SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A ROBOT'S COLLISION WITH AN OBSTACLE, A ROBOT EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF CONTROLLING A ROBOT'S COLLISION WITH AN OBSTACLE

• US 20140163733A1
• Filed: 12/11/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robotics Inventions
• Original Assignee: Robotics Inventions
• Inventors: SADOWSKI, Marek, IWASZKO, Roman, MIKLASZEWICZ, Franciszek, DROZDOWICZ, Jedrzej
• Application Number:
  US14/102,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20140163733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/255
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/088 with position, velocity or acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/063 working only upon contact with an outside object
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37624 Detect collision, blocking by measuring change of velocity or torque
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40549 Acceleration of end effector
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45098 Vacuum cleaning robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165

Abstract

The invention is related to a system for controlling a robot collision with an obstacle, characterized by having an electronics system (1), and at least one accelerometer (3), that is fixed to a robot and is connected with an electronics system (1), that is configured or programmed in such a way that upon a signal from an accelerometer (3) a robot heading direction or velocity is changed or a robot is stopped.

In addition, the invention comprises a robot equipped with such an electronics system, and a method of controlling a robot collision with an obstacle.

Claims

1. A robot collision control system characterized in that it comprises an electronics system (1) and at least one accelerometer (3), fixed to robot and connected to electronics system (1), wherein the electronics system (1) is configured and/or programmed whereupon an accelerometer signal (3) a robot heading direction or velocity is changed or the robot is stopped.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the accelerometer (3) is fixed to a robot arm, wherein the electronics system (1) is configured and/or programmed whereupon the accelerometer signal (3) the robot arm movement direction or velocity is changed or stopped.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronics system (1) is configured and/or programmed whereupon the accelerometer signal (3), additionally sends to a parent unit or an operator information about obstacles.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronics system (1) is programmed, an electronics microprocessor, favourably an ARM, ATMEGA, PIC microcontroller or a CPU type processor.

5. A robot equipped with the system according to claim 1.

6. A robot equipped with an arm further comprising a system according to claim 1, configured as a programmable robot arm.

7. A robot according to claim 5, characterized in that it is a unmanned moving robot, configured to be autonomous.

8. A robot according to claim 5, characterized in that it is a mobile robot, a home robot, a telepresence robot, a cleaning robot, a vacuuming robot, a mopping robot, a scrubbing or sweeping robot, a lawn mowing robot, a personal robot (designed for protection and for aid in homes), an EOD robot, an inspection robot, an agriculture robot, a feeding robot, a marine robot, a submerged robot, an airborne robot, a space probe robot.

9. A collision control method of a robot with an obstacle, characterized in that it comprises the steps:

a) at least one accelerometer (3) fixed to the robot and connected to the electronics system (1), whereupon a detected collision, sends information about a collision in a form of signals to the electronics system (1);

b) the electronics system (1), whereupon a signal from an accelerometer (3), changes the robot heading direction or velocity or stops the robot.

10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the accelerometer is fixed to the robot arm, and in phase b) the electronics system (1), whereupon accelerometer signal (3) the robot arm heading direction or velocity is changed or the robot arm is stopped.

11. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the electronics system (1) is configured and/or programmed whereupon accelerometer signal (3), additionally sends to a parent unit or an operator information about obstacles.

12. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the electronics system (1) is programmed, electronics microprocessor, favourably an ARM, ATMEGA, PIC microcontroller or a CPU type processor.

13. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the electronics system (1) is configured and/or programmed whereupon the accelerometer signal (3), additionally performs one or more actions from an action group comprising an alarm trigger, sending information on hardness of an obstacle, sending an identification of the obstacle as a hard obstacle, change of the trajectory of a robot arm section, identification of a structure perforation.

14. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the electronics system (1) whereupon the accelerometer signal (3), additionally performs one or more actions from the group consisting of:

wake up robot from sleep mode and start working, where preferably robot turns to the direction of noted collision, directing the robot in a different direction, consistent with the direction of noted collision, cyclic switch between the local and standard operating mode, preferably between local cleaning and standard cleaning.