Control Method, Device, Electronic Device and Storage Medium for Automated Process

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a control method, device, electronic device, and storage medium for an automated process. The method includes: obtaining a task operation instruction in the automated process; performing task deduction for corresponding task operations according to the parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, where the task deduction result includes execution parameters of multiple atomic operations in the task operation; and determining whether to execute the task operation according to the task deduction result. According to the above technical solution, before executing the task operation instruction, task deduction can be performed on it first. Then, the task operation is executed according to the task deduction result. Through task deduction, complex task operations are split into multiple simple atomic operations, thereby making the automated process clearer; at the same time, the accuracy of the execution result of the task operation is ensured, and certain guarantee is also provided for the accuracy of the execution result of subsequent operations of the task operation in the automated process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automatic control, and more particularly to a control method for an automated process, a control device for an automated process, an electronic device, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Currently, many technical fields are continuously undergoing automation transformation to achieve the purpose of liberating manpower and improving efficiency. Whether it is automated manufacturing, automated detection, or automated testing, etc., automated systems are widely used. Users can build the overall automated process through the interface provided by the automated system, and then control the operation of the automated system based on this automated process.

[0003] However, as the coverage of automation requirements continues to expand, a set of automated processes will involve a large number of devices and steps. Moreover, there are a very large number of types and models of existing devices, which may result in devices with the same function having completely different requirements due to differences in brand or model, etc. These different requirements for devices may bring many limiting conditions to the configuration of the automated process. If these limiting conditions are ignored during the actual execution of the automated process, it may lead to the inability to execute the automated process smoothly or a large error in the execution result. For example, the board position depth supported by different devices and the orientation of the hole plate entering the device may be the same or different. For the handling operation in an automated process, the instructions received by the handling device may include the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position. If the above two parameters are different, it may cause the handling device to grasp or place the hole plate in a wrong way, such as placing the hole plate in the corresponding device with a wrong orientation. This may not only lead to an error in the execution result of the handling operation, but may even cause a collision of the handling device, resulting in a failure of the automated system.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new solution to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention is proposed. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for an automated process, including: obtaining a task operation instruction in the automated process; performing task deduction of the corresponding task operation according to the parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, where the task deduction result includes the execution parameters of multiple atomic operations in the task operation, and each atomic operation is executed by at least one execution device; and determining whether to execute the task operation according to the task deduction result.

[0006] Exemplarily, the task operation instruction includes a handling task operation instruction. The handling task operation instruction includes relevant parameters of the starting position and relevant parameters of the destination position of the corresponding handling operation. Task deduction of the corresponding task operation is performed according to the parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, including: obtaining the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position from the handling operation instruction; based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, determining whether position adjustment is required during the execution of the handling operation; for the case where position adjustment is required, determining the relevant parameters for position adjustment based on the relevant parameters of the destination position, and then determining the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position, the relevant parameters of the destination position, and the relevant parameters for position adjustment; for the case where position adjustment is not required, determining the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position.

[0007] Exemplarily, based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, determining whether position adjustment is required during the execution of the handling operation includes: comparing the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position; based on the similarities and differences between the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, determining whether position adjustment is required during the execution of the handling operation.

[0008] Exemplarily, for the case where position adjustment is required, determining the relevant parameters for position adjustment based on the relevant parameters of the destination position includes: for the case where the parameters in the handling task operation instruction include the relevant parameters for position adjustment, modifying the relevant parameters for position adjustment based on the relevant parameters of the destination position; for the case where the parameters in the handling task operation instruction do not include the relevant parameters for position adjustment, setting the relevant parameters for position adjustment based on the relevant parameters of the destination position; for the case where position adjustment is not required, determining the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position includes: for the case where the parameters in the handling task operation instruction include the relevant parameters for position adjustment, deleting the relevant parameters for position adjustment, and then determining the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position.

[0009] Exemplarily, the task operation instruction includes a handling task operation instruction. The parameters in the handling task operation instruction include any one or more of the following parameters: coordinate information of the starting position of the handling operation, coordinate information of the destination position of the handling operation, parameters of the operations during the handling process of the handling operation, clamping height of the handling object of the handling operation, and clamping direction of the handling object.

[0010] Exemplarily, multiple atomic operations in a task operation include any one or more of the following operations: the movement of a robotic arm as a handling device, the movement of a guide rail involved in a handling operation, the clamping operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, the releasing operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, the rotation operation of a rotary plate station involved in a handling operation, the scanning operation of a scanner involved in a handling operation, the lid-covering operation of a lid sucker involved in a handling operation, and the lid-removing operation of a lid sucker involved in a handling operation.

