# US 2016/0089786 A1 · Control device for mobile robot

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- Number: US 2016/0089786 A1
- Document ID: US20160089786A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/802,359
- Filed: 2015-07-17
- Published: 2016-03-31
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-29
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Takumi Kamioka; Tomoki Watabe; Masahiko Osada
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160089786A1

## CPC

- B25J 9/1633: {compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control}
- B25J 13/085: {Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence)}
- B25J 13/088: {with position, velocity or acceleration sensors}
- B62D 57/032: with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid (B62D57/024 takes precedence)
- G05B 2219/39182: Compensation for base, floor deformation
- G05B 2219/39305: Learn, detect kinematic contraints in a plane from displacement and force
- Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot
- Y10S 901/27: Arm part
- 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})
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- 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)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A control device for a mobile robot capable of stabilizing the posture of the mobile robot while in motion is provided. A control unit (26) for a mobile robot (1) includes a required total floor reaction force central point position calculating unit which calculates a required total floor reaction force central point position (Pzmp(1) to Pzmp(7)) as a position of a total floor reaction force central point by using, as a factor, a first total floor reaction force center reference position (SP(1) to SP(7)) which is defined on the basis of a current time's supporting region (Sd1 to Sd7), i.e. a smallest convex region including ground contact surfaces of current time's supporting limbs, and a next time's supporting region (Sd2 to Sd8), i.e. a smallest convex region including ground contact surfaces of next time's supporting limbs.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control device for a mobile robot which is caused to travel by moving three or more limbs extended from a base body thereof, the control device being configured to control an operation of the mobile robot so as to cause an actual motion of the mobile robot to track a desired motion thereof and also to cause at least a controlled external force element, which is a prescribed type of element defining a position of a total floor reaction force central point as a point of application of total floor reaction force, to track a desired value for the controlled external force element, the control device comprising:
a required total floor reaction force central point position calculating unit configured to calculate a required total floor reaction force central point position as a position of the total floor reaction force central point, by using as a factor a first total floor reaction force center reference position which is defined on the basis of a current time's supporting region and a next time's supporting region, the current time's supporting region being a smallest convex region including ground contact surfaces of current time's supporting limbs which are located on the ground during a current time's free limb period that extends from when at least one limb out of the three or more limbs is lifted until when the same is landed, the next time's supporting region being a smallest convex region including ground contact surfaces of next time's supporting limbs which include the at least one limb and which are located on the ground during a next time's free limb period that extends, after the landing of the at least one limb, from when at least one limb different from the at least one limb is lifted until when the same is landed; and
a desired controlled external force element value determining unit configured to successively determine a desired value of the controlled external force element on the basis of the calculated required total floor reaction force central point position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control device for the mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the first total floor reaction force center reference position is defined to fall within a region which is part of an overlapping region between the current time's supporting region and the next time's supporting region and which extends with reference to the center of the overlapping region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The control device for the mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein
the mobile robot includes four limbs, and
the required total floor reaction force central point position calculating unit determines the required total floor reaction force central point position on the basis of the first total floor reaction force center reference position and a second total floor reaction force center reference position which is defined on the basis of a free limb line and a supporting limb line, the free limb line being determined based on a planned landing position or a floor-leaving position of the at least one limb in the current time's free limb period and a position of the limb arranged diagonal to the at least one limb at a planned landing time or a floor-leaving time of the at least one limb, the supporting limb line being determined based on landing positions of the supporting limbs in the current time's free limb period.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The control device for the mobile robot according to claim 3, wherein the required total floor reaction force central point position is configured to become closer to the first total floor reaction force center reference position as a ratio of a movement amount of a free limb in the next time's free limb period to a movement amount of a free limb in the current time's free limb period of the mobile robot is higher, and to become closer to the second total floor reaction force center reference position as the ratio of the movement amount of the free limb in the next time's free limb period to the movement amount of the free limb in the current time's free limb period of the mobile robot is lower.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The control device for the mobile robot according to claim 3, wherein in trot gait in which a set of one limb and a limb arranged diagonal to the limb and a set of the remaining limbs are lifted and landed alternately, the free limb line is a line connecting floor-leaving positions of the two free limbs in the current time's free limb period.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The control device for the mobile robot according to claim 3, wherein in crawl gait in which one limb at a time is lifted and landed in a prescribed order, the free limb line is a line connecting a planned floor-landing position of the free limb and a landing position of the limb arranged diagonal to the free limb in the current time's free limb period.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The control device for the mobile robot according to claim 1, further comprising a total floor reaction force central point permissible region setting unit configured to set, within the current time's supporting region, a total floor reaction force central point permissible region which is smaller than the current time's supporting region, wherein
the required total floor reaction force central point position calculating unit determines whether the calculated required total floor reaction force central point position falls within the set total floor reaction force central point permissible region and, if the determination result is negative, makes a correction such that the required total floor reaction force central point position is located on a portion of a boundary line of the set total floor reaction force central point permissible region facing the required total floor reaction force central point position.