# US 7,415,321 B2 · Robot controller > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,415,321 B2 - Document ID: US7415321B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/538,770 - Filed: 2003-12-11 - Published: 2006-08-17 - Granted: 2008-08-19 - Earliest claimed: 2002-12-12 - Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yasunao Okazaki; Kazuyuki Sakiyama; Katsuhiko Asai; Masaki Yamamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7415321B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - G05B 2219/39543: Recognize object and plan hand shapes in grasping movements - G05B 2219/40609: Camera to monitor end effector as well as object to be handled - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract Realized is a robot controller capable of handling a large amount of data of images and so on necessary for advanced intelligence of control while securing a real-time performance with a simple structure. For this purpose, there are provided a motion control device for performing a calculation process for achieving motion control of an object to be controlled, a recognition and planning device for performing task and motion planning of the object to be controlled and recognition of outside world, an input/output interface for outputting a command to the object to be controlled and receiving as input, a state of the object to be controlled, and a route selecting device for controlling communications by switching connections among the motion control device the recognition and planning device, and the input/output interface. While controlling the communications by switching the connections among the motion control device, the recognition and planning device, and the input/output interface by the route selecting device, the motions of the robot of the object to be controlled are controlled on the basis of the results of the task and motion planning of the object to be controlled and the recognition of the outside world. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot controller comprising: a motion control means for performing a calculation process for achieving motion control of an object to be controlled; a recognition and planning means for performing task and motion planning of the object to be controlled and recognition of outside world; an input/output interface for outputting a command to the object to be controlled and receiving as input, a state of the object to be controlled; and a route selecting means for controlling communications by switching connections among the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface by means of a switch that has a plurality of external input/output ports and switches among digital signal paths respectively connected to the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface, wherein motions of a robot of the object to be controlled are controlled on a basis of results of the task and motion planning of the object to be controlled and the recognition of the outside world while controlling the communications by switching the connections among the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface by the route selecting means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route selecting means has a function to control an order of priority of data transfer, and the route selecting means controls communications by switching the connections among the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface on a basis of the order of priority of data transfer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The robot controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the route selecting means controls the order of priority of data transfer according to a control situation of the object to be controlled, and the route selecting means controls communications by switching the connections among the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface on a basis of the order of priority of data transfer according to the control situation of the object to be controlled. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The robot controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control situation of the object to be controlled is a control error. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The robot controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control situation of the object to be controlled is a control desired position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The robot controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein the route selecting means has an exclusive signal line for making notification of a data transfer request. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The robot controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the route selecting means controls the order of priority of data transfer according to a priority order data embedded in transfer data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The robot controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the route selecting means operates to temporarily stop transfer of non-preferential data when controlling the order of priority of data transfer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The robot controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the route selecting means operates to thin out non-preferential data when controlling the order of priority of the data transfer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The robot controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route selecting means has a function to control an occupation ratio of a data transfer capacity, and the route selecting means controls communications by switching the connections among the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface on a basis of the occupation ratio of the data transfer capacity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The robot controller as claimed in claim 10, wherein the route selecting means controls the occupation ratio of the data transfer capacity according to the control situation of the object to be controlled, and the route selecting means controls communications by switching the connections among the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface on a basis of the occupation ratio of the data transfer capacity according to the control situation of the object to be controlled. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The robot controller as claimed in claim 11, wherein the route selecting means operates so as to put a non-preferential data aside and stored in the storage means when controlling an order of priority of data transfer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The robot controller as claimed in claim 10, wherein the route selecting means controls the occupation ratio of the data transfer capacity on a basis of occupation ratio data embedded in transfer data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The robot controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route selecting means has a function to control a clock rate of data transfer, and the route selecting means controls communications by switching the connections among the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface by changing the clock rate of the data transfer according to a control situation of the object to be controlled. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The robot controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route selecting means has a storage means to provide time buffering between the motion control means and the recognition and planning means, and the route selecting means controls communications by switching the connections among the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface. ### Claim 16 A robot controller comprising: motion control means for performing a calculation process for achieving motion control of an object to be controlled; recognition and planning means for performing task and motion planning of the object to be controlled and recognition of outside world; an input/output interface for outputting a command to the object to be controlled and receiving as input, a state of the object to be controlled; a first route selecting means connected to the recognition and planning means by means of a switch that has a plurality of external input/output ports and switches a digital signal path connected to the recognition and planning means to one of the ports; and a second route selecting means connected to the motion control means, the first route selecting means, and the input/output interface by means of a switch that has a plurality of external input/output ports and switches among digital signal paths connected to the motion control means, the recognition and planning means, and the input/output interface, wherein motions of a robot of the object to be controlled is controlled on a basis of results of the task and motion planning of the object to be controlled and the recognition of the outside world while controlling communications by switching connections between the second route selecting means and the recognition and planning means by the first route selecting means and while controlling communications by switching connections between the recognition and planning means, the first route selecting means, and the input/output interface by the second route selecting means.