DE102016000362A1 - Robot arrangement with handheld - Google Patents

Abstract

An inventive method for operating a robot arrangement with at least one robot (10, 20) comprises the steps: detecting (S10) position and / or motion measurement data (a100) of at least one handheld device (100) by means of an inertial and / or GPS Sensor (110) of this handheld while attached to a movable member (12; 22) of the robot assembly; Determining (S20, S30) position and / or movement data (Δx100) of the handheld and / or position and / or movement data (Δx12) of the movable member based on the detected position and / or motion measurement data of the handheld; and transmitting (S30) these determined position and / or movement data to at least one receiver (13, 23, 200).

Description

The present invention relates to a robot assembly having at least one robot and at least one handheld attached to a movable member of a robot of the robot assembly, a method of operating the robot assembly, a computer program product for performing the method and the use of one or more handhelds ,

So-called handhelds or handheld devices are well known. In the present case, a handheld means, in particular, a portable electronic (mobile (end)) device for different applications, which can preferably be held in use in one hand or is set up for this, in particular so-called smartphones.

Such handhelds often have inertial sensors, in particular acceleration sensors, and / or GPS sensors that enable the handheld to detect its position and / or movement.

The object of the present invention is to improve the operation of a robot assembly.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. Claims 11-13 provide a robot arrangement for carrying out a method described here, the use of at least one handheld for the described operation of a robot arrangement or a computer program product for carrying out a method described here under protection. The subclaims relate to advantageous developments.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a robot assembly comprises one or more robots. In one development, the or one or more of these robots (each) one or more, in particular at least six, in particular at least seven, movable, (robot) members which are hinged together in a development, and drives, in particular electric motors, for controlled movement of these members. A movable (robot) member may in particular be a carousel, a rocker, a part of a robot hand, or more preferably a tool flange or tool of a robot fastened thereto.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, one or more members of one or more robots of the robot assembly are or are at least temporarily attached to one or more handhelds having (respectively) one, in particular integrated, inertial and / or GPS sensor ,

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for, in particular at least completely or partially automated, operation of the robot arrangement comprises the step: acquiring position and / or motion measurement data of one or more handhelds using the inertial and / or GPS sensor of this handheld while it is attached to a movable member of the robot assembly, in particular a robot of the robot assembly.

Operating the robot arrangement in one embodiment may include, in particular, controlling and / or monitoring the robot arrangement.

In one embodiment, position data can specify, in particular be or depend on one, two or three-dimensional, in particular Cartesian, position and / or one, two or three-dimensional orientation, in particular of the handheld or (robot) element ,

In one embodiment, movement data may indicate, in particular be or depend on a first, second and / or higher time derivation or change of such position data, in particular one, two or three-dimensional translational and / or one, two or three-dimensional rotational speeds and / or Specify accelerations, in particular of one or the handheld or (robot) member, in particular be or depend on it.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the step of determining position and / or movement data of the (respective) handheld on the basis of the acquired position and / or movement measurement data of this handheld. In this case, the detected position and / or movement measurement data of a handheld itself are also designated for compact presentation as determined position and / or movement data of this handheld, ie, the determination can in particular be an identity or evaluation.

Additionally or alternatively, the method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the step: determining position and / or movement data of the movable member based on the detected position and / or motion measurement data of the handheld, at least during the detection of the position and / or motion measurement data is attached to the member.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the step: Transmitting the determined position and / or movement data of the handheld and / or the determined position and / or movement data of the movable member to one or more recipients.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the robot arrangement, in particular hardware and / or software, in particular program technology, is set up to carry out a method described here.

• – Mittel zum Erfassen von bzw. der Positions- und/oder Bewegungs-Messdaten des bzw. der Handhelds mittels eines bzw. des Inertial- und/oder GPS-Sensors des (jeweiligen) Handhelds, während es an einem bzw. dem beweglichen Glied der Roboteranordnung, insbesondere eines Roboters der Roboteranordnung, befestigt ist;
• – Mittel zum Ermitteln von bzw. der Positions- und/oder Bewegungsdaten des bzw. der Handhelds und/oder von bzw. der Positions- und/oder Bewegungsdaten des beweglichen Glieds bzw. der beweglichen Glieder auf Basis der erfassten Positions- und/oder Bewegungs-Messdaten des (jeweiligen) Handhelds; und
• – Mittel zum Übermitteln dieser ermittelten Positions- und/oder Bewegungsdaten an einen oder mehrere bzw. den bzw. die Empfänger.

