Method of controlling a robotic tool

1. A method of controlling a robot system, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a tool supported by a moveable mechanism of the robot system;

b. providing a workpiece supported by a holder and providing to a processor a feature of the workpiece;

c. generating an image of the workpiece to the processor;

d. the processor extracting a data from the image, the data relating to the feature of the workpiece;

e. the processor generating a continuous three-dimensional path along the workpiece using data extracted from the image; and

f. controlling the robot system to move the tool along the generated path.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the image is a two-dimensional image.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of providing image points which constitute a three-dimensional data not readily detectable in the two-dimensional image.

4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of providing a secondary model of a third dimension of the workpiece not readily detectable in the two-dimensional image via prior knowledge of an expected geometry of the workpiece.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the image is generated by a three dimensional vision sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of manually teaching a point on the path.

7. The method according to claim 1 , where the generated path is used to generate motion commands for the mechanism to trace the path.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of offsetting a pre-set path based upon at least one of the data extracted from the image and the generated path.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the path is overlayed on the feature of the workpiece.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the, step of filtering the data extracted from the image.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of filtering the data is based upon at least one of a contrast threshold, a maximum deviation, and a point spacing.

12. A method of controlling a robot system, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a tool supported by a moveable mechanism of the robot system;

b. providing a workpiece supported by a holder;

c. calibrating the moveable mechanism to the holder and providing to a processor a feature of the workpiece;

d. generating an image of the workpiece to the processor;

e. the processor extracting a data from the image, the data representing the feature of the workpiece;

f. the processor assigning a node to each of a plurality of points along the feature of the workpiece using data extracted from the image and data from the calibration of the moveable mechanism;

g. the processor generating a continuous three-dimensional path along the nodes; and

h. controlling the robot system to move the tool along the generated path.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the image is generated by a three dimensional vision sensor.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of providing a secondary model of a third dimension of the workpiece not readily detectable in the two-dimensional image via prior knowledge of an expected geometry of the workpiece.

15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of manually teaching a point on the path.

16. The method according to claim 12 , where the generated path is used to generate motion commands for the mechanism to trace the path.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein data relating to each node includes at least one of a magnitude of a gradient of the node, a length of the feature with which the node is associated; a numeric identification of a chain of associated nodes, and a position of the node in a pre-defined coordinate system.

18. A method of controlling a robot system, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a tool moveable by the robot system;

b. providing a workpiece;

c. applying a guide line to the workpiece;

d. extracting a data relating to a feature of the workpiece with a processor;

e. locating the workpiece;

f. the processor generating an ideal path of the tool along the workpiece using the extracted data;

g. controlling the robot system to move the tool along at least a portion of the ideal path; and

h. controlling the robot system to adjust a position of the tool along the ideal path to follow the guide line.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the step of locating the workpiece is executed by a Vision system.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the data relating to a feature of the workpiece is extracted from a computer aided drawing data for an ideal part.