Method and apparatus for representing motion of multiple-jointed object, computer graphic apparatus, and robot controller

Claim 3

A method of representing a motion of a multiple-jointed object according to claim 1, wherein said step of displaying the motion of said object on the screen is executed by altering values of the parameters of said functions.

Claim 4

A method of representing a motion of a multiple-jointed object according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of: specifying, in response to an instruction, a feature component to said bending angle function, said feature component indicating a change in motion in each of said joints; and wherein said step of displaying the motion of said object is executed in association with said feature component on a screen.

Claim 5

A method for representing a motion of a multiple-jointed object according to claim 1, having multiple joints, said method further comprising the step of: altering values of parameters of said bending angle functions, thereby changing the motion of said object displayed on the screen based on said contour data.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of: establishing a correspondence between a variation range of the value of the parameter and a feature component indicating a change associated with an action of each of said joints; and specifying, in place of the variation range, said feature component, thereby altering said motion of each of said joints.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 6 further including a step of changing a magnitude for the variation range based on said feature component.

Claim 10

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: means for attaining a bending angle of each of said joints as a function of a phase difference, time and amplitude independent of a length between said joints of said object; means for obtaining, based on said bending angle functions, data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 11

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: means for attaining a bending angle of each of said joints as a function of a phase difference, time and amplitude independent of a length between said joints of said object; means for obtaining, based on said bending angle functions, data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 12

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: store means for storing therein a bending angle of each of said joints as the following function independent of a length between said joints of said object: ##EQU17## D m : Direct current component A mn : Amplitude of each frequency component Ψ mn : Phase Joint number n: Higher harmonics of order n Φ m : Phase difference of 1st order higher harmonics between reference joint and m-th joint (Φ m =0 for reference joint) means for obtaining, based on said function (1), data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 13

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: store means for storing therein a bending angle of each of said joints as the following function independent of a length between said joints of said object: ##EQU17## D m : Direct current component A mn : Amplitude of each frequency component Ψ mn : Phase Joint number n: Higher harmonics of order n Φ m : Phase difference of 1st order higher harmonics between reference joint and m-th joint (Φ m =0 for reference joint) means for obtaining, based on said function (1), data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 14

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: store means for storing therein a bending angle of each of said joints as the following function independent of a length between said joints of said object: ##EQU18## D m : Direct current component A mn : Amplitude of each frequency component Ψ mn : Phase m: Joint number n: Higher harmonics of order n φ m : Phase difference of 1st order higher harmonics between reference joint and m-th joint (φ m =0 for reference joint) d m : Direct current component of qualification component Qualification component of each frequency component ψ mn : Phase component of qualification component means for setting and for changing values of d mn , a mn and ψ mn ; means for obtaining, based on said function (2), data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 15

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: store means for storing therein a bending angle of each of said joints as the following function independent of a length between said joints of said object: ##EQU18## D m : Direct current component A mn : Amplitude of each frequency component Ψ mn : Phase m: Joint number n: Higher harmonics of order n φ m : Phase difference of 1st order higher harmonics between reference joint and m-th joint (φ m =0 for reference joint) d m : Direct current component of qualification component Qualification component of each frequency component ψ mn : Phase component of qualification component means for setting and for changing values of d mn , a mn and ψ mn ; means for obtaining, based on said function (2), data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising: a table for storing therein preset/change values respectively of d mn , a mn , and ψ mn of said function (2) and feature components indicating a change of each of said joints in motion with respective correspondence established therebetween; and means for referencing said table based on a specification of said feature components, thereby determining said preset/change values of d mn , a mn , and ψ mn .

Claim 17

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: store means for storing therein a bending angle of each of said joints as the following function independent of a length between said joints of said object: ##EQU19## D m : Direct current component A mn : Amplitude of each frequency component Ψ mn : Phase m: Joint number n: Higher harmonics of order n φ m : Phase difference of 1st order higher harmonics between reference joint and m-th joint (φ m =0 for reference joint) d m : Direct current component of qualification component a mn : Qualification component of each frequency component ψ mn : Phase component of qualification component α m , β m : Magnitude means for setting and for changing values of said magnitudes α m and β m ; means for attaining a value of said function (3) for each of said joints; means for obtaining, based on said function (3), data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 18

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: store means for storing therein a bending angle of each of said joints as the following function independent of a length between said joints of said object: ##EQU19## D m : Direct current component A mn : Amplitude of each frequency component Ψ mn : Phase m: Joint number n: Higher harmonics of order n φ m : Phase difference of 1st order higher harmonics between reference joint and m-th joint (φ m =0 for reference joint) d m : Direct current component of qualification component a mn : Qualification component of each frequency component ψ mn : Phase component of qualification component α m , β m : Magnitude means for setting and for changing values of said magnitudes α m and β m ; means for attaining a value of said function (3) for each of said joints; means for obtaining, based on said function (3), data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 19

