Method for safe coupling and decoupling of an input device

A method for coupling and decoupling an input device to and from a robotic manipulator, wherein the input device is configured to control the robotic manipulator, the method comprising:

• a) decoupling the input device from the manipulator when a reference point of the manipulator has reached an obstacle space or a boundary of a working space;
• b) updating a mapping of the pose of an input point of the input device to the pose of the reference point of the manipulator, wherein a current pose of the input point is mapped to the last allowable pose of the reference point of the manipulator;
• c) checking whether the input device-commanded pose of the reference point of the manipulator in the updated mapping is outside the obstacle space and inside the working space;
• and
• d) coupling the input device to the manipulator when the input device-commanded pose of the reference point of the manipulator is outside the obstacle space and inside the working space.

A control device for controlling at least one robotic manipulator with an input device, wherein the control device is configured to receive inputs from the input device and to control the robotic manipulator, the control device including program code stored in a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, the program code, when executed on the control device, causing the control device to:

• check whether the pose of an input point of the input device is within an input tolerance range, wherein the input tolerance range of the input device is determined by mapping a tolerance range of a reference point of the robotic manipulator, and the input tolerance range is unchangeable until the input device is coupled to the robotic manipulator;
• move the reference point of the robotic manipulator to the pose commanded by the input device when the pose of the input point is within the input tolerance range;
• and
• couple the input device to the robotic manipulator after the reference point has reached the commanded pose.

A computer program product including program code stored on a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, the program code, when executed on a control device for controlling a robotic manipulator, causing the control device to:

• check whether the pose of an input point of an input device is within an input tolerance range, wherein the input tolerance range of the input device is determined by mapping a tolerance range of a reference point of the robotic manipulator, and the input tolerance range is unchangeable until the input device is coupled to the robotic manipulator;
• move the reference point of the robotic manipulator to the pose commanded by the input device when the pose of the input point is within the input tolerance range;
• and
• couple the input device to the robotic manipulator after the reference point has reached the commanded pose.