System and method for positioning one or more robotic apparatuses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11529741-B2
Application number	US-201816222981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2018
Priority date	Dec 17, 2018
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

An approach to positioning one or more robotic arms in an assembly system may be described herein. For example, an apparatus may include a first robotic arm having a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end may be configured for movement and the proximal end may secure the first robotic arm. The apparatus may further include a camera connected with the distal end of the first robotic arm. The camera may be configured to capture image data of a marker connected with a second robotic arm and provide the image data to a computer. The computer may generate a set of instructions for the first robotic arm based on the image data of the marker. The movement of the first robotic arm may be caused by the computer according to the generated set of instructions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a computer;
a first robotic arm having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being configured for movement and the proximal end securing the first robotic arm;
a camera connected with the distal end of the first robotic arm, the camera being configured to capture image data of a passive marker connected with a second robotic arm and provide the image data to the computer; and
one or more fixed markers disposed at different locations and unconnected with the first and second robotic arms, the camera being configured to capture image data of the one or more fixed markers and provide the image data of the one or more fixed markers to the computer;
wherein at least one of the one or more fixed markers is an active marker,
wherein the computer is configured to:
determine a variance between an actual position of the first robotic arm based on the image data of the passive marker and the one or more fixed markers, and a correct position of the first robotic arm based on a first data model associated with both the first robotic arm and the passive marker, and a second data model associated with both the first robotic arm and the one or more fixed markers, and
determine a set of instructions that indicate one or more movements of the first robotic arm to position the distal end of the first robotic arm at the correct position based on the variance, and

wherein the movement of the first robotic arm is caused by the computer based on the determined set of instructions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to receive the determined set of instructions from the computer and configured to drive the movement of the first robotic arm based on the instructions.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tool flange connected with the distal end of the first robotic arm; and
an end effector connected with the tool flange and configured to engage with a node,
wherein the camera is connected with the distal end of the first robotic arm through the end effector and the tool flange.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each active marker is configured to change at least one of a color.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each active marker is configured to change at least one of a luminous intensity.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to:
determine a variance between an actual position of the second robotic arm based on the image data of a passive marker disposed on the distal end of the first robotic arm and the one or more fixed markers, and a correct position of the second robotic arm based on a first data model associated with both the second robotic arm and the passive marker disposed on the distal end of the first robotic arm, and a second data model associated with both the second robotic arm and the one or more fixed markers; and
determine a second set of instructions that indicate one or more movements of the second robotic arm to position the distal end of the second robotic arm at the correct location based on the variance,
wherein the movement of the second robotic arm is caused by the computer based on the second determined set of instructions.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first data model and the second data model include computer-aided design (CAD) data.

8. A system comprising:
a computer;
a first robotic arm having a first camera disposed on a distal end of the first robotic arm;
a first controller connected with the first robotic arm and configured to cause movement of the first robotic arm;
a second robotic arm having a passive marker connected to a distal end of the second robotic arm; and
one or more fixed markers disposed at different locations and unconnected with the first and second robotic arms and wherein at least one of the one or more fixed markers is an active marker;
wherein the first camera is positioned such that the passive marker is within a field of view of the first camera, the first camera being configured to capture first image data of the passive marker and of the one or more fixed markers and provide the first image data to the computer configured to determine a first variance between an actual position of the first robotic arm based on the image data of the passive marker and the one or more fixed markers, and a correct position of the first robotic arm based on a first data model associated with both the first robotic arm and the passive marker, and a second data model associated with both the first robotic arm and the one or more fixed markers, and the first controller being configured to cause the movement of the first robotic arm based on a first set of instructions obtained from the computer that are determined, based on the variance.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising;
a first tool flange connected with the distal end of the first robotic arm; and
a first end effector connected with the first tool flange and configured to engage with a node,
wherein the first camera is connected with the distal end of the first robotic arm through the first end effector and the first tool flange.

10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second controller connected with the second robotic arm and configured to cause movement of the second robotic arm,
wherein the first robotic arm includes a passive marker disposed on the distal end of the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm includes a second camera disposed on the distal end of the second robotic arm, the second camera being configured to capture second image data of the passive marker disposed on the distal end of the first robotic arm and provide the second image data to the computer configured to determine a second variance between an actual position of the second robotic arm based on the image data of the passive marker disposed on the distal end of the first robotic arm and the one or more fixed markers, and a correct position of the second robotic arm based on a first data model associated with the second robotic arm and the passive marker disposed on the distal end of the first robotic arm and a second data model associated with the second robotic arm and the one or more fixed markers, and the second controller being configured to cause the movement of the second robotic arm based on a second set of instructions obtained from the computer, that are determined based on the second variance.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first camera is positioned such that the one or more fixed markers are within the field of view of the first camera.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second tool flange connected with the distal end of the second robotic arm; and
a second end effector connected with the second tool flange and configured to engage with a part,
wherein the second camera is connected with the distal end of the second robotic arm through the second end effector and the second tool flange.

13. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a switch connected with the first controller and the second controller, wherein the switch is configured to provide the first set of instructions obtained from the computer to the first controller or the second set of instructions obtained from the computer to the second controller.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second robotic arm is stationary.

15. The system of claim 8 , wherein each active marker is configured to change at least one of a color or a luminous intensity.

16. An apparatus comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processo

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Rawas Oussama
• Czinger Lukas Philip

Classifications

• B25J9/1682 Primary

  Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators · CPC title

• G05B2219/40033

  Assembly, microassembly · CPC title

• B25J9/1687

  Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement · CPC title

• B25J9/0087

  Dual arms (double SCARA arms B25J9/043) · CPC title

• B25J19/023 Primary

  including video camera means · CPC title