Robot modeling and positioning

• US 9,452,533 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hexagon Technology Center GmbH (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Hexagon Technology Center GmbH (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Calkins, Joseph M., Salerno, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, ABBY YEE
• Application Number:
  US13/895,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20140343727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39019 Calibration by cmm coordinate measuring machine over a certain volume
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39031 Use of model for robot and for measuring device

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a robot positioning device includes a first interface configured to communicate with a robot and a second interface configured to communicate with a location measuring system. The robot positioning device includes a calibrator, a modeler, and an instructor. The calibrator is configured to direct the location measuring system to determine robot calibration locations when robot joints are positioned in calibration joint positions. The modeler is configured to create a calibrated model relating robot joint positions to robot locations based at least in part on the robot calibration locations received from the location measuring system and associated calibration joint positions of the robot joints. The instructor is configured to receive a goal location from the robot. The instructor is further configured to transmit goal joint positions to the robot, the goal joint positions based at least in part on the goal location and the calibrated model.

Claims

1. A robot positioning device for determining and providing joint positions to robots in an operation environment of the robots such that the robots will be positioned at a goal location when joints of the robots are positioned in the provided joint positions, the robot positioning device comprising:

a first interface configured to communicate with a first robot including;

a plurality of portions movably attached together via a plurality of joints; and

a first robot controller having a first native kinematic model associated with the first robot;

a second interface configured to communicate with a location measuring system;

a calibrator configured to direct the location measuring system to measure a plurality of calibration locations of the first robot relative to the operation environment of the first robot when the plurality of joints of the first robot are positioned in a plurality of calibration joint positions relative to the first robot;

a modeler configured to create a first calibrated kinematic model relating the joint positions of the plurality of joints of the first robot to locations of one or more of the plurality of portions of the first robot, the first calibrated kinematic model based at least in part on the plurality of calibration locations of the first robot received from the location measuring system and the plurality of calibration joint positions of the plurality of joints of the first robot; and

an instructor configured to;

receive a first goal location from the first robot via the first interface;

determine a first plurality of goal joint positions based at least in part on the first goal location and the first calibrated kinematic model, the first plurality of goal joint positions configured to locate the first robot at the first goal location when the plurality of joints of the first robot are positioned according to the first plurality of goal joint positions; and

transmit the first plurality of goal joint positions to the first robot via the first interface,

wherein the first robot is configured to move to the first goal location based on the first plurality of goal joint positions without relying on the first native kinematic model of the first robot controller.

2. The robot positioning device of claim 1, wherein the calibrator is further configured to:

direct the first robot via the first interface to position the plurality of joints of the first robot in the plurality of calibration joint positions, and

direct the location measuring system to determine the plurality of calibration locations of the first robot when the plurality of joints of the first robot are positioned in the plurality of calibration joint positions of the first robot.

3. The robot positioning device of claim 2, wherein the calibrator is configured to:

direct the first robot via the first interface to position the plurality of joints of the first robot in the plurality of calibration joint positions, and

direct the location measuring system to determine the plurality of calibration locations of the first robot when the plurality of joints of the first robot are positioned in the plurality of calibration joint positions of the first robot, in response to an input from a user.

4. The robot positioning device of claim 1, wherein:

the instructor is further configured to receive a plurality of current joint positions from the first robot via the first interface, and

the first plurality of goal joint positions are further based at least in part on the plurality of current joint positions.

5. The robot positioning device of claim 1, wherein the first interface is configured to communicate with the first robot via a native control language of the first robot.

6. The robot positioning device of claim 1, wherein the goal location includes a goal instrument location transformation of an instrument of the first robot.

7. The robot positioning device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of calibration locations of the first robot include a plurality of instrument calibration locations of an instrument of the first robot.

8. The robot positioning device of claim 1, wherein the first interface is a radio interface.

9. The robot positioning device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third interface configured to communicate with a second robot including a second robot controller having a second native kinematic model associated with the second robot;

the calibrator further configured to direct the location measuring system via the second interface to determine a plurality of calibration locations of the second robot relative to the operation environment of the second robot when a plurality of joints of the second robot are positioned in a second plurality of calibration joint positions relative to the second robot;

the modeler further configured to create a second calibrated kinematic model relating the joint positions of the plurality of joints of the second robot to the locations of the second robot, the second calibrated kinematic model based at least in part on the second plurality of calibration locations of the second robot received from the location measuring system and the second plurality of calibration joint positions of the plurality of joints of the second robot; and

the instructor further to;

receive a second goal location from the second robot via the third interface;

determine a second plurality of goal joint positions based at least in part on the second goal location and the second calibrated kinematic model, the second plurality of goal joint positions configured to locate the second robot at the second goal location when the plurality of joints of the second robot are positioned according to the second plurality of goal joint positions; and

transmit the second plurality of goal joint positions to the second robot via the third interface,

wherein the second robot is configured to move to the second goal location based on the second plurality of goal joint positions without relying on the second native kinematic model of the second robot controller.