[0011] Exemplarily, the handling device for performing a handling operation is a robotic arm. The handling task operation instruction includes the first picking parameter of the handling object at the starting position of the handling operation and the second picking parameter of the handling object at the destination position of the handling operation. For the case where the first picking parameter is different from the second picking parameter, according to the task deduction result, the task operation is performed, including: picking up the handling object at the starting position with the first picking parameter and transporting the handling object to an adjustment position; at the adjustment position, picking up the handling object again with the second picking parameter and transporting the handling object to the destination position.

[0012] Exemplarily, the method further includes: during the execution of the task operation, serially executing or parallelly executing multiple atomic operations.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a control device for an automated process, characterized by including:

[0014] An instruction acquisition module, configured to acquire a task operation instruction in an automated process;

[0015] A task deduction module, configured to perform task deduction of corresponding task operations according to parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, where the task deduction result includes execution parameters of multiple atomic operations in the task operation, and each atomic operation is executed by at least one execution device;

[0016] A determination module, configured to determine whether to perform a task operation according to the task deduction result.

[0017] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided an electronic device, including a processor and a memory, where computer program instructions are stored in the memory, and when the computer program instructions are run by the processor, they are used to execute the control method for an automated process as described above.

[0018] According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a storage medium, on which program instructions are stored, and when the program instructions are run, they are used to execute the control method for an automated process as described above.

[0019] According to the above technical solution, before executing a task operation instruction, a task deduction can be performed on it. Then, it is determined whether to execute the task operation according to the task deduction result. Among them, the task deduction result includes the execution parameters of multiple atomic operations. In other words, in the above technical solution, through task deduction, a complex task operation is split into multiple simple atomic operations, making the automation process clearer; at the same time, it can effectively ensure that the task operation can be successfully executed, avoiding the occurrence of the phenomenon that the task operation cannot be normally executed due to the diversity of the relevant parameters of the task operation required by the device, such as the handling task operation. Furthermore, it ensures the accuracy of the execution result of the task operation and also provides a certain guarantee for the accuracy of the execution result of the subsequent operation of the task operation in the automation process.

[0020] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to be able to understand the technical means of the present invention more clearly, it can be implemented according to the content of the specification. And in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the following specifically illustrates the specific embodiments of the present invention. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] By describing the embodiments of the present invention in more detail in conjunction with the drawings, the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious. The drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present invention, they are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation to the present invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0022] Figure 1 Shows a schematic flowchart of a control method for an automation process according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 Shows a schematic diagram of a perforated plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 Shows a schematic flowchart of performing a task deduction corresponding to a task operation according to the parameters in a task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 Shows a schematic flowchart of determining whether to adjust the position during the execution of a handling operation based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 Shows a schematic block diagram of a control device for an automation process according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0027] Figure 6A schematic block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed implementation manners

[0028] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited by the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present invention described herein, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0029] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a control method for an automated process. Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of a control method 100 for an automated process according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. As Figure 1 shown, the control method 100 may include the following steps.

[0030] Step S110, obtaining a task operation instruction in the automated process.

[0031] Exemplarily, the host computer may provide a visualization interface to the user. Based on the visualization interface, the user may input a task operation instruction by using an input device (such as a mouse, a keyboard, etc.) of the host computer. Optionally, the task operation instruction may also be pre-stored in a storage device of the host computer, and the task operation instruction may be directly obtained from the storage device of the host computer.

[0032] Step S120, performing task deduction of corresponding task operations according to parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, where the task deduction result includes execution parameters of multiple atomic operations in the task operation, and each atomic operation is executed by at least one execution device.

