US 5,038,089 A · Synchronized computational architecture for generalized bilateral control of robot arms

Abstract

A master six-degree-freedom Force Reflecting Hand Controller ("FRHC") is available at a master site where a received image displays, in essentially real-time, a remote robotic manipulator which is being controlled in the corresponding six-degree-freedom by command signals which are transmitted to the remote site in accordance with the movement of the FRHC at the master site. Software is user-initiated at the master site in order to establish the basic system conditions and then a physical movement of the FRHC in Cartesean space is reflected at the master site by six absolute numbers that are sensed, translated, and computed as a difference signal relative to the earlier position. The change in position is then transmitted in that differential signal form over a high speed synchronized bilateral communication channel which simultaneously returns robot-sensed response information to the master site as forces applied to the FRHC so that the FRHC reflects the "feel" of what is taking place at the remote site. A system-wide clock rate is selected at a sufficiently high rate that the operator at the master site experiences the Force Reflecting operation in real time.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A universal computer control system having a control processor with a memory storage device that is software accessible, said control system characterized by being of master slave type for controlling a plurality of motors that can be controlled by a software program, with some motors of the plurality of said motors being located at a master site and some motors of the plurality of said motors being located at a remote site, and said system comprising:

a system code generator in signal communication with said memory storage device of said control processor for delivering thereto a predetermined code to be stored therein in order to electronically write a software control program for controlling said plurality of motors at both site locations;
a system software control program that is written electronically by said predetermined code issued from said system control generator;
means available to a user for inputting to said control processor a hardware configuration and operating parameters for each one of said plurality of motors to be controlled by said system software control program as written by said system;
and
means responsive to said software control program written by said system and to said hardware configuration, and said operating parameters as input by the user into said control processor at said master site for emitting a plurality of command signals to control the operation of each one of said plurality of motors by said control processor.

2 more elements

A non-autonomous multiple-degree-freedom Force Reflecting Hand Controller ("FRHC") system at a master site where a received image displays to an operator, in essentially real-time, a remote robotic manipulator which is being controlled in a corresponding multiple-degree-freedom by command signals which are formulated at the master site for transmission to a remote site in accordance with an operator-controlled movement of the FRHC at the master site, said system comprising:

software, user-initiated at the master site and written by the system itself, in order to establish basic system operating conditions;
a first control processor means at the master site for translating an operator's physical movement of the FRHC in Cartesean space into numbers indicative of relative movements of said FRHC in each degree of said multiple-degree-freedom, which numbers are formulated at said master site into said command signals for achieving a corresponding relative movement of said robotic manipulator at said remote site;
means for transmitting said command signals to said remote site for moving said robotic manipulator to a new and different commanded position relative to the robot's earlier position;
and
second processor control means at said remote site for returning to said master site, over said transmitting means, signals indicative of the robotic movements in order to provide a "feel" of those movements for the operator at the master site.

2 more elements

A non-autonomous multiple-degree freedom Hand Controller ("HC") system at a master site where a received image displays, in essentially real-time, a remote robotic manipulator which is to be controlled in a corresponding degree-of-freedom by relative movement command signals which are formulated for transmission to a remote site in accordance with an operator's command at the master site, said system including a first control system at the master site and a second control system at the remote site, and said "HC" system comprising:

software, operator-initiated at the master site and written by the system itself, in order to establish, at least in part, the command formulated by said first control system for transmission to said second control system at the remote site;
means translating operator-initiated movement of the HC in Cartesean space at the master site into a transmissible command signal that includes said software input and is indicative of relative movement of said HC in each of said degrees-of-freedom as desired for controlled system movement of said robotic manipulator at said remote site;
means associated with said first control system for transmitting said transmissible command signal to said second control system at said remote site;
and
means in said second control system at said remote site for receiving said command signal transmitted from said master site and responsive thereto for moving said robot manipulator to a new and different commanded position, relative to the robot's earlier position, which corresponds to the relative movement of the HC by the operator at the master site.

2 more elements

A method of controlling a multiple-degree-freedom Force Reflecting Hand Controller ("FRHC") at a master site where a received image displays, in essentially real-time, a remote robotic manipulator which is to be controlled in a corresponding degree-of-freedom by operator-formed command signals which are formulated for transmission to a remote site in accordance with an operator's command at the master site, said method comprising:

operating software at the master site, in order to establish, at least in part, a desired command for the remote site;
writing said operating software by the system itself;
translating relative movement of the FRHC in Cartesean space at the master site into a transmissible command signal that includes said software input and is indicative of a desired degree-of-freedom movement for said manipulator at said remote site;
and
transmitting said transmissible command signal to said remote site for moving said robot manipulator to a new and different commanded position relative to the robot manipulator's earlier position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Synchronized computational architecture for generalized bilateral control of robot arms

Life of this patent

Synchronized computational architecture for generalized bilateral control of robot arms

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27