SYSTEM OF CONFINING ROBOT MOVEMENT ACTIONS AND A METHOD THEREOF

• US 20160214258A1
• Filed: 06/12/2015
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jason Yan
• Original Assignee: Jason Yan
• Inventors: YAN, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 10,046,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/163 learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

A system and method of confining movement actions of a robot is provided. The system has a virtual wall device and a robot. The virtual wall device receives a barrier detection signal in a set receiving range and emits a virtual wall signal by which a work space is divided into a first work area and a second work area. The robot emits the barrier detection signal during movements and is prepared to receive the virtual wall signal. When the robot moves to the set emitting range of the virtual wall signal, it steps across or stays away from that range in accordance with a saved history record. The system is able to confine the robot in the first work area or the second work area.-

Claims

emitting. emitting a barrier detection signal of the robot which is moving in a work space;

detecting and receiving the barrier detection signal of the virtual wall device in a set receiving range within the work space, wherein receiving of the barrier detection signal of the virtual wall device triggers the emitting of a virtual wall signal of the virtual wall device, dividing the work space into a first work area and a second work area; and

receiving the virtual wall signal of the robot;

wherein receiving of the virtual wall signal of the robot further is the accordance of passing or escaping from the set emitting range of the virtual wall signal, confining the moving of the robot in the first work area or the second work area.

1. A system of confining robot movement actions, comprising:

a virtual wall device set in a work space receiving a barrier detection signal in a set receiving range, emitting a virtual wall signal in a set emitting range, dividing the work space into a first work area and a second work area when receiving the barrier detection signal, and topping emitting the virtual wall signal when no longer receiving the barrier detection signal; and

a robot operating in the work space, emitting the barrier detection signal receiving the virtual wall signal in the set emitting range of the virtual wall device, and deciding whether or not to cross the set emitting range in order to confine the robot to the first work area or the second work area.

2. The system of confining robot movement actions of claim 1, wherein the virtual wall device receives the barrier detection signal and modulates an escape command which controls the robot escaping from the emitting range to the virtual wall signal.

3. The system of confining robot movement actions of claim 1, wherein the escape command is an action command to the robot, comprising backward, redirecting, or a combination thereof.

4. The system of confining robot movement actions of claim 1, wherein the virtual wall device further comprises an identity recognition data and a confinement time data, and the virtual wall device generates said the virtual wall signal by combining and modulating the escape command, the identity recognition data, and the confinement time data;

and the confinement time data is a setting time of the robot being confined in the second work area.

5. The system of confining robot movement actions of claim 4, wherein:

the robot receives and demodulates the virtual wall signal to the escape command, the identity recognition data, and the confinement time data;

the robot further has a passing record which records a history record of whether or not the identity recognition data and the confinement time data have been received;

the robot countdowns the confinement time in accordance with the confinement time data since the robot first entering and leaving the range of the virtual wall signal;

the robot further performs multiple behaviors when receiving the virtual wall signal, the multiple behaviors comprising;

a first behavior in which the robot operating in the first work area receives the virtual wall signal and verifies no identical identity recognition data from the history of the passing record, the execution of the escape command is denied, and the robot enters the second work area;

a second behavior in which the robot operating in the second work area receives the virtual wall signal, verifies identical identity recognition data from the history of the passing record and the confinement time is not expiring, and execution of the escape command is accepted for confining the robot operating in the second work area;

a third behavior in which the robot operating in the second work area receives the virtual wall signal, verifies identical identity recognition data from the history of the passing record and the confinement time is expiring, and execution of the escape command is denied then the robot enters the second work area;

a fourth behavior in which the robot operating in the first work area receives the virtual wall signal, verifies identical identity recognition data from the history of the passing record and the confinement time is expiring, and execution of the escape command is accepted for confining the robot operating in the first work area.

6. The system of confining robot movement actions of claim 1, wherein the virtual wall device comprises:

a device body set in the work space;

a first signal receiver unit set on the device body for receiving the barrier detection signal;

a virtual wall signal emitter unit set on the device body for providing the emitting of the virtual wall signal toward the work space;

a virtual wall control unit set on the device body connecting to the first signal receiver unit and the virtual wall signal emitter unit;

wherein the virtual wall control unit receives the barrier detection signal via the first signal receiver unit, and triggers the virtual wall signal emitter unit for the emitting of the virtual wall signal in accordance with the barrier detection signal.

7. The system of confining robot movement actions of claim 1, wherein the robot comprises:

a robot body having the ability of moving in the work space;

a barrier detection unit set on the robot body emitting a barrier detection signal toward the work space for detecting barriers around;

a virtual wall signal receiver unit set on the robot body the virtual wall signal when the robot enters the set emitting range of the virtual wall signal; and

a robot control unit set on the robot body connecting to the barrier detection unit and the virtual wall signal receiver unit, and triggering the barrier detection unit for the emitting of the barrier detection signal when the robot body is moving;

wherein the robot control unit receives the virtual wall signal via the virtual wall signal receiver unit, decides whether or not to cross the set emitting range of the virtual wall signal in accordance with the demodulation outcomes of the virtual wall signal, which confines the robot body moving from the first work area to the second work area, moving from the second work area to the first work area, or staying in the present work area.

8. A method of confining robot movement action applied among a virtual wall device and a robot, comprising:

9. A method of confining robot movement action applied among a virtual wall device and a robot of claim 8, wherein receiving of the barrier detection signal of the virtual wall device generates the virtual wall signal by modulating an escape command, an identity recognition data and a confinement time data, wherein the escape command controls the robot escaping from the emitting range of the virtual wall device;

wherein setting of a passing record of the robot recording a history record of whether receiving the identity recognition data or not and the confinement time data, the robot further verifies the passing record when receiving the virtual wall signal and decides to pass or escape the set emitting range of the virtual wall signal in accordance with several steps, comprising;

verifying the existence of the identity recognition data from the passing record when the robot receives the virtual wall signal;

verifying no identity recognition data from the passing record indicates the presence of the robot in the first work area, the robot denying execution of the escape command until the robot passing the set emitting range of the virtual wall signal, entering the second work area and recording the passing record with the identity recognition data;

recognizing the expiration status of the confinement time data at the time of which the robot receiving the virtual wall signal and verifying a history record of the identity recognition data from the passing record triggers whether or not the robot passes the range of the virtual wall signal;

wherein recognizing the expiration as a non-expired status in the second work area triggers the robot executing the escape command, confining the robot in the second work area;

recognizing the expiration of the confinement time data as an expired status in the second work area triggers the robot denying the execution of the escape command, allowing the entering of the robot to the first work area; and

recognizing the expiration of the confinement time data as an expired status in the first work area triggers the robot denying the execution of the escape command, confining the robot in the first work area.