Method and system for monitoring a robot arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12403607-B2
Application number	US-202017606284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2020
Priority date	Apr 26, 2019
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

A method for monitoring a robot arrangement, which robot arrangement has at least one robot includes capturing optical signals from a plurality of signal sources at least one sensor, wherein the signal sources and/or the sensor is/are positioned on the robot arrangement and triggering a monitoring reaction if a deviation of an actual arrangement of the captured optical signals from a desired arrangement of these signals exceeds a limit value. In one aspect, a reaction may be triggered if at least a predefined minimum number of signals from the desired arrangement is not present in the actual arrangement of the captured optical signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring a robot arrangement that includes at least one robot and a robot controller, the method comprising:
capturing optical signals from a plurality of signal sources with at least one sensor, wherein at least one of the plurality of signal sources or the at least one sensor is positioned on the robot arrangement;
determining with the robot controller a deviation of an actual spatial arrangement of the captured optical signals from a desired spatial arrangement of the signals; and
triggering by the robot controller a monitoring reaction of the at least one robot in response to the determined deviation exceeding a predetermined limit value;
wherein the monitoring reaction is at least one of:
producing at least one of an optical output, an acoustic output, or a haptic output, or
causing a change in a predefined movement of the robot arrangement;
wherein the desired spatial arrangement is determined on the basis of a determined position of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor to one another;
wherein the determined position of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor to one another is based on at least one of a kinematic model or an optical model; and
wherein determining the deviation comprises determining whether at least a predefined minimum number of signals from the desired arrangement are not present in the actual arrangement of the captured optical signals; and
the actual arrangement is determined by the at least one sensor based on comparing at least a first signal captured with emitted optical signals to at least a second signal captured without emitted optical signals.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined position of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor to one another is based on at least one of:
a determined position of the robot arrangement; or
a predefined or determined position of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor relative to the robot arrangement.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
at least one of the plurality of signal sources is attached to a sheath attached to the robot arrangement; or
at least one of the plurality of signal sources emits the optical signals.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the emitted optical signals comprise at least one of:
at least one of laser light or visible light;
infrared light; or
UV light.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
at least one of the plurality of signal sources is illuminated by at least one light source with light, and the light is reflected as an optical signal; or
at least one deflection means is arranged in an optical path between at least one of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the optical signals of at least one of the plurality of signal sources is activated according to a predefined time pattern that is different from at least one other of the plurality of signal sources.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of signal sources emit different optical signals.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of:
the at least two of the plurality of signal sources emit different robot link-specific optical signals;
the different optical signals have at least one of different geometries, different brightnesses, or different colors; or
the different optical signals have mutually different predefined time patterns.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring reaction depends on at least one of:
at least one of a number or a location of non-existent signals of the desired arrangement in the actual arrangement; or
a thermal radiation detected by the sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
interrupting an optical path between at least one of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor with a robot-guided component.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein interrupting the optical path comprises interrupting the optical path on the robot side.

12. A system for monitoring a robot arrangement that includes at least one robot, the system comprising:
at least one sensor designed to capture optical signals from a plurality of signal sources, wherein at least one of the plurality of the signal sources or the at least one sensor is positioned on the robot arrangement; and
means for triggering a monitoring reaction in response to the determination that the deviation of an actual spatial arrangement of the captured optical signals from a desired spatial arrangement of the signals exceeds a predetermined limit value;
wherein the monitoring reaction is at least one of:
producing at least one of an optical output, an acoustic output, or a haptic output, or
causing a change in a predefined movement of the robot arrangement;

wherein the desired spatial arrangement is determined on the basis of a determined position of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor to one another;
wherein the determined position of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor to one another is based on at least one of a kinematic model or an optical model; and
wherein determining the deviation comprises determining whether at least a predefined number of signals from the desired arrangement are not present in the actual arrangement of the captured optical signals; and
wherein the actual arrangement is determined by the at least one sensor based on comparing at least a first signal captured with emitted optical signals to at least a second signal captured without emitted optical signals.

13. A computer program product for monitoring a robot arrangement that includes at least one robot, the computer program product including a program code stored on a non-transient, computer-readable medium, the program code, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to:
capture optical signals from a plurality of signal sources with at least one sensor, wherein at least one of the plurality of signal sources or the at least one sensor is positioned on the robot arrangement;
determine a deviation of an actual spatial arrangement of the captured optical signals from a desired spatial arrangement of the signals; and
triggering a monitoring reaction in response to the determined deviation exceeding a predetermined limit value;
wherein the monitoring reaction is at least one of:
producing at least one of an optical output, an acoustic output, or a haptic output, or
causing a change in a predefined movement of the robot arrangement;

wherein the desired spatial arrangement is determined on the basis of a determined position of the plurality of signal sources and the sensor to one another;
wherein the determined position of the signal sources and the sensor to one another is based on at least one of a kinematic or an optical model; and
wherein determining the deviation comprises determining whether at least a predefined minimum number of signals from the desired arrangement are not present in the actual arrangement of the captured optical signals; and
wherein the actual arrangement is determined by the at least one sensor based on comparing at least a first signal captured with emitted optical signals to at least a second signal captured without emitted optical signals.

Assignees

• Kuka Ag
• Kuka Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Hoene Albrecht
• Schaertl Elisabeth
• Wuensch Markus

Classifications

• B25J13/087

  for sensing other physical parameters, e.g. electrical or chemical properties · CPC title

• B25J9/1653

  parameters identification, estimation, stiffness, accuracy, error analysis · CPC title

• B25J9/163

  learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control · CPC title

• G05B2219/40202

  Human robot coexistence · CPC title

• G05B2219/37631

  Means detecting object in forbidden zone · CPC title