maximized and a potential for interference or collision is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Fanuc America Corporation
    Inventors: Jianming Tao, H. Dean McGee, Chi-Keng Tsai, Hadi Abu Akeel
  • Patent number: 8799342
    Abstract: A device capable of improving the convergence rate and estimation accuracy in estimating a correlation value. According to a signal processing device, since a window length is adjusted in such a manner to reduce an estimated error of a correlation matrix, the convergence rate and estimation accuracy in estimating the correlation matrix and the correlation value as its off-diagonal element can be improved. Then, in such a high-probability condition that the correlation of plural output signals according to a state is estimated with a high degree of precision, signal processing is performed on the plural signals, so that the state can be estimated with a high degree of precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Nakajima, Kazuhiro Nakadai, Yuji Hasegawa, Hiroshi Tsujino
  • Patent number: 8798790
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a contact position where a robot makes contact with an object includes a probe, a probe-position calculating unit, a contact detecting unit, and a contact-position calculating unit. The probe is attached to the robot and is configured to make a displacement in a direction of making contact with the object in an elastic manner. The probe-position calculating unit calculates a position of the probe of the robot in operation. The contact detecting unit detects a contact state of the probe with the object. When the contact state of the probe is detected, the contact-position calculating unit derives the contact position based on a calculated position of the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Yosuke Kamiya, Yasuyuki Inoue, Hideo Nagata
  • Patent number: 8793019
    Abstract: In a legged mobile robot 1 having legs 2, a first landing permissible region and a second landing permissible region for a desired landing position of a distal end portion (a foot 22) of a free leg are determined, and the desired landing position of the free leg foot is determined in a region where the first and second landing permissible regions overlap each other, to thereby generate a desired gait of the robot. The first landing permissible region is determined so as to satisfy a geometric leg motion requisite condition. The second landing permissible region is determined such that a motion continuity requisite condition and a floor reaction force element permissible range requisite condition that are related to a prescribed floor reaction force element as a constituent element of the floor reaction force can be satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahide Yoshiike, Masanori Takeda, Shinya Shirokura, Hiroyuki Kaneko, Tomoki Watabe
  • Patent number: 8793018
    Abstract: In a method and a computer system for controlling an industrial robot, multiple data packets are received by the computer system, each of the data packets having a destination address with different priority classes being associated therewith in advance by the computer system. A chronological association of tasks with the resources of the computer system is made for processing the individual received data packets, based on the relevant priority class of the destination address of a received data packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kuka Laboratories GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Müller
  • Patent number: 8781628
    Abstract: A torque-based walking robot and a control method thereof which stably controls walking of the robot. In the control method, in which high rigidity, equal to that achieved through a position-based control method, is achieved using a torque-based control method without switching between the position-based control method and the torque-based control method while the robot is in motion, a difference between a target torque and a measured torque is forcibly generated by limiting a torque range measurable by each torque sensor, thereby increasing voltage applied to each actuator, and thus achieving high rigidity, equal to that achieved through the position-based control method, using the torque-based control method without switching between the position-based control method and the torque-based control method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho Seong Kwak, Jeong Heon Han, Kyung Shik Roh
  • Patent number: 8781625
    Abstract: A computer determines a first origin of a first coordinate system of a PCB, and controls a robotic arm to position a probe above the first origin. Furthermore, the computer determines a second origin of a second coordinate system of the robotic arm, and determines displacement values from the first origin to a test point in controlling movements of the robotic arm in the second coordinate system. A graph representing the test point is recognized in an image of the PCB, pixel value differences between the graph center and the image center are determined and converted to displacement correction values for controlling the movements of the robotic arm and determining 3D coordinates of the test point. The robotic arm is moved along a Z-axis of the second coordinate system to precisely position the probe on the test point of the PCB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shen-Chun Li, Hsien-Chuan Liang, Shou-Kuo Hsu
  • Patent number: 8761932
    Abstract: A automation equipment control system comprises a general purpose computer with a general purpose operating system in electronic communication with a real-time computer subsystem. The general purpose computer includes a program execution module to selectively start and stop processing of a program of equipment instructions and to generate a plurality of move commands. The real-time computer subsystem includes a move command data buffer for storing the plurality of move commands, a move module linked to the data buffer for sequentially processing the moves and calculating a required position for a mechanical joint. The real-time computer subsystem also includes a dynamic control algorithm in software communication with the move module to repeatedly calculate a required actuator activation signal from a joint position feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: C.H.I. Development Mgmt. Ltd. XXIV, LLC
    Inventor: John R. Lapham
  • Patent number: 8755936
    Abstract: A system is provided that includes at least one manager and one or more robots configured to communicate wirelessly. The manager can include certain functions that generate data, instructions, or both used by one or more robots. The manager can also facilitate communications among several robots, or robots could also be configured to communicate directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Justin-Marl Friedman, Hans Peter Moravec
  • Patent number: 8751044
    Abstract: A control system for controlling an industrial robot including a manipulator. The control system includes a plurality of modules adapted to handle various functions. A first of the modules is a drive module adapted to control the motors driving the movements of the manipulator. A second of the modules is a main computer module adapted to execute a program with instructions for the movements of the manipulator and to plan the movements of the manipulator based on the executed instructions. The control system is adapted to communicate with one or more external devices via an external network. The control system includes an internal network. Each of the modules is arranged as a node in the internal network and includes communication elements for communicating with the other nodes in the internal network. The internal network includes a first part adapted for normal communication and a second part adapted for time critical communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Ab
    Inventor: Peter Eriksson
  • Patent number: 8751042
    Abstract: A method of generating a behavior of a robot includes measuring input data associated with a plurality of user responses, applying an algorithm to the input data of the plurality of user responses to generate a plurality of user character classes, storing the plurality of user character classes in a database, classifying an individual user into a selected one of the plurality of user character classes by generating user preference data, selecting a robot behavior based on the selected user character class, and controlling the actions of the robot in accordance with the selected robot behavior during a user-robot interaction session. The selected user character class and the user preference data are based at least in part on input data associated with the individual user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Haeyeon Lee, Yasuhiro Ota, Cynthia Breazeal, Jun Ki Lee