JP2003334783A - Robot information control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a distributed processing robot for enhancing performance even if parts are replaced without changing the software of a brain. <P>SOLUTION: Each part of the robot has a CPU, a memory and a sensor. The respective part has a recognition item table to a rough command from the brain, and perform processing within a range of one's own performance by interpreting the command according to this table. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information control method for a distributed processing robot having a brain for making judgments and processings on a brain part and limbs that perform movements.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, robots have been mainly numerically controlled ones used in production sites. These robots had all their movements pre-programmed, determined by a program. However, dog-like robots and humanoid robots with sensors have been developed in recent years for pets, and their movements change according to the detection of the sensors.

Since these robots receive a single command from the brain, slow processing speed has been a problem.

However, in order to solve this problem, some robots use an independent CPU for the driver that controls the joints of the limbs, in addition to the CPU for the central control that is the center of the brain. Things are possible.

However, it is only the central part of the brain that operates through comprehensive judgment and recognition.

Therefore, for example, even if only the hand part is changed to an advanced movement involving unique judgment / recognition, it is not enough to replace the hand part, and the program of the brain part needs to be changed together. It was

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, the above-mentioned drawbacks are eliminated and the parts that control the operation of the robot are provided with a brain portion to lighten the burden on the central brain portion.

Further, by exchanging the parts, the operation processing capacity related to the parts is improved without changing the processing in the central portion.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the robot information control method of the present invention has a first command system and a second command system which are independent of each other. Receiving means for receiving the command issued from the second command system, command classifying means for classifying the command received by the receiving means, command clarifying means for clarifying the command, and clarifying by the clarifying means It is characterized by having an execution judging means for judging whether or not the specified command can be executed, and an executing means for executing when the execution judging means judges that the command can be executed.

Furthermore, the second command system, the receiving means, the classifying means, the command clarifying means, the execution determining means, and the executing means are separated from the first command system and another second system is provided. The system is characterized by having a command system, a receiving unit, a classifying unit, a command clarifying unit, an execution determining unit, and an exchanging unit for exchanging with the executing unit.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

(Outline of Embodiment) First, an outline of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a simplified structural diagram of a humanoid robot. Reference numeral 101 is a part corresponding to a brain that controls the entire robot, and receives instructions from humans, recognizes light and sound, and issues commands to limbs.

Reference numerals 102 and 103 are control units for controlling the arms, which operate the arms, hands, and fingers in response to the instructions from the above-mentioned brain unit, or have sensors for the arms and fingers, and the results of the sensors. Move your arms and fingers accordingly.

Reference numerals 105 and 106 are command units for controlling the feet. The role is similar to the arms 102 and 103.

Reference numeral 104 is a commanding unit that controls the body.
Controls body movements and sensors.

The torso and limbs are controlled by the brain and lines (10
It is tied in 7), and interprets the instructions from the brain within the range where each limb or torso can move by itself and makes fine movements.

(Block diagram of brain part) FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the above-mentioned brain part.

Data input from an input unit IN (201) for obtaining an instruction from a human or information from a sensor is processed by a central processing unit CPU (202). The CPU organizes and accumulates information from the sensor, and also performs various calculations and instructions to the limbs by a preassembled program. This program is stored in the read-only memory ROM (2
03). In addition, random access memory RAM (2
Reference numeral 04) is a portion for storing a work or the like required when the CPU executes the arithmetic processing.

The display DISP (205) is a device for displaying characters and images. In addition, the operation unit KEY
Reference numeral (206) is a device that gives a human instruction to the robot apparatus.

The output unit OUT (207) outputs a sound,
It is the part that emits light. Alternatively, the facial expression is changed by controlling the motor.

The above devices are connected to the bus line BL (20
8) is tied and exchanges information. Further, from this line, the body BODY (209) and the right hand RARM (21
0), left hand LARAM (211), right foot RLEG (21
2), a signal is output to the left leg LLEG (213).

(Block Diagram of Limb / Body) FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the command center of the limb or the body.

The instruction from the brain HEAD (301) is processed by the central processing unit CPU (302).

The sensor SEN (303) is a part that feels pressure and heat from a fingertip or the like if it is a hand, and also has an image recognition part that replaces the eyes.

The read-only memory ROM (304) stores an operation recognition item table for disassembling and organizing operations to be described later, in addition to a program for storing CPU instructions.

Random access memory RAM (305)
Is a portion for storing a work or the like required when the CPU executes arithmetic processing.

The output unit OUT (307) is a device that controls physical movements of moving the entire arm or fingers if it is a hand.

The above devices are connected to the bus line BL (30
6) Connects and exchanges information.

(Decomposition of command in brain part) When the robot performs a certain work by a program built in the robot or a command from a human, the command is decomposed or subdivided, and the limb is detected by the sensor or the result thereof. To give an operation instruction to.

FIG. 4 is a system diagram in which work is finely decomposed. For example, when a command (401) "move a chair to a door" is received, this command is divided into six, and the subdivided commands are given to the sensor and the power.

Looking at how it is disassembled, first, it is necessary to find where the chair is. This recognizes the position of the chair using the visual sense and the tactile sense (402).

Once the position of the chair is known, move to that chair. To move, you must move your feet, including changing the direction of movement. Instruct the legs to move.
When you reach the chair, it stops. At this time, the sensor moves forward to detect how many centimeters it will stop before the chair (403).

Next, the operation of holding a chair is performed. Actually, even if you just hold it, you have to control the movement of the hand depending on where you hold it, depending on the shape and position of the handle,
A sensor equivalent to the eyes is needed. Even after lifting
It is necessary to programmatically determine at what height the stop should be made (404).

