Programmed Data (e.g., Path) Modified By Sensed Data Patents (Class 700/253)
  • Patent number: 7421314
    Abstract: A method for controlling a robot during an interpolation of a trajectory or motion to any prescribed position, comprises the steps of a) ignoring at least one of the three originally prescribed or interpolated tool center point orientation values; b) finding new tool center point orientation values that place the wrist center point of the robot closest to its base while c) maintaining the originally prescribed or interpolated tool center point location values and d) maintaining the original prescribed or interpolated tool center point orientation values not ignored. Said method can preferably be used for carrying a load with a plurality of robots. Its main advantage is an increase of the available working volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Stoddard, David Martin
  • Patent number: 7421315
    Abstract: A machine is disclosed having a detection subsystem adapted to detect contact between a person and a specified portion of the machine, and to distinguish that contact from contact with other materials. The detection subsystem imparts an electrical signal to a specified portion of the machine, and distinguishes that contact based on a predetermined frequency response of the electrical signal. A reaction subsystem then causes a predetermined action to take place. The machine may be a power saw designed to minimize injury in the event a person accidentally contacts the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: SD3, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen F. Gass, J. David Fulmer
  • Patent number: 7418312
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a robot apparatus and a walking control method thereof capable of changing walking control modes in accordance with floor surfaces by discriminating states of the floor surfaces for walking without modifying a step-based walking schedule and capable of providing stable walking even if floor surface states change greatly. A robot apparatus comprises: an action control section 11 to output a walking start instruction; a floor surface discrimination section 12 to discriminate a category for a current floor surface; and a walking control section 13 to compute an adaptive operation amount. The walking control section 13 obtains sensor values of a foot sole sensor and the like from the current floor surface by means of an in-place stepping motion and the like. Based on the sensor value, the walking control section 13 computes the adaptive operation amount as a correction amount from a standard gait model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Hidai, Kohtaro Sabe
  • Patent number: 7415321
    Abstract: Realized is a robot controller capable of handling a large amount of data of images and so on necessary for advanced intelligence of control while securing a real-time performance with a simple structure. For this purpose, there are provided a motion control device for performing a calculation process for achieving motion control of an object to be controlled, a recognition and planning device for performing task and motion planning of the object to be controlled and recognition of outside world, an input/output interface for outputting a command to the object to be controlled and receiving as input, a state of the object to be controlled, and a route selecting device for controlling communications by switching connections among the motion control device the recognition and planning device, and the input/output interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunao Okazaki, Kazuyuki Sakiyama, Katsuhiko Asai, Masaki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20080188984
    Abstract: Tread structures, wave motion navigational controls, and ramp up recovery controls are provided to an autonomous floor cleaner to reduce wheel slippage. The floor cleaner delivers liquid to the floor as part of the cleaning process. Wheels on the device are provided with relatively deep peripheral grooves to minimize the contact surfaces of a sprocket wheel and to accommodate the layer of liquid on the floor. In the event of wheel slippage, or to prevent wheel slippage, the device is designed to move forward with a slight side-to-side wave action caused by periodically altering the relative speeds of two drive wheels. There is also provided a slippage recovery mode where the drive wheels shut down or greatly slow when severe slippage is sensed, followed by a slow ramp up of speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Harwig, Thomas Jaworski, Fukyuen Cheng, Seakee Chen
  • Patent number: 7403835
    Abstract: In a device and method for programming an industrial robot using a simulation program, control commands are issued by a handheld programming device and these commands are visualized on an image surface as movement and/or processing operations by the robot on the basis of data of the robot. An object to be processed is also displayed on the image surface and a three-dimensional image of the robot and the object is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harald Sandner, Hans-Joachim Neubauer
  • Patent number: 7400939
    Abstract: A motion equation with a boundary condition regarding a future center-of-gravity horizontal trajectory of a robot is solved so that the moment around a horizontal axis at a point within a support polygon is zero when the robot is in contact with a floor or so that horizontal translational force is zero when the robot is not in contact with the floor and so that connection is made to a current horizontal position and speed of the center of gravity. In addition, a motion equation with a boundary condition regarding a future center-of-gravity vertical trajectory of the robot is solved so that vertical translational force acting upon the robot other than gravity is zero when the robot is not in contact with the floor and so that connection is made to a current vertical position and speed of the center of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichiro Nagasaka
