Image processing apparatus and robot system

• US 10,127,622 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nishitani, Masanobu, Setsuda, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bendidi, Rachid
• Application Number:
  US14/854,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20160078583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0014 Image feed-back for automatic industrial control, e.g. robot with camera robots B25J19/023
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a first connecting unit connected to an image pickup apparatus, a plurality of second connecting units connected to one control apparatus or one other image processing apparatus, the control apparatus being configured to control a robot; and a processing unit configured to process picked-up images picked up by the image pickup apparatus.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of camera connectors that are communicably connected to a plurality of cameras, each of the plurality of camera connectors having a different network segment;

a plurality of other connectors that are communicably connected to at least a first robot controller of a plurality of robot controllers and at least a first other image processing apparatus of a plurality of other image processing apparatuses, the first robot controller being configured to control a robot, the plurality of other connectors respectively having different identifiers;

a processor that is configured to process images picked up by the plurality of cameras, the processor being configured to detect and compare network segments of the plurality of camera connectors and the plurality of other connectors, the processor being configured to set a same IP address for two or more other connectors among the plurality of other connectors; and

a memory that is configured to store a plurality of identifiers of the plurality of other connectors,

wherein a first camera of the plurality of cameras is connected to a first camera connector of the plurality of camera connectors, and the first camera connector has a first network segment,

each of the plurality of other connectors has a second network segment, and

when the processor determines that the first network segment is the same as the second network segment, the processor is configured to change the first network segment of the first camera connector to a third network segment that is different from the first and second network segments.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to set an IP address different from the same IP address for another other connector, which is different from the two or more other connectors, of the plurality of other connectors.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the same IP address is for information that is input from one of an information processing apparatus that outputs a control program for the robot to the plurality of robot controllers and a setting screen on which an IP address is set.

4. A robot system comprising:

an image processing apparatus that has;

a plurality of camera connectors that are communicably connected to a plurality of cameras, respectively, and each of the plurality of camera connectors having a different network segment;

a plurality of other connectors that are communicably connected to at least a first robot controller of a plurality of robot controllers and at least a first other image processing apparatus of a plurality of other image processing apparatuses, the first robot controller being configured to control a robot, the plurality of other connectors respectively having different identifiers;

a processor that is configured to process images picked up by the plurality of cameras, the processor being configured to detect and compare network segments of the plurality of camera connectors and the plurality of other connectors, the processor being configured to set a same IP address for two or more other connectors among the plurality of other connectors; and

a memory that is configured to store a plurality of identifiers of the plurality of other connectors;

a robot main body of the robot;

the plurality of cameras; and

the first robot controller configured to perform driving control for the robot main body,

wherein a first camera of the plurality of cameras is connected to a first camera connector of the plurality of camera connectors, and the first camera connector has a first network segment,

each of the plurality of other connectors has a second network segment, and

when the processor determines that the first network segment is the same as the second network segment, the processor is configured to change the first network segment of the first camera connector to a third network segment that is different from the first and second network segments.

5. The robot system according to claim 4,

wherein the processor is configured to set an IP address different from the same IP address for another other connector, which is different from the two or more other connectors, of the plurality of other connectors.

6. The robot system according to claim 4,

wherein the same IP address is for information that is input from one of an information processing apparatus that outputs a control program for the robot to the plurality of robot controllers and a setting screen on which an IP address is set.