Systems and Methods for Planning Paths to Guide Robots

A computer readable product, tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage device, for guiding a robot in a robotic system to move between a given start point and a given endpoint, by designing a refined path based on an initial path in a three-dimensional space, the computer readable product including instructions operable to cause a computing device to:

• receive data related to creating the initial path, including the start point and the endpoint;
• generate the initial path by interpolating the start point and the endpoint, wherein instructions operable to cause the computing device to generate the initial path comprises instructions operable to cause the computing device to:
• determine a set of one or more polynomial functions to represent the initial path, wherein the set of one or more polynomial functions define coordinates to model a route from the start point to the end point;
• and
• display the initial path on a graphical user interface;
• receive inputs for at least one support point that defines a coordinate in the three-dimensional space for altering the initial path;
• adjust the initial path to generate the refined path by modifying the set of one or more polynomial functions, such that the refined path interpolates the at least one support point between the start point and the endpoint;
• and
• provide the refined path an operating module for guiding the robot from the start point to the endpoint.

A computer-implemented robotic system for guiding a robotic means in a three-dimensional space, the manufacturing processing system comprising:

• an input means for (i) receiving data related to creating an initial path, including a start point, an endpoint, and (ii) inputs for at least one support point that defines a coordinate in the three-dimensional space for altering the initial path;
• a determination means for generating the initial path by interpolating the start point and the endpoint, the determination means comprises:
• a modeling means for determining a set of one or more polynomial functions to represent the initial path, wherein the set of one or more polynomial functions define coordinates to model a route from the start point to the end point;
• and
• a display means for causing to display on a graphical user interface the initial path;
• an adjusting means for adjusting the initial path to generate a refined path by modifying the set of one or more polynomial functions, such that the refined path interpolates the at least one support point between the start point and the endpoint;
• and
• an output means for providing the refined path to a second computing module for guiding the robotic means from the start point to the endpoint.

A computer-implemented method for guiding a robot having a tool mounted thereon for processing a workpiece, by creating a refined path based on an initial path in a three-dimensional space, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a computing device, data related to creating the initial path, including a start point and an endpoint;
• generating, by the computing device, the initial path by interpolating the start point and the endpoint, wherein generating the initial path comprises:
• determining, by the computing device, a set of one or more polynomial functions to represent the initial path, wherein the set of one or more polynomial functions defines coordinates to model a route from the start point to the end point;
• detecting, by the computing device, a potential error associated with the initial path;
• and
• displaying, by the computing device on a graphical user interface, the initial path, wherein at least one section of the initial path is configured to visually indicate the potential error;
• receiving, by the computing device, data for at least one support point that defines a coordinate in the three-dimensional space for altering the initial path;
• adjusting, by the computing device, the initial path to generate the refined path by modifying the set of one or more polynomial functions, such that the refined path interpolates the at least one support point between the start point and the endpoint;
• and
• providing, by the computing device, the refined path to enable the robot and the tool to move substantially along the refined processing path to process the workpiece.