ARM CONTROL APPARATUS, ARM CONTROL METHOD, ARM CONTROL PROGRAM, ROBOT, AND INTEGRATED ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT FOR ARM CONTROL

• US 20140343729A1
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: FUDABA, Yudai, TSUSAKA, Yuko, OZAWA, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 9,102,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/261
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/00 Controls for manipulators programme controls B25J9/16; control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/06 Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36429 Power assisted positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39427 Panel on arm, hand of robot, controlled axis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

In a touch panel display with an arm, a torque calculating unit calculates a torque to be loaded on a touch panel display based on a position acquired by a touch position information acquiring unit and a force acquired by a touch force information acquiring unit, and a stiffness parameter information generating unit generates information about a stiffness parameter for controlling an arm so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change based on the calculated torque. An arm control unit controls the arm based on the generated information about the stiffness parameter.

Claims

1. An arm control apparatus for controlling a position and an orientation of a touch panel display, the apparatus comprising:

a touch position information acquiring unit that acquires a position on a screen of the touch panel display touched by a person;

a touch force information acquiring unit that acquires a force on the screen touched by the person;

a torque calculating unit that calculates a torque to be applied to the touch panel display based on the position acquired by the touch position information acquiring unit and the force acquired by the touch force information acquiring unit;

a stiffness parameter information generating unit that generates information about a stiffness parameter for controlling the arm so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change based on the torque calculated by the torque calculating unit; and

an arm control unit that controls the arm based on the information about the stiffness parameter generated by the stiffness parameter information generating unit.

2. The arm control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the touch force information acquiring unit acquires force information about a pushing force to be vertically applied to a surface of the screen of the touch panel display and a frictional force to be horizontally applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display,

the touch position information acquiring unit acquires position information that is changed when the person traces along the screen of the touch panel display while touching,

the torque calculating unit:

calculates a torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force information about the pushing force to be vertically applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the position information acquired by the touch position information acquiring unit; and

calculates a torque whose axis is vertical to the screen of the touch panel display based on the force information about the frictional force to be horizontally applied to the screen of the touch panel display and the position information acquired by the touch position information acquiring unit.

3. The arm control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the touch force information acquiring unit acquires the force information that changes such that:

(1) the pushing force is applied that vertically pushes to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display;

(2) the pushing force is applied that pushes vertically to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the frictional force is applied that is horizontally applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display; and

(3) the force is not applied to the touch panel display,

the touch position information acquiring unit acquires the position information that changes such that;

(1) the screen of the touch panel display is touched;

(2) a position on the screen of the touch panel display touched while being traced by the person changes in any direction; and

(3) the person leaves the screen of the touch panel display,

the stiffness parameter information generating unit generates the stiffness parameter that changes such that;

(1) the torque calculating unit calculates the torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force for vertically pushing the surface of the screen of the touch panel display acquired by the touch force information acquiring unit, and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm based on the calculated torque so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change;

(2) the torque calculating unit calculates the torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the torque whose axis is vertical to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force for vertically pushing the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the frictional force horizontally applied to the touch panel display, and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm based on the calculated torque so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change; and

(3) the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm of a case where the force is not applied to the touch panel display.

4. The arm control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the touch force information acquiring unit acquires the force information that changes such that:

(1) the pushing force is applied that pushes vertically to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display;

(2) the pushing force is applied that pushes vertically to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the frictional force is applied that is horizontally applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display; and

(3) the force is not applied to the touch panel display,

the touch position information acquiring unit acquires the position information that changes such that;

(1) the person multi-touches the screen of the touch panel display;

(2) positions on the screen of the touch panel display multi-touched by the person are shifted so as to be separated from each other; and

(3) the person leaves the screen of the touch panel display,

the stiffness parameter information generating unit generates the stiffness parameter that changes such that;

(1) the torque calculating unit calculates the torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force for vertically pushing the surface of the screen of the touch panel display, and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm based on the calculated torque so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change;

(2) the torque calculating unit calculates the torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the torque whose axis is vertical to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force for vertically pushing the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the frictional force horizontally applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display, and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm based on the calculated torque so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change; and

(3) the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm of a case where the force is not applied to the touch panel display.

5. The arm control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the touch force information acquiring unit acquires the force information that changes such that:

(1) the pushing force is applied that pushes vertically to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display;

(2) the pushing force is applied that pushes vertically to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the frictional force is applied that is horizontally applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display; and

(3) the force is not applied to the touch panel display,

the touch position information acquiring unit acquires the position information that changes such that;

(1) the person multi-touches the screen of the touch panel display;

(2) positions on the screen of the touch panel display multi-touched by the person are shifted so as to come closer to each other; and

(3) the person leaves the screen of the touch panel display,

the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter that changes such that;

(1) the torque calculating unit calculates the torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force for vertically pushing the surface of the screen of the touch panel display, and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm based on the calculated torque so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change;

(2) the torque calculating unit calculates the torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and a torque whose axis is vertical to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force for vertically pushing the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the frictional force horizontally applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display, and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm based on the calculated torque so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change; and

(3) the stiffness parameter information generating unit generates the stiffness parameter of the arm of a case where a force is not applied to the touch panel display.

