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Multi-arm robot system interference check via three dimensional automatic zones

  • US 8,315,738 B2
  • Filed: 05/21/2008
  • Issued: 11/20/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for controlling collision avoidance in a workcell containing multiple robots, comprising:

  • a controller adapted for connection to a source of power;

    a first sequence of instructions residing on the controller for execution thereon, the first sequence of instructions including an interference check automatic zone method;

    a first robot in communication with and controlled by the controller for movement in accordance with the first sequence of instructions;

    a second robot in communication with and controlled by the controller or another controller for movement in accordance with a second sequence of instructions, wherein the first robot and the second robot are configured to selectively occupy at least one common space within the workcell; and

    wherein the interference check automatic zone method forms for each of the first and second robots a separate voxel model representing a volume of the common space occupied by an associated one of the first and second robots during movement of the first and second robots in accordance with the first and second sequence of instructions respectively, wherein the common space is represented by a voxel model and has both an occupied portion defined by the volume of the common space occupied by the separate voxel models of the first and second robots and an unoccupied portion defined by a volume of the common space not occupied by the separate voxel models of the first and second robots, and wherein voxels of the separate voxel models are voxels in the voxel model of the common space.

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