Hybrid hydraulic and electrically actuated mobile robot
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a hydraulic actuator coupled to a joint of a robotic device;
an electric actuator coupled to the joint of the robotic device;
a sensor configured to measure a load applied at the joint; and
a controller configured to;
determine a total output velocity to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator;
determine hydraulic operating parameters and electric operating parameters based on the load applied at the joint and the total output velocity;
determine whether the load applied at the joint is greater than a threshold load;
determine whether the total output velocity is less than a threshold velocity; and
when the load applied at the joint is greater than the threshold load and the total output velocity is less than the threshold velocity;
activate the hydraulic actuator to operate at the hydraulic operating parameters; and
halt actuation by the electric actuator.
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Accused Products
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).
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a hydraulic actuator coupled to a joint of a robotic device; an electric actuator coupled to the joint of the robotic device; a sensor configured to measure a load applied at the joint; and a controller configured to; determine a total output velocity to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator; determine hydraulic operating parameters and electric operating parameters based on the load applied at the joint and the total output velocity; determine whether the load applied at the joint is greater than a threshold load; determine whether the total output velocity is less than a threshold velocity; and when the load applied at the joint is greater than the threshold load and the total output velocity is less than the threshold velocity; activate the hydraulic actuator to operate at the hydraulic operating parameters; and halt actuation by the electric actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A robotic system comprising:
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a joint; a hydraulic actuator coupled to the joint; an electric actuator coupled to the joint; a sensor configured to measure a load applied to the joint; a processor; and data storage hardware in communication with the processor, the data storage hardware storing program instructions that when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising; determining a total output velocity to be applied by the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator; determining hydraulic operating parameters and electric operating parameters based on the load applied at the joint and the total output velocity; determining whether the load applied at the joint is greater than a threshold load; determining whether the total output velocity is less than a threshold velocity; and when the load applied at the joint is greater than the threshold load and the total output velocity is less than the threshold velocity; activating the hydraulic actuator to operate at the hydraulic operating parameters; and halting actuation by the electric actuator. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a controller, a measured load applied to a joint of a robotic device from a sensor in communication with the controller; determining, by the controller, a total output velocity to be applied by a hydraulic actuator and an electric actuator, the hydraulic actuator and the electric actuator both coupled to the joint of the robotic device; determining, by the controller, hydraulic operating parameters and electric operating parameters based on the load applied at the joint and the total output velocity determining, by the controller, whether the load applied at the joint is greater than a threshold load; determining, by the controller, whether the total output velocity is less than a threshold velocity; and when the load applied at the joint is greater than the threshold load and the total output velocity is less than the threshold velocity; activating, by the controller, the hydraulic actuator to operate at the hydraulic operating parameters; and halting, by the controller, actuation by the electric actuator. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification