Programmed Data (e.g., Path) Modified By Sensed Data Patents (Class 700/253)
  • Patent number: 6961640
    Abstract: A predetermined action sequence is generated by using basic motion units which include time-sequential motion of each joint and compound motion units in which basic motion units are combined. Motion patterns of a robot including walking are classified into motion units, each motion unit serving as a unit of motion, and one or more motion units are combined to generate various complex motions. Dynamic motion units are defined on the basis of basic dynamic attitudes, and a desired action sequence can be generated by using the dynamic motion units. This is a basic control method necessary for a robot to autonomously perform a continuous motion, a series of continuous motions, or motions which are changed in real-time by commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Jinichi Yamaguchi
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kuroki, Tatsuzo Ishida, Jinichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6941645
    Abstract: An automatic piston inserting equipment comprises a block positioning means for positioning a cylinder block B to a piston inserting position, a piston positioning means for moving and positioning a piston P with a connecting rod R for insertion thereof into a cylinder bore formed in the cylinder block B vertically from above, a cap positioning means for moving and positioning a connecting rod cap C to clamp it vertically from below to the connecting rod R inserted into the cylinder bore, a damp means for damping the connecting rod cap C to the connecting rod R, and a vision system. The vision system detects central position coordinates of the cylinder bore lying at the piston inserting position and central position coordinates of the piston P lying at a start-point chuck position, and on the basis of both such central position coordinates calculates a movement quantity for insertion of the piston P into the cylinder bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignees: Hirata Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kosuge, Katsuyoshi Tachibana, Yuichiro Ueda, Takenori Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 6934604
    Abstract: A CPU 15 determines an output of a feeling model based on signals supplied from a touch sensor 20. The CPU 15 also deciphers whether or not an output value of the feeling model exceeds a pre-set threshold value. If the CPU finds that the output value exceeds the pre-set threshold value, it verifies whether or not there is any vacant area in a memory card 13. If the CPU finds that there is any vacant area in a memory card 13, it causes the picture data captured from the CCD video camera 11 to be stored in the vacant area in the memory card 13. At this time, the CPU 15 causes the time and date data and the feeling parameter in the memory card 13 in association with the picture data. The CPU 15 also re-arrays the picture data stored in the memory card 13 in the sequence of the decreasing magnitude of the feeling model output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Sabe, Masahiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 6917854
    Abstract: A method for recognition, determination and localization of at least one arbitrary object or space and the picking up of said object, by at least on robot, in particular, a service robot, which operates independently on the base surface. The method is achieved, whereby the robot is oriented within at least one room by room co-ordinates and/or co-ordinates of arbitrary objects in the room, transmitted to the robot by at least one sensor element, in particular, a transponder or transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Wittenstein GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Thomas Bayer
  • Patent number: 6912449
    Abstract: Each of plural image processing means is informed of address information of storage means in which image data to be read is stored upon request of the image data to be read by each of the plural image processing means. Consequently, each of the image processing means can read each of image data to be read directly from the storage means based on the informed address information so as to subject it to predetermined image processing. Thus, it is possible to perform plural independent image processing in parallel at a high speed with the simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kohtaro Sabe, Takayuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6904334
    Abstract: A robot apparatus which may be turned to a sound source direction by a spontaneous whole-body concerted operation. With the possible range of rotation of the neck unit of a robot apparatus 1 of ±Y° and with the relative angle of the direction of a sound source S to the front side of the robot apparatus 1 of X°, the entire body trunk unit of the robot apparatus 1 is rotated through (X?Y)°, using the leg units, while the neck joint yaw axis of the robot apparatus is rotated through Y° to the direction of the sound source S, so that the robot apparatus is turned to the direction of the sound source S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuharu Asano, Junichi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6898484
    Abstract: Global positioning system inputs are used in a manufacturing process where location of a work piece relative to a robotic manipulator is input into a control system. The manipulator is located and tracked by using “GPS” signals, as is an associated work piece. Radio signal based position indicators associated with work pieces transmit work piece location and status. In some embodiments manipulator locations are sensed by position indicators associated with manipulators and signals relating to the position of the manipulators are transmitted to the control system. The control system controls the manipulator and may also control material handling equipment for the transport of work pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventors: Dorothy Lemelson, Robert D. Pedersen, Tracy D. Blake, Jerome H. Lemelson
  • Patent number: 6898466
