IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,315,455
Granted Patent B2
US 8,315,455 · App. 12/610,523 · Granted Nov 20, 2012

Robot system, robot control device and method for controlling robot

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,315,455
App. No.
12/610,523
Granted
Nov 20, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A robot system includes a robot having a movable section, an image capture unit provided on the movable section, an output unit that allows the image capture unit to capture a target object and a reference mark and outputs a captured image in which the reference mark is imaged as a locus image, an extraction unit that extracts the locus image from the captured image, an image acquisition unit that performs image transformation on the basis of the extracted locus image by using the point spread function so as to acquire an image after the transformation from the captured image, a computation unit that computes a position of the target object on the basis of the acquired image, and a control unit that controls the robot so as to move the movable section toward the target object in accordance with the computed position.

Claims (49)

1. A robot system, comprising:

a robot having a movable section, the movable section moving at a predetermined speed;

a marker including a reference mark, the reference mark being located in the vicinity of a target object to which the movable section moves;

an image capture device that includes a shutter, the image capture device being provided on the movable section, and capturing the reference mark as a blurred image while the movable section is in motion by opening the shutter for a predetermined exposure time period, the image capture device outputting the blurred image including a locus image of the reference mark;

an extractor that extracts the locus image of the reference mark from the blurred image;

an image restoration device that restores a non-blurred image of the reference mark based on a point spread function of the extracted locus image of the reference mark;

a processor that computes a position of the target object on the basis of the restored non-blurred image; and

a controller that controls the robot so as to move the movable section toward the target object in accordance with the computed position,

wherein a size of the marker is determined in accordance with the predetermined exposure time period and the predetermined speed.

2. The robot system according to claim 1 wherein,

a periphery of the reference mark in the marker is a monochrome region having a difference in brightness between the monochrome region and the reference mark so as to enable the reference mark to be identified as the reference mark.

3. The robot system according to claim 2 wherein,

the monochrome region has a size greater than a size of a blurred area of the blurred image.

4. The robot system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a display that displays the reference mark included in the non-blurred image to be visually recognized.

5. The robot system according to claim 1 comprising:

two or more of the reference marks that are located in the vicinity of the target object at pre-selected respective positions.

6. A robot control device, comprising:

a robot having a movable section, the movable section moving at a predetermined speed;

a marker including a reference mark, the reference mark being located in the vicinity of a target object to which the movable section moves;

an image capture device that is provided on the movable section, the image capture device capturing the reference mark as a blurred image while the movable section is in motion during a predetermined exposure time period and inputting the blurred image including a locus image of the reference mark;

an extractor that extracts the locus image of the reference mark from the blurred image;

an image restoration device that restores a non-blurred image of the reference mark based on a point spread function of the extracted locus image of the reference mark;

a processor that computes a position of the target object on the basis of the restored non-blurred image; and

a controller that controls the robot so as to move the movable section toward the target object in accordance with the computed position,

wherein a size of the marker is determined in accordance with the predetermined exposure time period and the predetermined speed.

7. A robot control method for a system including a robot, a target object that is a moving destination of a movable section, which moves at a predetermined speed, provided on the robot, an image capture device provided on the movable section, and a marker including a reference mark, the robot control method comprising:

(a) capturing a blurred image including the reference mark captured by the image capture device during movement of the movable section for a predetermined exposure time period, the reference mark being imaged as a locus image;

(b) extracting the locus image of the reference mark from the blurred image;

(c) restoring a non-blurred image of the reference mark based on a point spread function of the extracted locus image of the reference mark;

(d) computing a position of the target object on the basis of the restored non-blurred image; and

(e) controlling the robot so as to move the movable section toward the target object in accordance with the computed position,

wherein a size of the marker is determined in accordance with the predetermined exposure time period and the predetermined speed.

8. The robot control device according to claim 6 wherein,

a periphery of the reference mark in the marker is a monochrome region having a difference in brightness between the monochrome region and the reference mark.

9. The robot control device according to claim 8 wherein,

the monochrome region has a size greater than a size of a blurred area of the blurred image.

10. The robot control device according to claim 6 , further comprising:

a display that displays the reference mark included in the non-blurred image.

11. The robot control device according to claim 6 , further comprising:

two or more of the reference marks that are located in the vicinity of the target object.

12. The robot control method according to claim 7 , wherein

a periphery of the reference mark in the marker is a monochrome region having a difference in brightness between the monochrome region and the reference mark.

13. The robot control method according to claim 12 , wherein,

the monochrome region has a size greater than a size of a blurred area of the blurred image.

14. The robot control method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

(f) displaying the reference mark included in the non-blurred image.

15. The robot control method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

two or more of the reference marks that are located in the vicinity of the target object.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2009
From: INAZUMI, MITSUHIRO
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 023454/0925 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2008-286224 · Nov 7, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100119146A1 · May 13, 2010