Robot and method of controlling balance thereof

• US 8,498,742 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2009
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwak, Ho Seong, Kwon, Woong, Roh, Kyung Shik
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancho, Ronnie
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIGUEROA, JAIME
• Application Number:
  US12/588,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/247, 700/249, 700/250, 700/253, 700/254, 700/261, 700/262, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/568.17, 318/568.19, 318/568.2
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/032 with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid B62D57/024 takes precedence

Abstract

An finite state machine (FSM)-based biped walking robot, to which a limit cycle is applied to balance the robot right and left on a two-dimensional space, and a method of controlling balance of the robot. In order to balance an FSM-based biped walking robot right and left on a two-dimensional space, control angles to balance the robot according to states of the FSM-based biped walking robot are set, and the control angles are controlled using a sinusoidal function to allow relations between the control angles and control angular velocities to form a stable closed loop within a limit cycle, thereby allowing the biped walking robot to balance itself while changing its supporting foot and thus to safely walk without falling down.

Claims

1. A method of controlling balance of a finite state machine (FSM)-based biped walking robot comprising:

setting control angles to balance the robot; and

controlling the set control angles using a sinusoidal function to balance the robot within a limit cycle,

wherein the control angles arise from the contact point of the robot with the ground, and thus control ankles of the robot,

the control angles are set to angles between a vector being perpendicular to the ground and a vector coming up to the center of gravity of the robot, and

the FSM-based biped walking robot is balanced right and left on a two-dimensional space by alternately swinging the two feet without making contact of two feet simultaneously with the ground.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control angles are set in consideration of the center of gravity of the robot moving according to states of the FSM.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the states of the FSM include a double support (DS) state, in which the robot is supported with both feet, a single support right (SS(R)) state, in which the robot is supported with its right foot, and a single support left (SS(L)) state, in which the robot is supported with its left foot.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control angles control angles of the ankles to allow the limit cycle to form a stable closed loop.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the control of the set control angles using the sinusoidal function is achieved such that the limit cycle forms a stable closed loop according to the states of the FSM.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the control of the set control angles using the sinusoidal function is achieved such that relations of the control angles and control angular velocities, which are differential components of the control angles, form a stable closed loop of the limit cycle on a two-dimensional space.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control angle and the control angular velocity in the DS state are maximum.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control angle and the control angular velocity in the SS(R) or SS(L) state are minimum.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the limit cycle is applied to the control angles such that the closed loop is close to a circle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the angles of the ankles of the robot are controlled within the limit cycle by controlling the control angles using the sinusoidal function.

11. A finite state machine (FSM)-based biped walking robot comprising:

ankles;

a set unit to set control angles of the ankles; and

a control unit to control the set control angles using a sinusoidal function to control the angles of the ankles within a limit cycle,

wherein the control angles arise from the contact point of the robot with the ground, and thus control ankles of the robot,

the control angles are set to angles between a vector being perpendicular to the ground and a vector coming up to the center of gravity of the robot, and

the FSM-based biped walking robot is balanced right and left on a two-dimensional space by alternately swinging the two feet without making contact of two feet simultaneously with the ground.

12. The robot according to claim 11, wherein the set unit sets the control angles corresponding to states of the FSM to balance the robot.

13. The robot according to claim 12, wherein the control unit controls the control angles using the sinusoidal function such that the limit cycle forms a stable closed loop according to the states of the FSM.