According to one embodiment, the or one or more of the handheld (s) of the robot assembly (each) comprises:

• - Means for detecting the position and / or movement measurement data of the handheld or by means of one or the inertial and / or GPS sensor of the (respective) handheld, while it is at one or the movable member of the Robot assembly, in particular a robot of the robot assembly is attached;
• Means for determining the position and / or movement data of the handheld device (s) and / or the position and / or movement data of the movable member (s) on the basis of the detected position and / or movement Measurement data of the (respective) handheld; and
• - Means for transmitting these determined position and / or movement data to one or more or the or the receiver.

By using handhelds, position and / or movement data can thus advantageously be determined in an embodiment of the present invention and used for operating, in particular controlling and / or monitoring, the robot arrangement.

In one embodiment, the or one or more of the handheld (s) (each) at least one graphical display, in particular a touchscreen. By means of a graphical display, data and / or signals, for example position and / or movement data, exceedances of speed or acceleration limits or the like, can advantageously be displayed in one embodiment. In one embodiment, the operation of the handheld can advantageously be improved by means of a touchscreen, in particular.

Additionally or alternatively, in one embodiment, the or one or more of the handheld (s) (respectively) at least one, in particular integrated, on camera. As a result, in one embodiment, advantageously, an operation of the robot arrangement can be visually controlled and / or monitored and / or recorded.

Additionally or alternatively, in one embodiment, the or one or more of the handheld (s) (respectively) at least one autonomous or handheld, in particular integrated, energy, in particular power supply, in particular batteries and / or batteries on. As a result, in one embodiment, a fault can be avoided by power lines.

Additionally or alternatively, in one embodiment, the or one or more of the (each) handheld (s) (each) for mobile communication, in particular mobile communication set up, in particular, a handheld thus a mobile phone, especially a smartphone, be. In this way, in one embodiment, in particular the transmission of the determined position and / or movement data can be improved.

Accordingly, it is proposed in particular tablets or tablet computers, personal digital assistants ("PDAs") or the like and in particular preferably mobile phones, in particular smartphones, for operating, in particular controlling and / or monitoring, the robot arrangement, in particular for determining position and / or Movement data of the robot assembly to use. As a result, existing, mature and / or inexpensive handhelds can advantageously be used in a new function.

In one embodiment, the or one or more of the handheld (s) are (each) nondestructive solvable and / or temporarily attached to the respective member. In one embodiment, the or one or more of the handheld (s) are (respectively) positive and / or frictional, in particular magnetic, by a plug-in, clamp, screw, Velcro and / or latching connection to the respective member, in particular attached to this handheld attachment, in particular in a dedicated handheld recording, the member attached, which in turn can be releasably attached to the member in a development or can be, in particular to be removed when not needed and so protected can not and / or impede the operation of the robot. Likewise, a handheld and / or handheld attachment may also be non-destructively releasably attached to the respective member. In one embodiment, at least one handheld is grasped and / or guided by a gripper of a robot of the robot assembly.

In one embodiment, the inertial sensor of the or one or more of the handhelds (each) one or more acceleration sensors for detecting a translational and / or rotational acceleration in or around one or more axis (s) and / or one or more one or multi-axis position, in particular gyro sensors have, in particular be. These are - as well as partial GPS sensors - often already present in commercial handhelds to allow games and other applications such as an adjustment of the display to a current location.

In one embodiment, the detected position and / or motion measurement data may include, in particular, acceleration data.

Then, in a development, position and / or speed data, in particular path data, of the handheld and / or of the movable member are determined from these acquired acceleration (measurement) data.

Web data form or comprise in one embodiment an, in particular ordered, sequence of position and / or velocity data and / or assigned times and / or positions, in particular, orbital parameters.

