APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING ROBOTS

• US 20120150352A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IR Robot Company Limited
• Original Assignee: IR Robot Company Limited
• Inventors: PARK, Chang Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/264
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/06 Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1671 characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39014 Match virtual world with real world
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40121 Trajectory planning in virtual space
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40129 Virtual graphic 3-D pointer, manipulator commands real manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for synchronization robots. According to an aspect of the present invention, a portable robot synchronization apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store data defining physical models and behaviors of a real robot, a manipulation unit, an output unit, a communication unit configured to perform wired and wireless communication with the real robot or a server, and a control unit configured to model a size and behavior of a virtual robot, having a shape and behavior of the real robot, in response to a manipulation command received through the manipulation unit, on the basis of the data stored in the storage unit, output the modeled virtual robot through the output unit, and control the behavior of the virtual robot in response to the behavior of the real robot when communicating with the real robot through the communication unit.

Claims

1. A portable robot synchronization apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit configured to store data defining physical models and behaviors of a real robot;

a manipulation unit;

an output unit;

a communication unit configured to perform wired and wireless communication with the real robot or a server; and

a control unit configured to model a size and behavior of a virtual robot, having a shape and behavior of the real robot, in response to a manipulation command received through the manipulation unit, on the basis of the data stored in the storage unit, output the modeled virtual robot through the output unit, and control the behavior of the virtual robot in response to the behavior of the real robot when communicating with the real robot through the communication unit.

2. The portable robot synchronization apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit converts a robot manipulation command protocol capable of manipulating real robot, in response to a manipulation command of the manipulation unit, and sends the models and behavior data of the modeled virtual robot to the real robot through the communication unit by using the converted robot manipulation command protocol.

3. The portable robot synchronization apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit receives behavior data according to a result of the behavior of the real robot from the real robot through the communication unit, stores the received behavior data in the storage unit, and controls the behavior of the virtual robot on the basis of the stored behavior data of the real robot.

4. The portable robot synchronization apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit integrates a plurality of the manipulation commands received through the manipulation unit, stores the plurality of received manipulation commands in the storage unit in the form of one consecutive manipulation command, and controls the behavior of the real robot by sending the one consecutive manipulation command of the storage unit to the real robot through the communication unit.

5. The portable robot synchronization apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit recognizes a real robot to be communicated therewith on the basis of a unique ID or an automatic robot recognition code which is distinguished from other real robots and communicates with the recognized real robot through the communication unit.

6. The portable robot synchronization apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control unit groups a plurality of the real robots and controls the plurality of grouped real robots by sending the models and behavior data of the modeled virtual robot to the plurality of grouped real robots through the communication unit by using the converted robot manipulation command protocol.

7. The portable robot synchronization apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs the modeled virtual robot in a 3D video.

8. The portable robot synchronization apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage unit is a detachable memory or an external database apparatus.

9. A robot synchronization method using a portable robot synchronization apparatus, comprising the steps of:

storing data defining physical models and behavior of a real robot;

receiving a command to manipulate a virtual robot having a shape and behavior of the real robot;

modeling a size and behavior of the virtual robot on the basis of the stored data in response to the received manipulation command;

outputting the modeled virtual robot; and

controlling the behavior of the virtual robot on the basis of the behavior of the real robot through communication with the real robot.

10. The robot synchronization method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

converting a robot manipulation command protocol capable of manipulating the real robot in response to the received manipulation command; and

sending the models and behavior data of the modeled virtual robot to the real robot using the converted robot manipulation command protocol.

11. The robot synchronization method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of controlling the behavior of the virtual robot comprises the steps of:

receiving behavior data according to a result of the behavior of the real robot from the real robot and storing the received behavior data of the real robot; and

controlling the behavior of the virtual robot on the basis of the stored behavior data of the real robot.

12. The robot synchronization method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

integrating a plurality of the received manipulation commands and storing the plurality of received manipulation commands in the form of one consecutive manipulation command; and

controlling the behavior of the real robot by sending the stored one consecutive manipulation command to the real robot.