    Abstract: A programming device with a software tool provided to create a control program based on a control problem to be solved, e.g., controlling a technical process. A user is given information on software blocks (A-G) that are stored in the programming device (1) and/or in an automation device (4). In particular, the software blocks are configured for the programming device to recognize those software blocks that are stored in the programming device (1) and those that are stored in the automation device (4). The programming device, by performing a comparison, displays the comparison result for a user of the programming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Helmut Windl
  • Patent number: 6897631
    Abstract: A legged robot, wherein an electric motor 88 for driving a joint 10R connecting a body and each leg 2R is disposed on the leg side and is disposed with an offset from the rotation axis of the joint. Further, a motor attachment member 86 for housing the electric motor 88 is perforated with an opening part at a location facing the body. By this, attachment/detachment of the leg of the robot is made easy to improve its ease of maintenance. Further, the power transmission means for transmitting drive force from the drive source to the joint connecting the body and the leg can be readily accessed. In addition, the leg can be rotated to a desired angle to facilitate swing operation and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Miyazaki, Hideaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6889118
    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: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Evolution Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Murray, IV, Baoquoc N. Pham, Paolo Pirjanian
  • Patent number: 6889117
    Abstract: A main robot apparatus generates a sound scale command at a command generating state (ST2) to enter into a state of waiting for a reaction of a slave robot apparatus (ST3). When the slave robot apparatus outputs a emotion expressing sound responsive to a sound scale command issued by the main robot apparatus, the main robot apparatus recognizes this emotion expressing sound to output the same emotion expressing sound. In a state of the reaction action (ST4), the main robot apparatus selects an action (NumResponse), depending on the value of the variable NumResponse which has counted the number of times of the reactions to output the action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kohtaro Sabe, Kazuo Ishii
  • Patent number: 6885912
    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) and a sensor unit (43). The navigation system (41) 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: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: F Robotics Acquistions Ltd.
    Inventors: Ehud Peless, Shai Abramson, Ronen Friedman, Ilan Peleg
  • Patent number: 6879880
    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: May 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Nowlin, Gary S. Guthart, Robert G. Younge, Thomas G. Cooper, Craig Gerbi, Steven J. Blumenkranz, Dean F. Hoornaert
  • Patent number: 6879877
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a motion object with psychological and emotional expressions characterized by simplified processing and reduced control data associated with controlling a series of motions for body groups of the motion object including a fundamental control signal made up of an oscillating numerical value signal representing a psychological state, and a signal representing a body-group motion sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventor: Toru Nakata
  • Patent number: 6876903
    Abstract: A gait generation system of a legged mobile robot, in particular a biped robot that has the dynamic model expressing the relationship between the motion of the body and leg and the floor reaction force, and provisionally determines the current time gait parameters including at least parameters that determine leg trajectory and the like in response to a demand, supposes the parameters of a periodic gait, corrects the current time gait parameters such that the body trajectory determined from the dynamic model and the parameters of the current time gait, etc., converges to a body trajectory determined from the parameters of the periodic gait, and determines instantaneous values of the current time gait based on the corrected current time gait parameter. With this, the system can generates a gait of any stride, turning angle and walking period, including the floor reaction force acting on the legged mobile robot, that satisfies the dynamic equilibrium condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Takenaka
  • Patent number: 6871115
    Abstract: The integrity of control signals used to control a wafer handling robot is monitored by a monitor connected to various points of the robotic control system. The monitor includes a memory for storing data sets representing correct, reference characteristics of the control signals. The monitor samples control signals at various points in the control system and compares these sampled signals with the stored reference characteristics in order to determine whether a signal disparity exists. If a disparity exists, the monitor generates an error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kuo-Liang Huang, Enzo Kuo, Patrick Chen, Yuan-Chich Lin, Chih-Yi Lai, Chun-Hung Liu
  • Patent number: 6865446
    Abstract: A robot apparatus is provided which includes body portions such as a head block (4), leg blocks (3A to 3D), an actuator (25) to actuate the body portions and a CPU (10) to supply a control signal to the actuator (25). In this apparatus, information about an external force applied to the apparatus, such as the position, magnitude, direction, etc. of the external force, is computed on the basis of changes of the control signal supplied from the CPU (10) to drive the actuator (25) and a signal supplied as a response to the CPU (10) when the actuator (25) is driven. The external force information is supplied to the CPU (10) and used as information for selection of a behavior and emotion of the robot apparatus and the next behavior of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Yokono, Masahiro Fujita, Vincent Hugel
  • Patent number: 6859683
