Image processing apparatus for robot

• US 7,151,848 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Hara, Ryuichi, Watanabe, Atsushi, Arimatsu, Taro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, Tom Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/429,920
• Time in Patent Office: 2,608 Days
• Field of Search: 382/141, 382152-153, 318/568.13, 318/568.2, 700/245
• US Class Current: 382/141
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1656 characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39449 Pendant, pda displaying camera images overlayed with graphics, augmented reality
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40385 Compare offline teached point with online teached point, modify rest as function of error
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40564 Recognize shape, contour of object, extract position and orientation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40607 Fixed camera to observe workspace, object, workpiece, global

Abstract

A robot control unit 42 and an image processing control unit (control unit of the image processing apparatus) 43 are incorporated into a robot controller 40. A camera CM is connected to the image processing control unit 43. A main body 1 of a robot is connected to the robot control unit 42 through an amplifier 41. A portable robot teaching pendant 80 connected to the robot control unit 42 is provided with a monitor display, and functions also as a teaching pendant of the image processing apparatus. Therefore, by using the teaching pendant 80, manipulation of image processing, and issuing of an instruction to a program for processing an image can be performed. Furthermore, an image obtained by a camera CM, and information relevant to the manipulation of the image processing apparatus such as an operation menu, etc. can be displayed on the monitor display. Therefore, an operator can efficiently perform all operations relevant to the robot, the camera, processing an image, etc. while watching a monitor screen.

Claims

1. An image processing system for a robot including a robot controller, comprising:

a unit for fetching from a camera image data of an image of a workpiece to be worked on by the robot;

a memory unit that stores image data from the camera or intermediate image data obtained in a stage of image processing; and

a unit for converting image data from the camera, the image data from the camera stored in the memory unit, or intermediate image data into a gray scale or a color scale, wherein;

a portable teaching pendant is connected to said robot controller through a cable; and

said teaching pendant comprises a unit for generating and editing a robot program, a unit for operating the robot, and a display unit, and can display on the display unit the converted image, and comprises a unit used for manipulation for image processing; and

said display unit displays an indication for generating or editing of the robot program and an indication for manipulation of image processing, together with an image simultaneously, or allows a user to select either a switching mode or a superposition mode.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a unit for displaying and superposing geometric graphics on the image displayed on the display unit in accordance with the operation procedure of the image processing and specifying an image processing with respect to the image.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising

a unit for incorporating an instruction to process an image into a program of a robot.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein a part of the operation unit of the teaching pendant is configured by a touch panel.

5. A method, comprising:

fetching from a camera image data of an image of a workpiece to be worked on by a robot;

storing image data from the camera or intermediate image data obtained in a stage of image processing; and

converting image data from the camera, the image data from the camera stored in a memory, or the intermediate image data into a gray scale or a color scale; and

displaying the converted image data on a teaching pendant used for generating, editing a robot program and used for operating said robot,

wherein said displaying displays the image data and indication for manipulation for image processing simultaneously, or allows a user to enter a switching mode or a superposition mode.

6. An image processing system for a robot including a robot controller, comprising:

a unit for fetching from a camera a visual image of a workpiece to be worked on by the robot;

a memory unit that stores the visual image from the camera or obtained in a stage of image processing;

a unit for converting the visual image into a gray scale or color scale visual image;

a portable teaching pendant connected to said robot controller through a cable, said teaching pendant comprising;

a unit for generating and editing a robot program,

a unit for operating the robot, and

a display unit that can display the gray scale or color scale visual image and an image processing manipulation menu; and

an image processing unit used for image processing, wherein

said display unit displays an indication for generating or editing of the robot program and an indication for manipulation of image processing, together with the gray scale or color scale visual image of the robot simultaneously and allows a user to select between using the pendant for image processing teaching and robot teaching/control.