Control system for manipulator apparatus with resolved compliant motion control

A method for controlling a manipulator having a manipulator arm controllable in a plurality of axes and a driven support structure for the manipulator arm, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating command signals representing at least the desired velocity of the manipulator arm in at least a first axis at a predetermined point on the manipulator structure, said manipulator structure including compliance intermediate said predetermined point and the driven point of the support structure;
• synthesizing feedback signals corresponding to position and velocity of the manipulator arm in at least said first axis at said predetermined point on the manipulator structure in response to measured position and velocity signals from the manipulator structure derived from measurement at a point closer to the driven point of the support structure than said predetermined point and before said compliance;
• and
• controlling movement of the manipulator arm in a servo loop in accordance with the synthesized feedback signals and the command signals.

A method for controlling a manipulator having a manipulator arm and drive means for moving said arm in a plurality of axes, said arm having support structure which includes compliance in at least one of said axes intermediate the outer end of said arm and the drive means for said one axis, which comprises the steps of:

• generating a command signal representing at least the desired velocity of said arm in said one axis during movement to a predetermined location;
• generating a velocity feedback signal corresponding to the actual velocity of said manipulator arm in said one axis at a point between said compliance and said drive means for said one axis;
• developing a quantity corresponding to the component of velocity lost in said compliance during movement of said arm in said one axis;
• utilizing said actual velocity feedback signal and said lost velocity quantity to provide a synthetic velocity feedback signal representing the actual velocity of said arm in said one axis at a point between said compliance and the outer end of said arm;
• and
• controlling movement of said manipulator arm in said one axis in accordance with said command signal and said synthetic velocity feedback signal.

A control system for a programmable manipulator having a manipulator arm and drive means for moving said arm in a plurality of axes, said arm having support structure which includes compliance in at least one of said axes intermediate the outer end of said arm and the drive means for said one axis, comprising:

• means for generating a velocity feedback signal corresponding to the actual velocity of said manipulator arm in said one axis at a point between said compliance and said drive means for said one axis,
• means for devloping a quantity representing the portion of said actual velocity which is lost in said compliance during movement of said arm in said one axis;
• and
• means responsive to said velocity feedback signal and said quantity representing said lost velocity for developing a synthetic velocity feedback signal representing the velocity of said manipulator arm in said one axis at a point between said compliance and the outer end of said arm.