IP Library Granted Patent US 12679670
Granted Patent B2
US 12679670 · App. 18/524,889 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Handling system, control device, and control method

Inventors: Yoshifumi Oka (Yokohama, JP); Seiji Tokura (Kawasaki, JP); Akihito Ogawa (Fujisawa, JP)
Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
B65G47/905B25J9/1697
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12679670
App. No.
18/524,889
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A handling system according to an embodiment includes: a handling device configured to transfer an object from a transfer source space to a transfer destination space with the object gripped; a transfer destination measuring device configured to measure a transfer destination shape that is a shape of the transfer destination space; and a control device configured to control the handling device and the transfer destination measuring device. The control device described above records a measurement history of the transfer destination shapes acquired from the transfer destination measuring device and a calculation history of placement positions of the objects transferred to the transfer destination space and generates a complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes and the calculation history of the placement positions.

Claims (65)

1 . A handling system comprising:

a handling device configured to transfer an object from a transfer source space to a transfer destination space with the object gripped;

a transfer destination measuring device configured to measure a transfer destination shape that is a shape of the transfer destination space;

an object measuring device configured to measure an object shape that is a shape of the object transferred by the handling device; and

a control device configured to control the handling device and the transfer destination measuring device,

wherein the control device:

records a measurement history of the transfer destination shapes acquired from the transfer destination measuring device and a calculation history of placement positions of the objects transferred to the transfer destination space;

generates a complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes and the calculation history of the placement positions;

records a measurement history of the object shapes acquired from the object measuring device;

generates the complemented transfer destination shape on the basis of the measurement history of the object shapes in addition to the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes and the calculation history of the placement positions;

generates a placement shape model of the object transferred to the transfer destination space on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes, the calculation history of the placement positions, and the measurement history of the object shapes;

generates the complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape using the placement shape model;

calculates a differential shape of the transfer destination shapes on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes;

calculates an error between the differential shape and the placement shape model; and

generates the complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape by performing position matching of the placement shape model with respect to the differential shape such that the error decreases.

2 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device translates or rotates the placement shape model such that the error decreases.

3 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device:

assigns a degree of reliability to at least one of the differential shape and the placement shape model; and

generates the complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape using the degree of reliability.

4 . The handling system according to claim 3 , wherein the control device calculates the error that is weighted based on the degree of reliability.

5 . The handling system according to claim 3 , wherein the control device assumes that a non-measured part shape is positioned in a non-sensing area of the transfer destination measuring device in the transfer destination space and assigns a degree of reliability to the non-measured part shape that is lower than the degree of reliability assigned to the differential shape positioned in an area other than the non-sensing area.

6 . The handling system according to claim 3 , wherein the control device calculates the degree of reliability on the basis of measurement accuracy of the object measuring device.

7 . The handling system according to claim 3 , wherein the control device calculates the degree of reliability in correspondence with a degree of easiness in deformation of the object.

8 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case in which the differential shape and the placement shape model are separated from each other by a predetermined distance or more, the control device determines that a load collapse has occurred in the object.

9 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case in which a number of points of the differential shape is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the control device determines that transfer of the object has failed.

10 . The handling system according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case in which the differential shape is larger than a size of the single object in size, the control device determines that a plurality of objects have been transferred in one transfer operation.

11 . A handling system, comprising:

a handling device configured to transfer an object from a transfer source space to a transfer destination space with the object gripped;

a transfer destination measuring device configured to measure a transfer destination shape that is a shape of the transfer destination space; and

a control device configured to control the handling device and the transfer destination measuring device,

wherein the control device:

records a measurement history of the transfer destination shapes acquired from the transfer destination measuring device and a calculation history of placement positions of the objects transferred to the transfer destination space; and

generates a complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes and the calculation history of the placement positions;

wherein, in a case in which a first object is transferred, the control device measures a first transfer destination shape of the transfer destination space before transfer of the first object and calculates a placement position of the first object to be transferred on the basis of the first transfer destination shape,

wherein, in a case in which a second object is transferred after transfer of the first object, the control device measures a second transfer destination shape of the transfer destination space before transfer of the second object and generates a complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the second transfer destination shape on the basis of the first transfer destination shape and the placement position of the first object, and

wherein the control device:

generates a placement shape model of the first object transferred into the transfer destination space on the basis of the first transfer destination shape and the placement position of the first object;

calculates a differential shape between the first transfer destination shape and the second transfer destination shape;

calculates an error between the differential shape and the placement shape model; and

generates the complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the second transfer destination shape by performing position matching of the placement shape model with respect to the differential shape such that the error decreases.

12 . The handling system according to claim 11 , wherein the control device:

assigns a degree of reliability to at least one of the differential shape and the placement shape model; and

calculates the error weighted based on the degree of reliability.

13 . A control device controlling a handling device configured to transfer an object from a transfer source space to a transfer destination space with the object gripped, a transfer destination measuring device configured to measure a transfer destination shape that is a shape of the transfer destination space, and an object measuring device configured to measure an object shape that is a shape of the object transferred by the handling device,

the control device comprising:

a recording unit configured to record a measurement history of the transfer destination shapes acquired from the transfer destination measuring device, a calculation history of placement positions of the object transferred into the transfer destination space, and a measurement history of the object shapes acquired from the object measuring device; and

a measurement information processing unit configured to generate a complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes, the calculation history of the placement positions, and the measurement history of the object shapes,

wherein the measurement information processing unit:

assigns a degree of reliability to at least any one of the transfer destination shape and the object shape;

generates the complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape using the degree of reliability;

generates a placement shape model of the object transferred into the transfer destination space on the basis of the calculation history of the placement positions and the measurement history of the object shapes;

calculates a differential shape of the transfer destination shape on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes, and

generates the complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape by performing position matching of the placement shape model with respect to the differential shape.

14 . A control method for controlling a handling device configured to transfer an object from a transfer source space to a transfer destination space with the object gripped using measurement data acquired from a transfer destination measuring device configured to measure a transfer destination shape that is a shape of the transfer destination space and an object measuring device configured to measure an object shape that is a shape of the object transferred by the handling device, the control method comprising:

recording a measurement history of the transfer destination shapes acquired from the transfer destination measuring device, a calculation history of placement positions of the object transferred into the transfer destination space, and a measurement history of the object shapes acquired from the object measuring device;

generating a complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes, the calculation history of the placement positions, and the measurement history of the object shapes;

measuring an object shape that is a shape of the object transferred by the handling device;

recording a measurement history of the object shapes acquired from the object measuring device;

generating the complemented transfer destination shape on the basis of the measurement history of the object shapes in addition to the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes and the calculation history of the placement positions;

generating a placement shape model of the object transferred to the transfer destination space on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes, the calculation history of the placement positions, and the measurement history of the object shapes;

generating the complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape using the placement shape model;

calculating a differential shape of the transfer destination shapes on the basis of the measurement history of the transfer destination shapes;

calculating an error between the differential shape and the placement shape model; and

generating the complemented transfer destination shape acquired by complementing the transfer destination shape by performing position matching of the placement shape model with respect to the differential shape such that the error decreases.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 14 .