Apparatus for recognizing and approaching a three-dimensional target
First Claim
1. An apparatus for recognizing and approaching a target in a space with an industrial robot of a type which has a camera on an end of a boom of said industrial robot, said camera being used to observe an environment of said space including said target and to send images thereof to a monitor at a remote control station, said apparatus comprising:
- said industrial robot having a plurality of axes having degrees of freedom;
said camera having a lens with an optical axis;
means for selectively rotating said camera and said optical axis thereof by 360 degrees around a first axis of said plurality of axes;
means for selectively pivoting said camera and said optical axis thereof by 180 degrees around a second axis of said plurality of axes which is perpendicular to said first axis;
said means for selectively rotating and said means for selectively pivoting being used to move said camera and said optical axis thereof until said target can be seen in said monitor and located at a target position therein;
said camera having a camera position relative to said optical axis thereof and said optical axis having a target direction when said target is at said target position in said monitor;
means for moving said industrial robot through said degrees of freedom for each of said axes of said plurality of axes;
said means for moving said industrial robot including said means for selectively rotating and said means for selectively pivoting;
control means for controlling said means of moving;
said control means including means for sensing said camera position and said target direction of said optical axis;
said control means maintaining said camera position and said target direction during controlled movement of said end of said boom along said target direction to said target; and
said controlled movement by said control means being produced by said means for moving of a first group of said axes of said plurality of axes while said axes of a second group of said plurality of axes are limited to synchronous movement in direct response to said controlled movement of said axes of said first group.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for recognizing and approaching a target in a space not directly visible within the maximum range of an industrial robot with camera on the end of a boom. The camera is used to observe an environment of the space including the target and to send images to a monitor at a remote control station. The apparatus includes an industrial robot with a plurality of axes having degrees of freedom and a camera with a lens having an optical axis which can be selectively rotated 360 degrees around a first axis and selectively pivoted 180 degrees around a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. The rotating and pivoting motions are used to move the camera and the optical axis until the target can be seen in the monitor. A system is used to control various movements of the robot while sensing and maintaining the camera position and the target direction during movement of the end of the boom from the robot to the target.
75 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus for recognizing and approaching a target in a space with an industrial robot of a type which has a camera on an end of a boom of said industrial robot, said camera being used to observe an environment of said space including said target and to send images thereof to a monitor at a remote control station, said apparatus comprising:
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said industrial robot having a plurality of axes having degrees of freedom; said camera having a lens with an optical axis; means for selectively rotating said camera and said optical axis thereof by 360 degrees around a first axis of said plurality of axes; means for selectively pivoting said camera and said optical axis thereof by 180 degrees around a second axis of said plurality of axes which is perpendicular to said first axis; said means for selectively rotating and said means for selectively pivoting being used to move said camera and said optical axis thereof until said target can be seen in said monitor and located at a target position therein; said camera having a camera position relative to said optical axis thereof and said optical axis having a target direction when said target is at said target position in said monitor; means for moving said industrial robot through said degrees of freedom for each of said axes of said plurality of axes; said means for moving said industrial robot including said means for selectively rotating and said means for selectively pivoting; control means for controlling said means of moving; said control means including means for sensing said camera position and said target direction of said optical axis; said control means maintaining said camera position and said target direction during controlled movement of said end of said boom along said target direction to said target; and said controlled movement by said control means being produced by said means for moving of a first group of said axes of said plurality of axes while said axes of a second group of said plurality of axes are limited to synchronous movement in direct response to said controlled movement of said axes of said first group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification