Method and system for controlling robot

• US 10,335,964 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso Wave Inc (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso Wave Inc (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancho, Ronnie M
• Application Number:
  US15/335,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20170157783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 700245, 700255
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/022 using lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/003 by application of a specific control arrangement, e.g. specific switching systems or two-hand control
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/14 the means being photocells or other devices sensitive without mechanical contact
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/144 using light grids
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/147 using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4061 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40202 Human robot coexistence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40203 Detect position of operator, create non material barrier to protect operator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40264 Human like, type robot arm
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

In a robot control system, the distance from an operating region of a robot arm to a person who is approaching the region is measured using a laser sensor. Information necessary to acquire a safety skill level that is stored in an RFID tag possessed by the person is acquired using an RFID reader. A controller classifies distances into a short distance, which is a distance within the operating region of the arm, a long distance, which is a distance that exceeds a movable region of the arm, and an intermediate distance, which is a distance between the short distance and the long distance. The motion of the arm is controlled by the controller, depending on the distance (i.e., the long distance, the intermediate distance, or the short distance) and the safety level.

Claims

1. A robot control system comprising:

a distance measuring unit configured to measure a distance from an operating region of a robot main body to a person who is approaching the region;

an information acquisition unit configured to acquire, by a wirelessly transmitted signal, information necessary to acquire a safety skill level of the person, which is stored in a recording medium possessed by the person; and

a control device configured to control operation of the robot main body and acquiring the distance and the information from the distance measuring unit and the information acquisition unit, wherein

the control device is configured to classify the distance into a short distance, which is a distance within the operating region, a long distance, which is a distance that exceeds a movable region of the robot main body, and an intermediate distance, which is a distance between the short distance and the long distance,

in a case in which the distance belongs to the long distance, the control device operates the robot main body without deceleration,

in a case in which the distance belongs to the short distance, the control device stops the operation of the robot main body,

in a case in which the distance belongs to the intermediate distance and the safety skill level indicates an expert, the control device operates the robot main body without deceleration,

in a case in which the distance belongs to the intermediate distance and the safety skill level indicates a beginner, the control device operates the robot main body in a decelerated state such that the person takes action to ensure their own safety, and

in a case in which the distance belongs to the intermediate distance and the safety skill level is not acquired, the control device stops the operation of the robot main body.

2. The robot control system according to claim 1, wherein

the distance measuring unit is configured to acquire a person position coordinate value, which is a position of the person to whom the distance is measured,

the information acquisition unit is configured to acquire a medium position coordinate value, which is a position of the recording medium,

in a case in which a plurality of person position coordinate values is acquired within a range of the intermediate distance, the control device is configured to determine whether or not a plurality of medium position coordinate values corresponding to the person position coordinate values is acquired,

in a case in which the medium position coordinate values corresponding to the person position coordinate values are acquired and any one of the safety skill levels corresponding to the medium position coordinate values indicates the beginner, the control device is configured to operate the robot main body in the decelerated state, and

in a case in which no medium position coordinate values corresponding to the person position coordinate values are acquired, the control device is configured to stop the operation of the robot main body.

3. The robot control system according to claim 2, wherein

the distance measuring unit is constituted by a laser sensor,

when a plurality of person position coordinate values is acquired in a plurality of directions within the range of the intermediate distance, the control device is configured to regard the person position coordinate values present in the respective directions as person position coordinate groups,

in a case in which a medium position coordinate value that does not correspond to the acquired person position coordinate value of at least one of the person position coordinate groups is acquired on an extension line thereof, the control device is configured to determine whether or not the safety skill level of only the acquired person position coordinate value is acquired and whether the safety skill level of the acquired person position coordinate value is high or low and evaluate the safety skill level of the person position coordinate group, and

the control device is configured to finally evaluate one of the person position coordinate groups that has a lowest safety skill level.

4. The robot control system according to claim 3, wherein

the control device is configured to define a region in which the robot main body is to operate within a predetermined time from a present time as a monitoring region and define a region in which the robot main body is not to operate within the predetermined time from the present time as an unmonitored region, and

in a case in which the distance belongs to the intermediate distance and to the unmonitored region, the control device is configured to operate the robot main body without deceleration.

5. The robot control system according to claim 4, wherein, even in a case in which the distance belongs to the short distance and to the unmonitored region, the control device is configured to operate the robot main body without deceleration.

6. The robot control system according to claim 1, wherein

the control device is configured to define a region in which the robot main body is to operate within a predetermined time from a present time as a monitoring region and define a region in which the robot main body is not to operate within the predetermined time from the present time as an unmonitored region, and

in a case in which the distance belongs to the intermediate distance and to the unmonitored region, the control device is configured to operate the robot main body without deceleration.

7. The robot control system according to claim 6, wherein, even in a case in which the distance belongs to the short distance and to the unmonitored region, the control device is configured to operate the robot main body without deceleration.

8. The robot control system according to claim 2, wherein

the control device is configured to define a region in which the robot main body is to operate within a predetermined time from a present time as a monitoring region and define a region in which the robot main body is not to operate within the predetermined time from the present time as an unmonitored region, and

in a case in which the distance belongs to the intermediate distance and to the unmonitored region, the control device is configured to operate the robot main body without deceleration.

9. The robot control system according to claim 8, wherein, even in a case in which the distance belongs to the short distance and to the unmonitored region, the control device is configured to operate the robot main body without deceleration.