Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
309 words
A method of controlling a robot manipulator moving toward a target frame F 0 with a target velocity v 0 comprising a linear target velocity ν with an angular target velocity ω 0 to smoothly and continuously divert said robot manipulator to a subsequent frame F 1 , said target frame being associated with a target transition time T 0 and said subsequent frame being associated with a subsequent transition time T 1 , said method comprising the steps of: determining a global transition velocity v 1 necessary to move said manipulator from said target frame F 0 to said subsequent frame F 1 within said subsequent transition time T 1 , said global transition velocity comprising a linear transition velocity ν 1 and an angular transition velocity ω 1 ; defining a blend time interval 2τ 0 within which the global velocity of said robot manipulator is to be changed from a global target velocity v 0 to said global transition velocity v 1 and dividing said blend time interval 2τ 0 into discrete time segments δt; during each one of said discrete time segments δt of said blend interval 2τ 0 ; (a) computing a blended global velocity v of said manipulator as a blend of said global target velocity v 0 and said global transition velocity v 1 , said blended global velocity v being at least approximately equal to said target global velocity v 0 at the beginning of said blend time interval and at least approximately equal to said global transition velocity v 1 at the end of said blend time interval, said blended global velocity v comprising a blended angular velocity ω and a blended linear velocity ν, and (b) rotating said manipulator by an incremental rotation corresponding to an integration of said blended angular velocity ω over one discrete time segment δt.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
309 words
A method of controlling a robot manipulator moving toward a target frame F 0 with a target velocity v 0 comprising a linear target velocity ν with an angular target velocity ω 0 to smoothly and continuously divert said robot manipulator to a subsequent frame F 1 , said target frame being associated with a target transition time T 0 and said subsequent frame being associated with a subsequent transition time T 1 , said method comprising the steps of: determining a global transition velocity v 1 necessary to move said manipulator from said target frame F 0 to said subsequent frame F 1 within said subsequent transition time T 1 , said global transition velocity comprising a linear transition velocity ν 1 and an angular transition velocity ω 1 ; defining a blend time interval 2τ 0 within which the global velocity of said robot manipulator is to be changed from a global target velocity v 0 to said global transition velocity v 1 and dividing said blend time interval 2τ 0 into discrete time segments δt; during each one of said discrete time segments δt of said blend interval 2τ 0 ; (a) computing a blended global velocity v of said manipulator as a blend of said global target velocity v 0 and said global transition velocity v 1 , said blended global velocity v being at least approximately equal to said target global velocity v 0 at the beginning of said blend time interval and at least approximately equal to said global transition velocity v 1 at the end of said blend time interval, said blended global velocity v comprising a blended angular velocity ω and a blended linear velocity ν, and (b) rotating said manipulator by an incremental rotation corresponding to an integration of said blended angular velocity ω over one discrete time segment δt.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of defining a blend time interval comprises computing said blend time interval 2τ 0 from said global target and transition velocities v 0 and v 1 and from a predetermined maximum acceleration to which motion of said manipulator is to be limited.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the step of computing said blend time interval comprises dividing a difference between said global target and transition velocities v 0 and v 1 by said predetermined maximum acceleration.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
125 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising a velocity error correction step carried out about the beginning of said blend time interval, said velocity error correction comprising the steps of: determining a desired blend exit frame F' 0 , said step of determining comprising rotating said target frame F 0 through a rotation corresponding to an integration of said angular target velocity ω over at least a portion of said blend time interval 2τ 0 ; determining an error correction global velocity v e required to move from said target frame F 0 to said desired blend exit frame F' 0 within a correction time interval related to said blend time interval; and correcting said target velocity by adding to it said error correction velocity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said portion of said blend time interval is about half said blend time interval.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said correction time interval is a difference between said target transition time and half said blend time interval, T 0 -τ 0 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the step of determining a desired blend exit frame F' 0 further comprises translating said target frame F 0 by a displacement corresponding to an integration of said linear target velocity ν over at least a portion of said blend time interval 2τ 0 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of computing a blended global velocity comprises computing a sum of v 0 (1-ƒ)+v 1 (ƒ), wherein ƒ changes with each time increment δt.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 8 wherein ƒ is a function which is approximately zero at the beginning of said blend time interval and is approximately one at the end of said blend time interval to provide linear blending.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein ƒ is a function which provides one of: (a) third order polynomial velocity blending, (b) cycloidal velocity blending.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising translating said manipulator by an incremental translation corresponding to an integration of said blended linear velocity ν over one discrete time segment δt during each of said discrete time segments.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method of claim 1 wherein during a preceding time interval immediately prior to said blend time interval said manipulator is maintained at an approximately constant global velocity equal to said target global velocity v 0 , while performing the following steps: dividing said preceding time interval into discrete time segments δt; during each one of said discrete time segments of said preceding time interval, rotating said manipulator by an incremental rotation corresponding to an integration of said target angular velocity ω 0 over one discrete time segment δt.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising translating said manipulator by an incremental displacement corresponding to an integration of said target linear velocity ν 0 over one discrete time segment δt.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising specifying a sequence of successive target frames F i associated with respective transition times T i for i between 1 and n wherein n is an integer, and wherein after the end of each blend time interval said target frame is set to said subsequent frame and said subsequent frame is set to a next one of said successive frames.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
302 words
A method of controlling a robot manipulator moving toward a target frame F 0 with a target velocity v 0 comprising a linear target velocity ν with an angular target velocity ω 0 to smoothly and continuously divert said robot manipulator to a subsequent frame F 1 , said target frame being associated with a target transition time T 0 and said subsequent frame being associated with a subsequent transition time T 1 , said method comprising the steps of: determining a global transition velocity v 1 necessary to move said manipulator from said target frame F 0 to said subsequent frame F 1 within said subsequent transition time T 1 , said global transition velocity comprising a linear transition velocity ν 1 and an angular transition velocity ω 1 ; defining a blend time interval 2τ 0 within which the global velocity of said robot manipulator is to be changed from a global target velocity v 0 to said global transition velocity v 1 and dividing said blend time interval 2τ 0 into discrete time segments δt; during each one of said discrete time segments δt of said blend interval 2τ 0 ; (a) computing a blended global velocity v of said manipulator as a blend of said global target velocity v 0 and said global transition velocity v 1 , said blended global velocity v being at least approximately equal to said target global velocity v 0 at the beginning of said blend time interval and at least approximately equal to said global transition velocity v 1 at the end of said blend time interval, said blended global velocity v comprising a blended angular velocity ω and a blended linear velocity ν, and (b) changing an actual global velocity of said manipulator in accordance with said blended angular velocity ω.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
302 words
A method of controlling a robot manipulator moving toward a target frame F 0 with a target velocity v 0 comprising a linear target velocity ν with an angular target velocity ω 0 to smoothly and continuously divert said robot manipulator to a subsequent frame F 1 , said target frame being associated with a target transition time T 0 and said subsequent frame being associated with a subsequent transition time T 1 , said method comprising the steps of: determining a global transition velocity v 1 necessary to move said manipulator from said target frame F 0 to said subsequent frame F 1 within said subsequent transition time T 1 , said global transition velocity comprising a linear transition velocity ν 1 and an angular transition velocity ω 1 ; defining a blend time interval 2τ 0 within which the global velocity of said robot manipulator is to be changed from a global target velocity v 0 to said global transition velocity v 1 and dividing said blend time interval 2τ 0 into discrete time segments δt; during each one of said discrete time segments δt of said blend interval 2τ 0 ; (a) computing a blended global velocity v of said manipulator as a blend of said global target velocity v 0 and said global transition velocity v 1 , said blended global velocity v being at least approximately equal to said target global velocity v 0 at the beginning of said blend time interval and at least approximately equal to said global transition velocity v 1 at the end of said blend time interval, said blended global velocity v comprising a blended angular velocity ω and a blended linear velocity ν, and (b) changing an actual global velocity of said manipulator in accordance with said blended angular velocity ω.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the step of defining a blend time interval comprises computing said blend time interval 2τ 0 from said global target and transition velocities v 0 and v 1 and from a predetermined maximum acceleration to which motion of said manipulator is to be limited.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of computing said blend time interval comprises dividing a difference between said global target and transition velocities v 0 and v 1 by said predetermined maximum acceleration.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
125 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising a velocity error correction step carried out about the beginning of said blend time interval, said velocity error correction comprising the steps of: determining a desired blend exit frame F' 0 , said step of determining comprising rotating said target frame F 0 through a rotation corresponding to an integration of said angular target velocity ω over at least a portion of said blend time interval 2τ 0 ; determining an error correction global velocity v e required to move from said target frame F 0 to said desired blend exit frame F' 0 within a correction time interval related to said blend time interval; and correcting said target velocity by adding to it said error correction velocity.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said portion of said blend time interval is about half said blend time interval.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said correction time interval is a difference between said target transition time and half said blend time interval, T 0 -τ 0 .
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the step of computing a blended global velocity comprises computing a sum of v 0 (1-ƒ)+v 1 (ƒ), wherein ƒ changes with each time increment δt.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 21 wherein ƒ is a function which is approximately zero at the beginning of said blend time interval and is approximately one at the end of said blend time interval to provide linear blending.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 21 wherein ƒ is a function which provides one of: (a) third order polynomial velocity blending, (b) cycloidal velocity blending.