[0033] Exemplarily, after obtaining the task operation instruction in the above step S110 and about to issue the task operation instruction to the execution device, the driving device of the execution device can perform task deduction on the task operation according to the parameters in the task operation instruction. Briefly, task deduction can refer to the process of decomposing the task operation instruction into a series of atomic operations. Among them, the task operation instruction can include a handling task operation instruction, a pipetting task operation instruction, etc. For example, the parameters in the handling task operation instruction can include any one or more of the following parameters: the coordinate information of the starting position of the handling operation, the coordinate information of the target position of the handling operation, the parameters of the operation during the handling operation, the clamping height of the handling object during the handling operation, and the clamping direction of the handling object. Also for example, the parameters in the pipetting task operation instruction can include: the device serial number of the pipetting operation, the pipetting volume of the pipetting operation, etc. The following takes the handling task operation instruction as an example for the following description. The operations corresponding to the handling task operation instruction can include a handling operation and other insertion operations, such as a scanning operation, a cap removal / putting-on operation, etc. It can be understood that operations such as the scanning operation and the cap removal / putting-on operation can be regarded as operations executed during the handling operation. In one embodiment, the starting position of the handling operation can be device A, so the coordinate information of the starting position can be the position coordinate information of device A; similarly, the target position of the handling operation can be device B, so the coordinate information of the target position can be the position coordinate information of device B. For example, if the operation during the handling operation is a scanning operation, correspondingly, the parameters of the operation during the handling operation can include the position coordinate information of the scanner and the angle information of the scanner in the scanning operation, etc. Suppose the handling object is a microplate and the execution device of the handling operation is a robotic arm. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a microplate according to an embodiment of the present invention. Refer to Figure 2 , A01 represents a hole in the microplate. Among them, the clamping direction of the handling object can include: the robotic arm grabs the microplate from the narrow side in the distal direction from hole A01, the robotic arm grabs the microplate from the wide side in the distal direction from hole A01, the robotic arm grabs the microplate from the narrow side in the proximal direction from hole A01, and the robotic arm grabs the microplate from the wide side in the proximal direction from hole A01, etc. The clamping height of the handling object can include: the minimum offset when grabbing the microplate from the narrow side, the maximum offset when grabbing the microplate from the narrow side, the minimum offset when grabbing the microplate from the wide side, and the maximum offset when grabbing the microplate from the wide side, etc. In the above technical solution, based on the parameters in the handling task operation instruction, it can help obtain an accurate task deduction result, and thus it can accurately determine whether the task operation can be successfully executed.

[0034] According to one or more of the above parameters, task deduction can be performed on the current task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result. Still taking the handling task operation as an example for the following description. Among them, the multiple atomic operations included in the task deduction result may include performing a grasping operation on the handling object at the starting position of the handling operation, performing a handling operation on the handling object from the starting position to the position where the barcode scanner is located, the barcode scanner performing a barcode scanning operation, performing a handling operation on the handling object from the position where the barcode scanner is located to the destination position of the handling operation, and performing a releasing operation on the handling object at the destination position. Among them, each atomic operation is executed by at least one execution device. For example, the atomic operation of performing a grasping operation on the handling object at the starting position of the handling operation can be executed by a robotic arm, specifically by the gripper of the robotic arm. Another example is that the barcode scanning operation performed by the barcode scanner can be executed by the cooperation of two execution devices, namely a robotic arm and the barcode scanner. Specifically, the gripper of the robotic arm holds the handling object, and at the same time the barcode scanner performs a barcode scanning operation on the handling object.

[0035] Step S130, determine whether to execute the task operation according to the task deduction result.

[0036] Exemplarily, based on the task deduction result of the above step S120, determine whether the multiple atomic operations in the task deduction result can be successfully executed. For the case where the task deduction result indicates that the multiple atomic operations can be successfully executed, determine to execute the corresponding task operation. On the contrary, for the case where the task deduction result indicates that the multiple atomic operations cannot be successfully executed, do not execute the task operation.

[0037] According to the above technical solution, before executing the task operation instruction, task deduction can be performed on it first. Then, determine whether to execute the task operation according to the task deduction result. Among them, the task deduction result includes the execution parameters of multiple atomic operations. In other words, in the above technical solution, through task deduction, complex task operations are split into multiple simple atomic operations, thus making the automation process clearer; at the same time, it can also effectively ensure that the task operation can be successfully executed, avoiding the occurrence of the phenomenon that the task operation cannot be normally executed due to the diversity of the relevant parameters of the task operation required by the device, such as the handling task operation. Furthermore, it ensures the accuracy of the execution result of the task operation, and also provides a certain guarantee for the accuracy of the execution result of the subsequent operations of the task operation in the automation process.

[0038] Exemplarily, multiple atomic operations in a task operation may include any one or more of the following operations: the movement of a robotic arm serving as a handling device, the movement of a guide rail involved in a handling operation, the clamping operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, the releasing operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, the rotation operation of a rotary plate station involved in a handling operation, the scanning operation of a scanner involved in a handling operation, the lid-covering operation of a lid sucker involved in a handling operation, and the lid-removing operation of a lid sucker involved in a handling operation.