The position and / or speed data, in particular orbit data, can be determined in a development, in particular by integration, in particular numerical and / or temporal and / or single or multiple, integration from the acquired acceleration (measurement) data.

The position and / or velocity data of the movable member can in a development, in particular by transformation based on a known, in particular predetermined and / or measured, in particular calibrated, position and / or orientation of the handheld relative to the movable member on which it at least during the detection is determined from the acquired acceleration (-Mess) data.

In one embodiment, acceleration data from the handheld can firstly be determined by transformation of acceleration (measurement) data of the link and from this by integration of position and / or velocity data of the movable link. Similarly, in one embodiment, first, acceleration (measurement) data of the handheld can be determined by integration of position and / or velocity data of the handheld and from these by transformation of position and / or velocity data of the movable member.

The determination of the position and / or speed data of the handheld and / or the movable member may in one embodiment be carried out wholly or partly by the handheld, in particular completely while it is attached to the movable member, completely after release of the movable member or partially while it is attached to the movable member and partially upon release of the movable member.

Likewise, in one embodiment, the determination of the position and / or velocity data of the handheld and / or the movable member may be performed entirely or partially by the receiver.

Thus, in one embodiment, the handheld can transmit the detected position and / or motion measurement data directly to the receiver, which can use it, in particular by integration and optionally transformation, position and / or movement data, in particular orbit data, of the handheld and / or mobile Determined. Similarly, in one embodiment, the handheld can already determine, in particular by integration and, if appropriate, transformation, position and / or movement data, in particular orbit data, of the handheld and / or the movable member and only transmit these to the receiver. Equally, in one embodiment, the handheld, in particular by integration, determine position and / or movement data, in particular orbital data, of the handheld and transmit it to the receiver, the resulting, in particular by transformation, position and / or movement data, in particular orbit data of the mobile Determined.

Accordingly, in one embodiment, the robot arrangement, in particular the or one or more of the handheld (s) and / or the or one or more of the receivers, means for determining position and / or speed data, in particular orbit data, of the handheld and / or or the movable member of acceleration data of the handheld, in particular by integration and / or transformation on.

In one embodiment, detected position and / or movement measurement data and / or determined position and / or motion measurement data, in particular position and / or motion measurement data transmitted to a receiver, are stored in the handheld and / or the receiver. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the robot arrangement, in particular the or one or more of the handheld (s) and / or the or one or more of the receivers, means for storing detected position and / or movement measurement data and / or determined positions and / or motion measurement data.

In one embodiment, one or more controllers of the robotic assembly control and / or monitor one or more Robot of the robot assembly based on the transmitted to this control determined position and / or movement data.

In a further development, a controller controls one or more robots in particular in such a way that they apply the transmitted position and / or movement data, in particular trajectory data, with a robot-fixed reference or a robot member or move on or off. Additionally or alternatively, in one development, a controller can monitor one or more robots, in particular for deviations between the transmitted position and / or movement data, in particular path data, and corresponding desired data and / or position and / or movement data determined in another way. Thus, in one embodiment, position and / or movement data, which are detected or determined, for example, by means of joint sensors of a robot, can be compared or adjusted with position and / or movement data obtained by means of the inertial and / or GPS sensor a handheld attached to the robot can be detected.

Correspondingly, in one embodiment, the robot arrangement, in particular one or more controllers of the robot arrangement, comprise (respectively) means for controlling and / or monitoring one or more robots of the robot arrangement on the basis of the determined position and / or movement data transmitted to this control.

The position and / or movement data can be transmitted in one embodiment to the controller directly from the handheld or directly between the controller and the handheld, by means of which inertial and / or GPS sensor the underlying position and / or movement Measurement data are recorded or were. Likewise, this handheld can first transmit position and / or movement data to or from a controller of one or more robots, in particular spatially spaced, receivers, in particular a higher-level controller, in particular PLC, another handheld, a buffer or the like, which then, if appropriate after further processing and / or storage, in turn then, in particular wirelessly or by wire, transmitted to the controller of one or more robots which controls the robot (s) on the basis of this (indirectly) transmitted position and / or movement data and / or monitored.

