Object handling device and calibration method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11318619-B2
Application number	US-201916730129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2017
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

According to an embodiment, an object handling device includes a base, a manipulator, a first camera, a sensor, a manipulator control unit and a calibration unit. The manipulator is arranged on the base, and includes a movable part and an effector that is arranged on the movable part and acts on an object. The first camera and the sensor are arranged on the manipulator. The manipulator control unit controls the manipulator so that the movable part is moved to a position corresponding to a directed value. The calibration processing unit acquires a first error in a first direction based on an image photographed by the first camera, acquire a second error in a second direction intersecting with the first direction based on a detection result obtained by the sensor, and acquire a directed calibration value with respect to the directed value based on the first error and the second error.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by an object handling device that comprises a base, a manipulator arranged on the base and including a movable part and an effector grasping an object to convey the object, and a first camera arranged on the manipulator, the method comprising:
photographing a predetermined position of the base by the first camera; and
executing calibration processing based on a photographic result by the first camera, and
controlling the manipulator to change a conveyance speed in response to a grasping state of the object when the object is conveyed while being grasped by the effector.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the effector includes a suction pad for grasping the object by suction, and
the controlling of the manipulator includes
determining the grasping state of the object based on a suction pressure on the object by the effector, and
setting the conveyance speed to be slower as the suction pressure is lower.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the controlling of the manipulator is executed by switching a control parameter being a kinetics model parameter which is determined through pre-learning.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the grasping state of the object is calculated from attribute information of the object and information about a grasping position of the object.

5. An object handling device comprising:
a base;
a manipulator that is arranged on the base, the manipulator including a movable part, a motor that drives to rotate the movable part, and an effector that is provided to the movable part and grasps an object to convey the object;
a first camera arranged on the manipulator; and
a processor configured to
execute calibration processing of a position of the movable part based on a photographic result of a predetermined position of the base by the first camera, and
control the manipulator to change a conveyance speed in response to a grasping state of the object when the object is conveyed while being grasped by the effector.

6. The object handling device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a second camera arranged on the base, wherein
the processor is configured to execute the calibration processing by acquiring an image calibration value with respect to a position obtained from an image of the second camera based on a plurality of images of the movable part photographed by the second camera.

7. The object handling device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a first mark arranged on the base, wherein
the processor is configured to execute the calibration processing based on an image of the first mark photographed by the first camera.

8. The object handling device according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a working place on which the object is placed, wherein
the first mark is arranged on the working place or arranged to be adjacent to the working place.

9. The object handling device according to claim 5 , wherein
the processor is configured to execute the calibration processing based on an image of a predetermined position outside the object handling device photographed by the first camera.

10. The object handling device according to claim 9 , wherein
the processor is configured to execute the calibration processing based on an image of a second mark arranged on a target object to be accessed by the effector outside the object handling device photographed by the first camera.

11. The object handling device according to claim 5 , wherein
the processor is configured to control, when a motion trajectory of the effector to a target object to be grasped cannot be calculated, the manipulator to vary a positional relationship between the target object and the object handling device.

12. The object handling device according to claim 5 , wherein
the processor is configured to:
determine, upon grasping a target object to be grasped by the effector, whether a predetermined database related to the object and grasp of the object includes sufficient data related to the target object and grasp of the target object;
control the manipulator to grasp and convey the target object in different modes in response to whether the predetermined database include the sufficient data;
update the predetermined database based on a result of grasping and conveying of the target object.

13. The object handling device according to claim 5 , wherein
the effector includes a suction pad for grasping the object by suction, and
the processor is configured to
determine the grasping state of the object based on a suction pressure on the object by the effector, and
set the conveyance speed to be slower as the suction pressure is lower.

14. The object handling device according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the control of the manipulator by switching a control parameter being a kinetics model parameter which is determined through pre-learning.

15. The object handling device according to claim 5 , wherein the grasping state of the object is calculated from attribute information of the object and information about a grasping position of the object.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Ogawa Akihito
• Sugahara Atsushi
• Tanaka Junya
• Komoda Kazuma
• Eto Haruna

Classifications

• B25J19/023

  including video camera means · CPC title

• B25J13/085

  Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25J9/161

  Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor · CPC title

• B25J9/1692 Primary

  Calibration of manipulator · CPC title

• B25J5/007

  mounted on wheels · CPC title