Robot apparatus and motion controlling method therefor

• US 6,999,851 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kato, Keisuke, Ishii, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/650,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700248-249, 700259-261, 700/900, 318/568.1, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.14, 318/568.15, 318/568.16, 318/568.18, 901 3- 5, 901/9, 901 14- 15, 901 20- 22
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 700/90 Special robot structural element

Abstract

A robot apparatus and a motion controlling method for the robot apparatus wherein a reflex motion or the like can be performed at a high speed while decreasing the calculation amount of and the concentrated calculation load to a control apparatus. The robot has a control configuration having a hierarchical structure including a higher order central calculation section corresponding to the brain, reflex system control sections corresponding to the vertebra, and servo control systems and actuators corresponding to the muscles. From restrictions to the power consumption and so forth, there is a limitation to increase of the speed of a control cycle of the higher order central calculation section. External force acting upon the machine body is a disturbance input of a high frequency band, and a very high speed control system is required. Therefore, the reflex control systems which correspond to an intermediate hierarchy operate in a high speed cycle to respond at a high speed to the external force to absorb a deviation caused by the disturbance.

Claims

1. A robot apparatus including a body and a plurality of movable parts connected to said body, comprising:

a plurality of movable part driving means for driving said movable parts;

a local control loop for controlling one of said movable parts;

local control means for controlling said local control loop;

an integrated control loop serving as a higher order control loop than said local control loop for controlling said local control loop;

integrated control means for controlling said integrated control loop; and

priority determination means for determining priority between control amounts calculated by said local control means and said integrated control means to be used to control said movable parts based on a predetermined condition,

wherein said local control means issues a notification of states of the movable part driving means of said local control loop to said integrated control means, and said integrated control means issues control instructions including target values successively corrected based on the states of the movable part driving means included in the notifications.

2. A robot apparatus including a body and a plurality of movable parts connected to said body, comprising:

a plurality of movable part driving means for driving said movable parts;

a local control loop for controlling one of said movable parts;

local control means for controlling said local control loop;

an integrated control loop serving as a higher order control loop than said local control loop for controlling said local control loop;

integrated control means for controlling said integrated control loop;

priority determination means for determining priority between control amounts calculated by said local control means and said integrated control means to be used to control said movable parts based on a predetermined condition; and

component ratio adjustment means for adjusting component ratios between the control amounts for said movable part driving means from said integrated control means and the control amounts for said movable part driving means from said local control means.

3. A robot apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said component ratio adjustment means adjusts the component ratios in response to the strength of force acting upon said robot apparatus or some other state of said robot apparatus.

4. A robot apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said component ratio adjustment means transiently adjusts the component ratios for the changeover from control by said local control means to control by said integrated control means in a predetermined set period of time.

5. A robot apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the set time is determined in response to an object apparatus motion by said integrated control means.

6. A robot apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said robot apparatus is a legged mobile robot including a plurality of movable legs, and the set time is determined depending upon a walking cycle using said movable legs.

7. A motion controlling method for a robot apparatus including a body and a plurality of movable parts connected to said body, comprising:

a local control step of controlling a motion of said robot apparatus by means of a local control loop which control some of said movable parts;

an integrated control step of controlling a motion of said robot apparatus by means of a integrated control loop which serves as a higher order control loop than said local control loop and controls said local control loop; and

a priority determination step of determining priority between control amounts calculated by the local control step and the integrated control step to be used to control said movable parts based on a predetermined condition,

wherein the local control step issues a notification of operation states of the movable part driving means at the local control step to the integrated control step, and the integrated control step issues control instructions including target values successively corrected based on the states of the movable part driving means included in the notifications.

8. A motion controlling method for a robot apparatus including a body and a plurality of movable parts connected to said body, comprising:

a local control step of controlling a motion of said robot apparatus by means of a local control loop which control some of said movable parts;

an integrated control step of controlling a motion of said robot apparatus by means of a integrated control loop which serves as a higher order control loop than said local control loop and controls said local control loop;

a priority determination step of determining priority between control amounts calculated by the local control step and the integrated control step to be used to control said movable parts based on a predetermined condition; and

a component ratio adjustment step for adjusting component ratios between the control amounts by the integrated control step and the control amounts by the local control step.

9. A motion controlling method for a robot apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the component ratio adjustment step adjusts the component ratios in response to the strength of force acting upon said robot apparatus or some other state of said robot apparatus.

10. A motion controlling method for a robot apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the component ratio adjustment step transiently adjusts the component ratios for the changeover from control by the local control step to control by the integrated control step in a predetermined set period of time.

11. A motion controlling method for a robot apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the set time is determined in response to an object apparatus motion at the integrated control step.

12. A motion controlling method for a robot apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said robot apparatus is a legged mobile robot including a plurality of movable legs, and the set time is determined depending upon a walking cycle using said movable legs.