Accordingly, in one embodiment, one or more controller (s) (each) of one or more robots of the robot assembly (respectively) may comprise, in particular, the one or more receivers. Additionally or alternatively, in one embodiment, the one or more of the receivers (each) different from the control of one or more robots of the robot assembly, in particular spatially spaced and / or another handheld, a higher-level control, a cache or the like, this Receiver in a development wireless or wired position and / or movement data transmitted to this spatially-spaced control or is set up for this purpose.

By the direct transmission of position and / or movement data from the handheld to a controller of one or more robots, an advantageous, in particular rapid and / or reliable, transmission can be provided in one embodiment. By a transmission of position and / or movement data from the handheld, in particular first, to a (different,) of the control of one or more robots of the robot assembly different receiver, in particular a cache, a higher-level controller, another handheld or the like, and optionally, a (further) transmission of these position and / or movement data, optionally after further processing and / or storage by the (other) receiver to the controller of one or more robots of the robot arrangement, in an embodiment advantageously data on further and / or transmission problematic, in particular susceptible to interference, routes, delayed and / or after further processing and / or (intermediate) storage, are made available.

In one embodiment, at least one controller controls and / or monitors at least one robot based on Position and / or movement data (determined and transmitted on the basis of the acquired position and / or movement measurement data) which are transmitted online (directly or indirectly) to them. In this way, in one embodiment, in particular, a second robot can be synchronized with a first robot to which a handheld is attached, position and / or movement measurement data of this handheld being recorded by means of its inertial and / or GPS sensor, position and / or or movement data of this handheld and / or the movable member of the first robot to which it is attached, determined on the basis of the detected position and / or movement measurement data and transmitted these determined position and / or movement data online to the controller of the second robot become. The first robot can thus be in particular a master, the second robot in particular a slave of the robot arrangement.

Additionally or alternatively, in one embodiment, at least one controller controls and / or monitors at least one robot on the basis of the position and / or movement data (determined and transmitted based on the acquired position and / or motion measurement data) that at least a robot, in particular in the handheld or the controller, have been stored. As a result, in one embodiment, a position, in particular path, of a robot can be (re-) started or retraced by this and / or another robot.

In one embodiment, at least one controller controls and / or monitors at least one robot on the basis of the position and / or movement data transmitted to them which are or were determined on the basis of position and / or movement measurement data one or more handhelds mounted on this robot or their inertial and / or GPS sensors are / were detected. As a result, for example, a robot can subsequently track a path recorded by a smartphone guided by it or control it during the departure.

Additionally or alternatively, in one embodiment, at least one controller controls and / or monitors at least one robot on the basis of the position and / or movement data transmitted to them, which are or were determined on the basis of position and / or movement measurement data which ( each) by means of one or more attached to another robot of the robot assembly handheld or its inertial and / or GPS sensors are detected or were. As a result, for example, a second robot can subsequently follow a lane which has been recorded by a smartphone guided by another, first robot, or travel synchronously.

In one embodiment, the position and / or movement data from the or one or more of the handheld (s) (respectively) wirelessly, in particular via a wireless network, in particular near field communication and / or a WLAN or mobile network (work), in particular WiFi, transmitted. As a result, an advantageous communication between handheld and receiver can be realized. Accordingly, in one embodiment at least one receiver has a receiving device, in particular an antenna, for the (physical) reception of (physical) signals emitted by a handheld, in particular radio signals, which encode and / or contain transmitted position and / or movement data.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, one or more handhelds described here, in particular mobile telephones, in particular smartphones, tablets or the like, are used in the manner described here for operating a robot arrangement or systems.

A means in the sense of the present invention may be designed in terms of hardware and / or software, in particular a data or signal-connected, preferably digital, processing, in particular microprocessor unit (CPU) and / or a memory and / or bus system or multiple programs or program modules. The CPU may be configured to execute instructions implemented as a program stored in a memory system, to capture input signals from a data bus, and / or to output signals to a data bus. A storage system may comprise one or more, in particular different, storage media, in particular optical, magnetic, solid state and / or other non-volatile media. The program may be such that it is capable of embodying or executing the methods described herein, so that the CPU may perform the steps of such methods and thus, in particular, operate the robot assembly.