    Abstract: An integrated robotic cell having robot and series of sensors is able to process a component as desired by an operator using an interactive interface display. The integrated robotic cell includes a robotic arm connected a central processor unit as well as a series of monitors and sensors that thoroughly supervise the operation of the robotic arm and component to verify that there are no errors. The central processing unit is connected to the interface display, which allows the operator to control the operation of the robotic cell. The interface display incorporates a series of threads, with each thread having of a series of sequential processes to be performed by the robotic cell. The operator is thereby able to view and easily control the simultaneous processes being performed in the robotic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Futaba Corporation of America
    Inventors: Robert H. Parker, Michael E. Salmon, Gary L. Dumer, Gary C. Wheat, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6859682
    Abstract: Image data obtained by image-capturing by a pet robot is stored in a memory, and any of conditions whether the memory capacity is scarce, a captured image transfer instruction is made, or the battery capacity of the pet robot is scarce is satisfied, the pet robot is controlled to move to the charging apparatus. When the pet robot arrives at the charging apparatus, the image data is transferred to the charging apparatus. When the completion of transfer of the image data is detected, the image data already transferred is erased depending upon selection by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoji Naka, Hiroshi Endo, Yoshihiro Ito
  • Patent number: 6853878
    Abstract: A robot controller for teaching a robot with high efficiency. The robot controller including command storage unit (21) where a movement command and a work command are stored, command identifying unit (24) for discriminating between the movement and work commands, unit (22) for making/editing a series of work programs or discrete work programs by a combination of the commands, work program storage units (23) where the work programs are stored so as to control the robot according to the stored program, further including a work section identifying unit (25) for identifying a work section of the work program by way of the command identification unit (24) and work section automatic stopping unit (27) for automatically stopping or suspending the execution of the work program at the work section in a standby state when the work section identifying unit (25) identifies the work section during the execution of the work program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Takahide Hirayama, Shinji Okumura, Hiyoyuki Handa, Takeshi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6853881
    Abstract: A robot controller executes an operating program, calculates a position and posture of a robot, and sends the position and posture information to a personal computer (PC). At the PC side, on the basis of this position and posture information, animation display information of a work cell including the position and posture of the robot is created and then sent to a teaching pendant. In the teaching pendant, the animation display information is received, and an animation image is displayed on a display section. Until the operating program is terminated, this operation is performed so that an operating animation of the robot is displayed on the display section of the teaching pendant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Watanabe, Tetsuya Kosaka, Yoshiharu Nagatsuka
  • Patent number: 6853879
    Abstract: A medical master/slave manipulator is excellent in operability and capable of reducing burden on the operator. The medical master/slave manipulator includes a master unit provided with an operation control portion, a slave unit provided with a working device, an interlocking mechanism interlocking the slave unit with the master unit, an orientation difference measuring mechanism for measuring the orientation difference between the orientation of the master unit and that of the slave unit, and a control mechanism for controlling the slave unit to adjust the orientation of the slave unit to that of the master unit so that the orientation difference is reduced to zero in a transient master/slave operation mode in which an operation mode changes from an unrestricted operation mode to a master/slave operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takamitsu Sunaoshi
  • Patent number: 6845297
    Abstract: A system for tele-operating a robot in an environment includes a user interface for controlling the tele-operation of the robot, an imaging device associated with the robot for providing image information representative of the environment around the robot, means for transmitting the image information to the user interface, means for converting the image information to a user-perceptible image at the user interface, means for designating one or more waypoints located anywhere in the user-perceptible image towards which the robot will move, the waypoint in the user-perceptible image towards which the robot will first move being designated as the active waypoint using an icon, means for automatically converting the location of the active waypoint in the user-perceptible image into a target location having x, y, and z coordinates in the environment of the robot, means for providing real-time instructions to the robot from the user interface to move the robot from the robot's current location in the environment to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: IRobot Corporation
    Inventor: James R. Allard
  • Patent number: 6845295
    Abstract: A method of controlling a robot (32) includes the steps of selecting an initial configuration from at least one of a first, second, and third sets to position a TCP at a starting point (44) along a path (33) and selecting a final configuration different than the initial configuration to position the TCP at an ending point (46). Next, the TCP moves from the starting point (44) while maintaining the initial configuration, approaches the singularity between a first point (48) and a second point (50), and selects one of the axes in response to reaching the first point (48). The angle for the selected axis is interpolated from the first point (48) to the second point (50). After the interpolation, the angles about the remaining axes are determined and positions the arms in the final configuration when the TCP reaches the second point (50) and moves to the ending point (46) while maintaining the final configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: FANUC Robotics America, Inc.
