Method of coordinating motion of a robot and vehicle in an independent cart system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459118-B2
Application number	US-202318138853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2023
Priority date	Apr 25, 2023
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

Motion is coordinated between a robot and a mover in an independent cart system. A first mover for the independent cart system is located at an initial position, where the robot is mounted on the first mover. A motion trajectory command, defining motion of the robot and the first mover, is received at a motion controller. A mover command is generated for the first mover and a robot motion command is generated for the robot as a function of the motion trajectory command at the motion controller. The mover command is transmitted to a segment controller in a track segment on which the first mover is located, and the robot motion command is transmitted to a robot control system. Operation of the first mover is controlled with the segment controller in tandem with controlling operation of the robot with the robot control system responsive to the robot motion command.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method for coordinating motion of a robot with an independent cart system, the independent cart system including a track and a plurality of movers configured to travel along the track, wherein the track includes a plurality of track segments and each of the plurality of track segments includes a segment controller, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning a first mover for the independent cart system at a load position, where the robot is mounted on the first mover; receiving a first motion trajectory command for the robot at a robot motion controller; loading a load on a second mover for the independent cart system with the robot following the first motion trajectory command; generating a first mover command for the first mover; generating a second mover command for the second mover, wherein the first and second mover commands cause the first mover and the second mover to travel together along the track; positioning the first mover at an unload position; receiving a second motion trajectory command for the robot at the robot motion controller; and unloading the load from the second mover for the independent cart system with the robot following the second motion trajectory command, wherein:
either the first motion trajectory command or the second motion trajectory command incorporates motion of the first mover;
when the first motion trajectory command incorporates motion of the first mover, the method further comprises the steps of:
generating a first mover motion command with the robot motion controller responsive to receiving the first motion trajectory command,
transmitting the first mover motion command to the segment controller for a first track segment, wherein the first mover is located on the first track segment,
controlling motion of the first mover with the segment controller for the first track segment as the robot is loading the load on the second mover, and
controlling motion of the second mover with the segment controller for a second track segment as the robot is loading the load on the second mover, wherein the second mover is located on the second track segment; and

when the second motion trajectory command incorporates motion of the first mover:
generating a second mover motion command for the first mover with the robot motion controller responsive to receiving the second motion trajectory command,
transmitting the second mover motion command to the segment controller for the first track segment,
controlling motion of the first mover with the segment controller for the first track segment as the robot is unloading the load from the second mover, wherein the first mover is located on the first track segment, and
controlling motion of the second mover with the segment controller for the second track segment as the robot is unloading the load from the second mover, wherein the second mover is located on the second track segment.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first mover and the second mover are both located on one of the plurality of track segments as the robot is loading the load on the second mover, and the first track segment is the same as the second track segment.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first mover and the second mover are both located on one of the plurality of track segments as the robot is unloading the load from the second mover, and the first track segment is the same as the second track segment.

4 . A method for coordinating motion of a robot with an independent cart system, the independent cart system including a track and a plurality of movers configured to travel along the track, wherein the track includes a plurality of track segments and each of the plurality of track segments includes a segment controller, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning a first mover for the independent cart system at a load position, where the robot is mounted on the first mover; receiving a first motion trajectory command for the robot at a robot motion controller; loading a load on a second mover for the independent cart system with the robot following the first motion trajectory command; generating a first mover command for the first mover; generating a second mover command for the second mover, wherein the first and second mover commands cause the first mover and the second mover to travel together along the track; positioning the first mover at an unload position; receiving a second motion trajectory command for the robot at the robot motion controller; unloading the load from the second mover for the independent cart system with the robot following the second motion trajectory command; receiving a third motion trajectory command for the robot at the robot motion controller, wherein the third motion trajectory command defines motion of the robot engaging the load as the first mover and the second mover are traveling along the track; generating the first mover command with the robot motion controller responsive to receiving the third trajectory command; generating the second mover command with the robot motion controller responsive to receiving the third trajectory command; transmitting the first mover command to a first segment controller for a first track segment, wherein the first mover is present on the first track segment; transmitting the second mover command to a second segment controller for a second track segment, wherein the second mover is present on the second track segment; and in tandem, controlling operation of the first mover with the first segment controller responsive to the first mover command, controlling operation of the second mover with the second segment controller responsive to the second mover command, and controlling operation of the robot with the robot motion controller responsive to the third motion trajectory command.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first mover and the second mover travel next to each other along one track.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the track includes at least one parallel divergent track segment adjacent to a main track segment, and either the first mover or the second mover is controlled to move on the at least one parallel divergent track segment while either the first mover or the second mover is controlled to move on the adjacent main track segment during the first and second mover commands.

7 . A method for coordinating motion of a robot with an independent cart system, the independent cart system including a track, having a plurality of track segments, and a plurality of movers configured to travel along the track, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning a first mover for the independent cart system at an initial position, wherein the robot is mounted on the first mover; receiving a trajectory command defining a desired motion trajectory for the robot at a motion controller, wherein the trajectory command defines desired motion of both the robot and the first mover; generating a mover command for the first mover as a function of the trajectory command at the motion controller; generating a robot motion command as a function of the trajectory command at the motion controller; transmitting the mover command to a segment controller in one of the plurality of track segments on which the first mover is located; transmitting the robot motion command to a robot control system; and in tandem, controlling operation of the first mover with the segment controller responsive to the mover command and controlling operation of the robot with the robot control system responsive to the robot motion command to achieve the desired motion trajectory for the robot.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein a load is present on one of the plurality of mo

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Technolgies Inc
• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Huang Yuhong
• Bhatt Jatin P
• Brynildsen Alexander G
• Carter Keith D
• David Chloe
• Gouda Bhanu K
• Hirschinger Robert B
• Lennard Michael D

Classifications

• B25J9/0093

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title

• B25J9/162 Primary

  Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it · CPC title

• B25J5/005

  mounted on endless tracks or belts · CPC title

• B25J9/1664 Primary

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title