[0039] Among them, when the task operation instruction is a handling task operation instruction and the handling device is a robotic arm, multiple atomic operations in the task deduction result obtained by performing task deduction on it may include the movement of the robotic arm serving as a handling device. It can be understood that in this embodiment, before the robotic arm moves, that is, before the robotic arm handles the handling object, multiple atomic operations may further include the clamping operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, that is, the robotic arm holds the handling object. After the robotic arm moves, that is, after the robotic arm completes the handling operation of the handling object, multiple atomic operations may further include the releasing operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, that is, the robotic arm releases the handling object. Alternatively, when the task operation instruction is a handling task operation instruction and the handling device is a guide rail, the clamping operation and the releasing operation of the gripper of the robotic arm may not be involved. In this embodiment, the handling of the handling object can be achieved only by the movement operation of the guide rail. It can be understood that when the handling device is a robotic arm, the movement operation of the guide rail may also be involved in the handling operation, that is, during the process of the robotic arm handling the handling object, the guide rail can also move to handle other handling objects, etc. Optionally, multiple atomic operations may further include the rotation operation of a rotary plate station involved in a handling operation. For example, the handling object targeted by the handling operation is a well plate, and the well plate is located on the rotary plate station. Only through the rotation operation of the rotary plate station can the robotic arm hold the handling object. Therefore, before the clamping operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, the rotation operation of the rotary plate station may also be involved. Or, multiple atomic operations may further include the scanning operation of a scanner, that is, the scanning operation of the scanner is involved during the handling process of the handling operation, which has been described in detail above and will not be elaborated here for the sake of brevity. Multiple atomic operations may further include the lid-covering and lid-removing operation, that is, the lid-covering and lid-removing operation is also included during the handling process of the handling operation. The execution device of the lid-covering and lid-removing operation can be a lid sucker.

[0040] In the above technical solution, the task operation instruction can be decomposed into the above multiple atomic operations. The above multiple atomic operations are operations including the least number of execution devices, which can achieve the decomposition of the task operation instruction to the greatest extent, and then obtain a more accurate and reliable task deduction result.

[0041] Exemplarily, method 100 may further include: during the execution of the task operation, multiple atomic operations may be executed serially or in parallel.

[0042] In one embodiment, it is assumed that the task operation is a handling operation of moving a perforated plate from device A to device B and then to device C. Among them, a lid-removing operation is inserted during the process of moving from device A to device B. Therefore, in the task deduction result obtained by performing task deduction on this task operation instruction, the following multiple atomic operations may be included: handling operation 1 in which the robotic arm moves the perforated plate from device A to device B, handling operation 2 in which the robotic arm moves the perforated plate from device B to device C, and the lid-removing operation of the lid sucker. It can be understood that since the execution devices of handling operation 1 and handling operation 2 can be the same robotic arm or different robotic arms. In the case where the execution devices of the two handling operations are the same robotic arm, due to the differences in parameters such as the starting position and the destination position of the two handling operations, the two handling operations cannot be executed in parallel. That is, these two handling operations are executed serially. For the case where the execution devices of the two handling operations are different robotic arms, if the two robotic arms execute the handling operations simultaneously, safety accidents such as robotic arm collisions may occur. Preferably, the two handling operations are executed serially. For the lid-removing operation, its execution device is the lid sucker. Obviously, the lid sucker and the robotic arm are different execution devices. Moreover, there will be no safety accidents such as collisions when they execute specific operations. Therefore, in order to save time and improve the operation execution efficiency, the lid-removing operation of the lid sucker and handling operation 1 can be executed in parallel.

[0043] In the above technical solution, multiple atomic operations can be reasonably executed in a serial or parallel manner according to the actual situation. Thereby, not only can the smooth execution of the task operation be ensured, but also the execution efficiency of the task operation can be improved.

[0044] Exemplarily, the task operation instruction includes a handling task operation instruction, and the handling task operation instruction includes relevant parameters of the starting position and relevant parameters of the destination position of the corresponding handling operation. Task deduction of the corresponding task operation is performed according to the parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result. Figure 3 FIG. shows a schematic flowchart of step S120 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for performing task deduction of a corresponding task operation according to the parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, as Figure 3 shown, step S120 may further include the following steps.

[0045] Step S121, obtaining relevant parameters of the starting position and relevant parameters of the destination position from the handling operation instruction.

[0046] Assume that the operation corresponding to the handling operation instruction obtained in step S110 is to move the orifice plate from device A to device B, and a scanning operation needs to be performed at the position of scanner A during the handling process. Based on this handling operation instruction, relevant parameters of the starting position can be obtained. For example, parameters such as the clamping height and clamping direction of the robotic arm for clamping the orifice plate at the starting position. Relevant parameters of the destination position can also be obtained. For example, parameters such as the clamping height and clamping direction of the robotic arm for clamping the orifice plate before releasing the orifice plate at the destination position.

[0047] Step S122, based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, determine whether it is necessary to adjust the position during the execution of the handling operation.

