IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,030,186
Granted Patent B2
US 12,030,186 · App. 17/281,506 · Granted Jul 9, 2024

Control device, control method, and non-transitory computer readable storage medium

Inventors: Yoshinao Sodeyama (Tokyo, JP); Kazuo Hongo (Tokyo, JP); Kazuhito Wakana (Tokyo, JP); Yoshikazu Furiyama (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
B25J9/1664B25J9/04B25J9/1638B25J9/1653B25J9/1674B25J9/1679B25J11/0045
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,030,186
App. No.
17/281,506
Granted
Jul 9, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control device ( 120 ) according to the present application includes a limitation portion that is provided in a joint portion, which joins two or more links, of a robot and that physically limits motion of the links, and a control unit ( 122 f ) that limits movable ranges of the links by controlling the limitation portion corresponding to a predetermined joint portion on the basis of a task executed by the robot. With this configuration, it becomes possible to secure safety of when the robot executes a task.

Claims (25)

1. A control method, comprising:

physically limiting a motion of a first link of at least two links of a plurality of links of a robot, wherein a stopper is in a first joint portion, of plurality of joint portions, which joins the at least two links of the plurality of links;

determining a first moveable range of the first link based on a risk associated with use of an instrument for a task by the robot, wherein the instrument used for the task is different from the robot; and

controlling the stopper corresponding to the first joint portion, to move the first link within the determined first movable range.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising:

physically limiting a motion of a first link of at least two links of a plurality of links of a robot, wherein a stopper is in a first joint portion, of plurality of joint portions, which joins the at least two links of the plurality of links;

determining a first moveable range of the first link based on a risk associated with using of an instrument for a task by the robot, wherein the instrument used for the task is different from the robot; and

controlling the stopper corresponding to the first joint portion, to move the first link within the determined first movable range.

3. A control device, comprising:

a stopper in a first joint portion of a plurality of joint portions, wherein

the first joint portion is configured to join at least two links of a plurality of links of a robot, and

the stopper is configured to physically limit a motion of a first link of the at least two links; and

a control unit configured to:

determine a first movable range of the first link based on a risk associated with use of an instrument for a task by the robot, wherein the instrument used for the task is different from the robot; and

control the stopper corresponding to the first joint portion, to move the first link within the determined first movable range.

4. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the first joint portion among the plurality of joint portions based on the task.

5. The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the first joint portion among the plurality of joint portions based on information related to an object to be a target of the task.

6. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the first movable range based on information related to an object to be a target of the task.

7. The control device according to claim 5 , wherein the information, related to the object to be the target of the task, includes at least one of a name of the object, a size of the object, a strength of the object, a rigidity of the object, a weight of the object, or a target value for the object.

8. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein

the plurality of joint portions rotate around at least one axis of a plurality of axes;

the first joint portion rotates around a first axis of the plurality of axes; and

the control unit is further configured to limit the first movable range of the first link based on the rotation of the first joint portion around the first axis.

9. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the first movable range based on a surrounding environment of the robot in a case the task is executed by the robot in the surrounding environment.

10. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit is further configured to limit the first movable range of the first link by locking the first link to the stopper.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2021
From: SODEYAMA, YOSHINAO; HONGO, KAZUO; WAKANA, KAZUHITO; FURUYAMA, YOSHIKAZU
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055772/0239 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-192875 · Oct 11, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220040858A1 · Feb 10, 2022