  • Publication number: 20080167753
    Abstract: There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a robotic system for systematically moving about an area to be covered. The system includes at least one boundary marker (48) located along the outer edge of the area to be covered, a robot (40) with a navigation system (41) that navigated the robot (40) in generally straight, parallel lines from an initial location and turns the robot (40) when the robot (40) encounters one of the boundary markers (48), thereby to systematically move about the area to be covered. The sensor unit (43) senses proximity to one of the at least one boundary marker (48).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Ehud Peless, Shai Abramson, Ronen Friedman, Ilan Peleg
  • Publication number: 20080161970
    Abstract: A working robot arm and an object recognizing unit used for recognizing a moving body such as a person and an animal are prepared, and while an object recognized by the object recognizing unit is blocked by a shielding operation by the use of one portion of a robot mechanism unit, a job is carried out by the working robot arm so that it becomes possible to actively ensure a working space of the robot mechanism unit, and consequently to continue the job safely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Yuji Adachi, Yasunao Okazaki, Katsuhiko Asai, Kazuo Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 7379789
    Abstract: A permissible range of a restriction object amount, which is a vertical component of a floor reaction force moment or a component of the floor reaction force moment in floor surface normal line direction, or a vertical component of an angular momentum changing rate of the robot or a component of the angular momentum changing rate in floor surface normal line direction, is set, and at least a provisional instantaneous value of a desired motion is input to a dynamic model so as to determine an instantaneous value of a model restriction object amount as an output of the dynamic model. An instantaneous value of a desired motion is determined by correcting the provisional instantaneous value of the desired motion such that at least the instantaneous value of the model restriction object amount falls within the permissible range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Patent number: 7373219
    Abstract: Surgical robots and other telepresence systems have enhanced grip actuation for manipulating tissues and objects with small sizes. A master/slave system is used in which an error signal or gain is artificially altered when grip members are near a closed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Nowlin, Gary S. Guthart, Robert G. Younge, Tom G. Cooper, Craig Gerbi, Steven J. Blumenkranz, Dean F. Hoornaert
  • Patent number: 7366587
    Abstract: The characteristics of actuators themselves and the characteristics of controllers for the actuators are dynamically or statically controlled to achieve stable and highly efficient movements. In a stage in which a leg in the flight state is uplifted such that the reactive force from the floor received by the foot sole of the leg is zero, the characteristics of the respective actuators for the knee joint pitch axis and the ankle pitch and roll axes of the leg in the flight state are set for decreasing the low range gain, increasing the quantity of phase lead and for decreasing the viscous resistance of the actuators, in order to impart mechanical passiveness and fast response characteristics. The followup control for the high frequency range may be achieved as the force of impact at the instant of touchdown is buffered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignees: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masatsugu Iribe, Jinichi Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20080082209
    Abstract: A robot actuator and a robot actuating method. In the robot actuator, when an input part detects an external stimulus signal according to a user's contact, a control part receives the detected external stimulus signal to create sensor data. The control part determines an output reaction, and an output actuator through the created sensor data and controls the output actuator according to the determined output reaction. Thus, an axial skeletal unit of an output part is moved according to an operation of the output actuator to express the output reaction. Accordingly, a natural, lively reaction of the robot actuator to an external stimulus can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Sang Seung KANG, Jae Hong KIM, Joo Chan SOHN, Young Jo CHO
  • Patent number: 7349759
    Abstract: A robotic system for systematically moving about an area to be covered. The system includes at least one boundary marker (48) located along the outer edge of the area to be covered, a robot (40) with a navigation system (41) that navigates the robot (40) in generally straight, parallel lines from an initial location and turns the robot (40) when the robot (40) encounters one of the boundary markers (48), thereby to systematically move about the area to be covered. The sensor unit (43) senses proximity to one of the at least one boundary marker (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: F Robotics Acquisitions Ltd.
    Inventors: Ehud Peless, Shai Abramson, Ronen Friedman, Ilan Peleg
  • Patent number: 7340323
    Abstract: An industrial robot that uses a simulated force vector to allow a work piece held by the robot end effector to be mated with a work piece whose location and orientation is not precisely known to the robot. When the end effector makes contact with the location and orientation in which the other work piece is held the robot provides a velocity command to minimize the force of the contact and also provides a search pattern in all directions and orientations to cause the end effector to bring the work piece it is holding in contact with the other work piece. The search pattern and the velocity command are continued until the two work pieces mate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Hui Zhang, Zhongxue Gan, Torgny Brogardh, Jianjun Wang
  • Patent number: 7340574
    Abstract: A method for identifying memory modifications includes designating a first portion of a first memory as read-only. An abort condition is identified responsive to receiving a write instruction having a target address within the first portion. In response to the abort condition, a second portion of the first memory including at least the target address is flagged as being modified. The write instruction is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenwood H. Hall, Ronald E. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7337040
    Abstract: Based on a detected or estimated value of an actual posture of a predetermined part, such as a body 3, of a robot 1 and a deviation the actual posture from a posture of a desired gait, a posture rotational deviation's variation is determined as the temporal variation of the deviation, and the position of the robot 1 (for example, the position where the robot comes into contact with a floor) is estimated on the assumption that the robot 1 rotates about a rotation center by the rotational deviation's variation. In addition, in accordance with the difference between the estimated position and the estimated position of the robot 1 determined by an inertial navigation method using an accelerometer or the like, the estimated position of the robot 1 determined by the inertial navigation method is corrected, thereby improving the precision of the estimated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7337039
    Abstract: There are provided device for determining a desired trajectory of a translation floor reaction force's vertical component of a legged mobile robot 1, a vertical component of the total center-of-gravity acceleration or a body acceleration vertical component of the robot 1, device for determining a desired vertical position of the total center-of-gravity of the robot 1 or a body 24 thereof so as to satisfy the desired trajectory, and means for determining a desired vertical position of the total center-of-gravity of the robot 1 or the body 24 thereof based on a geometrical condition concerning a joint of a leg 2. Depending on the gait mode, such as walking or running, one of the desired vertical positions is selected, or the desired vertical positions are combined by taking the weighted average thereof or the like, thereby determining a final desired vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Publication number: 20080046125
    Abstract: A method of dividing a coverage area of a robot and a device for the same. That is, a method of producing a space map for a robot to work and dividing the space map into at least one segment and a device for the same. The method includes producing an occupancy grid map composed of grid points that are probabilistically distributed by sensing a distance from an obstacle, producing a configuration space map by increasing the thickness of an obstacle and a wall in the occupancy grid map on the basis of the radius and size of the robot, and dividing an area by sweeping the area with a band-typed slice in the configuration space map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyeon Myeong, Seok-won Bang, Jung-won Kang, Si-jong Kim, Myung-Jin Chung, Su-jinn Lee
  • Patent number: 7333879
    Abstract: An offline programming device capable of automatically generating a measuring program by which the time and the workload for making an offline program may be greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Takizawa, Yoshiharu Nagatsuka, Hirohiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7330774
    Abstract: An operation control unit of a reception system includes a visitor ID information DB for storing therein visitor comparison information and visitor ID information including a phone number of a receiver of a visitor; an identifying unit for identifying the visitor when visitor information obtained by a camera or the like of the robot is identical to the visitor comparison information; a phone calling module for calling the phone number of a mobile terminal of the receiver via a phone network, when the visitor is identified; an informing content determining unit for determining an informing content to the receiver based on the visitor ID information, when the visitor is identified; and a speech generating part for converting the received information into a voice. The informing content is sent to the mobile terminal of the receiver via the phone network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachie Hashimoto, Kimio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7330775
    Abstract: A legged mobile robot, a legged mobile robot controller and a legged mobile robot control method are provided to perform a loading operation to load a gripped object in parallel on a target place having a height where a stretchable range of arm portions of the legged mobile robot is enhanced with no operator's handling. The legged mobile robot includes the arm portions having links for gripping an object, and leg portions having links for moving, and the arm and the leg portions are joined to a body thereof. The legged mobile robot controller includes a data acquisition unit, a whole-body cooperative motion control unit and a loading detection unit, and controls motions of the legged mobile robot based on posture/position data regarding a posture/position of each link of the legged mobile robot and on an external force data regarding an external force affecting the arm portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuo Orita, Tadaaki Hasegawa, Kenichiro Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7328087
