Granted Patent B2

US 12,508,665 · App. 17/893,657 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Inventors: Jordan Ott (Dublin, OH); Madhavun Candadai (Dublin, OH); Colin Bunker (Columbus, OH); Sabhari Natrajan (Columbus, OH); Alexander Lonsberry (Gahanna, OH); Andrew Lonsberry (Columbus, OH)

Assignee: PATH ROBOTICS, INC.

B23K9/12B25J9/0084

Abstract

Claims (112)

1 . An assembly robotic system, comprising:

a first robot device positioned in a workspace;

a first tool coupled to the first robot device, the first tool configured to be selectively coupled to a first object;

one or more sensors, each sensor of the one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data associated with the workspace;

a welding tool configured to couple two or more objects together; and

a controller configured to:

based on the sensor data, determine a pose in which the first object is positioned in the workspace, wherein the pose includes a location information of the first object within the workspace, and an orientation information of the first object within the workspace;

based on the pose of the first object, identify a grasp location on the first object for the first object to be coupled with the first tool for pose manipulation, wherein the grasp location is identified by the controller from multiple possible grasp locations on the first object identified by the controller, based upon performing collision analyses by the controller on the multiple possible grasp locations;

control the first tool to be coupled to the first object at the grasp location;

control the first robot device to bring the first object into a spatial relationship with a second object such that a seam is formed between the first object and the second object; and

generate a weld instruction to cause the weld tool to weld the seam to couple the first object and the second object together while the first tool is coupled to the first object at the grasp location,

wherein the collision analyses comprise determining, by the controller, if the first robot device would encounter a collision in the workspace when accessing the multiple possible grasp locations and if the weld tool would encounter a collision in the workspace when welding the seam while the first tool is coupled to the first object at the multiple possible grasp locations.

2 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first robot device includes a first robotic arm;

the sensor data generated by at least one sensor of the one or more sensors includes image data; and

the controller is further configured to:

after identification of the grasp location, assign a coordinate frame value to the first object;

control the first tool to be coupled, based on the coordinate frame value, to the first object at the grasp location on the first object; and

control the first tool, the first robotic arm, or a combination thereof, to adjust the pose of the first object.

3 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second robot device positioned in the workspace; and

a second tool coupled to the second robot device, the second tool configured to be selectively coupled to the second object,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

control the second tool to be coupled to the second object based on the sensor data; and

control the second robot device to bring the second object into the spatial relationship with the first object such that the seam is formed between the first object and the second object.

4 . The assembly robotic system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the first robot device, the first tool, the second robot device, the second tool, or a combination thereof, to change the pose of the first object and the second object while the first object and the second object are in the spatial relationship.

5 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second robot device positioned in the workspace, and

wherein:

a first sensor of the one or more sensors is coupled to the second robot device;

the sensor data generated by the first sensor includes first image data; and

the controller is further configured to control the first tool to be coupled to the first object based on the first image data.

6 . The assembly robotic system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to, after the first tool is coupled to the first object:

control the second robot device to bring the first sensor closer to the first object; and

receive additional sensor data from the first sensor, the additional sensor data includes additional image data associated with the first object coupled to the first tool.

7 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second robot device positioned in the workspace, and

wherein:

the weld tool is coupled to the second robot device;

the controller is further configured to control the second robot device to position the weld tool adjacent to the first object and the second object; and

the weld tool is configured to, based on the weld instruction, lay a weld metal along the seam to couple the first object and the second object together.

8 . The assembly robotic system of claim 7 , wherein:

the controller is configured to receive data that is associated with a computer aided design (CAD) model of a representation of a structure including the first object and the second object; and

the CAD model:

indicates the spatial relationship of the first object and the second object;

includes annotations associated with the seam; or

a combination thereof.

9 . The assembly robotic system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a first location of the seam based on a user input, the annotations included in the CAD model, or a combination thereof; and

control the second robot device such that the welding tool is positioned with respect to the first location of the seam.

10 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a positioner device configured to host the first object, wherein the positioner device is configured to adjust the pose of the first object while the first object is hosted by the positioner device, and

wherein the controller is configured to control the first tool, the first robot device, or a combination thereof to adjust the pose of the first object while the first object is held by the first tool.

11 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:

identify, based on the sensor data, each possible grasp location of the multiple possible grasp locations on the first object;

for each possible grasp location of the multiple possible grasp locations on the first object, perform a reachability analysis, and

to identify the grasp location on the first object from the multiple possible grasp locations, on the first object based on a result of the reachability analysis.

12 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the grasp location is identified at least in accordance with a geometric configuration of the first object.

13 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the collision analyses are performed after feasibility analyses performed by the controller, wherein the feasibility analyses determine whether the first robot device can reach the multiple possible grasp locations.

14 . The assembly robotic system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a final grasp pose of the first tool based upon the collision analyses.