[0048] Exemplarily, the similarities and differences of the relevant parameters of the starting position and the destination position can be compared, and then it can be determined whether it is necessary to adjust the position during the execution of the handling operation. For the case where the relevant parameters of the starting position and the destination position are the same, it can be determined that there is no need to adjust the position during the execution of the handling operation, and vice versa. Alternatively, it can also be determined whether the relationship between the relevant parameters of the starting position and the destination position satisfies a specific condition, and then the determination result is used to determine whether it is necessary to adjust the position during the execution of the handling operation. The specific condition can be reasonably set based on experience and is not limited here. For the case where the relationship between the relevant parameters of the starting position and the destination position satisfies the specific condition, it can be determined that there is no need to adjust the position during the execution of the handling operation, and vice versa.

[0049] Step S123, for the case where the position needs to be adjusted, determine the relevant parameters for adjusting the position based on the relevant parameters of the destination position, and then determine the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position, the relevant parameters of the destination position, and the relevant parameters for adjusting the position.

[0050] Exemplarily, for the case where it is determined in step S122 above that the position needs to be adjusted during the execution of the handling operation, the relevant parameters for adjusting the position can be directly set to the relevant parameters of the destination position. That is, make the relevant parameters for adjusting the position the same as the relevant parameters of the destination position. Thus, the task operation instruction can be deduced based on the relevant parameters of the starting position, the adjusted position, and the destination position of the handling operation, such as the clamping height and clamping direction of the robotic arm for the handling object, to determine the task deduction result.

[0051] Step S124, for the case where there is no need to adjust the position, determine the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position.

[0052] Exemplarily, for the case where it is determined in step S122 above that no position adjustment is required during the handling operation, the task operation instruction can be directly deduced based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the target position of the handling operation, such as the clamping height and clamping direction of the robotic arm for the handling object, etc., to determine the task deduction result.

[0053] It can be understood that steps S123 and S124 only represent two different results during the task deduction process, and do not mean the sequence of execution during the task deduction process.

[0054] In the above technical solution, it is determined whether position adjustment is required based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the target position of the corresponding handling operation in the handling task operation instruction, and then the task deduction result is obtained. The existence of position adjustment can enable the corresponding handling operation in the handling task operation instruction to be smoothly executed. Thus, it is possible to avoid deviations during the execution of the task operation instruction, resulting in the inability to smoothly execute the corresponding task operation.

[0055] Exemplarily, Figure 4 shows a schematic flowchart of step S122 according to an embodiment of the present invention for determining whether position adjustment is required during the handling operation based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the target position, as Figure 4 shown, the above step S122 may further include the following steps.

[0056] Step S122a, comparing the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the target position.

[0057] Exemplarily, after obtaining the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the target position in the handling operation instruction based on step S121, the specific parameters can be compared one by one according to the type of the parameters, etc. Specifically, the relevant parameters of the starting position may include the clamping height and clamping direction of the robotic arm clamping hole plate supported by the starting position. The relevant parameters of the target position may include the clamping height and clamping direction of the robotic arm clamping hole plate before releasing the hole plate supported by the target position. The clamping height of the robotic arm clamping hole plate supported by the starting position can be compared with the clamping height of the robotic arm clamping hole plate before releasing the hole plate supported by the target position. Or, the clamping direction of the robotic arm clamping hole plate supported by the starting position can be compared with the clamping direction of the robotic arm clamping hole plate before releasing the hole plate supported by the target position.

[0058] Step S122b, determining whether position adjustment is required during the handling operation based on the similarities and differences between the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the target position.

[0059] According to the above step S122a, if the clamping height of the orifice plate supported by the robot arm at the starting position is the same as the clamping height of the orifice plate supported by the robot arm at the destination position before the orifice plate is released, and the clamping direction of the orifice plate supported by the robot arm at the starting position is the same as the clamping direction of the orifice plate supported by the robot arm at the destination position before the orifice plate is released, then the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position can be regarded as the same, otherwise they are regarded as different. If the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position are the same, it can be determined that the position does not need to be adjusted during the execution of the transport operation; conversely, if the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position are different, it can be determined that the position needs to be adjusted during the execution of the transport operation.

[0060] In the above technical solution, by directly comparing the similarities and differences between the relevant parameters of the starting and destination positions, it can be determined whether the position needs to be adjusted during the transfer operation. This judgment method is simple and easy to implement, and is not prone to errors. As a result, the accuracy of the task deduction results can be guaranteed, and if the task deduction results determine that the task operation can be performed, the task operation can be accurately and smoothly executed.

[0061] Exemplarily, in step S123, for a situation where the position needs to be adjusted, determining the relevant parameters for adjusting the position based on the relevant parameters of the destination position may include: for a situation where the parameters in the transport task operation instruction include the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, modifying the relevant parameters for adjusting the position based on the relevant parameters of the destination position; for a situation where the parameters in the transport task operation instruction do not include the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, setting the relevant parameters for adjusting the position based on the relevant parameters of the destination position.

