Apparatus for planning path of robot and method thereof

• US 8,924,016 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Myung Hee, Roh, Kyung Shik, Shim, Young Bo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US13/328,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20120165982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 700/255, 700/56, 700/57, 700 61- 63, 700 67- 69, 700186-190, 700/192, 700/193, 901/30, 901/27, 901/19, 901/41, 744/900.1, 744/900.5, 318/567, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/568.2
• US Class Current: 700/255
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/162 Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40244 Walking manipulator with integrated stewart, parallel arm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40476 Collision, planning for collision free path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40477 Plan path independent from obstacles, then correction for obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20329 Joint between elements

Abstract

A method for planning the robot path includes forming a shape space that includes a start point, a goal point, and obstacle information so as to generate a moving path of the robot, generating one or more moving paths of the robot within the shape space, and storing the generated moving paths in a database, selecting a specific path that has a minimum operation range of the robot and a minimum constraint caused by the obstacle from among the stored moving paths, and planning the selected path, enabling the robot to perform motion along the planned path, and pre-planning a path for a next motion of the robot while the robot performs the motion. The apparatus or method for planning the robot path can reduce a time from an end time of one motion to the start time of the next motion, thereby performing a smooth motion.

Claims

1. A method for planning a path of a robot comprising:

forming by a processor a shape space that includes a start point, a goal point, and obstacle information so as to generate a moving path of the robot;

generating by a processor one or more moving paths of the robot within the shape space, and storing the generated moving paths in a database;

selecting a specific path that has a minimum operation range of the robot and a minimum constraint caused by the obstacle from among the stored moving paths, and planning the selected path;

enabling the robot to perform a first motion along the planned path; and

pre-planning a path for a second motion of the robot while the robot performs the motion,

wherein the planning the specific path that has the minimum operation range of the robot and the minimum constraint caused by the obstacle from among the stored moving paths comprises generating a first path from the start point toward the goal point and a second path from the goal point toward the start point and planning a path that is generated to be a fastest path among the first path and the second path.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the start point is a node obtained when a shape at an initial position before the robot performs the first motion is formed in the shape space.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the goal point is a node obtained when a shape at a goal position where the robot performs a motion is formed in the shape space.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating one or more moving paths of the robot within the shape space and the storing the generated moving path in the database comprise:

selecting a moving path having a minimum variation of a joint angle of the robot from among the generated one or more moving paths and storing the selected moving path.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the planning the specific path that has the minimum operation range of the robot and the minimum constraint caused by the obstacle from among the stored moving paths comprises:

determining a point having a constraint caused by the obstacle, and planning a path at a shape point spaced apart from the determined point by a predetermined distance.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising smoothing a path for the second motion of the robot while the robot performs the first motion.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the smoothing the path for the second motion of the robot while the robot performs motion comprises:

performing smoothing of a path having a constraint caused by the obstacle in such a manner that the smoothing result is proportional to a constraint value caused by the obstacle.

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

re-planning a path for the second pre-planned motion of the robot while the robot performs the first motion, the re-planning using the first motion and information of the obstacle.

9. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program instructing a computer to execute the method of claim 1.

10. An apparatus for planning a path of a robot comprising:

a path generator to form a shape space that includes a start point, a goal point, and obstacle information so as to generate a moving path of the robot, and to generate one or more moving paths of the robot within the shape space;

a storage unit to store the moving paths generated by the path generator in a database;

a first path planning unit to select a specific path that has a minimum operation range of the robot and a minimum constraint caused by the obstacle from among the stored moving paths, and to plan the selected path;

a controller to enable the robot to perform a first motion along the path planned by the first path planning unit; and

a second path planning unit to pre-plan a path for a second motion of the robot while the robot performs the first motion,

wherein the planning the specific path that has the minimum operation range of the robot and the minimum constraint caused by the obstacle from among the stored moving paths comprises generating a first path from the start point toward the goal point and a second path from the goal point toward the start point and planning a path that is generated to be a fastest path among the first path and the second path.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the storage unit stores a moving path having a minimum variation of a joint angle of the robot from among the generated one or more moving paths.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first path planning unit determines a point having a constraint caused by the obstacle, and plans a path at a shape point spaced apart from the determined point by a predetermined distance.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a third path planning unit to re-plan a path planned by either the first path planning unit or the second path planning unit using the first or second motion and information of the obstacle.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a smoothing unit to smooth a path planned by the first path planning unit, the second path planning unit or the third path planning unit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the smoothing unit performs smoothing of a path having a constraint caused by the obstacle in such a manner that the smoothing result is proportional to a constraint value caused by the obstacle.

16. A method for planning a path of a robot comprising:

forming by a processor a shape space that includes a start point, a goal point, and obstacle information so as to generate a moving path of the robot, the start point being obtained when a shape at an initial position before the robot performs the first motion is formed in the shape space and the goal point being obtained when a shape at a goal position where the robot performs a motion is formed in the shape space;

generating by a processor one or more moving paths of the robot within the shape space, and storing the generated moving paths in a database, the generating comprising generating a first path from the start point toward the goal point and a second path from the goal point toward the start point, and planning a path that is generated to be a fastest path among the first path and the second path;

selecting a specific path that has a minimum operation range of the robot and a minimum constraint caused by the obstacle from among the stored moving paths, and planning the selected path;

enabling the robot to perform a first motion along the planned path; and

pre-planning a path for a second motion of the robot while the robot performs the motion.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising smoothing a path for the second motion of the robot while the robot performs the first motion.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

re-planning a path for the second pre-planned motion of the robot while the robot performs the first motion, the re-planning using the first motion and information of the obstacle.