FRAMEWORK AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A ROBOTIC SYSTEM USING A DISTRIBUTED COMPUTER NETWORK

• US 20110071672A1
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company), Oceaneering International Incorporated, The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Barajas, Leandro G., Sanders, Adam M., Strawser, Philip A., Permenter, Frank Noble
• Granted Patent: US 9,120,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4141 characterised by a controller or microprocessor per axis
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4148 characterised by using several processors for different functions, distributed (real-time) systems G05B19/4141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33218 Motor encoders, resolvers on common bus with drives, servo controllers

Abstract

A robotic system for performing an autonomous task includes a humanoid robot having a plurality of compliant robotic joints, actuators, and other integrated system devices that are controllable in response to control data from various control points, and having sensors for measuring feedback data at the control points. The system includes a multi-level distributed control framework (DCF) for controlling the integrated system components over multiple high-speed communication networks. The DCF has a plurality of first controllers each embedded in a respective one of the integrated system components, e.g., the robotic joints, a second controller coordinating the components via the first controllers, and a third controller for transmitting a signal commanding performance of the autonomous task to the second controller. The DCF virtually centralizes all of the control data and the feedback data in a single location to facilitate control of the robot across the multiple communication networks.

Claims

1. A robotic system operable for performing an autonomous task, the robotic system comprising:

a humanoid robot having a plurality of integrated system components, including a plurality of compliant robotic joints, actuators adapted for moving the robotic joints, and sensors adapted for measuring control and feedback data at a plurality of control points of the integrated system components; and

a multi-level distributed control framework (DCF) adapted for controlling the integrated system components over multiple high-speed communication networks, the DCF including;

a plurality of first controllers each configured for processing and controlling the control and feedback data within at least one of the integrated system components;

a second controller adapted for coordinating the functionality of the integrated system components via communication with the plurality of first controllers; and

a third controller adapted for transmitting a signal commanding performance of the autonomous task to the second controller;

wherein the DCF centralizes and abstracts the control and feedback data in a single logical location to facilitate control of the humanoid robot across the multiple high-speed communication networks.

2. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the robotic joints includes a servo motor, and wherein the control and feedback data includes a positional value of the servo motor.

3. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the multiple high-speed networks include each of:

an Ethernet network, a backplane, and a multipoint low-voltage differential signaling (M-LVDS) bus.

4. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first controllers includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) controlling at least one degree of freedom (DOF) of a corresponding one of the robotic joints.

5. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the second controller includes a communications module adapted for interfacing with each of the plurality of first controllers.

6. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the centralized control data and feedback data is accessible via the third controller.

7. The robotic system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of network communication managers (NCM), wherein at least one NCM is connected to each of the high-speed communication networks and adapted to coordinate and prioritize communication between the networks.

8. A distributed control framework (DCF) for motion control of a humanoid robot having a plurality of integrated system components including a plurality of compliant robotic joints, actuators adapted for moving the robotic joints, and sensors adapted for measuring control and feedback data at a plurality of control points of the integrated system components, the DCF comprising:

a plurality of different high-speed communication networks;

a plurality of first controllers each configured for processing and controlling the control and feedback data from at least one of the integrated system components;

a second controller adapted for coordinating the functionality of the integrated system components via the plurality of first controllers; and

a third controller adapted for transmitting a signal commanding performance of an autonomous task to the second controller;

wherein the DCF abstracts and centralizes the control and feedback data in a single location to facilitate control of the humanoid robot across the high-speed communication networks.

9. The DCF of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of network communication managers (NCM), wherein an NCM is connected to each of the networks and adapted to coordinate and prioritize communication between the networks.

10. The DCF of claim 9, wherein each NCM is configured to revert control of the robot to a safe state in response to a predetermined event.

11. The DCF of claim 10, including a plurality of command modules connected to each of the high-speed networks, and adapted for controlling a designated function of the robot, wherein the predetermined event occurs when one of the command modules is disconnected.

12. The DCF of claim 11, wherein the plurality of command modules includes at least one of:

a haptic sensing module, a vision sensing module, a user interface module, a task planning module, a tele-operation module, reasoning module, and a learning module.

13. The DCF of claim 11, wherein at least some of the first controllers are configured as printed circuit board assemblies that are embedded in a respective one of the robotic joints, and that are adapted for controlling the motion of a corresponding one of the joints.

14. The DCF of claim 8, wherein the plurality of different high-speed communication networks include at least one of:

an Ethernet network, a backplane, and an multipoint low-voltage differential signaling (M-LVDS) bus.

15. The DCF of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of first controllers include a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) controlling a single degree of freedom (DOF) of a corresponding one of the robotic joints.

16. The DCF of claim 8, wherein the second controller includes a communications module adapted for interfacing with each of the plurality of first controllers.

17. A method of controlling motion of a humanoid robot having a plurality of integrated system components including a plurality of compliant robotic joints, actuators adapted for moving the robotic joints, and sensors adapted for measuring control and feedback data at a plurality of control points of the integrated system components, the method comprising:

embedding each of a plurality of first controllers in a respective one of the plurality of integrated system components;

coordinating a function of the integrated system components using a second controller, wherein the second controller is in communication with each of the plurality of first controllers;

commanding execution of an autonomous task by transmitting a signal to the second controller from a third controller; and

centralizing and abstracting the control and feedback data in a single logical location to facilitate control of the robot across multiple communication networks.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein embedding each of a plurality of first controllers in a respective one of the plurality of integrated system components includes embedding a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) in each of the robotic joints.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein centralizing and abstracting the control and feedback data in a single logical location includes storing the control data and the feedback data in a memory location that is accessible via the third controller.