One or more steps of a method described herein are performed in one embodiment fully or partially automated.

Further advantages and features emerge from the subclaims and the exemplary embodiments. This shows, partially schematized:

1 a robot arrangement or use of at least one smartphone according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

2 A method of operating the robotic assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 shows a robot assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention with a first robot 10 and a second robot 20 ,

On the tool flange 12 of the first robot 10 and on the tool flange 22 of the second robot 20 is permanently or detachably a handheld attachment in the form of a smartphone holder 11 respectively. 21 arranged. In the smartphone holder 11 is a handheld in the form of a smartphone 100 , For example, by means of a releasable locking or clamping connection attached.

The smartphone 100 has a six-axis acceleration sensor in a conventional manner 110 for detecting a three-dimensional translational and a three-dimensional rotational acceleration of the sensor or Smartphones on. Such way through the sensor 110 of the smartphone 100 detected translational and rotational acceleration in each case three axes is in 2 denoted by a ₁₀₀ .

In addition, the smartphone points 100 in a known manner an integrated camera 111 , a touch screen 112 and batteries 113 on.

The robot assembly has a first (robot) controller 13 for controlling the first robot 10 and a second (robot) controller 23 for controlling the second robot 20 on.

For operating the robot arrangement, in a step S10 (see FIG. 2 ) the smartphone 100 by means of its acceleration sensor 110 the current six-axis acceleration a ₁₀₀ , while the first robot 10 For example, by means of manual control under compliant control, manual control or the like, is moved.

From this the smartphone determines 100 in a step S20 by numerical double time integration, a change of the Cartesian position and the orientation Δx _{100 of} the sensor 110 or smartphones 100 ,

From this the smartphone determines 100 in a step S30 by a transformation based on his due to the smartphone holder 11 known position and orientation relative to the tool flange 12 a change in the Cartesian position and the orientation Δx _{12 of} the tool flange 12 ,

This data Δx ₁₂ transmits the smartphone 100 in step S30 both to a receiving device in the form of an antenna 131 the first controller 13 as well as to a receiving device in the form of an antenna 231 the second controller 23 , The first and second controls 13 , 23 thus represent receivers.

The first controller 13 In a step S40, the sequence of transmitted data Δx _{12 is} stored together with the times t _{i associated} therewith as path data Δx ₁₂ (t _i ).

Thus, the one with the first robot 10 traced path in the form of trajectory data Δx ₁₂ (t _i ) stored and then by the first controller 13 be repeated repeatedly.

The second control 23 controls the second robot 20 based on the data transmitted online Δx ₁₂ from the first robot 10 so that the tool flange 22 of the second robot 20 the movement of the tool flange 12 of the first robot 10 synchronously executes or nachfährt.

Although exemplary embodiments have been explained in the foregoing description, it should be understood that a variety of modifications are possible.

Thus, in particular, additionally or alternatively, the movement of the first robot 10 monitored on the basis of the data .DELTA.x ₁₂ , in particular with predetermined desired values or otherwise, are compared, for example, detected by means of joint angle sensors actual values.

Additionally or alternatively, portions of steps S20-S40 may also be from the first and / or second controller 13 respectively. 23 be performed.

Conversely, the smartphone can also 100 the web data Δx ₁₂ (t _i ) store and then, for example, to the second controller 23 or their antenna 231 transmitted, so the controller 23 the stored path with the second robot 20 can leave. For this, as in 1 indicated by dashed lines, the smartphone 100 in the smartphone holder 21 be attached. Then the second controller 23 the second robot 20 so control that in the smartphone holder arranged smartphone 100 The same lane leaves it, the previous one by the first robot 10 led away.

Similarly, it is possible that the smartphone 100 the data a ₁₀₀ , Δx ₁₀₀ , Δx ₁₂ or Δx ₁₂ (t _i ), in particular online, to a higher-level control (not shown) or another smartphone 200 transmitted, which (s) this then or on its part, optionally after appropriate further processing, in particular integration and / or transformation, to the second controller 23 transmitted.

