Hybrid hydraulic and electrically actuated mobile robot

• US 9,283,949 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Saunders, John Aaron, Khripin, Alex, Potter, Steven, Murphy, Michael Patrick, Thorne, Christopher Everett
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US14/449,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 700/250, 700/260, 700/261
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 3/04 involving servo mechanisms servo-actuated heads B25J15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/126 Rotary actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/144 Linear actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/02 with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/088 the motor using combined actuation, e.g. electric and fluid actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 18/00 Parallel arrangements of independent servomotor systems
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7135 Combinations of output members of different types, e.g. single-acting cylinders with rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/78 Control of multiple output members
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 9/09 with electrical control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/22 Fluid motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/23 Electric motor

Abstract

Example embodiments may relate to a robotic system that includes a hydraulic actuator and an electric actuator both coupled to a joint of the robotic system. Operation of the actuators may be based on various factors such as based on desired joint parameters. For instance, such desired joint parameters may include a desired output torque/force of the joint, a desired output velocity of the joint, a desired acceleration of the joint, and/or a desired joint angle, among other possibilities. Given a model of power consumption as well as a model of the actuators, the robotic system may determine operating parameters such as hydraulic and electric operating parameters as well as power system parameters, among others. The robotic system may then control operation of the actuators, using the determined operating parameters, to obtain the desired joint parameters such that power dissipation in the system is minimized (i.e., maximizing actuation efficiency).

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a hydraulic actuator coupled to a joint of a mobile robotic device;

an electric actuator coupled to the joint of the mobile robotic device, wherein the electric actuator is configured for operation; and

a controller configured to operate the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator, wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine a total output torque to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator and a total output velocity to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator;

based at least in part on the total output torque and the total output velocity, determine hydraulic operating parameters and electric operating parameters such that power dissipation of the hydraulic actuator and power dissipation of the electric actuator is minimized;

determine that the hydraulic operating parameters indicate activation of the hydraulic actuator; and

based at least in part on determining that the hydraulic operating parameters indicate activation of the hydraulic actuator, activate the hydraulic actuator for operation at the determined hydraulic operating parameters while operating the electric actuator at the determined electric operating parameters.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the joint is static; and

based at least in part on determining that the joint is static, activate the hydraulic actuator and halt actuation by the electric actuator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that an object is being supported by the joint; and

based at least in part on determining that the object is being supported by the joint, activate the hydraulic actuator and halt actuation by the electric actuator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the joint is part of a leg of the mobile robotic device, and wherein the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator are configured to cause movement of the leg while the mobile robotic device is in motion.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine, while the mobile robotic device is in motion, that the leg contacts a ground; and

based at least in part on determining that the leg contacts the ground, activate the hydraulic actuator and maintain operation of the electric actuator.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a force sensor positioned on the leg, wherein determining that the leg contacts the ground comprises determining that the leg contacts the ground based at least in part on force data received from the force sensor.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine, while the mobile robotic device is in motion, that the leg loses contact with the ground; and

based at least in part on determining that that the leg loses contact with the ground, halt actuation by the hydraulic actuator and maintain operation of the electric actuator.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine, while the mobile robotic device is in motion, that the leg will contact a ground at a calculated time; and

based at least in part on determining that the leg will contact the ground at the calculated time, activate the hydraulic actuator before the calculated time and maintain operation of the electric actuator.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a proximity sensor configured to determine a distance between the leg and the ground; and

a motion sensor configured to determine a velocity for the movement of the leg, wherein determining that the leg will contact the ground at the calculated time comprises determining that the leg will contact the ground at the calculated time based at least in part on (i) proximity data received from the proximity sensor and (ii) velocity data received from the motion sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that a shock load is applied at the joint; and

based at least in part on determining that a shock load is applied at the joint, activate the hydraulic actuator and maintain operation of the electric actuator.

11. A system comprising:

a hydraulic actuator coupled to a joint of a mobile robotic device, wherein the hydraulic actuator is configured for operation;

an electric actuator coupled to the joint of the mobile robotic device; and

a controller configured to operate the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator, wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine a total output torque to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator and a total output velocity to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator;

based at least in part on the total output torque and the total output velocity, determine hydraulic operating parameters and electric operating parameters such that power dissipation of the hydraulic actuator and power dissipation of the electric actuator is minimized;

determine that the electric operating parameters indicate activation of the electric actuator; and

based at least in part on determining that the electric operating parameters indicate activation of the electric actuator, activate the electric actuator for operation at the determined electric operating parameters while operating the hydraulic actuator at the determined hydraulic operating parameters.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator are connected to a common power source.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator are each connected to different power sources.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the joint is part of a hand of the mobile robotic device, and wherein the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator are configured to cause movement of the hand.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the hand of the mobile robotic device is static; and

based at least in part on determining that the hand of the mobile robotic device is static, activate the hydraulic actuator and halt actuation by the electric actuator.

16. A method operable in a robotic system that includes a hydraulic actuator and an electric actuator both coupled to a joint of the robotic system, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller, a total output torque to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator and a total output velocity to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator;

based at least in part on the total output torque and the total output velocity, determining, by the controller, hydraulic operating parameters and electric operating parameters such that power dissipation of the hydraulic actuator and power dissipation of the electric actuator is minimized;

determining, by the controller, that the hydraulic operating parameters indicate activation of the hydraulic actuator and that the electric operating parameters indicate activation of the electric actuator; and

based at least in part on determining that the hydraulic operating parameters indicate activation of the hydraulic actuator and that the electric operating parameters indicate activation of the electric actuator, activating the hydraulic actuator for operation at the determined hydraulic operating parameters activating the electric actuator for operation at the determined electric operating parameters.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the robotic system is a quadrupedal robot.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the joint is part of a leg of the robotic system, and wherein the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator are configured to cause movement of the leg while the robotic system is in motion.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining, while the robotic system is in motion, that movement of the leg requires movement of the leg at a first velocity;

determining that the first velocity is higher than a threshold velocity; and

based at least in part on determining that the first velocity is higher than the threshold velocity, halting actuation by the hydraulic actuator and activating the electric actuator.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining, while the robotic system is in motion, that movement of the leg requires movement of the leg at a second velocity;

determining that the second velocity is less than the threshold velocity; and

based at least in part on determining that the second velocity is less than the threshold velocity, activating the hydraulic actuator and halting actuation by the electric actuator.