US 4,942,538 A · Telerobotic tracker

Abstract

A telerobotic system adapted for tracking and handling a moving object comprises a robot manipulator, a video monitor, an image processor, hand controls and a computer. The robot manipulator comprises a movable robotic arm having an effector for handling an object, a drive system for moving the arm in response to arm input signals, sensors for sensing the position of the arm and for generating arm output signals which characterize the dynamic motion behavior of the arm, and a vid=eo camera carried by the arm. The camera responds to motion of the moving object within the field of view of the camera. The video monitor receives an input video signal from the video camera, for displaying an image of the object to a human operator. The image processor is responsive to the output signal of the camera, and is capable of acquiring and pre-processing an image of the object on a frame by frame basis. The hand control is capable of generating a hand control output signal in response to input from a human operator. The computer generates arm input signals and is disposed between the hand control means, the robot manipulator, and image processor. The computer receives (i) output signals from the image processor and (ii) the arm output signals and (iii) the hand control output signal and generates arm input signals in response to the received signals whereby the arm tracks the motion of the object.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A telerobotic system adapted for handling a moving objects, said object having at least three points of known position, comprising:

(a) a robot manipulator comprising
(i) a movable robotic arm having an effector for handling an object,
(ii) means for moving said arm in response to arm input signals,
(iii) means for sensing the position of said arm and for generating arm output signals, which arm output signals characterize the dynamic motion behaviour of said arm, and
(iv) a video camera carried by said arm, said camera being adapted to respond in real time to real time motion of said moving object within the field of view of said camera;
(b) a video monitor for receiving an input video signal from said video camera and for displaying an image of the object to a human operator;
(c) image processing means, responsive to the output signal of said camera, for acquiring and pre-processing an image of the object on a frame by frame basis;
(d) hand control means for generating a hand control output signal in response to input from a human operator;
(e) computer means for generating arm input signals disposed between said hand control means, said robot manipulator, and said image processing means, said computer means receiving (i) output signals from said image processing means and (ii) said arm output signals and (iii) said hand control output signal and generating arm input signals in response to said received signals whereby said arm tracks the real time motion of the object.

6 more elements

A telerobotic tracking system for tracking the movement of a moving object, said object having at least three points of known position, comprising:

(a) a robot manipulator comprising
(i) a movable robotic arm,
(ii) means for moving said arm in response to arm input signals,
(iii) means for sensing the position of said arm and for generating arm output signals, which arm output signals characterize the dynamic motion behaviour of said arm, and
(iv) a video camera carried by said arm, said camera being adapted to respond in real time to real time motion of said moving object within the field of view of said camera;
(b) a video monitor which receives an input video signal from said video camera, for displaying an image to a human operator;
(c) image processing means, responsive to the output signal of said camera, capable of acquiring and pre-processing an image on a frame by frame basis;
(d) computer means for receiving (i) the output signal from said image processing means and (ii) said arm output signals and generating arm input signals in response to said input signals to said computer means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Telerobotic tracker

Life of this patent

Telerobotic tracker

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10