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Adaptive vision-based controller

  • US 5,579,444 A
  • Filed: 02/03/1995
  • Issued: 11/26/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A vision based controller for use with an effector for controlling movement of the effector in the execution of a task having a predetermined task definition, the controller comprising:

  • at least one electronic camera arranged for providing a plurality of images relating to different views of objects or features in a defined workspace;

    image processing means for processing images received from said at least one camera and corresponding to different views of said workspace to extract information relating to features in the images, said image processing means comprising an image segmenting means for segmenting images received from said at least one camera into regions of substantial uniformity and reducing the segmented images into a two-dimensional contour map representing edges of objects or features detected in the images;

    information comparison means for comparing information extracted from at least two processed images corresponding to different views of the workspace with information held in a knowledge base to derive a three-dimensional internal model of the workspace;

    planning means for planning a sequence of actions to be performed by said effector in the execution of said task, the sequence being derived from said predetermined task definition and from the derived three-dimensional internal model of the workspace;

    monitoring means for monitoring actions performed by said effector; and

    dynamic comparing means for dynamically comparing said performed actions with planned actions of said sequence, and for interrupting the sequence if the performed action deviates to a predetermined extent from the planned action and for requesting amendment to the sequence.

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