    Abstract: A bipedal robot of the present invention has a trunk consisting of an upper trunk and a lower trunk which are rotatable around a rotation axis relative to one another. The upper trunk has shoulders on the right and left sides. An arm is provided at each shoulder. A pair of right and left legs is attached to lower ends of the lower trunk. A storage battery is mounted to the back of the upper trunk, positioned within a shoulder width. The storage battery is positioned below the top of a head mounted on the upper trunk. When the robot walks a narrow passage or corridor having a width slightly larger than the width thereof, for example, this arrangement prevents the storage battery from interfering with the passage or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Saito, Teruyuki Oka, Toratsugu Kuwahara, Atsushi Demachi, Toshiyuki Higashi, Kenichi Ogawa, Takuro Koyanagi, Susumu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7324870
    Abstract: A cleaning robot and a control method thereof in which a cleaning path desired by the user is recognizable by the cleaning robot, thereby being capable of cleaning a cleaning area desired by the user in a pattern desired by the user. The cleaning robot includes a running unit to run the cleaning robot, a storage unit for storing a running path, along which the cleaning robot has learned, and a control unit to recognize the learned running path of the cleaning robot when a path learning operation is required, to store the recognized learned running path in the storage unit, and to drive the running unit. When a cleaning operation of the cleaning robot along the stored learned running path is required, the control unit controls the running unit to cause the cleaning robot to perform the required cleaning operation while running along the stored learned running path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 7321808
    Abstract: When braking of a motion of a part of a first robot is assumed to be started at points in time, a first stop position of the first robot part is estimated at each point in time. When braking of a motion of a part of a second robot is assumed to be started at the points in time, an estimated second stop position of the second robot part is obtained at each point in time. When it is determined that the first stop position of the first robot part at one of the points in time and either the actual position or the second stop position of the second robot part for each interval at the one of the points in time are contained in the shared workspace, the first robot part is braked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Wave Incorporated
    Inventor: Kenji Nagamatsu
  • Patent number: 7319917
    Abstract: A gait generation device for generating a desired gait which includes floating periods in which all the legs 2, 2 of a legged mobile robot 1 float in the air and landing periods in which at least one leg 2 is in contact with a floor which appear alternately generates the desired gait in such a manner that, at least when shifting from the floating period to the landing period, the velocity of an end portion 22 of a landing leg with respect to the floor and the acceleration thereof with respect to the floor is substantially 0 at the instant of landing. After both the velocity of the end portion of the leg with respect to the floor and the acceleration thereof with respect to the floor are determined to be substantially 0, a movement of the body of the robot with the desired gait is determined in such a manner that the horizontal component of a moment produced about the desired ZMP by the resultant force of gravity and an inertial force applied to the robot 1 is substantially 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Patent number: 7319918
    Abstract: A gait generation device for setting a translation floor reaction force's horizontal component (component concerning a friction force) applied to a robot 1, a limitation-target quantity, such as a ZMP, and an allowable range, for determining at least a provisional instantaneous value of a desired floor reaction force and a provisional instantaneous value for a desired movement of the robot 1, that receives at least the provisional instantaneous value for the desired movement and determines a model floor reaction force instantaneous value with the aid of a dynamics model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Patent number: 7319919
    Abstract: A landing position/orientation of a foot (22) to be landed in a landing action of a robot (1) such as a biped mobile robot or the like is estimated, and a desired footstep path for the robot (1) is set up. Based on the estimated landing position/orientation and the desired footstep path, a future desired landing position/orientation is determined in order to cause actual footsteps of the robot (1) (a sequence of landing positions/orientations of the foot (22)) to approach desired footsteps. Using at least the determined desired landing position/orientation, a desired gait for the robot (1) is determined, and the robot (1) is controlled in operation depending on the desired gait. For determining the desired landing position/orientation, mechanism-dependent limitations of the robot (1) such as an interference between the legs thereof, etc., and limiting conditions of an allowable range in which a desired ZMP can exist are taken into consideration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7313463
