Robot with tactile sensor device

• US 6,996,456 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FSI International, Inc. (Tokyo Electron Limited)
• Original Assignee: FSI International, Inc. (Tokyo Electron Limited)
• Inventors: Cordell, Andrew W., Redding, Keith W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/369,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700248-253, 700257-264, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 901/9, 901/27, 901/30, 901/42, 901/47, 219/124.34, 738/620.64, 738/657
• US Class Current: 700/258
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/425 Teaching successive positions by numerical control, i.e. commands being entered to control the positioning servo of the tool head or end effector
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40625 Tactile sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45063 Pick and place manipulator

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for calibrating and teaching a robot to accurately work within a work environment. The present invention preferably provides one or more tactile sensor devices that may be operatively coupled with a robot or positioned at one or more desired locations within a work environment of the robot. In one aspect of the present invention a method comprises the steps of providing a touch sensitive surface in the work environment, causing the touch sensitive surface to contact an object, generating a signal indicative of the position of the contact with respect to the touch sensitive surface, and using information comprising the generated signal to teach the robot the location of the contact in the work environment.

Claims

1. A method of teaching a robot a position within a work environment of the robot, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a touch sensitive surface in the work environment of the robot, the touch sensitive surface having a plurality of touch sensitive zones that can simultaneously sense a touch in each of the touch sensitive zones;

causing the touch sensitive surface to contact at least one object in the work environment of the robot;

generating a signal indicative of the position of the at least one contact with respect to the touch sensitive surface; and

using information comprising the generated signal to teach the robot the location of the contact in the work environment of the robot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a touch sensitive surface in the work environment of the robot comprises positioning a touch sensitive surface on a movable component of the robot, the touch sensitive surface having a frame of reference and the robot having a frame of reference.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining positional information within the frame of reference of the touch sensitive surface by causing the touch sensitive surface to contact a plurality of locations on the touch sensitive surface with at least one reference structure.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of using the determined positional information within the frame of reference of the touch sensitive surface to calibrate the frame of reference of the robot with respect to the frame of reference of the touch sensitive surface.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of positioning a touch sensitive surface on a movable component of the robot comprises releasably attaching the touch sensitive surface to the movable component of the robot.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of positioning a touch sensitive surface on a movable component of the robot comprises permanently attaching the touch sensitive surface to the movable component of the robot.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the touch sensitive surface to contact an object in the work environment of the robot comprises contacting a portion of the work environment at a desired location to be learned.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the reference structure comprises a plurality of reference elements that respectively correspond with the plurality of touch sensitive zones of the touch sensitive surface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the touch sensitive surface to contact an object in the work environment of the robot comprises contacting a removable reference structure positioned in the work environment of the robot.

10. A method of teaching a robot a position within a work environment, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a touch sensitive surface on a moveable component of a robot and being positioned within a work environment;

determining positional information within a frame of reference of the touch sensitive surface by moving the moveable component of the robot so that the touch sensitive surface contacts at least a portion of the work environment indicative of the position to be taught; and

using the positional information within the frame of reference of the touch sensitive surface to determine positional information within a frame of reference of the robot.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of moving the moveable component of the robot so that the touch sensitive surface contacts plural portions of the work environment.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing a touch sensitive surface comprises providing a touch sensitive surface comprising a plurality of touch sensitive zones.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of moving the movable component of the robot so that at least one of the plurality of touch sensitive zones of the touch sensitive surface contacts at least a portion of the work environment of the robot.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of moving the movable component of the robot so that at least one additional touch sensitive zone of the plurality of touch sensitive zones of the touch sensitive surface contacts at least a portion of the work environment of the robot.

15. A tactile sensor system for providing positional information about a moveable component of a robot in a work environment of the robot, the tactile sensor system comprising:

a tactile sensor device including at least one touch sensitive zone;

programming instructions that cause the system to determine positional information in a frame of reference of the touch sensitive zone about a contact between the touch sensitive zone and a structure wherein the positional information comprises data indicative that a contact occurred and indicative of the location in the frame of reference of the touch sensitive zone where the contact occurred; and

a control system that uses information comprising information from the tactile sensor device to determine the position of the moveable component of the robot in the work environment of the robot.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one touch sensitive zone comprises a touch sensitive surface.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the tactile sensor device comprises a plurality of touch sensitive zones.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the tactile sensor device is releasably attached to a movable component of a robot.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the tactile sensor device is permanently attached to a movable component of a robot.

20. A robotic system, the robotic system comprising;

a work environment;

a robot positioned at least partially within the work environment and having at least one moveable component for interacting with the work environment;

a touch sensitive surface positioned at least partially on the moveable component of the robot that can provide information indicative of the position of at least a portion of the moveable component of the robot in the work environment.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the touch sensitive surface comprises a plurality of touch sensitive zones.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the touch sensitive surface is releasably attached to the movable component of the robot.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the touch sensitive surface is permanently attached to the movable component of the robot.

24. A method of teaching a robot a position within a work environment of the robot, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a touch sensitive surface in the work environment of the robot, the touch sensitive surface having a plurality of touch sensitive zones;

causing the touch sensitive surface to contact at least one object in the work environment of the robot;

generating a signal indicative of the position of the at least one contact with respect to the touch sensitive surface; and

using information comprising the generated signal to teach the robot the location of the contact in the work environment of the robot.