ROBOT WITH CAMERA

• US 20100312393A1
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Someya, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37302 Measure tool length, workpiece configuration without stopping movement
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40033 Assembly, microassembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40598 Measure velocity, speed of end effector
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40609 Camera to monitor end effector as well as object to be handled
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40613 Camera, laser scanner on end effector, hand eye manipulator, local

Abstract

A shutter chance of a camera mounted on a robot arm is optimized for improving assembling efficiency. An image of a point on a finger and a position of an alignment mark is taken, and a position of the camera is measured by image processing. When the position of the camera is a preset position threshold value or lower, and when a velocity of the camera measured by a velocity sensor is a preset velocity threshold value or lower, a shutter is released. Furthermore, logical AND with another condition that a acceleration of the camera measured as a differential value of the velocity sensor is a preset acceleration threshold value or lower is taken for releasing the shutter. Thus, blur of an image for searching for a work is prevented, a position error is reduced, and working efficiency is improved by releasing the shutter earlier.

Claims

1. A robot with a camera, comprising:

a hand with a finger;

a camera disposed on the hand;

a robot arm including the hand;

a control portion which searches for a work based on an image obtained by the camera and controls the robot arm;

a unit which detects a velocity of the camera; and

a unit which detects a position of the camera,

wherein the control portion permits the camera to take the image used for searching for the work, when the velocity of the camera takes a preset velocity threshold value or lower and the position of the camera takes a preset position threshold value or lower.

2. A robot with a camera according to claim 1, wherein the unit which detects the velocity is a velocity sensor mounted on the camera.

3. A robot with a camera according to claim 1, further comprising a force sensor which is disposed on the hand and measures a force applied to the finger,

wherein the unit which detects the velocity and the unit which detects the position respectively detect the velocity and the position of the camera based on an output of the force sensor.

4. A robot with a camera according to claim 1, further comprising a unit which detects an acceleration of the camera,

wherein the control portion permits the camera to take the image used for searching for the work, when the acceleration of the camera takes a preset acceleration threshold value or lower, the velocity of the camera takes the preset velocity threshold value or lower, and the position of the camera takes the preset position threshold value or lower.