# US 11,440,185 B2 · Multi-operation unit integration device, control method therefor, and autonomous learning type robot device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,185 B2 - Document ID: US11440185B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/609,295 - Filed: 2018-03-02 - Published: 2020-02-20 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-30 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroshi Ito; Kenjiro Yamamoto; Yusuke Hieida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440185B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/163: {learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control} - B25J 5/00: Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages (B25J1/00 takes precedence; program-controlled manipulators B25J9/00) - B25J 9/08: characterised by modular constructions - B25J 13/00: Controls for manipulators (program controls B25J9/16) - G05B 13/0265: {the criterion being a learning criterion} - G05B 2219/40302: Dynamically reconfigurable robot, adapt structure to tasks, cellular robot, cebot - G05B 2219/40304: Modular structure - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A multi-operation unit integration device having scale expandability and includes a plurality of operation units each of which includes a movable unit; and an integration module. The integration module includes an operation timing unit that gives operation timings of the plurality of operation units based on an operation instruction input from an outside, and the operation unit includes: a plurality of operation learning units that generate a control signal given to the movable unit according to an operation timing signal from the operation timing unit of the integration module; drive means for driving the movable unit of the operation unit according to the control signal; and a sensor that detects a state quantity of the movable unit driven by the drive means. An autonomous learning type robot device is configured using the multi-operation unit integration device as a control portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multi-operation unit integration device comprising: a plurality of operation units each of which includes a movable unit; and an integration module, wherein the integration module includes an operation timing unit that determines whether a situation where an operation unit of the plurality of operation units is placed is already learned based on sensor information detected by a sensor in the operation unit, and combines operation timings of the plurality of operation units, and the operation unit of the plurality of operation units includes: a plurality of operation learning units that each generates a control signal given to the movable unit according to an operation timing signal from the operation timing unit of the integration module; drive means for driving the movable unit of the operation unit according to the control signal; and a sensor that detects a state quantity of the movable unit driven by the drive means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The multi-operation unit integration device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the operation timing units in the integration module are selected according to an input operation instruction, and the selected operation timing unit gives the operation timing signal to the operation learning unit in the operation unit, the operation learning unit being fixed by the operation timing unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The multi-operation unit integration device according to claim 1, wherein the operation timing signal of the integration module fixes an operation content of the operation unit and an operation start or stop timing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The multi-operation unit integration device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of operation learning units in the operation unit are selected according to the operation timing signal from the operation timing unit, and the selected operation learning unit gives the control signal to the drive means fixed by the operation learning unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The multi-operation unit integration device according to claim 1, wherein the operation learning unit acquires the control signal for the drive means based on at least one of the operation timing signal and the state quantity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The multi-operation unit integration device according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit includes a storage that stores the operation timing signal in driving the operation unit and the state quantity as learning data, and a parameter of the operation learning unit is adjusted based on the learning data stored in the storage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The multi-operation unit integration device according to claim 1, wherein the integration module adjusts a parameter of the operation timing unit so as to achieve predetermined operation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An autonomous learning type robot device configured using the multi-operation unit integration device according to claim 1 as a control portion. ### Claim 9 A method for controlling a multi-operation unit integration device including a plurality of operation units each of which includes a movable unit, and an integration module, wherein the integration module inputs an operation instruction for a series of combined operations performed by the plurality of operation units, gives an operation timing signal to each of the plurality of operation units, decides time when the operation timing signal is given to each of the plurality of operation units, based on a presence or an absence of a learning experience detected by a sensor of each of the plurality of operation units, designates an individual operation unit of the plurality of operation units to drive the moveable unit, and gives the operation timing signal to the designated operation unit, and the designated operation unit drives the movable unit in response to the operation timing signal from the integration module.