15 . An assembly robotic system, comprising:

a first robot device positioned in a workspace;

a first tool coupled to the first robot device, the first tool configured to be selectively coupled to a first object;

a second robot device positioned in the workspace;

a second tool coupled to the second robot device, the second tool configured to be selectively coupled to a second object, wherein the first object and the second object configured to form a first seam between the first object and the second object;

a third robot device positioned in the workspace;

one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data associated with the workspace, at least a first sensor of the one or more sensors coupled to the third robot device;

a fourth robot device positioned in the workspace;

a welding tool coupled to the fourth robot device, the welding tool configured to weld the first seam formed between the first object and the second object; and

a controller configured to:

control, based on the sensor data, the first tool to be coupled to the first object at a first grasp location on the first object, wherein the first grasp location is identified by the controller from multiple possible grasp locations on the first object identified by the controller based upon collision logic of the controller, wherein the collision logic determines if the first robot device would encounter a collision in the workspace when accessing the multiple possible grasp locations on the first object and if a weld tool would encounter a collision in the workspace when welding the first seam while the first tool is coupled to the first object at the multiple possible grasp locations on the first object;

control, based on the sensor data, the second tool to be coupled to the second object at a second grasp location on the second object;

control the first robot device, the second robot device, or both, to bring the first object and the second object into a first spatial relationship such that the first seam is formed between the first object and the second object; and

generate a weld instruction to cause the weld tool to weld the first seam to couple the first object and the second object together while the first tool is coupled to the first object at the first grasp location.

16 . The assembly robotic system of claim 15 , wherein:

the workspace includes a three-dimensional space;

the first robot device includes a first robotic arm, the first tool coupled to an end of the first robotic arm;

the second robot device includes a second robotic arm, the second tool coupled to an end of the second robotic arm;

the third robot device includes a third robotic arm, the first sensor coupled to an end of the third robotic arm, the first sensor configured to capture one or more images of the first object, the second object, or a combination there;

the fourth robot device includes a fourth robotic arm, the welding tool coupled to an end of the fourth robotic arm; and

responsive to the weld instruction, the weld tool is configured to weld the first seam according to a weld plan.

17 . The assembly robotic system of claim 16 , wherein:

the one or more sensors include a second sensor configured to capture a set of one or more images of the first object, the second object, or both, after the first object is coupled to the first tool, the second object is coupled to the second tool, or a combination thereof;

the sensor data generated by the second sensor includes second image data; and

the controller is configured to control, based on the second image data, the first robot device after the first tool is coupled to the first object.

18 . The assembly robotic system of claim 16 , wherein:

the first tool is configured to be selectively coupled to a third object; and

after the weld metal is laid by the weld tool to couple the first object and the second object together, the controller is further configured to:

control the first tool to be decoupled with the first object and to be coupled to the third object at a third grasp location on the third object;

control the first robot device, the second robot device, or both, to bring the third object into a second spatial relationship with the first object and the second object coupled together such that a second seam is formed between the third object and the first object or the second object; and

generate a second weld instruction to cause the weld tool to weld the second seam to couple the third object to the first object and the second object while the first tool is coupled to the third object at the third grasp location.

19 . A method of operating an assembly robotic system including a first tool coupled to a first robot device, a second tool coupled to a second robot device, one or more sensors, a weld tool, and a controller, the method comprising:

receiving, by a controller of an assembly robotic system, first sensor data from the one or more sensors;

identifying, with the controller and based on the first sensor data, a grasp location on the first object for the first object to be coupled with the first tool, wherein the grasp location is identified from multiple possible grasp locations on the first object identified by the controller based upon performing collision analyses with the controller on the multiple possible grasp locations on the first object, wherein the collision analyses comprises determining if the first robot device would encounter a collision when accessing the multiple possible grasp locations on the first object and determining if the weld tool would encounter a collision when welding a seam between the first object and a second object while the first tool is coupled to the first object at the multiple possible grasp locations on the first object;

controlling, by the controller and based on the first sensor data, the first tool to be coupled to the first object at the first grasp location;

controlling, by the controller and based on the first sensor data, the second tool to be coupled to the second object at a second grasp location on the second object;

controlling, by the controller, the first robot device, the second robot device, or both, to bring the first object and the second object into a spatial relationship such that the seam is formed between the first object and the second object;

generating, by the controller, a weld instruction; and

welding, by the weld tool responsive to the weld instruction, the seam to couple the first object and the second object together while the first tool is coupled to the first object at the grasp location.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

receiving, by the controller, model data is associated with a computer aided design (CAD) model of a representation of a structure including the first object and the second object;

identifying, by the controller based on the first sensor data, the first object, the first sensor data including image data;

performing, by the controller based on the model data and the first sensor data, a registration process to determine the first pose of the first object;

determining, by the controller, the first grasp location on the first object based on the first pose of the first object; and

performing, by the controller based on the first grasp location, a reachability analysis, a collision analysis, or a combination thereof.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:

after the first tool is coupled to the first object:

receiving, by the controller from the one or more sensors, second sensor data associated with the first object coupled to the first tool; and

performing, by the controller based on the model data and the second sensor data, the registration process to determine a second pose of the first object; and

after the first object and the second object are brought into the spatial relationship:

receiving, by the controller from the one or more sensors, third sensor data associated with the first object and the second object; and

determining, by the controller based on the model data and the third sensor data, whether a separation between the first object and the second object is less than or equal to a threshold.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (195)

Cited By (1)

US 12,673,422