Robot controller
AssigneeKUKA Deutschland GmbH
InventorEwald Lutscher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for controlling a robot includes detecting current positions of joints of the robot and actuating the joints using drives of the robot based on the detected current joint positions such that at least one drive supports a manual guidance-induced movement of the joint actuated by the drive if a distance between the detected or target joint position and a specified first boundary has a first value. The drive supports the manual guidance-induced movement to a lesser degree if the distance has a second value which is lower than the first value. Additionally, the manual guidance-induced movement is oriented towards the first boundary.
Claims17
A method for controlling a robot having a plurality of joints actuated by respective drives, comprising:
- detecting current positions of the joints of the robot;
- and
- actuating the joints using the drives of the robot based on the detected current joint positions, such that:
- at least one drive assists a movement of its associated joint, induced by a manual guidance applied to the robot by a user, to a first extent and in the same direction as the movement, when a spacing between the detected joint position or a target joint position of the associated joint and a specified first limit of the associated joint has a first value, and
- the at least one drive assists the movement of the associated joint to a second extent, less than the first extent, when the spacing has a second value that is less than the first value, and the movement induced by the manual guidance is directed toward the first limit.
A system for controlling a robot having a plurality of joints actuated by respective drives, the system comprising:
- means for detecting current positions of joints of the robot;
- and
- means for actuating the joints using the drives of the robot based on the detected current joint positions, such that:
- at least one drive assists a movement of its associated joint, induced by a manual guidance applied to the robot by a user, to a first extent and in the same direction as the movement, when a spacing between the detected joint position or a target joint position of the associated joint and a specified first limit of the associated joint has a first value, and
- the at least one drive assists the movement of the associated joint to a second extent, less than the first extent, when the spacing has a second value that is less than the first value, and the movement induced by the manual guidance is directed toward the first limit.
A computer program product usable with a robot having a plurality of joints actuated by respective drives, the computer program product comprising a program code stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program code, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to:
- detect current positions of the joints of the robot;
- and
- actuate the joints using the drives of the robot based on the detected current joint positions, such that:
- at least one drive assists a movement of its associated joint, induced by a manual guidance applied to the robot by a user, to a first extent and in the same direction as the movement, when a spacing between the detected joint position or a target joint position of the associated joint and a specified first limit of the associated joint has a first value, and
- the at least one drive assists the movement of the associated joint to a second extent, less than the first extent, when the spacing has a second value that is less than the first value, and the movement induced by the manual guidance is directed toward the first limit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.