Handling system, work system, and program
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A program for execution by a computer connected to a visual sensor, a movement amount detecting part and a handling part, wherein:
- the visual sensor repeatedly images an imaging region set in a conveyance path through which a carrying part passes at a predetermined time interval,the carrying part carries a plurality of articles,images are acquired by the visual sensor in a plurality of individual tracking ranges obtained by dividing the carrying part in a conveyance direction,the visual sensor detects relative positions of articles within each tracking range with respect to each tracking range based on each acquired image,the movement amount detecting part detects an amount of movement of the carrying part, andthe handling part selectively picks up articles carried on the carrying part, the program causing the computer to function as;
a tracking range monitoring part for monitoring the amounts of movement of the plurality of tracking ranges from the imaging region based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part and specifying the tracking range passing through a predetermined detection area;
an article selecting part for selecting an article satisfying a predetermined selection condition within the tracking range specified by the tracking range monitoring part;
a controlling part for controlling the operation of the handling part so as to pick up the article selected by the article selecting part;
a data managing part for generating a plurality of tracking data corresponding to individual tracking ranges; and
a storing part for storing the plurality of tracking data generated by the data managing part, whereinthe tracking range monitoring part specifies one of the tracking ranges as a head tracking range and one of the tracking ranges as a tail tracking range passing through the predetermined detection area;
the article selecting part selects the article satisfying the predetermined selection condition within a region from the head tracking range to the tail tracking range specified by the tracking range monitoring part;
the controlling part controls the operation of the handling part so as to follow and pick up the article selected by the article selecting part based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part and the relative positions detected by the visual sensor,the tracking data includes movement amount information able to specify the amount of movement of a corresponding tracking range from the imaging region, and, when there are any articles in the corresponding tracking range, further includes the number of articles within the corresponding tracking ranges,the article data includes article position information able to specify the relative position of a corresponding article with respect to the tracking range,the data managing part updates the movement amount information stored in the storing part based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part,the tracking range monitoring part monitors the amount of movement of the tracking range from the imaging region with reference to the movement amount information of the tracking data and specifies the tracking data of the tracking range passing through the detection area,the article selecting part selects article data satisfying the selection condition with reference to the article data included in the tracking data specified by the tracking range monitoring part, andthe controlling part specifies the relative position of the article with respect to the handling part based on the movement amount information included in the tracking data specified by the tracking range monitoring part and the article position information included in the article data selected by the article selecting part and makes the handling part follow the article.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A handling system able to efficiently process information relating to a plurality of conveyed articles, the handling system provided with a conveyer for conveying workpieces, a visual sensor for detecting positions of workpieces by acquiring images of a plurality of tracking ranges obtained by dividing a belt into sections, an encoder for detecting an amount of movement of the belt, a tracking manager for monitoring amounts of movement of the plurality of tracking ranges based on the amount of movement detected by the encoder and specifying the tracking range passing through a workpiece detection area, a workpiece manager for selecting the article in the tracking range specified by the tracking manager, and a controller for controlling operations of robots so as to hold the workpiece selected by the workpiece manager.
