Method and a system for programming an industrial robot

• US 20050251290A1
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Skourup, Charlotte, Pretlove, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,353,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/42 Recording and playback systems, i.e. in which the programme is recorded from a cycle of operations, e.g. the cycle of operations being manually controlled, after which this record is played back on the same machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35493 Display workpiece and tool data together
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36452 Touch points with handheld probe, camera detects position and orientation probe
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36479 Record position on trigger of touch probe
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39449 Pendant, pda displaying camera images overlayed with graphics, augmented reality
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45065 Sealing, painting robot

Abstract

A method for programming an industrial robot. The robot is taught a path having waypoints located on or in the vicinity of an object. An image of the object is obtained. Information is obtained about the position of a pointer pointing at points. The position of the points relative to the object is determined. A point being pointed out is stored as a waypoint. A graphical representation is generated of the stored waypoint and the point being pointed out. A view is displayed including the object and the graphical representation. A system includes a pointer for pointing out points on or in the vicinity of the object, a position determiner determines the position of the points relative to the object, a camera delivers an image of the object and the pointer, a graphical generator generates graphics, a display displays a view including the object and graphical representation, and an activator.

Claims

1. A method in connection with programming of an industrial robot, comprising teaching the robot a path having a number of waypoints located on or in the vicinity of an object to be processed by the robot, the method comprising:

obtaining an image of the object,

obtaining information about the position of a pointing member pointing at points on or in the vicinity of the object,

determining the position of the points in relation to the object based upon said obtained information,

storing the point being presently pointed out by the pointing member as a waypoint upon receiving a recording signal,

generating a graphical representation of the stored waypoint and the point being presently pointed at by the pointing member, and

displaying a view comprising the object and said graphical representation projected on the object based on the image of the object and the generated graphical representation of the points.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a graphical representation of the path between the latest stored waypoint and the point presently being pointed out.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a graphical representation of the path between at least some of the stored waypoints.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining information about whether the processing shall be on or off between the waypoints, and

generating a graphical representation of the path between the stored waypoints depending on whether the processing shall be on or off.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving information related to the processing, and

generating a graphical representation of the path between the stored waypoints depending on the received information related to the processing.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying step further comprises:

registering the generated graphical representation of the point to the image of the object to provide a composite augmented reality image and displaying a view showing the object and the point based on the composite augmented reality image.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the position of the point comprises:

recognizing a first marker within the image, said first marker being positioned in a fixed relation to the object,

recognizing a second marker within the image, said second marker being positioned in a fixed relation to a pointing member pointing out the point, and

determining the position of the point in relation to the object based upon the first and the second marker.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining information about position and orientation of the pointing member and

generating a graphical representation of the orientation of the pointing member in the point based upon the obtained information.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating robot programming code based upon the determined position of the waypoint.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

obtaining information about the orientation of the pointing member,

determining the orientation of the pointing member in the point based upon the obtained information and

the robot programming code is generated based upon the determined orientation of the waypoint.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image of the object is obtained by means of a camera.

12. A computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory of a computer, comprising

a computer readable medium, and

software code portions encoded on the computer readable medium for performing the steps claim 1 when said product is run on a computer.

13. A computer readable medium having a program recorded thereon, where the program is to make a computer perform the steps claim 1 when said program is run on the computer.

14. A system for use in connection with programming of an industrial robot, the programming comprises teaching the robot a path having a number of waypoints located on or in the vicinity of an object to be processed by the robot, the system comprising:

a pointing member adapted for pointing out points on or in the vicinity of the object,

a position determining means, determining the position of said points in relation to the object,

a camera adapted for delivering an image of the object and the pointing member,

a graphical generator, generating graphics by means of a computer, and

a display member, displaying a view comprising the object and said graphical representation projected on the object,

an activating member, storing a point as a waypoint upon activating

wherein the graphical generator is adapted for generating a graphical representation of the stored waypoints and the point being presently pointed out by the pointing member based on the image of the object and the positions of the points.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the graphical generator is adapted for generating a graphical representation of the path between the latest stored waypoint and the point presently being pointed out.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the graphical generator is adapted for generating a graphical representation of the path between at least some of the stored waypoints.

17. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

means for indication whether the processing shall be on or off between the waypoints,

wherein the graphical generator is adapted for generating a graphical representation of the path between the stored waypoints, which depends on whether the processing shall be on or off.

18. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

means for indicating options for the configuration of the process,

wherein the graphical generator is adapted for generating a graphical representation of the path between the stored waypoints based on the indicated option or options.

19. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a second activating member, which upon activating deletes a saved waypoint.

20. The system according to according to claim 14, wherein said activating member/members is/are arranged on the pointing member.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein the pointing member is arranged separated from the robot and is adapted for being held and handled directly by an operator.

22. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

means for registering the generated graphical representation of the point to the image of the object to provide a composite augmented reality images,

wherein the display member is adapted for displaying a composite augmented reality image.

23. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first marker provided in a fixed relation to the object and

a second marker provided in a fixed relation to the pointing member,

wherein the position determining means is adapted for determining the position of the point in relation to the object based upon the first and the second marker.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the camera is adapted for delivering an image of the object, the pointing member and the markers, and the position determining means is adapted for determining the position of the point in relation to the object based upon said image.

25. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

an orientation determining means, determining the orientation of the pointing member, and

wherein the graphical generator is adapted for generating a graphical representation of the orientation of the pointing member.

26. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a robot programming-code generator, generating robot-programming code based upon the stored waypoint.

27. A display member for use connection with programming of an industrial robot, the programming comprising teaching the robot a path having a number of waypoints located on or in the vicinity of an object to be processed by the robot, the display comprising:

a view of the object and

a graphical representation of recorded waypoints and a path between the waypoints, which representation of waypoints and path is projected or otherwise superimposed on the object.

28. The display member according to claim 27, wherein said display is comprised as any of the list of:

computer screen, computer display touch screen, PDA, portable computing device, hand held computing device, mobile phone, Teach Pendant, joystick apparatus.