[0062] Alternatively, the parameters in the handling task operation instruction may include relevant parameters for adjusting the position. In this case, the relevant parameters for adjusting the position may be modified according to the relevant parameters for the destination position. For example, the relevant parameters for the destination position include that the clamping height of the mechanical arm clamping the orifice plate is at one-half of the orifice plate, while in the handling task operation instruction, the relevant parameters for adjusting the position include that the clamping height of the mechanical arm clamping the orifice plate is at one-third of the top of the orifice plate. In this case, the clamping height of the mechanical arm clamping the orifice plate in the relevant parameters for adjusting the position may be modified to be clamped at one-half of the orifice plate. It will be understood that the above parameters are merely exemplary. If other parameters are also included in the destination position and the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, the relevant parameters for adjusting the position may be modified according to a similar method. In short, the modified relevant parameters for adjusting the position are the same as the relevant parameters for the destination position.

[0063] Alternatively, if the parameters in the handling task operation instruction do not include the relevant parameters for adjusting the position. In the case where the position needs to be adjusted, the relevant parameters for adjusting the position can be set according to the relevant parameters of the target position, that is, the relevant parameters for adjusting the position are created. It can be understood that the set relevant parameters for adjusting the position are the same as the relevant parameters of the target position.

[0064] Exemplarily, for the case where the position does not need to be adjusted in step S124, based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the target position, determining the task deduction result may include: for the case where the parameters in the handling task operation instruction include the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, deleting the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, and then determining the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the target position.

[0065] If the parameters in the handling task operation instruction include the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, and in one embodiment, the position does not need to be adjusted. Then it can be understood that the relevant parameters for adjusting the position are redundant, so the relevant parameters for adjusting the position can be deleted. After that, the task deduction result is determined according to the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the target position. The deduction process has been described in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0066] In the above technical solution, the relevant parameters for adjusting the position can be flexibly set, modified, deleted, etc. according to whether the handling task operation instruction includes the relevant parameters for adjusting the position. Thus, the optimization of the obtained task deduction result can be ensured in different situations. Furthermore, the smooth progress of the task deduction can be guaranteed, thereby avoiding deviations in the execution of the task operation.

[0067] Exemplarily, the handling device for performing the handling operation can be a robotic arm. The handling task operation instruction includes the first picking parameter of the handling object at the starting position of the handling operation and the second picking parameter of the handling object at the target position of the handling operation. For the case where the first picking parameter is different from the second picking parameter, according to the task deduction result, performing the task operation includes: picking up the handling object at the starting position with the first picking parameter and transporting the handling object to the adjustment position; at the adjustment position, picking up the handling object again with the second picking parameter and transporting the handling object to the target position.

[0068] Specifically, the handling task operation instruction may include a first picking parameter of the handling operation's starting position for the handling object and a second picking parameter of the handling operation's destination position for the handling object. The first picking parameter may include the clamping height and clamping direction of the robotic arm for the handling object at the starting position, etc. The second picking parameter may include the clamping height and clamping direction of the robotic arm for the handling object at the destination position, etc. After comparing the first picking parameter and the second picking parameter, it is determined that they are different. For example, the clamping height of the robotic arm for the handling object in the first picking parameter is at the halfway point of the perforated plate, and the clamping height of the robotic arm for the handling object in the second picking parameter is at one-third of the distance from the top of the perforated plate. Furthermore, corresponding handling operations can be performed according to the following task deduction results. Specifically, the robotic arm can clamp the handling object at the starting position with the first picking parameter. Then, the handling object is transported and placed at the adjustment position. Next, the robotic arm reclamps the handling object at the adjustment position with the second picking parameter. Finally, the robotic arm transports and places the handling object at the destination position.

[0069] In the above technical solution, since the first picking parameter and the second picking parameter are different, and the second picking parameter is the picking parameter of the handling operation for the handling object at the destination position. Therefore, adjusting the picking parameter for the handling object to the second picking parameter at the adjustment position can ensure that the handling task operation can be smoothly executed, that is, the handling object can be accurately transported to the destination position. And the above solution is simple and easy to implement.

[0070] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a control device for an automated process. Figure 5 FIG. shows a schematic block diagram of a control device 500 for an automated process according to an embodiment of the present invention. As Figure 5 shown, the device 500 includes an instruction acquisition module 510, a task deduction module 520, and a determination module 530.

[0071] The instruction acquisition module 510 is configured to acquire a task operation instruction in an automated process.