10. A system for directing a robot including a robot controller having a native kinematic model associated with the robot and a plurality of portions movably attached together via a plurality of joints to accurate locations in an operation environment, the system comprising:

a robot positioning device including;

a first interface configured to communicate with the robot;

a second interface configured to communicate with a location measuring system;

a calibrator configured to direct the location measuring system to measure a plurality of calibration locations of the plurality of portions of the robot relative to the operation environment when the plurality of joints of the robot are positioned in a plurality of calibration joint positions relative to the robot, wherein the location measuring system optically measures the calibration locations of each of the plurality of portions of the robot;

a modeler configured to create a calibrated kinematic model relating the joint positions of the plurality of joints of the robot to locations of one or more of the plurality of portions of the robot, the calibrated kinematic model based at least in part on the plurality of calibration locations of the robot received from the location measuring system and the plurality of calibration joint positions of the plurality of joints of the robot; and

an instructor configured to;

receive a goal location from the robot via the first interface;

determine a plurality of goal joint positions based at least in part on the goal location and the calibrated kinematic model, the plurality of goal joint positions configured to locate the robot at the goal location when the plurality of joints of the robot are positioned according to the plurality of goal joint positions; and

transmit the plurality of goal joint positions to the robot via the first interface,

wherein the robot is configured to move to the goal location based on the plurality of goal joint positions without relying on the native kinematic model of the robot controller.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

the robot including;

the plurality of joints, each joint of the plurality of joints being movable through a range of joint positions, and

the robot controller having a native control language, the controller configured to;

instruct the plurality of joints to move to a plurality of calibration joint positions,

determine a plurality of current joint positions of the plurality of joints,

communicate the goal location to the robot positioning device via the first interface,

receive the plurality of goal joint positions from the robot positioning device, and

instruct each joint of the plurality of joints to move to an associated goal joint position of the plurality of goal joint positions received from the robot positioning device.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

the location measuring system, including;

a location measuring controller configured to receive instructions via the second interface directing the location measuring system to determine the plurality of calibration locations of the robot when the plurality of joints of the robot are positioned in the plurality of calibration joint positions, and

a location measuring device configure to determine the plurality of calibration locations of the robot when the plurality of joints of the robot are positioned in the plurality of calibration joint positions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the location measuring device includes a laser tracker.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the calibrator is further configured to direct the robot via the first interface to position the plurality of joints of the robot in the plurality of calibration joint positions.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the instructor is further configured to receive a plurality of current joint positions from the robot via the first interface, and

the plurality of goal joint positions are further based at least in part on the plurality of current joint positions.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the goal location includes a goal instrument location transformation of an instrument of the robot.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of locations of the robot include a plurality of instrument locations of an instrument of the robot.

18. A method of providing joint positions based on a calibrated kinematic model to a robot including a plurality of portions movably attached together via a plurality of joints in an operation environment of the robot such that the robot will be positioned at a goal location when joints of the robot are positioned in the provided joint positions, the method comprising:

interfacing communicatively with a robot that includes a robot controller having a native kinematic model;

directing, with a processing device, a location measuring system to measure a plurality of calibration locations of the plurality of portions of the robot when the plurality of joints of the robot are positioned in a plurality of calibration joint positions, wherein the location measuring system optically measures the calibration locations of each of the plurality of portions of the robot;

creating the calibrated kinematic model relating the positions of the plurality of joints of the robot to locations of one or more of the plurality of portions of the robot, the calibrated kinematic model based at least in part on the plurality of calibration locations of the plurality of portions of the robot received from the location measuring system and the plurality of calibration joint positions of the plurality of joints of the robot;

receiving a goal location from the robot;

determining a plurality of goal joint positions based at least in part on the goal location and the calibrated kinematic model, the plurality of goal joint positions configured to locate the robot at the goal location when the plurality of joints of the robot are positioned according to the plurality of goal joint positions;

transmitting a plurality of goal joint positions to the robot; and

moving, by the robot controller, the robot to the goal location based on the goal joint positions without relying on the native kinematic model.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a plurality of current joint positions from the robot, wherein the plurality of goal joint positions are further based at least in part on the plurality of current joint positions.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the goal location includes a goal instrument location transformation of an instrument of the robot.