System and method for controlling robotic machine assemblies to perform tasks on vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10105844-B2
Application number	US-201615183850-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2016
Priority date	Jun 16, 2016
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A robotic machine assembly includes a movable robotic arm configured to perform an assigned task that involves moving toward, engaging, and manipulating a target object of a vehicle. The assembly also includes a communication circuit configured to receive manipulation parameters for the target object from a remote database. The manipulation parameters are specific to at least one of the vehicle or a vehicle class in which the vehicle belongs. The assembly also includes one or more processors configured to generate a task performance plan for the robotic arm based on the manipulation parameters. The task performance plan includes prescribed forces to be exerted by the robotic arm on the target object to manipulate the target object. The one or more processors also are configured to drive movement of the robotic arm during performance of the assigned task according to the task performance plan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robotic machine assembly comprising:
a movable robotic arm configured to perform an assigned task that involves moving toward, engaging, and manipulating a target object of a vehicle;
a communication circuit configured to receive manipulation parameters for the target object from a cloud based remote database, the manipulation parameters being specific to at least one of the vehicle or a vehicle class in which the vehicle belongs, wherein the manipulation parameters for the target object include an actuation force to be exerted by the robotic arm on the target object to manipulate the target object, and wherein the manipulation parameters are based on historical records of at least one of measured forces exerted on the target object of the vehicle or measured forces exerted on other objects similar to the target object disposed on other vehicles in the vehicle class of the vehicle; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the communication circuit and the robotic arm, the one or more processors configured to generate a task performance plan for the robotic arm based on the manipulation parameters, the task performance plan including prescribed forces to be exerted by the robotic arm on the target object to manipulate the target object, the one or more processors further configured to drive movement of the robotic arm during performance of the assigned task according to the task performance plan.

2. The robotic machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manipulation parameters for the target object include one or more of a location of the target object relative to the vehicle, a shape of the target object, a size of the target object, a material of the target object, an identification of a contact portion of the target object, a position of the target object, an orientation of the target object, an actuation direction for manipulating the target object, and an actuation distance for manipulating the target object.

3. The robotic machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the manipulation parameters for the target object include an upper threshold limit for at least one of an actuation distance that the robotic arm moves the target object, or an actuation speed at which the robotic arm moves the target object, wherein, responsive to the upper threshold limit being exceeded during performance of the assigned task, the one or more processors are configured to generate an alert.

4. The robotic machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm has an end effector disposed at a distal end of the robotic arm, the end effector including a claw configured to grasp the target object, the claw having one or more movable fingers to adjust a width of the claw.

5. The robotic machine assembly of claim 4 , wherein the task performance plan generated by the one or more processors further includes a prescribed approach orientation of the claw of the end effector relative to the vehicle as the robotic arm moves toward the target object prior to manipulating the target object.

6. The robotic machine, assembly of claim 1 , wherein the target object of the vehicle is at least one of a brake lever that is manipulated to open and close a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle, a brake wheel that is rotationally manipulated to set and release a hand brake of the vehicle, or a mechanical coupler that is manipulated to connect and disconnect the vehicle relative to another vehicle.

7. The robotic machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate a parameter request message that is communicated to the cloud based remote database by the communication circuit prior to receiving the manipulation parameters for the target object, the parameter request message identifying at least one of the target object, the vehicle, or the vehicle class in which the vehicle belongs.

8. The robotic machine assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a force sensor configured to monitor forces exerted by the robotic arm on the target object of the vehicle during performance of the assigned task, the one or more processors configured to generate a feedback message that is communicated to the cloud based remote database by the communication circuit, the feedback message including data parameters representative of the forces exerted by the robotic arm on the target object during the assigned task as monitored by the force sensor.

9. The robotic machine assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an imaging sensor disposed on the robotic arm, the imaging sensor positioned to acquire perception information of a working environment that includes the target object, the task performance plan generated by the one or more processors further including a motion trajectory for the robotic arm that is based on the perception information, the motion trajectory providing a path for the robotic arm to the target object.

10. The robotic machine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assigned task is to release air from an air brake system of the vehicle and the target object is a brake lever that is configured to be moved to open a valve of the air brake system to release the air, the manipulation parameters received from the cloud based remote database including an actuation force parameter and an actuation distance parameter, the one or more processors driving the movement of the robotic arm such that the robotic arm exerts a pulling force on the brake lever equal to the actuation force parameter and moves the brake lever a distance equal to the actuation distance parameter.

11. A method comprising:
receiving, at a robotic machine assembly from a cloud based remote database, manipulation parameters for a target object of a vehicle, the robotic machine assembly configured to perform an assigned task that involves a robotic arm of the robotic machine assembly engaging and manipulating the target object, the manipulation parameters being specific to at least one of the vehicle or a vehicle class in which the vehicle belongs, wherein the manipulation parameters for the target object include an actuation force to be exerted by the robotic arm on the target object to manipulate the target object, and wherein the manipulation parameters are based on historical records of at least one of measured forces exerted on the target object of the vehicle or measured forces exerted on other objects similar to the target object disposed on other vehicles in the vehicle class of the vehicle;
generating, using one or more processors, a task performance plan for the robotic machine assembly based on the manipulation parameters, the task performance plan including prescribed forces to be exerted by the robotic arm on the target object to manipulate the target object; and
driving movement of the robotic arm according to the task performance plan to perform the assigned task.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the manipulation parameters for the target object include one or more of a location of the target object relative to the vehicle, a shape of the target object, a size of the target object, a material of the target object, an identification of a contact portion of the target object, a position of the target object, an orientation of the target object, an actuation direction for manipulating the target object, and an actuation distance for manipulating the target object.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising monitoring forces exerted by the robotic arm on the target object of the vehicle during the performance of the assigned task and subsequently generating a feedback message to be communicated to the cloud based remote database, the feedback message including data parameter

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Tan Huan

Classifications

• B25J9/1664

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title

• B25J13/006

  by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators · CPC title

• B25J19/023

  including video camera means · CPC title

• B25J5/007

  mounted on wheels · CPC title

• Y10S901/09

  Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement · CPC title