Method of operating an in-line legged robot vehicle
First Claim
1. A method of operating a single track legged vehicle having a body and at least three in-line legs aligned one behind the other, the method comprising:
- controlling each in-line leg of the single track vehicle to coordinate movement of the in-line legs along a desired single-track trajectory where each in-line leg attaches at its proximal end to a frame of the body of the vehicle arranged substantially parallel to a major axis of the frame and the forward/backward direction of travel of the vehicle, each in-line leg has a foot at its distal end, and the in-line attachment of the legs to the body results in a center of gravity and a center of pressure that are directly in line with the legs when the legs are simply extended straight down from the body, resulting in inherent instability along an axis, the coordinated movement controlled by causing each in-line leg to selectively perform a stance-to-flight phase, a flight phase, a flight-to-stance phase, and a stance phasewherein;
controlling, during the stance-to-flight phase of a corresponding in-line leg, including controlling foot movement that unloads reaction forces and torques between the foot of the corresponding in-line leg and the ground such that the foot of the corresponding in-line leg is lifted off the ground;
controlling, during the flight phase of the corresponding in-line leg, includes controlling leg movement that maintains an upright position of the body and that moves the foot of the corresponding in-line leg in the same general direction and at a generally faster rate as a major direction of motion of the body;
controlling, during the flight-to-stance phase of the corresponding in-line leg, includes controlling foot positioning that places the foot of the corresponding in-line leg on the ground according to the desired single-track trajectory wherein reaction forces and torques are developed between the foot and the ground; and
controlling, during the stance phase of the corresponding in-line leg, includes controlling foot force and torque such that foot-to-ground interaction develops reaction forces and torques that are transferred from the foot through the corresponding in-line leg to propel, torque, and stabilize the body in the x, y, z, pitch, roll, and yaw axes; and
transitioning each in-line leg between the stance to flight phase, the flight phase, the flight to stance phase and the stance phase to propel and torque the body along three axes according to the desired single-track trajectory.
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Abstract
A single track in-line legged vehicle is controlled to coordinate movement along a desired single-track trajectory by causing each in-line leg to selectively perform a stance-to-flight phase, a flight phase, a flight-to-stance phase, and a stance phase. During the stance-to-flight phase, reaction forces and torques between a foot and the ground are unloaded to lift the foot off the ground. During the flight phase, a foot moves in the same general direction and at a generally faster rate as a major direction of motion of the vehicle body. During the flight-to-stance phase, foot positioning is controlled to place a foot on the ground according to the desired single-track trajectory. During the stance phase, foot-to-ground interaction develops reaction forces and torques that are transferred from the foot through the corresponding in-line leg to propel, torque, and stabilize the body in the x, y, z, pitch, roll, and yaw axes.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of operating a single track legged vehicle having a body and at least three in-line legs aligned one behind the other, the method comprising:
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controlling each in-line leg of the single track vehicle to coordinate movement of the in-line legs along a desired single-track trajectory where each in-line leg attaches at its proximal end to a frame of the body of the vehicle arranged substantially parallel to a major axis of the frame and the forward/backward direction of travel of the vehicle, each in-line leg has a foot at its distal end, and the in-line attachment of the legs to the body results in a center of gravity and a center of pressure that are directly in line with the legs when the legs are simply extended straight down from the body, resulting in inherent instability along an axis, the coordinated movement controlled by causing each in-line leg to selectively perform a stance-to-flight phase, a flight phase, a flight-to-stance phase, and a stance phase wherein; controlling, during the stance-to-flight phase of a corresponding in-line leg, including controlling foot movement that unloads reaction forces and torques between the foot of the corresponding in-line leg and the ground such that the foot of the corresponding in-line leg is lifted off the ground; controlling, during the flight phase of the corresponding in-line leg, includes controlling leg movement that maintains an upright position of the body and that moves the foot of the corresponding in-line leg in the same general direction and at a generally faster rate as a major direction of motion of the body; controlling, during the flight-to-stance phase of the corresponding in-line leg, includes controlling foot positioning that places the foot of the corresponding in-line leg on the ground according to the desired single-track trajectory wherein reaction forces and torques are developed between the foot and the ground; and controlling, during the stance phase of the corresponding in-line leg, includes controlling foot force and torque such that foot-to-ground interaction develops reaction forces and torques that are transferred from the foot through the corresponding in-line leg to propel, torque, and stabilize the body in the x, y, z, pitch, roll, and yaw axes; and transitioning each in-line leg between the stance to flight phase, the flight phase, the flight to stance phase and the stance phase to propel and torque the body along three axes according to the desired single-track trajectory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
within the working range of the in-line legs and their feet.
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26. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling each in-line leg of the vehicle comprises:
positioning the foot of the forward most in-line leg to control the trajectory of the single-track path by; placing a second foot corresponding to a second one of the in-line legs in proximity of a first foot corresponding to a first one of the in-line legs; placing a third foot corresponding to a third one of the in-line legs in proximity of the second foot; and repeating positioning the first foot, placing the second foot, and placing the third foot such that each foot follows a desired single-track trajectory.
Specification