# US 12,110,194 B2 · Robot control device, robot, and method of controlling the robot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,194 B2 - Document ID: US12110194B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/632,506 - Filed: 2020-07-09 - Published: 2022-09-08 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-09 - Assignees: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masaya Yoshida; Shinya Kitano; Atsushi Nakaya; Junichi Sugahara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110194B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/1679: {characterised by the tasks executed} - B65G 47/905: {Control arrangements} - B25J 9/1664: {characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning} - H10P 72/30: for conveying, e.g. between different workstations - G05B 2219/45031: Manufacturing semiconductor wafers - 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}) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - 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 robot control device configured to control operation of a robot configured to transfer a substrate while holding the substrate is provided. The substrate becomes in a first state where an end effector holds the substrate and the substrate is not placed at an installation position, when the end effector positions at a first teaching point above the installation position. The substrate becomes in a second state where the end effector does not hold the substrate and the substrate is placed at the installation position, when the end effector positions at a second teaching point below the installation position. The first and second states can be switched by causing the robot to perform a first operation to move the end effector from either one of the first teaching point and the second teaching point to the other one of the first teaching point and the second teaching point. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot control device configured to control operation of a robot configured to transfer a substrate while holding the substrate, the robot comprising: a robotic arm having at least one joint axis; and an end effector provided to a tip end of the robotic arm and configured to hold the substrate, wherein the robot is disposed adjacent to an installation position at which the substrate is placed, wherein the substrate becomes in a first state where the end effector holds the substrate and the substrate is not placed at the installation position, when the end effector positions at a first teaching point above the installation position, wherein the substrate becomes in a second state where the end effector does not hold the substrate and the substrate is placed at the installation position, when the end effector positions at a second teaching point below the installation position, wherein the robot control device switches between the first state and the second state by causing the robot to perform a first operation to move the end effector from either one of the first teaching point and the second teaching point to the other one of the first teaching point and the second teaching point, and wherein the robot control device is inhibited to determine whether the end effector passes the installation position, and to stop the end effector during the first operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot control device of claim 1, wherein the robot control device is inhibited to decelerate the end effector at or near the installation position during the first operation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The robot control device of claim 1, wherein positional information on the installation position is stored beforehand by teaching, and the robot control device derives at least either one of the first teaching point and the second teaching point based on a distance from the installation position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A robot, comprising: the robot control device of claim 1; the robotic arm; and the end effector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The robot of claim 4, wherein the end effector includes a base-end part connected to a tip end of the robotic arm, and two tip-end parts branching from the base-end part so as to extend to a tip-end side, and wherein the first teaching point and the second teaching point are set such that the installation position passes through between the two tip-end parts when the end effector passes the installation position during the first operation. ### Claim 6 A robot control method for controlling operation of a robot configured to transfer a substrate while holding the substrate, the robot including: a robotic arm having at least one joint axis; and an end effector provided to a tip end of the robotic arm and configured to hold the substrate, wherein the robot is disposed adjacent to an installation position at which the substrate is placed, wherein the substrate becomes in a first state where the end effector holds the substrate and the substrate is not placed at the installation position, when the end effector positions at a first teaching point above the installation position, and wherein the substrate becomes in a second state where the end effector does not hold the substrate and the substrate is placed at the installation position, when the end effector positions at a second teaching point below the installation position, the method comprising the steps of: positioning the end effector at either one of the first teaching point and the second teaching point; and switching between the first state and the second state by causing the robot to perform a first operation to move the end effector from the one of the first teaching point and the second teaching point to the other one of the first teaching point and the second teaching point, and not determining whether the end effector passes the installation position, and not stopping the end effector during the first operation.