    Inventors: Sai-Kai Cheng, Di Xiao, Chi-Keng Tsai, H. Dean McGee, Min-Ren Jean
  • Patent number: 6836701
    Abstract: An autonomous multi-platform robot system (100, 1100) for performing at least one functional task in an environment is provided. The system includes at least one navigator platform (110, 1110) providing mapping, localization, planning, and control functions for itself and at least one other platform within the environment and at least one functional robot platform (120, 1120) in communication with one or more navigator platforms for performing one or more functional tasks. In one embodiment, one or more navigator platforms (1110) are stationary and include sensors (202) for sensing information about the environment. In another embodiment, one or more functional robot platforms (1120) include sensors (304) for sending information about the environment. In still another embodiment, the system includes one or more stationary platforms (124) with sensors (310) for sensing information about the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Royal Appliance Mfg. Co.
    Inventor: Robert Nolan McKee
  • Publication number: 20040254680
    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 orientationof 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: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takamitsu Sunaoshi
  • Patent number: 6832131
    Abstract: A legged mobile robot possesses degrees of freedom which are provided at roll, pitch, and yaw axes at a trunk. By using these degrees of freedom which are provided at the trunk, the robot can smoothly get up from any fallen-down posture. In addition, by reducing the required torque and load on movable portions other than the trunk, and by spreading/averaging out the load between each of the movable portions, concentration of a load on a particular member is prevented from occurring. As a result, the robot is operated more reliably, and energy is used with greater efficiency during a getting-up operation. The robot independently, reliably, and smoothly gets up from various fallen-down postures such as a lying-on-the-face posture, a lying-on-the-back posture, and a lying sideways posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignees: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Hattori, Tatsuzo Ishida, Jinichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6832132
    Abstract: A legged mobile robot is adaptively controlled in its attitude against variable external forces to continue the operation without inversion. When the legged mobile robot kicks an object having a certain mass, such as a ball, the robot is to be prevented from being fallen down by the reactive force from the object. Even if the mass or the repulsion coefficient of the object kicked is unknown, the operation of kicking the object at a sufficiently low speed is carried out at the outset to predict the reactive force produced on actual kicking in order to predict the reactive force produced on actual kicking. The result is that the stability in attitude can be maintained on kicking at an arbitrary speed. The legged mobile robot is able to take part as one of the players in athletic games, such as soccer games, in which each player performs his or her role as the or she is subjected to an external force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignees: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuzo Ishida, Yoshihiro Kuroki, Jinichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6826432
    Abstract: A process for programming an automation application program on an automation equipment programming station, including defining several structured type objects each representing an input-output channel of automation equipment, declaring symbolic input-output variables of the program as an instance of a previously defined structured type object, a configuring symbolic input-output variables comprising a definition of the physical location of inputs-outputs of the automation equipment, automatically interpreting the program to execute it on the automation equipment, comprising replacing symbolic variables in the program with the complete topological address of corresponding input-output information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Schneider Automation
    Inventors: François Beck, Henry Baraston, Christian Laurain
  • Patent number: 6816753
    Abstract: To control articulated robots by dynamically modifying a combination of a hardware-dependent middleware layer and a hardware-independent application layer. An interface and a database for semantically performing operation are prepared between a middleware layer which depends upon the hardware configuration of a robot and an application layer which does not depend upon the hardware configuration, thereby making it possible to always guarantee normal operation even if a combination of the middleware and the application which is to be introduced onto the robot is modified. The application can acquire appropriate input data via the middleware, and can issue an appropriate command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Sakamoto, Makoto Inoue, Naoyasu Hosonuma, Tsuyoshi Takagi, Masahiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 6816754
