User-assisted robotic control systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660759-B2
Application number	US-202117495125-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2021
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments relate to user-assisted robotic control systems, user interfaces for remote control of robotic systems, vision systems in robotic control systems, and modular grippers for use by robotic systems. The systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media instructions described interact with and control robotic systems, in particular pick and place systems using soft robotic actuators to grasp, move and release target objects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a local processor operative to communicate with a remote electronic processor device; and
a pick and place station in communication with the local processor and comprising:
a robotic system comprising a base,
a robotic arm coupled to the base at a first end, and
a calibration tool, the calibration tool having a proximal end coupled to the robotic arm at a second end of the robotic arm and a distal end opposite the proximal end; and

a sensor,
wherein the local processor is configured to:
receive a calibration command, and
perform a calibration check by deploying the distal end of the calibration tool at a location in a z-plane substantially corresponding to a location at a base of a picking area in which the robotic system operates.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein performing the calibration check comprises detecting a presence of a calibration sheet with a predetermined pattern of targets for the calibration tool, and causing the distal end of the calibration tool to touch the predetermined pattern of targets.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the local processor is configured to cause the distal end of the calibration tool to touch the predetermined pattern of targets in a predetermined order.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a camera or a visualization system, and the calibration command is further configured to cause the local processor to recalibrate or canonicalize the sensor.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the local processor is configured to canonicalize the sensor by skewing or reorienting some or all of an image from the sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the calibration check comprises:
checking a range sensor of the robotic system against a target of known distance;
detecting an anomaly with the range sensor; and
flagging the range sensor to be cleaned.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the local processor is further configured to move the robotic arm to a gripper cleaning position at a station within a work envelope of the robotic system, the station providing an external gripper cleaning function.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of pick and place stations in communication with the local processor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the local processor receives commands from the remote electronic processor device and communicates control instructions to the robotic system.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the local processor receives information from the robotic system and communicates the received information to the remote electronic processor device.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cloud backend to receive and store information communicated from one or more of the local processor, the remote electronic processor device, or the robotic system.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cloud backend receives information comprising one or more of: sensor data, a failure rate of a component of the robotic system, a maintenance schedule, an identified problem, or a software crash.

13. The system of claim 11 , the cloud backend operative to do one or more of: recommending changes to a maintenance or replacement schedule or suggesting a repair.

14. The system of claim 11 , the cloud backend operative to transmit a software update to one or more of the local processor or the remote electronic processor device.

15. A method comprising:
receiving, at a local processor of a pick and place station, a calibration command, the pick and place station comprising:
a robotic system comprising a base,
a robotic arm coupled to the base at a first end,
a calibration tool, the calibration tool having a proximal end coupled to the robotic arm at a second end of the robotic arm and a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a sensor;

performing, using the robotic system, a calibration check by deploying the distal end of the calibration tool at a location in a z-plane substantially corresponding to a location at a base of a picking area in which the robotic system operates.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein performing the calibration check comprises detecting a presence of a calibration sheet with a predetermined pattern of targets for the calibration tool, and causing the distal end of the calibration tool to touch the predetermined pattern of targets.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises a camera or a visualization system, and further comprising recalibrating or canonicalizing the sensor.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein performing the calibration check comprises:
checking a range sensor of the robotic system against a target of known distance;
detecting an anomaly with the range sensor; and
flagging the range sensor to be cleaned.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising moving the robotic arm to a gripper cleaning position at a station within a work envelope of the robotic system, the station providing an external gripper cleaning function.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising receiving, at the local processor from a cloud backend, one or more of: a recommended change to a maintenance or replacement schedule, a suggested repair, or a software update.

Assignees

• Soft Robotics Inc

Inventors

• Rosenstein Michael
• Curhan Jeff
• Lessing Joshua Aaron
• Knopf Ryan
• Harburg Daniel
• Chiappetta Mark

Classifications

• B25J9/1656

  characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators · CPC title

• B25J9/1676

  Avoiding collision or forbidden zones · CPC title

• B25J9/142

  comprising inflatable bodies · CPC title

• F15B15/10

  the motor being of diaphragm type · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title