Method for controlling at least two robots having respective working spaces including at least one region in common

A method for controlling at least two robots having respective working spaces including at least common working region, with a central electronic unit for controlling the robots, for communicating with the robots and for governing movements of the robots, preventing any interference between them in the common working region, the method comprising:

• modelling a working space of each robot, taking into account objects present in the working space of the robot, by defining one or more interference regions each constituted by an elementary geometrical figure;
• classifying the interference regions in three different categories:
• prohibited interference regions, defined as regions of space where a presence of the robot must without fail always be inhibited due to a permanent presence of one or more objects with which the robot must not interfere;
• monitored interference regions, defined as regions of space where the presence of the robot is accepted, but controlled, the robot being pre-arranged for sending a signal to the central control unit whenever it enters a monitored interference region and whenever it exits from the monitored interference region;
• and
• hybrid interference regions, defined as regions of space that are able to change between a status of monitored interference region and a status of prohibited interference region, as a function of an input signal to the robot sent by the central control unit;
• pre-arranging each robot for sending to the central control unit a first output signal, serving as entry booking, whenever the robot is about to enter a hybrid interference region, and a second output signal, serving as an entry/presence warning, whenever the robot enters a hybrid interference region;
• and
• varying dynamically a status of each hybrid interference region for each robot, during operation of the robot, by sending, from the central control unit, an input signal to the robot, which renders the hybrid interference region monitored or prohibited for the robot, according to whether the hybrid interference region is free from other robots.