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling drive of a robot having two or more drive axes and driven in accordance with an action program transmitted from a system controller to a robot controller by a wireless transmission way, checks whether a detected current position of the robot coincides with a predetermined start position of the robot in terms of the drive axes, and allows the robot to be driven in accordance with the designated action program when the detected current position coincides with the predetermined start position. Failure in the position control of the robot due to transmission error is prevented by the position checking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Giken Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Mukai, Saburo Ashihara, Noboru Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6804583
    Abstract: In order to automatically supply and locate a crash pad assembly in a vehicle by means of a robot in an automobile manufacturing plant, an automatic locating system of a crash pad for a vehicle according to the present invention comprises a synchronous running truck, a robot unit, first, second, third and fourth position detectors, first and second distance detectors, a limit switch, a vehicle-type detector, a vision controller, and a robot controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jae-Sun Kim, Jong-Bum Choi, Byung-Jo Kim
  • Patent number: 6799088
    Abstract: A medical system that allows a medical device to be controlled by one of two input devices. The input devices may be consoles that contain handles and a screen. The medical devices may include robotic arms and instruments used to perform a medical procedure. The system may include an arbitrator that determines which console has priority to control one or more of the robotic arms/instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Computer Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Yulun Wang, Modjtaba Ghodoussi, Darrin Uecker, James Wright, Amante Mangaser
  • Patent number: 6795748
    Abstract: A method for programming axial movements and events for industrial controllers is disclosed. A user may use an input device to enter axial movements and events into an electronic computer system, and thereafter generate controller language or code. The language or code may be used to operate the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Josef Hammer, Peter Nagy, Holger Grzonka, Rolf Bluemel
  • Patent number: 6786896
    Abstract: A robotic apparatus has eight actuators (M0-M7) and a linkage (LINK 0-LINK 5) that actuates an end effector. Three serial macro freedoms have large ranges of motion and inertias. Four serial micro freedoms have small ranges of motion and inertias. Translation of the end effector in any direction is actuated by at least one micro joint. The apparatus can be part of a master and slave combination, providing force feedback without any explicit force sensors. The slave is controlled with an Inverse Jacobian controller, and the master with a Jacobian Transpose controller. A slave having more degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) than the master can be controlled. A removable effector unit actuates its DOFs with cables. Beating heart surgery can be accomplished by commanding the slave to move with a beating heart, and cancelling out any such motion in the motions perceived by the master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Akhil Jiten Madhani, J. Kenneth Salisbury, Gunter D. Niemeyer
  • Patent number: 6785590
    Abstract: Robot-related information held at a robot user and data held at a robot manufacturer are used to enhance the user's sense of attachment to the robot. Each terminal device is operable to send information about the robot to a telecommunication line and to receive answer information sent from a server to the robot user via the telecommunication line. The server generates answer information on the basis of robot-related information sent from the personal terminal device and previously stored reference information corresponding to the robot-related information; and sends the answer information to the personal terminal device—via the telecommunication line. The answer information is for example a diagnostic report on the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kasuga, Ayako Okita, Tsunetaro Matsuoka, Tetsuya Konishi, Tadashi Otsuki, Kunio Takemoto, Yaeko Fujita, Toshiya Ogura
  • Patent number: 6785593
    Abstract: A medical system that allows a medical device to be controlled by one of two input devices. The input devices may be consoles that contain handles and a screen. The medical devices may include robotic arms and instruments used to perform a medical procedure. The system may include an arbitrator that determines which console has priority to control one or more of the robotic arms/instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Computer Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Yulun Wang, Modjtaba Ghodoussi, Darrin Uecker, James Wright, Amante Mangaser
  • Publication number: 20040167688
    Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus 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: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: L. Niklas Karlsson, Luis Filipe Domingues Goncalves, Enrico Di Bernardo, Paolo Pirjanian
  • Patent number: 6782308