8 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A program for execution by a computer connected to a visual sensor, a movement amount detecting part and a handling part, wherein:
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the visual sensor repeatedly images an imaging region set in a conveyance path through which a carrying part passes at a predetermined time interval, the carrying part carries a plurality of articles, images are acquired by the visual sensor in a plurality of individual tracking ranges obtained by dividing the carrying part in a conveyance direction, the visual sensor detects relative positions of articles within each tracking range with respect to each tracking range based on each acquired image, the movement amount detecting part detects an amount of movement of the carrying part, and the handling part selectively picks up articles carried on the carrying part, the program causing the computer to function as; a tracking range monitoring part for monitoring the amounts of movement of the plurality of tracking ranges from the imaging region based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part and specifying the tracking range passing through a predetermined detection area; an article selecting part for selecting an article satisfying a predetermined selection condition within the tracking range specified by the tracking range monitoring part; a controlling part for controlling the operation of the handling part so as to pick up the article selected by the article selecting part; a data managing part for generating a plurality of tracking data corresponding to individual tracking ranges; and a storing part for storing the plurality of tracking data generated by the data managing part, wherein the tracking range monitoring part specifies one of the tracking ranges as a head tracking range and one of the tracking ranges as a tail tracking range passing through the predetermined detection area; the article selecting part selects the article satisfying the predetermined selection condition within a region from the head tracking range to the tail tracking range specified by the tracking range monitoring part; the controlling part controls the operation of the handling part so as to follow and pick up the article selected by the article selecting part based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part and the relative positions detected by the visual sensor, the tracking data includes movement amount information able to specify the amount of movement of a corresponding tracking range from the imaging region, and, when there are any articles in the corresponding tracking range, further includes the number of articles within the corresponding tracking ranges, the article data includes article position information able to specify the relative position of a corresponding article with respect to the tracking range, the data managing part updates the movement amount information stored in the storing part based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part, the tracking range monitoring part monitors the amount of movement of the tracking range from the imaging region with reference to the movement amount information of the tracking data and specifies the tracking data of the tracking range passing through the detection area, the article selecting part selects article data satisfying the selection condition with reference to the article data included in the tracking data specified by the tracking range monitoring part, and the controlling part specifies the relative position of the article with respect to the handling part based on the movement amount information included in the tracking data specified by the tracking range monitoring part and the article position information included in the article data selected by the article selecting part and makes the handling part follow the article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A program for execution by a computer connected to a visual sensor, a movement amount detecting part and a work part, wherein:
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the visual sensor repeatedly images an imaging region set in a conveyance path through which a carrying part passes at a predetermined time interval, the carrying part carries a plurality of articles, images are acquired by the visual sensor in a plurality of individual tracking ranges obtained by dividing the carrying part in a conveyance direction, the visual sensor detects relative positions of articles within each tracking range with respect to each tracking range based on each acquired image, the movement amount detecting part detects an amount of movement of the carrying part, and the work part for selectively performs work on articles carried on the carrying part, the program causing the computer to function as; a tracking range monitoring part for monitoring the amounts of movement of the plurality of tracking ranges from the imaging region based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part and specifying the tracking range passing through a predetermined detection area; an article selecting part for selecting an article satisfying a predetermined selection condition within the tracking range specified by the tracking range monitoring part; a controlling part for controlling the operation of the work part so as to perform work on the article selected by the article selecting part; a data managing part for generating a plurality of tracking data corresponding to individual tracking ranges; and a storing part for storing the plurality of tracking data generated by the data managing part, wherein the tracking range monitoring part specifies one of the tracking ranges as a head tracking range and one of the tracking ranges as a tail tracking range passing through the predetermined detection area, the article selecting part selects the article satisfying the predetermined selection condition within a region from the head tracking range to the tail tracking range specified by the tracking range monitoring part, the controlling part controls the operation of the work part so as to do work on the article selected by the article selecting part based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part and the relative positions detected by the visual sensor, the tracking data includes movement amount information able to specify the amount of movement of a corresponding tracking range from the imaging region, and, when there are any articles in the corresponding tracking range, further includes the number of articles within the corresponding tracking ranges, the article data includes article position information able to specify the relative position of a corresponding article with respect to the tracking range, the data managing part updates the movement amount information stored in the storing part based on the amount of movement detected by the movement amount detecting part, the tracking range monitoring part monitors the amount of movement of the tracking range from the imaging region with reference to the movement amount information of the tracking data and specifies the tracking data of the tracking range passing through the detection area, the article selecting part selects article data satisfying the selection condition with reference to the article data included in the tracking data specified by the tracking range monitoring part, and the controlling part specifies the relative position of the article with respect to the work part based on the movement amount information included in the tracking data specified by the tracking range monitoring part and the article position information included in the article data selected by the article selecting part.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeToshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
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Original AssigneeToshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
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InventorsNishihara, Yasunori, Nakane, Toshihiko
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Primary Examiner(s)Burgess, Ramya
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Application NumberUS12/637,436Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,247 DaysField of Search700/213, 700/230, 209/556, 414/757, 414/768, 414/770US Class Current700/213CPC Class CodesB25J 9/0093 co-operating with conveyor ...B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systemsG05B 19/4182 manipulators and conveyor onlyG05B 2219/39106 Conveyor, pick up article, ...G05B 2219/40554 Object recognition to track...Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g....