6. The arm control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the touch force information acquiring unit acquires force information about a pushing force vertically applied to a surface of the screen of the touch panel display and about a case where the force is not applied to the screen of the touch panel display,

the touch position information acquiring unit acquires position information of a case where the person repeats touch on the screen of the touch panel display at a plurality of times,

the stiffness parameter information generating unit generates the stiffness parameter that changes such that:

(1) the torque calculating unit calculates a torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force information about the pushing force vertically applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display and the position information acquired by the touch position information acquiring unit, and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm based on the calculated torque so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change; and

(2) when the force is not applied to the touch panel display, the torque calculating unit does not calculate the torque and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm.

7. The arm control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the touch force information acquiring unit acquires the force information that changes such that:

(1) the pushing force is applied that is vertically applied to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display; and

(2) no force is applied to the screen of the touch panel display,

the touch position information acquiring unit acquires the position information that repeatedly changes at a plurality of times such that;

(1) the person touches the screen of the touch panel display; and

(2) the person leaves the screen of the touch panel display,

the stiffness parameter information generating unit generates the stiffness parameter that changes such that;

(1) the torque calculating unit calculates the torque whose axis is horizontal to the surface of the screen of the touch panel display based on the force for vertically pushing the surface of the screen of the touch panel display, and the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm based on the calculated torque so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change; and

(2) the stiffness parameter information generating unit calculates the stiffness parameter of the arm of a case where no force is applied to the screen of the touch panel display.

8. The arm control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a touch force displacement calculating unit that acquires force information from the touch force information acquiring unit and calculates a displacement of the force based on the acquired force information, wherein

the stiffness parameter information generating unit generates the stiffness parameter of the arm so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display change in a case where the displacement of the force exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and generates the stiffness parameter of the arm so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change in a case where the displacement of the force does not exceed the predetermined threshold value, based on the displacement of the force acquired from the touch force displacement calculating unit.

9. The arm control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a touch area calculating unit that acquires position information from the touch position information acquiring unit and calculates a touch area based on the acquired position information, wherein

the stiffness parameter information generating unit generates the stiffness parameter of the arm so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display change in a case where the touch area exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and generates the stiffness parameter of the arm so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change in a case where the touch area does not exceed the predetermined threshold value, based on the touch area acquired from the touch area calculating unit.

10. The arm control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a touch deciding unit that decides that contact occurs in a case where the contact is detected based on the position acquired by the touch position information acquiring unit and the contact is detected based on the force acquired by the touch force information acquiring unit, and decides that no contact occurs in other cases, wherein

the stiffness parameter information generating unit generates the stiffness parameter information for controlling the arm so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change only in a case where the touch deciding unit decides that the contact occurs.

11. A robot comprising:

the arm control apparatus according to claim 1 for controlling the arm; and

the arm.

12. A robot comprising:

the arm control apparatus according to claim 2 for controlling the arm; and

the arm.

13. A robot comprising:

the arm control apparatus according to claim 3 for controlling the arm; and

the arm.

14. A robot comprising:

the arm control apparatus according to claim 4 for controlling the arm; and

the arm.

15. A robot comprising:

the arm control apparatus according to claim 5 for controlling the arm; and

the arm.

16. An arm control method for controlling a position and an orientation of a touch panel display, the method comprising:

acquiring a position on a screen of the touch panel display touched by a person through a touch position information acquiring unit,

acquiring a force on the screen touched by the person through a touch force information acquiring unit;

calculating a torque to be applied to the touch panel display through a torque calculating unit based on the position acquired by the touch position information acquiring unit and the force acquired by the touch force information acquiring unit;

generating information about a stiffness parameter for controlling the arm through a stiffness parameter information generating unit so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change based on the torque calculated by the torque calculating unit; and

controlling the arm through an arm control unit based on the information about the stiffness parameter generated by the stiffness parameter information generating unit.

17. A computer-readable recording medium including an arm control program for controlling a position and an orientation of a touch panel display, the program allows

a computer to function as:

a touch position information acquiring unit that acquires a position on a screen of the touch panel display touched by a person;

a touch force information acquiring unit that acquires a force on the screen touched by the person;

a torque calculating unit that calculates a torque to be applied to the touch panel display based on the position acquired by the touch position information acquiring unit and the force acquired by the touch force information acquiring unit;

a stiffness parameter information generating unit that generates information about a stiffness parameter for controlling the arm so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change based on the torque calculated by the torque calculating unit; and

an arm control unit that controls the arm based on the information about the stiffness parameter generated by the stiffness parameter information generating unit.

18. An arm control integrated electronic circuit for controlling a position and an orientation of a touch panel display, the circuit configured to:

acquires a position on a screen of the touch panel display touched by a person through a touch position information acquiring unit;

acquires a force on the screen touched by the person through a touch force information acquiring unit;

calculates a torque to be applied to the touch panel display through a torque calculating unit based on the position acquired by the touch position information acquiring unit and the force acquired by the touch force information acquiring unit;

generates information about a stiffness parameter for controlling the arm through a stiffness parameter information generating unit so that the position and the orientation of the touch panel display do not change based on the torque calculated by the torque calculating unit; and

controls the arm through an arm control unit based on the information about the stiffness parameter generated by the stiffness parameter information generating unit.