[0072] The task deduction module 520 is configured to perform task deduction of corresponding task operations according to the parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, where the task deduction result includes execution parameters of multiple atomic operations in the task operation, and each atomic operation is executed by at least one execution device.

[0073] The determination module 530 is configured to determine whether to execute the task operation according to the task deduction result.

[0074] Exemplarily, the task deduction module 520 can be specifically configured to obtain the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position from the handling operation instruction; based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, determine whether it is necessary to adjust the position during the execution of the handling operation; for the case where the position needs to be adjusted, determine the relevant parameters for adjusting the position based on the relevant parameters of the destination position, and further determine the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position, the relevant parameters of the destination position, and the relevant parameters for adjusting the position; for the case where the position does not need to be adjusted, determine the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position.

[0075] Exemplarily, the task deduction module 520 can include an adjustment position determination module. The adjustment position determination module is used to compare the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position; based on the similarities and differences between the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, determine whether it is necessary to adjust the position during the execution of the handling operation.

[0076] Exemplarily, the adjustment position determination module can be specifically configured to, for the case where the parameters in the handling task operation instruction include the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, modify the relevant parameters for adjusting the position based on the relevant parameters of the destination position; for the case where the parameters in the handling task operation instruction do not include the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, set the relevant parameters for adjusting the position based on the relevant parameters of the destination position. The task deduction module 520 can also be used to, for the case where the parameters in the handling task operation instruction include the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, delete the relevant parameters for adjusting the position, and further determine the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position.

[0077] Exemplarily, the determination module 530 can be specifically configured to, for the case where the first picking parameter is different from the second picking parameter, perform the task operation according to the task deduction result, including: picking up the handling object at the starting position with the first picking parameter and transporting the handling object to the adjustment position; at the adjustment position, picking up the handling object again with the second picking parameter and transporting the handling object to the destination position.

[0078] Exemplarily, the control device 500 of the automation process can further include an execution module. The execution module is used to, during the execution of the task operation, execute multiple atomic operations serially or in parallel.

[0079] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is further provided. Figure 6 The schematic block diagram of an electronic device 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. As Figure 6As shown, the electronic device 600 includes a processor 610 and a memory 620. Among them, computer program instructions are stored in the memory 620, and when the computer program instructions are run by the processor 610, they are used to execute the above control method for the automated process.

[0080] According to another aspect of the present invention, a storage medium is further provided. Program instructions are stored on the storage medium, and when the program instructions are run, they are used to execute the above control method for the automated process. The storage medium can, for example, include the storage component of a tablet computer, the hard disk of a personal computer, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a USB memory, or any combination of the above storage media. The computer-readable storage medium can be any combination of one or more computer-readable storage media.

[0081] Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand the specific implementation solutions and their beneficial effects of the above control device, electronic device, and storage medium for the automated process by reading the relevant descriptions of the above control method for the automated process. For the sake of brevity, they will not be elaborated here.

[0082] Although example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that the above example embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto. Those of ordinary skill in the art can make various changes and modifications therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0083] Those of ordinary skill in the art can realize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in combination with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware, or by a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are executed in a hardware or software manner depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional technicians can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of the present invention.

[0084] In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of the units is only a logical function division, and there can be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another device, or some features can be ignored or not executed.

[0085] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. It will be understood, however, that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[0086] Similarly, it should be understood that in order to streamline the present invention and assist in understanding one or more of the various inventive aspects, in the description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, various features of the present invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, the methods of the present invention should not be construed as reflecting the intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected by the corresponding claims, the inventive point lies in that the corresponding technical problems can be solved by features less than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, except where features are mutually exclusive, any combination may be employed of all the features disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) and all the processes or units of any method or apparatus so disclosed. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), unless expressly stated otherwise, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose.

[0088] In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not others, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the present invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

[0089] Each component embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in hardware, or in software modules running on one or more processors, or in a combination thereof. Those skilled in the art should understand that a microprocessor or a digital signal processor (DSP) may be used in practice to implement some or all of the functions of some modules in the control device for an automated process according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention may also be implemented as a device program (e.g., a computer program and a computer program product) for executing part or all of the methods described herein. Such a program implementing the present invention may be stored on a computer-readable medium, or may be in the form of one or more signals. Such signals may be downloaded from an Internet website, or provided on a carrier signal, or provided in any other form.

[0090] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate the present invention rather than limit the present invention, and those skilled in the art can design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in the claim. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The present invention can be implemented by means of hardware including several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims listing several devices, several of these devices may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc. does not denote any order. These words may be interpreted as names.

