Time-optimal trajectories for robotic transfer devices

A time-optimal trajectory generation method for a robotic manipulator having a transport path with at least one path segment, the method comprising:

• generating, with a robotic manipulator controller, a forward time-optimal trajectory of the manipulator along the at least one path segment from a start point of the at least one path segment towards an end point of the at least one path segment;
• generating, with the robotic manipulator controller, a reverse time-optimal trajectory of the manipulator along the at least one path segment from the end point of the at least one path segment towards the start point of the at least one path segment, wherein the at least one path segment, the end point of the at least one path segment and the start point of the at least one path segment are all common to the generation of the forward time-optimal trajectory and the generation of the reverse time-optimal trajectory;
• and
• combining, with the robotic manipulator controller, the time-optimal forward and reverse trajectories to obtain a complete time-optimal trajectory, where the forward and reverse trajectories of the at least one path segment are blended together with a smoothing bridge joining the time-optimal forward and reverse trajectories in a position-velocity reference frame with substantially no discontinuity between the time-optimal forward and reverse trajectories.