    Abstract: In a music information reproducing device 1, a music information reproducing unit 2 reads a music information file 6 stored in a storage unit 4 and reproduces it as consecutive audible sound signal to sound audible sounds from a loud speaker 5. The music information file 6 comprises predetermined music information that a robot can recognize by analyzing as an audible sound signal and that specifies a movement pattern data for making the robot perform a movement pattern and normal music information for reproducing music. The robot 2 is a human form or an animal form robot that moves each part of the robot 2 in accordance with the specified movement pattern. A robot that performs a movement pattern along music by inputting the music as an audible sound signal and a movement pattern control program of the robot is provided in a cheap price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Yamaura
  • Patent number: 6760644
    Abstract: A system and method for transmission of communication signals between a controller and a robotic device in a data storage library. The system and method include a substantially planar electrical insulator having opposed first and second sides, and first and second substantially planar oppositely charged electrical conductors on the first and second sides of the insulator for use in providing electrical power to the robotic device. The system and method also include circuitry for generating the communication signals for transmission between the controller and the robotic device on one of the first and second conductors. The width of the second conductor is less than the width of the first conductor and the second conductor is substantially centered on the second side of the insulator relative to the width of the first conductor to reduce fringing of an electromagnetic field resulting from a transmitted communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastian Canaday, Steven L. Ochs, Antonio Borrego
  • Patent number: 6757587
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method, the apparatus comprising a controlled element (10), such as a robotic manipulator, and a dynamically updatable control system (11). The control system (11) uses a control system equation (eq. (1)) to determine control signals (dq/dt) for controlling the controlled element (1) given any required inputs (q, V) to the control system equation (eq. (1)). The control system (11) is dynamically updatable in that in response to a script file indicating a code structure (11d) preferably having linked nodes (12a 13a-c) and representing at least some components (W,F,&agr;,&bgr;) of the control system equation (eq. (1)), the control system (11) creates the code structure (11d), at run-time, and does so such that the nodes (12a 13a-c) can be queried (i.e. are executable logic) to provide values for at least some components (W,F,&agr;,&bgr;) of the control system equation (eq. (1)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: James D. English, Chu-Yin Chang, Bradley L. Williams
  • Patent number: 6754560
    Abstract: A robot is proposed which has a speech recognition unit to detect information supplied simultaneously with or just before or after detection of a touch by a touch sensor, an associative memory/recall memory to store action made correspondingly to the touch and input information (speech signal) detected by the speech recognition unit in association with each other, and an action generator to control the robot to make action recalled by the associative memory/recall memory based on a newly acquired input information (speech signal). The robot has also a sensor data processor to allow the robot to act correspondingly to the touch detection by the touch sensor. Thus, the robot can learn action in association with an input signal such as speech signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Fujita, Tsuyoshi Takagi, Rika Hasegawa, Osamu Hanagata, Jun Yokono, Gabriel Costa, Hideki Shimomura
  • Patent number: 6741911
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for controlling a remote robot responsive to the integrated sensory perceptions, natural body movements, inertia and gravitation of an operator/user who is himself responding to a three dimensional virtual world of visual and sensory conditions responsive to the environment at the remote site where the robot is operating. The user requires no training, special commands or devices to direct the robot because the user has the perception of actually being at the remote location, handling remote objects he sees and feels in his hands, walking, climbing, viewing and feeling the remote world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Inventor: John Castle Simmons
  • Publication number: 20040068335
    Abstract: A programming system for a robot comprises a portable programming terminal (6) having a series of jog keys (14) for controlling the motions of the robot, a key (18) for selecting one among a plurality of possible co-ordinate system for the jog keys (14) and a key (21) for storing the position reached by a predefined point of a tool supported by the robot, as a result of a motion thereof. The terminal (6) comprises additional control keys (40, 41), able to be operated manually instead of the jog keys (14), to cause, independently from the co-ordinate system selected with the selection key (18), a Cartesian and/or angular displacement of the predefined point of the tool relative to a reference point that may be varied at will, which corresponds to the position of the operator who uses the terminal (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Applicant: COMAU S.P.A.