    Abstract: Systems for controlling the motion of multiple articulated elements connected by one or more joints in an artificial appendage system. Four different embodiments includes a controller that reduces the dimension of joint state space by utilizing biomechanically inspired motion primitives; a quadratic proportional-derivative (PD) controller which employs a two-stage linearization method, applies constraints to variables for dynamic stability, and employs a corrective “sliding control” mechanism to account for errors in the linear model used; a non-prioritized balance control approach that employs enforced linear dynamics in which all control variables are truncated to linear terms in joint jerks; and a biomimetic motion and balance controller based on center of mass (CM) energetic and biomimetic zero moment conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Hugh M. Herr, Andreas G. Hofmann, Marko B. Popovic
  • Patent number: 7313464
    Abstract: A method for picking up objects randomly arranged in a bin using a robot having a gripper for grasping the objects using prehension feature(s) on the object. The method includes a shaking scheme for rearranging the objects in the bin when no objects are recognized, when no objects are prehensible by the gripper or when the object to be picked up is not reachable by the gripper because, for example, its prehension feature is substantially facing a wall of the bin. The method also includes a criterion for determining that a bin is free of objects to be picked up and a criterion for selecting the object to be picked up first in the bin. The method also provides for a protection mechanism against damage of the objects and the robot when a recognition technique has failed in properly recognizing the object or the prehension feature on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Adept Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Perreault, Pierre Olivier
  • Patent number: 7308335
    Abstract: When generating a gait for a legged mobile robot 1 which has floating periods in which all the legs 2 of the robot float in the air and landing periods in which any of the legs 2 is in contact with the floor appearing alternately, a desired ZMP is set at any point in time in the floating periods and the landing periods, and a desired gait is generated in such a manner that the horizontal component of the moment produced about the desired ZMP by the resultant force of gravity and an inertial force caused by a movement of the robot with the desired gait is 0. The desired ZMP is set to be substantially continuous for all the periods in the gait. Furthermore, as a dynamics model for determining the desired gait, an approximate model is used which is arranged so that the moment, about a certain point of application, of the resultant force of the inertial force and gravity calculated using the model depends on the position of the point of application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Patent number: 7308336
    Abstract: An allowable range of a frictional force component, such as a horizontal component of a translation floor reaction force, applied to a legged mobile robot 1 is set, and a provisional movement with a current time gait of the robot 1 is determined so as to satisfy a condition concerning the allowable range and a dynamical equilibrium condition that a moment produced about a point of application of a provisional desired floor reaction force substantially agrees with a provisional desired floor reaction force moment. The provisional movement is determined by adjusting movements in two movement modes which are different in ratio between the translation floor reaction force and the floor reaction force moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Takahide Yoshiike
  • Publication number: 20070276541
    Abstract: A path planning unit plans a travel path to a destination based on an estimated current travel position and outputs a travel command to a travel control unit to perform travel control so as to follow the travel path. A travel position prediction unit accumulates a travel distance, which is detected by a wheel turning-angle sensor, to the estimated current travel position so as to predict the current travel position. A predictive image generating unit generates a plurality of predictive edge images which are composed of edge information and captured when a camera is virtually disposed at the predicted current travel position and candidate positions in the vicinity of it based on layout information of the environment, and an edge image generating unit generates an actual edge image from the actual image captured by the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Naoyuki Sawasaki
  • Patent number: 7302312
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus that provide a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) for a robot are disclosed. A HAL can reside as a software layer or as a firmware layer residing between robot control software and underlying robot hardware and/or an operating system for the hardware. The HAL provides a relatively uniform abstract for aggregates of underlying hardware such that the underlying robotic hardware is transparent to perception and control software, i.e., robot control software. This advantageously permits robot control software to be written in a robot-independent manner. Developers of robot control software are then freed from tedious lower level tasks. Portability is another advantage. For example, the HAL efficiently permits robot control software developed for one robot to be ported to another. In one example, the HAL permits the same navigation algorithm to be ported from a wheeled robot and used on a humanoid legged robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Evolution Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Murray, IV, Baoquoc N. Pham, Paolo Pirjanian
  • Patent number: 7298385
    Abstract: To improve the operation of robots in installations reprogramming and emptying an operating sequence to be performed by them, the invention provides a method and a device for visualizing computer-assisted information in an image of the real environment on a viewing device, in which there is a determination of the position and orientation or pose of the image receiving device and that robot-specific informations corresponding to this determination are faded over the image of the real environment on the viewing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Arif Kazi, Bahadir Kuepeli, Rainer Bischoff
  • Patent number: 7295891