It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples that are not intended to limit the scope, applications and construction in any way. Rather, the expert is given by the preceding description, a guide for the implementation of at least one exemplary embodiment, with various changes, in particular with regard to the function and arrangement of the components described, can be made without departing from the scope, as it turns out according to the claims and these equivalent combinations of features.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10/20

first / second robot

11/21

Smartphone holder (handheld attachment)

12/22

tool flange

13/23

first / second (robot) control

100

Smartphone (Handheld)

110

Acceleration sensor (inertial sensor)

111

camera

112

touchscreen

113

battery pack

131, 231

antenna

200

another smartphone

a ₁₀₀

acceleration

Δx ₁₀₀

Situation and Orientation Change Smartphone / Sensor

Δx ₁₂

Position and Orientation Change Tool Flange

Δx ₁₂ (t _i )

path data

Claims (13)

Method for operating a robot arrangement with at least one robot ( 10 . 20 comprising the steps of: acquiring (S10) position and / or movement measurement data (a ₁₀₀ ) of at least one handheld ( 100 ) by means of an inertial and / or GPS sensor ( 110 ) of this handheld while it is attached to a movable member ( 12 ; 22 ) of the robot assembly is attached; Determining (S20, S30) position and / or movement data (Δx ₁₀₀ ) of the handheld and / or position and / or movement data (Δx ₁₂ ) of the movable member based on the detected position and / or motion measurement data of the handheld ; and transmitting (S30) this determined position and / or movement data to at least one receiver ( 13 . 23 . 200 ). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the handheld at least one graphical display, in particular a touchscreen ( 112 ), and / or a camera ( 111 ) and / or an autonomous energy supply ( 113 ) and / or set up for mobile communication, in particular a mobile telephone, in particular a smartphone. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handheld releasably and / or temporarily attached to the member, in particular guided by a gripper and / or on a handheld attachment ( 11 . 21 ) of the limb is, is or is. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inertial sensor at least one acceleration sensor ( 110 ) having. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detected position and / or movement measurement data of the handheld acceleration data (a ₁₀₀ ), in particular, from which, in particular by integration and / or transformation and / or by the handheld and / or the receiver, position and / or velocity data (Δx ₁₀₀ , Δx ₁₂ ), in particular orbit data Δx ₁₂ (t ₁ ), of the handheld and / or the movable member are determined. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one controller ( 13 . 23 ) at least one robot ( 10 . 20 ) of the robot assembly has a receiver or is different from the receiver. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one controller ( 13 . 23 ) at least one robot ( 10 . 20 ) of the robot arrangement on the basis of the determined position and / or movement data (Δx ₁₀₀ , Δx ₁₂ ) transmitted to the control and / or monitored. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the controller controls the at least one robot based on the position and / or movement data and / or monitored, which are transmitted online to them or have been stored prior to the operation of the at least one robot. Method according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the controller controls and / or monitors the at least one robot on the basis of the position and / or movement data transmitted to it, which is based on at least one robot or robot of the robot arrangement secured position and / or motion measurement data. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the determined position and / or movement data is transmitted wirelessly, in particular via a wireless network, and / or by a receiving device ( 131 . 231 ) of the recipient. Robot arrangement with at least one robot ( 10 . 20 ) arranged to carry out a method according to any one of the preceding claims and / or comprising: means ( 100 . 110 ) for capturing position and / or movement measurement data (a ₁₀₀ ) of at least one handheld ( 100 ) of the robot arrangement by means of an inertial and / or GPS sensor ( 110 ) of this handheld while it is attached to a movable member ( 12 . 22 ) of the robot assembly is attached; Medium ( 100 ) for determining position and / or movement data (Δx ₁₀₀ ) of the handheld and / or position and / or movement data (Δx ₁₂ ) of the movable member based on the detected position and / or motion measurement data of the handheld; and funds ( 100 ) for transmitting these determined position and / or movement data to at least one receiver ( 13 . 23 . 200 ). Use of at least one handheld ( 100 . 200 ) for operating a robot arrangement ( 10 . 20 . 13 . 23 . 100 . 200 ) according to any one of the preceding claims. A computer program product having a program code stored on a computer-readable medium for performing a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

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