Robot control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10286547-B2
Application number	US-201515320310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jun 20, 2014
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A robot control system comprising a plurality of robots and a worker terminal that is capable of sending operation commands to a plurality of robots, by using wireless communications. The worker terminal has: an identification part that identifies a target robot to be used for work, from among a plurality of robots; a reception part that receives operation instructions for the robot from a worker; and a wireless communications part that sends operation commands to only the robot identified as the target robot by the identification part, when an operation instruction is received by the reception part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot control system, for causing a worker to use a plurality of robots to distinguish work in a work space provided with the robots, wherein the robot control system comprises:
a plurality of robots; and
a worker terminal that is capable of sending operation commands to the plurality of robots, by using wireless communications;
each of the plurality of robots is a robot that cooperates with the worker in one work and performs some operations undertaken by the robot, among multiple operations required for achieving the one work, with a timing receiving the operation command from the worker terminal,
the worker terminal has:
an identification part that identifies a target robot to be used for work among a plurality of robots;
a reception part that receives operation instructions for the robot from a worker; and
a wireless communications part that sends operation command to only the robot identified as the target robot by the identification part when an operation instruction is received by the reception part.

2. The robot control system according to claim 1 , further comprising a target robot prompt part that prompts information indicating which of the plurality of robots is identified as the target robot.

3. The robot control system according to claim 2 , wherein
the plurality of robots are assigned with identification colors, respectively, and
the target robot prompt part is an element lit on in a color the same as an identification color of the target robot.

4. The robot control system according to claim 3 , wherein
each of the plurality of robots has an identification color display part that displays an identification color,
the worker terminal has a see-through head-mounted display, and
the target robot prompt part is an element that makes an image in a color the same as the identification color of the target robot displayed on the head-mounted display, or an element mounted on the head-mounted display that shines in a color the same as the identification color of the target robot within the field of view of the worker.

5. The robot control system according to any of claims 1 , 2 and 3 , wherein
each of the plurality of robots has a robot identification mark recording a robot ID,
the worker terminal has a reader that reads the robot ID from the robot identification mark, and
the identification part identifies the target robot by reading the robot ID from the robot identification mark within a read range of the reader.

6. The robot control system according to any of claims 1 , 2 and 3 , wherein
the worker terminal has a terminal identification mark recording a terminal ID,
each of the plurality of robots has a reader that reads the terminal ID from the terminal identification mark, and an ID notification part that notifies a worker terminal specific to the terminal ID read by the reader about its own robot ID, and
the identification part identifies the target robot by obtaining the robot ID from the ID notification part.

7. The robot control system according to any of claims 1 , 2 and 3 , wherein the identification part identifies the target robot by prompting a plurality of candidates of the target robot to the worker and selecting a target robot for the worker among the plurality of candidates.

8. The robot control system according to any of claims 1 , 2 and 3 , wherein each of the plurality of robots has a human-sensing sensor and a control part, and the control part stops communication with the worker terminal or operation of the robot when the human-sensing sensor detects that the worker is not within an available range of the robot.

9. The robot control system according to any of claims 1 , 2 and 3 , wherein
each of the plurality of robots is a robot that uses receiving of an operation command from the worker terminal as a trigger to perform a determined operation, and
the operation instruction can be input with the same operation no matter which robot the target robot is.

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Takaichi Ryuichiro
• Inoue Hiroyuki
• Yamaji Takamasa
• Yamada Teruki

Classifications

• G05B2219/39448

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• B25J19/00

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• B25J9/1656

  characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators · CPC title

• G05B2219/40131

  Virtual reality control, programming of manipulator · CPC title

• B25J13/06

  Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards · CPC title