    Abstract: In a method for controlling the movement of a manipulator associated with an interpretation of a given point sequence of poses (positions and orientations) by splines, the motion components are separately parameterized. Thus, marked, subsequent changes to the orientation of robot axes have no undesired effects on the Cartesian movement path of the robot. Suitable algorithms are provided for orientation control by using quaternions or Euler angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hüttenhofer, Günther Wiedemann, Stefan Burkhart
  • Patent number: 7292910
    Abstract: A method for machining workpieces by means of a multiaxial manipulator, such as an industrial robot, with a tool moved proportionally by a control unit of the manipulator and which can perform characteristic movements with several degrees of freedom is characterized in that the degrees of freedom of the tool are evaluated together with the degrees of freedom of axes of the manipulator in real time for moving a tool tip (TCP) in accordance with a predetermined, continuous machining path or a portionwise continuous machining geometry (step function) and for determining a movement of the manipulator. The invention also proposes a device suitable for performing the aforementioned method, in which the tool and a tool tip, during workpiece machining, are movement-controllable by the manipulator control unit. In this way it is possible to drastically reduce the overall machining time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Gmeiner
  • Patent number: 7292913
    Abstract: In the articulated robot, types of teaching a moving track of the robot can be optionally selected. The articulated robot comprises: a switch for manually selecting a moving axis to move an arm section along the selected axis; a manual pulse generator generating pulses; first controller for controlling motors to linearly move a front end of the arm section a prescribed distance, which corresponds to number of pulses; an operating board including a selecting switch, which is used to move the arm section along the selected axis; second controller for automatically controlling the motors so as to move the arm section while the selecting switch is turned on; third controller for stopping the motors to freely move the arm section while the arm section is manually moved; and a switch for selecting a type of teaching action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Koyama
    Inventors: Hideo Tokutake, Tatsuo Niimura
  • Patent number: 7286903
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for transmitting data among robots and a controller computer system within an automated robotic library. A robotic library communication protocol is described for communicating among the robotic mechanisms and the controller computer system. The robotic library communication protocol defines multiple fields for each packet including a preamble field that describes a predetermined preamble value that is equal to a particular value. Data is transmitted among the robotic mechanisms and the controller computer system utilizing the robotic library communication protocol. Each packet that conforms to the protocol includes only the preamble value in the preamble field. Power is provided to the robotic mechanisms utilizing a power signal. Data that has been encoded according to the protocol is transmitted to the robotic mechanisms using the power signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventor: William Sehnert
  • Patent number: 7278501
    Abstract: In a robot having at least one rotating joint (which may have at least two degrees of freedom), in order to perform a high-speed switching operation between a closed link mode and an open link mode with the outside world or a working object, each limb is provided with minimum-required, passive degrees-of-freedom (such as a backlash of a reducer) for removing a dynamic closing error and also the movable range of the limb is properly controlled. Even when an actuator for driving the corresponding joint has no means for obtaining a torque signal, a high-speed switching operation between the closed link mode and the open link mode can be stably achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignees: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Mori, Jinichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7280434
    Abstract: A global localization apparatus, medium, and method, with the global localization method including selecting one from a plurality of samples and shifting the selected sample according to a movement of a robot, generating a new sample within a predetermined range of the shifted sample, determining either the shifted sample or the new sample as a next sample at a next time step according to a predetermined condition for the shifted sample and the next sample, repeating for all the samples, and estimating a next position of the robot according to positions of the next samples when the number of next samples is equal to or larger than the maximum number of samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dejun Wang, Jiali Zhao, Seokcheol Kee
  • Patent number: 7272467
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Evolution Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Filipe Domingues Goncalves, L. Niklas Karlsson, Paolo Pirjanian, Enrico Di Bernardo
  • Patent number: 7254464
    Abstract: Methods for operating robotic devices (i.e., “robots”) that employ adaptive behavior relative to neighboring robots and external (e.g., environmental) conditions. Each robot is capable of receiving, processing, and acting on one or more multi-device primitive commands that describe a task the robot will perform in response to other robots and the external conditions. The commands facilitate a distributed command and control structure, relieving a central apparatus or operator from the need to monitor the progress of each robot. This virtually eliminates the corresponding constraint on the maximum number of robots that can be deployed to perform a task (e.g., data collection, mapping, searching). By increasing the number of robots, the efficiency in completing the task is also increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: James McLurkin, Jennifer Smith
