US 5,357,598 A · Method and apparatus for controlling an obstacle avoiding robot

Abstract

There are provided method and apparatus for controlling a robot, in which when the robot is continuously controlled in different directions such that from the movement in the horizontal direction to the movement in the vertical direction, the movements in the horizontal and vertical directions from a predetermined position are executed in parallel during the movement in the horizontal direction. In the method, target movement positions in the horizontal and vertical directions are input, a first distance which is necessary to move the robot in only the vertical direction is input, and the predetermined position is determined on the basis of the target movement positions in the horizontal and vertical directions and the first distance. The movements in the horizontal and vertical directions include the equal acceleration motion and the equal deceleration motion. With this method, the operator can easily perform the programming and teaching of the robot such that the robot can reach a desired final target position while avoiding obstacles without colliding therewith in the shortest time.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of controlling a robot so as to prevent coming into touch with an obstacle, comprising the steps of:

continuously controlling the robot from a movement in a first direction to a movement in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
concurrently executing the movements in the first and second directions from a predetermined position in the movement in the first direction,
wherein the predetermined position is determined by:
a) inputting a target movement position in the first direction;
b) inputting a target movement position in the second direction;
c) inputting a first distance which is necessary to execute the movement in only the second direction, the first distance being necessary to prevent coming into touch with the obstacle;
and
d) calculating said predetermined position on the basis of the target movement in the first direction, the target movement in the second direction and the first distance which were input in said steps a), b), and c).

5 more elements

An apparatus for controlling a robot so as to prevent coming into touch with an obstacle, in which when the robot is continuously controlled from a movement in a first direction to a movement in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the movements in the first and second directions are executed concurrently from a predetermined position in the movement in the first direction, comprising:

a first position determination control unit in the first direction;
a second position determination control unit in the second direction for controlling independently of the first direction;
and
arithmetic operating means for calculating a period of time from the start of the movement in the second direction to arrival at the head position of a first distance, which is necessary to prevent coming into touch with the obstacle, and at which it is necessary to execute only a moving motion in the second direction in response to a target position in the movement in the first direction, a target position in the movement in the second direction, and said first distance and, said arithmetic operating means, further, being operative to calculate a position which precedes the target position in the movement in the first direction by only the movement distance in the first direction in said period of time,
wherein said second position determination control unit is operative to set the position that precedes the target position to said predetermined position and to start a control in the second direction when the robot has passed the predetermined position.

2 more elements

A method of controlling a robot comprising a controlling unit for controllably moving the robot in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a command interpreting unit supplying a command of movement start to said controlling unit, wherein movements in the first and second directions are executed concurrently from a predetermined position in the movement in the first direction, comprising the steps of:

a) interpreting, in said command interpreting unit, the command described in a program for moving the robot;
b) calculating, in said command interpreting unit, the predetermined position based on a parameter included in the command;
c) transmitting the command for movement start in the first direction and a data concerned with the predetermined position from the command interpreting unit to said controlling unit;
d) monitoring, in said control unit, a position of the robot during the movement in the first direction;
and responsive to a detection that the robot arrives at the predetermined position, continuing the movement in the first direction and transmitting to said command interpreting unit a signal indicating that the robot has arrived at the predetermined position;
and
e) executing, in said command interpreting unit, an interpretation of the command responsive to the signal from said controlling unit.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for controlling an obstacle avoiding robot

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for controlling an obstacle avoiding robot

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15