    Inventors: Davide Ferla, Luca Lachello, Gianluca Gastaldi, Giorgio Cantello, Renzo Calcagno
  • Patent number: 6718232
    Abstract: A robot apparatus causes the emotion in a feeling part (130) to be changed based on the information acquired by a perception part (120) to manifest the behavior of information acquisition as autonomous behavior. The robot apparatus includes a behavior control part for causing the robot apparatus to manifest a language acquisition behavior and a meaning acquisition part. The robot apparatus also includes a control part for performing the behavior control of pointing its object of learning. The robot apparatus causes changes in internal states, which are ascribable to the object, to be stored in a memory part in association with the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Fujita, Tsuyoshi Takagi, Rika Horinaka, Jun Yokono, Gabriel Costa, Hideki Shimomura, Katsuki Minamino
  • Patent number: 6711468
    Abstract: A control system for robots comprising a control unit for generating and controlling the paths of a movement of the moving parts of the robot, a drive unit for generating the control signals for controlling the motors associated to the moving parts of the robot, and an Ethernet-type network for connection of the control unit and the drive unit. An interface module is also provided to connect the control unit to peripheral units and distributed input/output units. The drive unit comprises, in conjunction with a plurality of CPUs that close the control loops of the torques generated by the individual motors, a main CPU responsible for position control in the framework of the drive unit. The latter CPU thus retains knowledge of the overall status of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Comau S.p.A.
    Inventors: Aldo Bottero, Luciano Cane, Giorgio Cantello, Guido Cargnino, Antonio Zaccagnini
  • Patent number: 6697707
    Abstract: An architecture for robot intelligence enables a robot to learn new behaviors and create new behavior sequences autonomously and interact with a dynamically changing environment. Sensory information is mapped onto a Sensory Ego-Sphere (SES) that rapidly identifies important changes in the environment and functions much like short term memory. Behaviors are stored in a DBAM that creates an active map from the robot's current state to a goal state and functions much like long term memory. A dream state converts recent activities stored in the SES and creates or modifies behaviors in the DBAM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Vanderbilt University
    Inventor: Richard Alan Peters, II
  • Patent number: 6691001
    Abstract: An automated storage library structure, a structure of at least one robot operating within the automated storage library, and a method of connecting the robot to test equipment to facilitate testing. The robot is operative to move about the automated storage library on a guide structure. The test equipment is disposed in a diagnostics center associated with the automated storage library. Communication between the robot and the diagnostics center is provided through a main connector, disposed adjacent to the guide structure at a predetermined position and electrically connected to the diagnostics center, and a test connector mounted on the robot's chassis and electrically connected to the robot's electronics. A second robot may be used to support testing of a sick robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy C. Ostwald, Frank T. Smith
  • Patent number: 6690999
    Abstract: A method for controlling a hyper-redundant manipulator including a plurality of links coupled by joints by determining the shape the manipulator takes when the end of the manipulator is moved to a target position, includes modeling each link as an elastic body having a natural length and a suitable modulus of elasticity that enables the elastic body to stretch and contract, simulating the overall shape of the manipulator when the end has been moved to the target position with the joints locked at a freezed angle and the joints are unlocked to return each link to its natural length, and moving the manipulator end to the target position by controlling each joint angle to match the simulation outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Communications Research Laboratory, Independent Administrative Institution
    Inventor: Shinichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 6691000
    Abstract: A robot-arm telemanipulating system that presents an operator auditory information converted from a part of information on operating status of the robot arm (hereinafter referred to as “telemetry data”) transmitted from a distant position from the operator, so that a burden imposed on the operator can be alleviated. The telemanipulating system includes a sound source for simulatively generating an operating sound of the robot arm under telemanipulation, capable of variably controlling at least one of key, volume and tone of the operating sound by sound source control data input from outside; a telemetry data analyzing unit for analyzing telemetry data transmitted from the robot arm, and controlling the sound source by generating sound source controlling data corresponding to a load amount applied to the robot arm; and an audio output unit for presenting the operator the operating sound generated by the sound source in a form of auditory information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Communications Research Laboratory, Independent Administrative Institution
    Inventors: Yasufumi Nagai, Shigeru Tsuchiya, Shinichi Kimura