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US 12,330,307 B2Granted
Robot with linear 7th axis
AssigneeDexterity, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Lovett, Zhouwen Sun, Matthew Rodolfo Molina, Robert Holmberg, Derek Pan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application discloses a robotic control system, and a method and a computer system for controlling a robot. The robotic control system includes a memory and one or more processors coupled to the memory. The memory is configured to store configured to store a model of a robot having a plurality of axes of control including at least a linear axis and one or more rotational axes. The one or more processors are configured to use the model to control the robot to perform a task, including by sending to the robot a set of control signals to cause the robot to move with respect to two or more of said axes of control including at least the linear axis.
Claims20
A robotic control system, comprising
- a memory configured to store a model of a robot having a plurality of axes of control including at least a first linear axis and one or more rotational axes, wherein the model is used to determine a solution space for controlling the robot that includes a possibility of the robot moving with respect to the first linear axis and the one or more rotational axes;
- and
- one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to:
- determine to perform a task, the task including a pick/place operation with respect to an item in a robot workspace;
- move the robot along the first linear axis to a first location that is within proximity of an item in the robot workspace, wherein:
- the solution space for moving the robot comprises a set of solutions for controlling the robot when the robot is in proximity to the item;
- and
- the solution space includes (i) a first set of solutions enabled by controlling the robot to perform the task at the first location by moving with respect to one or more rotational axes without further movement with respect to the first linear axis, and (ii) a second set of solutions enabled by controlling the robot to perform the task at the first location by moving with respect to one or more rotational axes and the first linear axis;
- select a selected solution from the solution space;
- and
- control the robot to perform the task according to the selected solution.
8 more elements
A robot comprising:
- a plurality of motors each associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of axes of control of the robot, the axes of control including at least a linear axis and one or more rotational axes;
- a plurality of motor controllers each associated with one of the motors;
- a communication interface;
- and
- one or more processors coupled to the motor controllers and the communication interface, the one or more processors being configured to receive via the communication interface a set of control signals to cause the robot to move in a specific manner with respect to each of two or more of said axes of control to perform a task based at least in part on a solution space associated with different solutions for performing the task, including at least the linear axis, and to send commands to corresponding ones of the motor controllers to control the motors to cause the robot to move in the specific manner,
- wherein:
- the task includes performing a pick/place operation with respect to an item in a robot workspace;
- the linear axis includes a first linear axis corresponding to a rail or other linear conveyance on which the robot is mounted;
- the one or more processors are further configured to:
- move the robot along the linear axis to a first location that is within proximity of an item in the robot workspace;
- and
- control the robot to perform the task according to a selected solution that is selected from a solution space, the solution space being determined based on a model of possible movements of the robot with respect to the linear axis and the one or more rotational axes;
- the solution space for moving the robot comprises a set of solutions for controlling the robot when the robot is in proximity to the item;
- and
- the solution space includes (i) a first set of solutions enabled by controlling the robot to perform the task at the first location by moving with respect to one or more rotational axes without further movement with respect to the first linear axis, and (ii) a second set of solutions enabled by controlling the robot to perform the task at the first location by moving with respect to one or more rotational axes and the first linear axis.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.