MOBILE UNIT, METHOD OF MOVING MOBILE UNIT, ROBOT SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF PRODUCING PROCESSED PRODUCT

• US 20150120127A1
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Inventors: NAKAMURA, Tamio, KOUNO, Dai, NISHIMURA, Takashi, SHIKINA, Taku
• Application Number:
  US14/527,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20150120127A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/28
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40298 Manipulator on vehicle, wheels, mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0236 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical

Abstract

A mobile unit according to an embodiment includes a main body, a moving mechanism, a sensor, a recognizer, a first movement adjuster, a second landmark recognizer, and a second movement adjuster. The moving mechanism moves the main body. The sensor detects a distance and a direction to an object around the main body. The recognizer recognizes a landmark based on a detection result of the sensor. The first movement adjuster controls the moving mechanism such that the main body is moved to a target position based on the landmark. If the distance to the landmark has become smaller than a first threshold, the second landmark recognizer recognizes a second landmark. The second movement adjuster controls the moving mechanism such that the main body is moved to the target position based on the second landmark.

Claims

1. A mobile unit comprising:

a main body;

a moving mechanism that moves the main body;

a sensor that detects a distance and a direction to an object around the main body;

a recognizer that recognizes a landmark present around the main body based on a detection result of the sensor;

a first movement adjuster that controls the moving mechanism such that the main body is moved to a target position based on a distance and a direction to the landmark recognized by the recognizer;

a second landmark recognizer that, if the distance to the recognized landmark has become smaller than a preset first threshold, recognizes a second landmark different from the landmark; and

a second movement adjuster that controls the moving mechanism such that the main body is moved to the target position based on a distance and a direction to the second landmark recognized by the second landmark recognizer.

2. The mobile unit according to claim 1, wherein the sensor measures a distance to a landmark present between the first threshold and a second threshold greater than the first threshold by scanning the landmark with a laser beam.

3. The mobile unit according to claim 1, wherein the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on distances to a plurality of second landmarks smaller than the landmark.

4. The mobile unit according to claim 2, wherein the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on distances to a plurality of second landmarks smaller than the landmark.

5. The mobile unit according to claim 1, wherein the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on distances to a plurality of second landmarks disposed on both sides of the landmark.

6. The mobile unit according to claim 2, wherein the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on distances to a plurality of second landmarks disposed on both sides of the landmark.

7. The mobile unit according to claim 3, wherein the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on the distances to the second landmarks disposed on both sides of the landmark.

8. The mobile unit according to claim 1, wherein

the first movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on a distance to a surface of the landmark shaped like a flat plate, and

the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on a distance to a surface of the second landmark shaped like a flat plate.

9. The mobile unit according to claim 2, wherein

the first movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on a distance to a surface of the landmark shaped like a flat plate, and

the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on a distance to a surface of the second landmark shaped like a flat plate.

10. The mobile unit according to claim 3, wherein

the first movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on a distance to a surface of the landmark shaped like a flat plate, and

the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on distances to surfaces of the second landmarks shaped like a flat plate.

11. The mobile unit according to claim 5, wherein

the first movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on a distance to a surface of the landmark shaped like a flat plate, and

the second movement adjuster adjusts the moving mechanism based on distances to surfaces of the second landmarks shaped like a flat plate.

12. A method of moving a mobile unit, the method comprising:

moving a main body;

detecting a distance and a direction to an object around the main body;

recognizing a landmark present around the main body based on a detection result;

controlling the main body such that the main body is moved to a target position based on a distance and a direction to the landmark recognized;

recognizing a second landmark different from the landmark if the distance to the recognized landmark has become smaller than a preset first threshold; and

controlling the main body such that the main body is moved to the target position based on a distance and a direction to the second landmark recognized.

13. A robot system comprising:

a mobile unit including

a main body,

a moving mechanism that moves the main body,

a sensor that detects a distance and a direction to an object around the main body,

a recognizer that recognizes a landmark present around the main body based on a detection result of the sensor,

a first movement adjuster that controls the moving mechanism such that the main body is moved to a target position based on a distance and a direction to the landmark recognized by the recognizer,

a second landmark recognizer that, if the distance to the recognized landmark has become smaller than a preset first threshold, recognizes a second landmark different from the landmark, and

a second movement adjuster that controls the moving mechanism such that the main body is moved to the target position based on a distance and a direction to the second landmark recognized by the second landmark recognizer; and

a robot provided at the main body for moving an article loaded on the main body.

14. A method of producing a processed product, the method comprising:

approaching a workstation placed near a landmark and a second landmark, the approaching including

moving a main body provided with a robot,

detecting a distance and a direction to an object around the main body,

recognizing the landmark present around the main body based on a detection result,

controlling the main body such that the main body is moved to a target position based on a distance and a direction to the landmark recognized,

recognizing the second landmark different from the landmark if the distance to the recognized landmark has become smaller than a preset first threshold, and

controlling the main body such that the main body is moved to the target position based on a distance and a direction to the second landmark recognized; and

having a workpiece processed by one or both of the robot and the workstation.