  • Patent number: 7251548
    Abstract: When a sub-section of a predefined path temporarily cannot be traversed by an autonomous mobile unit, an extended path is found for subsequently traversing the temporarily blocked sub-section. A first path point of the predefined path is determined using at least one predefinable distance criterion, which takes into consideration the distance of the temporarily blocked sub-section from the first path point. An extension sub-section is determined which begins at the first path point, terminates at a second path point of the predefined path and encompasses at least the temporarily blocked sub-section. The extended path is programmed with the extension sub-section being integrated into the predefined path at the first path point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Torsten Herz, Michael Fiegert
  • Patent number: 7245990
    Abstract: A robot control unit for controlling a robot mechanism unit constantly detects the status of a robot and stores it as robot status data. An operation command input by voice from a head set is converted into character data by a voice/character data conversion device, and input to a control device. The control device searches a command corresponding to an operation command input in operation commands stored in management data. An executing program group is specified for link and storage with the corresponding operation command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Atsushi Watanabe, Hiroji Nishi
  • Patent number: 7236852
    Abstract: A legged mobile robot itself is responsive to the result of error detection during robot operations to perform error avoiding processing autonomously. In detecting an error, requested commands are all blocked by the internal processing within the robot so that an input to an actuating system does not affect the robot. The type of the error that has occurred is also notified to the actuating system so that feedback to an inputting system 32 may be applied in a manner specific to the error type. When the error is eliminated, that effect is notified to the actuating system to enable re-initiation of the usual command input from the remote operating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignees: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohisa Moridaira, Jinichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7212886
    Abstract: A robot control apparatus including a motion torque calculating section for calculating a motion torque command which is required for a motion of a servo motor, a disturbance torque estimating section for calculating a disturbance torque, a minute displacement relationship calculating section for calculating a minute displacement relationship between a task coordinate system of a robot and a joint coordinate system of the servo motor, an external force calculating section for carrying out a conversion to an external force on the task coordinate system, a force control section for calculating a position correction amount on the task coordinate system of the robot, and a joint angle correction amount calculating section for carrying out a conversion to a joint angle correction amount on the joint coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Hideo Nagata, Kenichi Yasuda, Yasuyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 7194335
    Abstract: A manipulator operative in a master/slave operative mode, comprising: a master unit commanding an operation; a slave unit having a work unit; a detector detecting the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit; and a control device controlling the slave unit in response to the command from the master unit, wherein the control device includes: a function of determining a non-mater/slave operative mode or a master/slave operative mode; a function of calculating a difference between the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit; and a function of comparing the absolute value of the difference with a preset reference value; and depending upon the result of the comparison, determining a normal master/slave operative mode or a transitional master/slave operative mode, in the master/slave operative mode, the transitional master/slave operative mode is a transitional mode from the non-master/slave operative mode to the master/slave operative mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takamitsu Sunaoshi
  • Patent number: 7191036
    Abstract: A model's ZMP (full-model's ZMP) is calculated using a dynamic model (inverse full-model) 100c2 that expresses a relationship between a robot movement and floor reaction, a ZMP-converted value of full model's corrected moment about a desired ZMP is calculated or determined based on a difference (full-model ZMP's error) between the calculated model's ZMP and the desired ZMP, whilst a corrected desired body position is calculated or determined. Since the robot posture is corrected by the calculated ZMP-converted value and the corrected desired body position, the corrected gait can satisfy the dynamic equilibrium condition accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Takashi Matsumoto, Tadaaki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7187997
    Abstract: Situational location dependent information is transmitted from a server data processing system to a receiving data processing system. The server data processing system communicates with the receiving data processing system in a manner by pushing content when appropriate. A candidate delivery event associated with a current positional attribute of the receiving data processing system is recognized and a situational location of the remote data processing system is determined. The candidate delivery event may be a location and/or direction change, device state change, or movement exceeding a movement tolerance. The situational location of the remote data processing system may be its location, direction, location and direction, proximity to a location, state change, or location and/or direction relative to a previous location and/or direction, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Inventor: William J. Johnson