Device and method for activating a conveyor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11942885-B2
Application number	US-202017775463-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2020
Priority date	Nov 28, 2019
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A device and method for activating a conveyor device. An actual value for a pose of a device movable by the conveyor device by a magnetic force action is received. Depending on the actual value for the pose, as a function of a setpoint value for a torque, as a function of a setpoint value for a force, and as a function of a model, a setpoint value for the activation of at least one actuator of the conveyor device is determined. The model is trained to determine setpoint values for the activation of the at least one actuator as a function of actual values for poses of the device and as a function of setpoint values for torques and setpoint values for forces, using which the device is to be moved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for activating a conveyor device, the method comprising the following steps:
receiving an actual value for a pose of a device movable by the conveyor device by a magnetic force action; and
determining, depending on the actual value for the pose, as a function of a setpoint value for a torque using which the device is to be moved by the conveyor device, as a function of a setpoint value for a force using which the device is to be moved by the conveyor device, and as a function of a model, a setpoint value for activation of at least one actuator of the conveyor device, the model being trained to determine setpoint values for the activation of the at least one actuator as a function of actual values for poses of the device and as a function of setpoint values for torques and setpoint values for forces, using which the device is to be moved.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator is rotatable with respect to the conveyor device, the setpoint value for the at least one actuator characterizing a rotation angle for the actuator with respect to the conveyor device or an increment for the rotation angle starting from a present rotation angle of the actuator, and the at least one actuator is activated as a function of the setpoint value for the activation of the at least one actuator.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the at least one actuator includes at least one permanent magnet by which a magnetic field is generatable to influence a movement of the device, the model being trained to determine a plurality of setpoint values for rotation angles of various actuators.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least one permanent magnet is a Halbach array.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein a magnetic field for moving the device is generatable by a superposition of magnetic fields of a plurality of the at least one permanent magnet of various actuators with a magnetic field of at least one electromagnet or permanent magnet at the device, the model being trained to determine the plurality of setpoint values for the rotation angles of the various actuators in such a way that the magnetic field moves the device using the torque predefined by the setpoint value for the torque and the force predefined by the setpoint value for the force.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator includes an electromagnetic element, by which a magnetic field for moving the device is generatable, the model being trained to determine a plurality of setpoint values for various actuators.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein a magnetic field for moving the device is generatable by a superposition of magnetic fields of a plurality of the electromagnetic elements of various actuators with a magnetic field of at least one electromagnet or permanent magnet at the device, the model being trained to determine the plurality of the setpoint values for the various actuators in such a way that the magnetic field moves the device using the torque predefined by the setpoint value for the torque and the force predefined by the setpoint value for the force.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein as a function of the actual value for the pose, a plurality of actuators is assigned to a group of actuators, a magnetic field for influencing a movement of the device being generated only by the group of actuators.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a control deviation for a control unit is determined as a function of the actual value for the pose and a setpoint value for the pose, the control unit determining the setpoint value for the torque and the setpoint value for the force as a function of the control deviation.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the control unit is a state regulator, the state regulator being an LQ controller, a trajectory for setpoint values for the pose being predefined, and the setpoint value for the torque and the setpoint value for the force being determined as a function of the trajectory.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein, as a function of a gravitational force acting on the device, a pilot control value is determined for the setpoint value for the torque and/or the setpoint value for the force, which at least partially compensates for the gravitational force.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein, for a training of the model, a modeled value for the torque and a modeled value for the force are determined as a function of the setpoint value for the activation of the at least one actuator of the conveyor device and as a function of a stochastic or deterministic forward model of the conveyor device and the device, at least one parameter of the model being determined as a function of the modeled value for the torque, the modeled value for the force, a desired value for the torque, and a desired value for the force.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein a plurality of tuples including a pose, a desired value for the torque, and a desired value for the force are provided, the at least one parameter of the model being determined as a function of the plurality of tuples in a gradient descent method.

14. A device for activating a conveyor device, the device comprising:
at least one computing device; and
at least one memory for a model and a control unit;
wherein the device is configured to activate a conveyor device, the device being configured to:
receive an actual value for a pose of a device movable by the conveyor device by a magnetic force action; and
determining, depending on the actual value for the pose, as a function of a setpoint value for a torque using which the device is to be moved by the conveyor device, as a function of a setpoint value for a force using which the device is to be moved by the conveyor device, and as a function of the model, a setpoint value for activation of at least one actuator of the conveyor device, the model being trained to determine setpoint values for the activation of the at least one actuator as a function of actual values for poses of the device and as a function of setpoint values for torques and setpoint values for forces, using which the device is to be moved.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for activating a conveyor device, the computer program, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to perform the following steps:
receiving an actual value for a pose of a device movable by the conveyor device by a magnetic force action; and
determining, depending on the actual value for the pose, as a function of a setpoint value for a torque using which the device is to be moved by the conveyor device, as a function of a setpoint value for a force using which the device is to be moved by the conveyor device, and as a function of a model, a setpoint value for activation of at least one actuator of the conveyor device, the model being trained to determine setpoint values for the activation of the at least one actuator as a function of actual values for poses of the device and as a function of setpoint values for torques and setpoint values for forces, using which the device is to be moved.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Spitz Jonathan

Classifications

• H02P25/064 Primary

  of the synchronous type · CPC title

• B65G43/00

  Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting · CPC title

• G05D17/02

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• B65G47/00

  Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices · CPC title

• B65G2203/0283

  Position of the load carrier · CPC title