Modular reconfigurable workcell for quick connection of peripherals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969079-B2
Application number	US-201615134963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2016
Priority date	Jun 24, 2013
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

An example modular reconfigurable workcell for quick connection of peripherals is described. In one example, a modular reconfigurable workcell comprises modular docking bays on a surface of the workcell that support attachment of docking modules in a fixed geometric configuration, and respective modular docking bays include electrical connections for a variety of power and communication busses of the docking modules to be attached. The workcell also includes an electrical subsystem for coupling the communication busses between the modular docking bays and providing power circuitry to the modular docking bays, and structural features in the modular docking bays to enable insertion of the docking modules in the fixed geometric configuration. The workcell also includes a processor for determining a geometric calibration of attached peripherals based on a location and the orientation of corresponding docking modules attached to the modular docking bays and based on an identification of the attached peripherals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining a location and an orientation of docking modules attached to respective modular docking bays of a workcell, wherein the respective modular docking bays are provided on a surface of the workcell and support attachment of the docking modules in a fixed geometric configuration, wherein each of the docking modules provides an electrical and mechanical interface between a respective peripheral and the workcell;
determining, by one or more processors of the workcell, an identification of attached peripherals of the docking modules, wherein the identification indicates geometry information of the attached peripherals on the docking modules useful for determining distances between the attached peripherals; and
based on the location and the orientation of each of the docking modules and on the identification of the attached peripherals, determining a geometric calibration of the attached peripherals from a known set of calibration parameters matching to configuration of the workcell, wherein the geometric calibration indicates the distances between the attached peripherals and poses of the attached peripherals that enable the attached peripherals to interact with each other.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the orientation of the docking modules attached to the respective modular docking bays of the workcell is arranged in an M×N array.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the orientation of the docking modules attached to the respective modular docking bays of the workcell is arranged in an 1×M array.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving from a respective attached peripheral a description of the respective attached peripheral including geometric features of the attached peripheral upon attachment of a corresponding docking module of the respective attached peripheral to a respective modular docking bay.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the geometric calibration based on the location of the docking modules with respect to each other.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the workcell comprises a power supply and a central backplane circuitry board, and the method further comprising providing electrical interconnects between the docking modules and the power supply and between the docking modules and the one or more processors.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by an inertial measurement unit (IMU), one or more of an acceleration experienced by the workcell and an orientation of the workcell.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
the one or more processors receiving the one or more of the acceleration and the orientation of the workcell; and
determining an indication of a malfunctioning peripheral.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
the one or more processors receiving the one or more of the acceleration and the orientation of the workcell; and
determining an indication of contact of a peripheral with another element.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from a respective attached peripheral, a description of the respective attached peripheral including information indicative of dimensions and functions performed by the respective attached peripheral.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from a respective attached peripheral, a description of the respective attached peripheral including geometric features of the attached peripheral upon attachment of a corresponding docking module of the respective attached peripheral to a respective modular docking bay.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the one or more processors determining the geometric calibration based on given empty modular docking bays.

13. A method comprising:
determining a location and an orientation of docking modules inserted within respective modular docking bays of a workcell, wherein the respective modular docking bays are provided on a surface of the workcell and support attachment of the docking modules in a fixed geometric configuration, wherein each of the docking modules provides an electrical and mechanical interface between a respective peripheral and the workcell;
determining, by one or more processors of the workcell, an identification of attached peripherals of the docking modules, wherein the identification indicates geometry information of the attached peripherals on the docking modules; and
based on the location and the orientation of each of the docking modules and on the identification of the attached peripherals, determining a geometric calibration of the attached peripherals from a known set of calibration parameters matching to configuration of the workcell, wherein the geometric calibration indicates distances between the attached peripherals and poses of the attached peripherals that enable the attached peripherals to interact with each other.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the one or more processors determining the geometric calibration based on given empty modular docking bays.

15. A method comprising:
determining a location and an orientation of docking modules inserted within respective modular docking bays of a workcell, wherein the respective modular docking bays are provided on a surface of the workcell and support attachment of the docking modules in a fixed geometric configuration and form a volume in the workcell for insertion of the docking modules, wherein each of the docking modules provides an electrical and mechanical interface between a respective peripheral and the workcell;
coupling, by an electrical subsystem of the workcell, communication busses between the respective modular docking bays and providing power to the respective modular docking bays;
based on the location and the orientation of each of the docking modules and on an identification of attached peripherals, determining a geometric calibration of the attached peripherals from a known set of calibration parameters matching to configuration of the workcell, wherein the geometric calibration indicates the distances between the attached peripherals and poses of the attached peripherals that enable the attached peripherals to interact with each other.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising a processor determining distances between respective attached peripherals.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising a processor determining poses of respective attached peripherals that enable the respective attached peripherals to interact with each other.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the processor determining the geometric calibration based on the location of the docking modules with respect to each other.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the processor determining the geometric calibration based on given empty modular docking bays.

Assignees

• Redwood Robotics Inc
• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Edsinger Aaron
• Jules Anthony Sean
• Nusser Stefan
• Jain Advait
• Vines James Nicholas

Classifications

• B25J9/0084

  comprising a plurality of manipulators · CPC title

• B25J9/0096

  co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table · CPC title

• B25J9/0009 Primary

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title