Method and apparatus for controlling a robot to simulate driving of a motorcar
AssigneeHoriba, Ltd.
InventorsShinji Noguchi, Tokihiro Tsukamoto
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Abstract
A method of controlling a robot for testing of a motorcar by the simulated driving thereof, as on a chassis dynamometer. The robot is capable of detecting shifted operating quantities of actuators of the robot to correct the detected shifted quantities, whereby surely achieving operations of pedals and the like of the motorcar by the actuators. In the case where the actuators of the robot are shifted in position during a test driving of the motorcar, these positional shifts are automatically sensed and compensated for during the simulated driving of the motorcar, and the test need not be discontinued or interrupted.
Claims14
A method of dynamically adjusting a robot for simulated driving of a motorcar to compensate for movement of the robot relative to the motor car during operation of the robot, said method including the steps of:
- bringing an actuator of the robot into contact with a control of the motor car and recording the initial position of contact,
- using the actuator of the robot to operate the motorcar control during the simulated driving thereof,
- retracting the actuator of the robot and sensing the position at which contact with said control is lost,
- generating a correction factor indicative of a difference between said initial contact position and said loss of contact position,
- and using said correction factor to adjust operation of the motorcar control by said robot by correcting the motion of said actuator to contact said control.
Apparatus for control of an actuator of a robot for simulated driving of a motorcar, said apparatus comprising:
- means for sensing a condition of contact between said actuator and a control of said motorcar,
- first memory means for recording a first position of said actuator upon initial contact thereof with said motorcar control,
- means for sensing an extent of movement of said actuator,
- prime mover means moving said actuator in response to operation of said prime mover,
- means for generating a command moving said actuator via operation of said prime mover of said actuator, said command generating means also commanding movement of said actuator resulting in disengagement thereof from said motorcar control,
- second memory means for recording a second position of said actuator upon disengagement of said actuator from said motorcar control,
- comparison means for comparing said first position with said second position and providing a correction factor in response to a difference therebetween, and
- means for modifying said command in accord with said correction factor, thereby to compensate said robot for relative movements between the robot and the motorcar to result in fidelity of operation of said motorcar control by said robot despite said relative movements.
A method of controlling a robot to simulate driving of a motorcar, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an actuator operating each of an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a clutch pedal of said motorcar with a respective contact sensor,
- comparing operating quantities of the respective actuators until they are brought into contact with the respective pedals,
- causing the robot to memorize the respective ranges and operating characteristics of the respective actuators with those after the respective actuators are brought into contact with the respective pedals, and with those when the respective actuators are separated from the respective pedals during operation of the motorcar by the robot,
- determining difference values between the operating quantities with the pedals engaged by the actuators and with the actuators disengaged from the pedals, and
- adding said difference values to target values controlling movements of the respective actuators to control the movements of the respective motorcar pedals by the robot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.