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: store means for storing therein a bending angle of each of said joints as the following function independent of a length between said joints of said object: ##EQU20## D m : Direct current component A mn : Amplitude of each frequency component Ψ mn : Phase m: Joint number n: Higher harmonics of order n φ m : Phase difference of 1st order higher harmonics between reference joint and m-th joint (φ m =0 for reference joint) d mi : Direct current components of respective kinds of qualification components a mi : Qualification components of different kinds for each frequency component ψ mi : Phase components of respective kinds of qualification components α mi : Magnitude of each qualification component β m : Magnitude of amplitude means for setting and for changing values of said magnitudes α mi and β m ; means for setting and for changing values of d mi , a mi , and ψ mn ; means for attaining a value of said function (4) for each of said joints; means for obtaining, based on said function (4), data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 20

A computer graphic apparatus for presenting a motion of a multiple-jointed object, having multiple joints, on a screen in which an action of each of said joints of said object is controlled so as to present said motion thereof on the screen, comprising: store means for storing therein a bending angle of each of said joints as the following function independent of a length between said joints of said object: ##EQU20## D m : Direct current component A mn : Amplitude of each frequency component Ψ mn : Phase m: Joint number n: Higher harmonics of order n φ m : Phase difference of 1st order higher harmonics between reference joint and m-th joint (φ m =0 for reference joint) d mi : Direct current components of respective kinds of qualification components a mi : Qualification components of different kinds for each frequency component ψ mi : Phase components of respective kinds of qualification components α mi : Magnitude of each qualification component β m : Magnitude of amplitude means for setting and for changing values of said magnitudes α mi and β m ; means for setting and for changing values of d mi , a mi , and ψ mn ; means for attaining a value of said function (4) for each of said joints; means for obtaining, based on said function (4), data of a contour of said object in motion in response to an instruction; and means for displaying the motion of said object as indicated by said contour data on the screen.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising: a table for storing therein preset and change values of d mi , a mi , and ψ mn [i] (i varies for each feature component) of said function (4) and said feature component denoting a change of each of said joints in motion with respective correspondence established therebetween; and means for referencing said table depending on a specification of said feature component, thereby determining the values of d mi , a mi , and ψ mn [i].

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said computation means computes said at least a secondary time function based on a mean value of said selected plural primary functions of time.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said mean value is obtained by applying magnitudes to respective ones of said selected primary time functions.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said output means is display means.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: input means for inputting therefrom information designating a first position of the movement of said object, information denoting at least either one of a speed of said object and a direction of said movement thereof at a first point, information indicating a last position of said movement of said object, and information denoting at least either one of a speed of said object and a direction of said movement thereof at said last point; and path computation means for computing, based on the four kinds of information, information designating a path of said movement of said object from said first position to said last position.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising display means for displaying the information designating a path of movement of said object from said first position to said last position.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said display means displays the information designating said first position of said movement of the object and the information indicating said last position of said movement of said object.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said display means displays information denoting at least either one of a speed of said object and a direction of movement thereof at said first point and information denoting at least either one of a speed of said object and a direction of the movement thereof at said last point.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the information denoting at least either one of a speed of said object and a direction of the movement thereof at said first point and the information denoting at least either one of a speed of said object and a direction of the movement thereof at said last point are vector information.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: input means for inputting therefrom information associated with a position of the movement of said object and information designating a direction of the movement of said object; and path computation means for computing, based on the information associated with a position of said object in the movement and the information indicating a direction of the movement of said object, information designating a path of the movement of said object being moved.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising store means for storing therein the information associated with a position of said object in the movement and the information of a direction of the movement of said object.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the information denoting a direction of the movement of said object is information indicating a direction of the object in the movement relative to either of a desired point in a coordinate system and another multiple-jointed object.

Claim 35

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the information denoting a direction of the movement of said object is information indicating a direction of said object in the movement relative to a desired line in a coordinate system.

Claim 36

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the information denoting a direction of the movement of said object is information indicating a direction of said object in the movement relative to a desired plane in a coordinate system.

Claim 37

An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the information denoting a direction of the movement of said object is information indicating a direction of said object in the movement relative to a preceding direction of the movement of said object.

Claim 38

An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: means for specifying transit points of said object; path generation means for generating a path along which said object moves between specified transit points; and output means for outputting a motion of said object passing a specified transit point.

Claim 39

An apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising: means for specifying transit points of said object; path generation means for generating a path along which said object moves between specified transit points; and output means for outputting the motion of said object passing a point in the proximity of a specified transit point in accordance with said secondary function of time.

Claim 40

A computer graphic system achieving computer graphics comprising: a motion representing apparatus according to claim 15; and a display for displaying the motion of said multiple-jointed object.

Claim 41

A robot control system comprising: a motion representing apparatus according to claim 15; and a robot being driven in association with the motion of the object.

Claim 42

An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the primary functions of time are components of a function of time.

Claim 43

A motion representing apparatus for representing with functions of time an action of each joint of a multiple-jointed object comprising, output means for outputting the motion of the object which takes a specified posture at a specified point of time during the movement.

Claim 44

A motion representing apparatus for representing with functions of time an action of each joint of a multiple-jointed object comprising, output means for outputting the motion of the object which takes a specified posture at a specified point of time during the movement.