Robot device, method of controlling the same, and program for controlling the same

• US 9,579,795 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kokubo, Wataru, Fukushima, Tetsuharu, Nagano, Masakuni, Shimizu, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): OH, HARRY Y
• Application Number:
  US13/456,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 700245-264
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40298 Manipulator on vehicle, wheels, mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40475 In presence of moving obstacles, dynamic environment

Abstract

Provided is a robot device including a drive unit including a plurality of links and joints connecting the links, a task instruction input unit for inputting an instruction of a task, a drive control unit for controlling an operation of the drive unit on the basis of the input task and determining a restricted area including a space necessary for the operation of the drive unit, and an area display unit for displaying the restricted area.

Claims

1. A robot device, comprising:

a drive unit including a plurality of links and joints connecting the plurality of links;

a task instruction input interface configured to receive an instruction of a task to be executed;

one or more processors configured to;

control an operation of the drive unit based on the received instruction of the task;

predict a trajectory of the robot device in accordance with the received instruction of the task for a determined time period, wherein the determined time period includes a plurality of predetermined time intervals;

calculate, at each position of the robot device that corresponds to a respective time interval, a restricted area in which the robot device is configured to perform the task based on the received instructions as the robot device moves for the determined time period along the trajectory; and

determine an operation space along the predicted trajectory by connecting each calculated restricted area that corresponds to a respective time interval so that each calculated restricted area partially overlaps an adjacent calculated restricted area;

a recognizer, including at least an image sensor or a distance sensor, wherein the recognizer is configured to recognize an obstacle located within a particular calculated restricted area; and

an area display unit configured to display the particular calculated restricted area when the obstacle is recognized within the particular calculated restricted area.

2. The robot device according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit is configured to change a position of the robot device.

3. The robot device according to claim 1,

wherein the recognizer is configured to recognize the obstacle within the particular calculated restricted area, and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the drive unit to operate based on the received instruction of the task after the obstacle recognized by the recognizer moves outside the particular calculated restricted area.

4. The robot device according to claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to issue a warning in an event the obstacle is located within the particular calculated restricted area.

5. The robot device according to claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to issue the warning using one or more of an audio output message, blank shot, smell, or hot air.

8. The robot device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to iterate a warning until the obstacle leaves the particular calculated restricted area.

9. The robot device according to claim 1, wherein the particular calculated restricted area is considered as a circle with the robot device at a center of the circle,

wherein a radius of the circle varies in accordance with the received instruction of the task.

10. The robot device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to issue a warning in an event the obstacle is located within the particular calculated restricted area, wherein the warning comprises a visual warning corresponding to the particular calculated restricted area.

11. The robot device according to claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are configured to issue the warning in an event a position of the obstacle overlaps the particular calculated restricted area.

6. A method, comprising:

receiving an instruction of a task to be executed by a robot device;

controlling an operation of a drive unit of the robot device based on the received instruction of the task,

wherein the drive unit includes a plurality of links and joints connecting the plurality of links;

predicting a trajectory of the robot device in accordance with the received instruction of the task for a determined time period, wherein the determined time period includes a plurality of predetermined time intervals;

calculating, at each position of the robot device that corresponds to a respective time interval, a restricted area in which the robot device is configured to perform the task based on the received instructions as the robot device moves for the determined time period along the trajectory;

determining an operation space along the predicted trajectory by connecting each calculated restricted area that corresponds to a respective time interval so that each calculated restricted area partially overlaps an adjacent calculated restricted area;

recognizing an obstacle located within a particular calculated restricted area by at least an image sensor or a distance sensor; and

displaying the particular calculated restricted area when the obstacle is recognized within the particular calculated restricted area.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions for causing the computer to execute operations, comprising:

receiving an instruction of a task to be executed by a robot device;

controlling an operation of a drive unit of the robot device based on the received instruction of the task,

wherein the drive unit includes a plurality of links and joints connecting the plurality of links;

predicting a trajectory of the robot device in accordance with the received instruction of the task for a determined time period, wherein the determined time period includes a plurality of predetermined time intervals;

calculating, at each position of the robot device that corresponds to a respective time interval, a restricted area in which the robot device is configured to perform the task based on the received instructions as the robot device moves for the determined time period along the trajectory;

determining an operation space along the predicted trajectory by connecting each calculated restricted area that corresponds to a respective time interval so that each calculated restricted area partially overlaps an adjacent calculated restricted area;

recognizing an obstacle located within a particular calculated restricted area by at least an image sensor or a distance sensor; and

displaying the particular calculated restricted area when the obstacle is recognized within the particular calculated restricted area.