[0091] As described above, it is only the specific implementation manner of the present invention or the description of the specific implementation manner, and the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention can easily think of changes or substitutions, which should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for an automated process, characterized in that: include: Obtaining a task operation instruction in the automation process, wherein the task operation instruction includes a transport task operation instruction, and the transport task operation instruction includes parameters related to a starting position and a destination position of the corresponding transport operation; Performing task deduction of the corresponding task operation according to the parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, including: obtaining relevant parameters of the starting position and relevant parameters of the destination position from the transport task operation instruction; determining whether the position needs to be adjusted during the execution of the transport operation based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, and determining the task deduction result, wherein the task deduction result includes execution parameters of multiple atomic operations in the task operation, wherein each atomic operation is executed by at least one execution device; According to the task deduction result, it is determined whether to execute the task operation, wherein if the task deduction result indicates that multiple atomic operations can be successfully executed, the task operation is executed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein Determining the task deduction result includes: In the case where the position adjustment is required, the relevant parameters of the adjustment position are determined based on the relevant parameters of the destination position, and the task deduction result is further determined based on the relevant parameters of the starting position, the relevant parameters of the destination position, and the relevant parameters of the adjustment position; In the case where the position adjustment is not required, the task deduction result is determined based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein The determining whether the position needs to be adjusted during the carrying operation based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position includes: Comparing the relevant parameters of the starting position with the relevant parameters of the destination position; Based on the similarities and differences between the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, it is determined whether the position needs to be adjusted during the execution of the transport operation.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein: In the case where the position adjustment is required, determining the relevant parameters of the position adjustment based on the relevant parameters of the target position includes: In a case where the parameters in the transport task operation instruction include the parameters related to the adjustment position, modifying the parameters related to the adjustment position based on the parameters related to the destination position; If the parameters in the transport task operation instruction do not include the parameters related to the adjustment position, setting the parameters related to the adjustment position based on the parameters related to the destination position; For a case where the position adjustment is not required, determining the task deduction result based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position includes: In the case where the parameters in the transport task operation instruction include the relevant parameters of the adjustment position, the relevant parameters of the adjustment position are deleted, and then the task deduction result is determined based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The task operation instruction includes a transport task operation instruction, and the parameters in the transport task operation instruction include any one or more of the following parameters: Coordinate information of a starting position of a transport operation, coordinate information of a destination position of the transport operation, parameters of operations during the transport operation, a gripping height of an object to be transported in the transport operation, and a gripping direction of the object to be transported.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The multiple atomic operations in the task operation include any one or more of the following operations: The movement of the robotic arm serving as a handling device, the movement of the guide rail involved in the handling operation, the clamping operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, the releasing operation of the gripper of the robotic arm, the rotation operation of the rotating plate station involved in the handling operation, the scanning operation of the barcode scanner involved in the handling operation, the capping operation of the cap sucker involved in the handling operation, and the decapping operation of the cap sucker involved in the handling operation.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The transporting device performing the transporting operation is a robotic arm, and the transporting task operation instruction includes a first transporting parameter for the transported object at the starting position of the transporting operation and a second transporting parameter for the transported object at the destination position of the transporting operation. In the case where the first transfer parameter is different from the second transfer parameter, performing the task operation according to the task deduction result includes: Picking up the transport object at the starting position using the first transport parameter and transporting the transport object to the adjustment position; At the adjustment position, the transport object is re-mounted using the second transport parameter, and the transport object is transported to the destination position.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The method further includes: during the execution of the task operation, executing the multiple atomic operations serially or in parallel.

9. A control device for an automated process, characterized in that: include: An instruction acquisition module is used to acquire task operation instructions in the automation process, wherein the task operation instructions include transport task operation instructions, and the transport task operation instructions include parameters related to the starting position and the destination position of the corresponding transport operation; a task deduction module, configured to perform task deduction of the corresponding task operation according to the parameters in the task operation instruction to obtain a task deduction result, including: obtaining relevant parameters of the starting position and relevant parameters of the destination position from the transport task operation instruction; determining whether the position needs to be adjusted during the execution of the transport operation based on the relevant parameters of the starting position and the relevant parameters of the destination position, and determining the task deduction result, wherein the task deduction result includes execution parameters of multiple atomic operations in the task operation, wherein each atomic operation is executed by at least one execution device; A determination module is used to determine whether to execute the task operation according to the task deduction result, wherein if the task deduction result indicates that multiple atomic operations can be successfully executed, the task operation is executed.

10. An electronic device comprising a processor and a memory, wherein: The memory stores computer program instructions, which are used by the processor to execute the control method for an automated process according to any one of claims 1 to 8 when the processor is running the computer program instructions. 11 . A storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, wherein the program instructions are used to execute the control method for an automated process according to claim 1 when running.

Images