If you have a chair, recognize the position of the door before moving. This is done by the sensor corresponding to the eye (4
05).

After that, the door is moved to the door. Give the foot instructions to move to move. Stop when you reach the door. The work of sensing the distance to the door with a distance sensor is also included (406).

Finally, the chair is lowered. This is done by instructing the arm (407).

As described above, even a job that can be easily performed by a human being can be broken down into small pieces by a robot, recognized by using sensors, and as a result, an instruction can be given to the limbs or by the power of the limbs or The sensors on the limbs complete a series of tasks.

(Measurement Items of Hands and Feet) Among the disassembled works described above, the work of “holding a chair” is performed by the hand, but in order to carry out this work, more detailed recognition of the object is required. FIG. 5 enumerates the decisions necessary to “have a chair” (501). First, where do you have a chair (50
2) Whether to hold it with one hand or both hands (503), how high it should be after holding it (504), and how strong it is, whether to hold it strongly or weakly. If you hold it too hard, it may break, and if you hold it too weak, it may drop (505).

After giving answers one by one to such matters, the work of "holding a chair" is completed for the first time.

(Recognized Item Table Related to Decision Items) In order to give an answer to the above-mentioned items to be decided, it is necessary to correctly recognize the object that has the action of "holding". You must decide in advance which items will be the standard. For example, you must have a limit such that you can hold an object weighing less than 1 kg with one hand, but you can hold more than 2 kg with both hands, or you can not hold an object weighing more than 3 kg. The data is stored as a table in the "hand" ROM. This is called a recognition item table. FIG. 6 shows the recognition items related to the operation of “hold”. To have, shape, weight, size,
Data (602) such as hardness and position and shape of the handle is required. These differ depending on the type of "hand" of the robot. The reason why the performance can be improved by exchanging the "hand" of the robot is that an accurate judgment can be made by comparing the contents of the recognition item table held by the object and this "hand".

FIG. 8 shows an example of the shape. "Handle" is a "sphere" that can be "held" by a "hand"
Etc., and the shapes that cannot be held include “cylindrical” and “cuboid”. This is an example, and if the "hand" that can be held in a cylindrical shape is naturally included in the shape that the cylindrical shape can hold.

(Processing Process in Hand) A process in which the "hand" performs a process in response to a command from the brain will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The flow of this processing is "hand" as a program.
Stored in the ROM.

First, a command from the brain is received. In the previous example, it means "hold a chair" (step S7).
01).

Next, the recognition item table of the action of "holding" is retrieved from the ROM of "hand" (step S70).
2).

That is, the table of FIG. 6 is searched in the ROM. Next, the object to be held is detected. For example, the shape and the weight are recognized (step S703).

The result of recognition is compared with the above-mentioned recognition item table to determine whether or not it can be executed (step S70).
4).

That is, since the shape which cannot be held or the object which is too heavy cannot be held, the judgment is made here. As a result, if it is determined that the job cannot be executed, a message indicating that the job cannot be executed is sent to the brain. The brain section displays this message on the display (step S707).

If it is feasible, the process loops until all items are compared (step S705).

When all the items are executable, the execution is performed for the first time (step S706).

The above is the process performed by "hand". Of course, the same processing is performed for the "foot" and "body".

(Differences in Performance) Specific examples of differences in the performance of the “hands” of the robot are shown below. 9 and 10 are "hands"
It is a figure which has a cylinder.

In FIG. 9, the finger (90
Although there are two contact points with the cylinder (902), there are two points (903, 904) in contact with the cylinder (902), so that the pressure applied to one point is strong, and the cylinder may be broken. Therefore, the cylinder cannot be held.

Even if the hand of FIG. 10 has only two fingers, since there are many joints (1001 to 1005) and there are five points (1007 to 1011) of contact with the cylinder (1006), the cylinder is held without being broken. You can

By changing the hands in this way, it is possible to improve the performance without changing the brain.

(Other Embodiments) In the above-described embodiments, for example, the execution-disabled message is sent to the brain portion and displayed on the display unit of the brain unit. However, the hand or foot or the torso should have the display unit. Then, the display may be displayed.

Although it is assumed that the hands and feet are exchanged, the same thing can be said if the brain part is exchanged.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention, the above-mentioned drawbacks are eliminated, and the parts that control the operation of the robot are provided with the brain portion, and the burden on the central brain portion is lightened.

Further, by exchanging the parts, the operation processing ability related to the parts is improved without changing the processing in the central portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a humanoid robot.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a brain portion.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a limb and torso command center.

FIG. 4 is a systematic diagram that decomposes work.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of decision items for “having a chair”.

FIG. 6 is a recognition item table of “hand”.

FIG. 7 is a processing flowchart of “hand”.

FIG. 8 is an example of a recognition item table regarding shapes.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which a hand has a cylinder.

FIG. 10 is a view showing an example in which a hand has a cylinder.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A receiving unit having a first command system and a second command system independent from each other, wherein the second command system receives a command issued from the first command system, and the receiving unit. Command classification means for classifying the received commands, command clarification means for clarification of the commands, execution judgment means for judging whether or not the commands clarified by the clarification means can be executed, and execution judgment means When you decide that you can do it,
An information control method for a robot, characterized by having an executing means for executing. 2. The second command system, the receiving unit, the classifying unit, the command clarifying unit, the execution determining unit,
The executing means is separated from the first command system, and another second command system, receiving means, classifying means, command clarifying means,
2. The robot information control method according to claim 1, further comprising an execution determination means and an exchange means for exchanging the execution means.