Manipulating device and method of operating a manipulating device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manipulating device (10) configured to lift and / or move at least one object (12) to be mounted in and / or on a building (14). The manipulating device (10) includes at least one traverse device (22) configured for use with a crane, an attachment device (28) connected to the traverse device (22) and configured to be attached to the object (12), at least one driving device (36) configured to movably drive the attachment device (28) to lift and / or move the object (12), and one or more sensors (40, 70) configured to sense one or more parameters related to an operation of the traverse device (10), during operation of the manipulating device (10). The manipulating device (10) is configured to generate and / or retrieve data based on the sensed parameters. One or more of the sensors (40, 70) are mounted on the traverse device (22). The manipulating device further includes a control device (42) configured to control the driving device (36) based on the data. The present invention further relates to a method of operating a manipulating device (10).

Description

[0001] Gropyus AG

[0002] Vossius Ref.: AJ3314 PCT S5

[0003] Manipulating device and method of operating a manipulating device

[0004] Buildings are a necessity in life and are used in various fields and / or for various purposes, e.g., for residential purposes and / or industrial purposes. Various types of equipment, e.g., one or 5 more transporting devices, are used to assemble buildings. For instance, cranes and / or traverse devices are often used to transport relatively heavy objects of the building(s) to be built or assembled, such as wall structures and / or roofs and / or beams and / or slabs, towards the respective target location.

[0005] 10 Such transporting devices, such as cranes and / or traverse devices, have been known and developed for many years and include various different configurations. The artificial intelligence KAI and its application for the control of industrial cranes, especially in the form of gantry cranes, are described in "Steuerung von Kranen mit Kunstlicher Intelligenz: Kran-AI KAI" (31. Internationale Kranfachtagung, Bochum, 24. Mai 2023, by Lange et al.) and in "Vollautonome Entladung von Rungenwagen auf Basis von in Echtzeit verarbeiteten 3D-Lidar- Daten in einem Multi-Agenten-System zur Steuerung von Industriekranen" (32. Kranfachtagung, Marz 2024, TU Dresden by Diederichsen et al.). In the second publication, an improved LIDAR processing chain is presented in detail, which enables fully autonomous unloading of stake cars based on 3D LIDAR data processed in real time. However, there is a need to improve the transporting devices known from the prior art.

[0006] For example, there is a need to facilitate operation of the transporting devices known from the prior art. Furthermore, there is a need to increase the safety of the transporting devices known from the prior art. Moreover, there is a need to increase the precision of the 25 transporting devices known from the prior art. In addition, there is a need to increase the efficiency of the transporting devices known from the prior art.

[0007] Hence, deficiencies remain with respect to the transporting devices known from the prior art. The prior art has not, or at least not sufficiently, addressed one or more of the disadvantages mentioned above.

[0008] Hence, it is an object of the present invention to improve handling of objects for assembling buildings, in particular by at least partially improving one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0009] 35

[0010] This object is achieved by a manipulating device defined by the features of claim 1 and by a method as defined by the features of claim 14. Variations and further developments aredefined by the features of the dependent claims 2 to 13.

[0011] As a central and essential element of the invention, the manipulating device includes at least one traverse, preferably at least one crane traverse. The manipulating device may also include at least one crane or may be configured for use with a crane. The traverse and the crane may be configured to be used together. In particular, the traverse may be operably attached to the crane. The manipulating device may be a component of or for the crane. The crane and / or the traverse may be configured to lift and / or move, e.g., rotate and / or level and / or translationally move, at least one object, preferably at least one object to be mounted in and / or on a building. The traverse includes an attachment device which may be connected to the traverse device and / or configured to be attached to the object. The manipulating device includes at least one driving device which may be configured to move or movably drive the object, when the object is attached to the attachment device, and / or the attachment device to lift and / or move the object. The manipulating device includes one or more sensors which may be configured to sense one or more parameters related to an operation of the traverse, during operation of the manipulating device. As a further central and essential element of the invention, one or more of the sensors are mounted on the traverse device. Additionally, one or more of the sensors may be mounted on the crane. Additionally, one or more of the sensors may be arranged separate from the traverse device and / or the crane, i.e., at a distance and / or detached from the traverse device and / or the crane. The manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / or the crane, may be configured to generate and / or retrieve, e.g., receive, and optionally send (e.g., as feedback), (for instance from a data storage data, e.g., a server or cloud), data based on the sensed parameters. As a further central and essential element of the invention, the manipulating device includes at least one control device which may be configured to control the driving device at least partially based on the data. Thus, the manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / orthe crane, maybe configured to monitor and / or evaluate, in particular via the sensors, one or more aspects or factors related to and / or which may impact the operation of the traverse, e.g., one or more weather conditions and / or obstacles, and provide information on the one or more aspects or factors to the control device. The data may be or may include real-time or substantially real-time data, in particular real-time sensor data generated by one or more of the sensors, and / or stored data and / or historical data, e.g., stored sensor data which may have been at least partially generated by or which may be based on one or more of the sensors.

[0012] Typically, the traverse device will have the form of a crossbar and can thus offer multiple points to which a load can be attached to. For this purpose, at least one attachment device is connected to the traverse device, which itself is configured to be attached to an object to belifted and / or moved. In addition, the attachment device is movably driven by at least one driving device to perform such lifting and / or moving of an object attached to the attachment device of the traverse device. In addition, the complete traverse device (and thereby also said attached object) may be moved by a crane. For example, the traverse device may be attached to a movable trolley device mounted on a crane jib of a rotary crane or to a cross-beam of a gantry crane.

[0013] The manipulating device may also be referred to as a manipulating system or handling device or handling system.

[0014] Configuring the control device to control one or more components and / or functions of the manipulating device, e.g., the driving device, at least partially based on the generated and / or retrieved data may allow the data based on the sensed parameters to be automatically taken into consideration by the control device, when controlling the one or more components and / or functions of the manipulating device, e.g., the driving device, e.g., as a feedback loop. This may facilitate operation of the manipulating device and / or may increase the safety of the manipulating device and the crane, e.g., by detecting one or more hazards and / or one or more conditions and / or one or more obstacles and / or one or more factors which may impact, in particular negatively impact, the operation of the manipulating device or the crane via the sensors and providing the data thereon to the control device to allow the control device to adapt, in particular automatically adapt, and / or adjust the controlling of the driving device by the control device based on the data. Thus, the risk of human error and / or a human not or not accurately detecting or evaluating certain risks and / or hazards may be reduced, in particular compared with a configuration in which the driving device would be manually adjusted and / or adapted by a human operator and / or in which one or more hazards and / or one or more conditions and / or one or more obstacles are detected and / or interpreted manually by a human operator.

[0015] Lifting tasks, in particular heavy lifting tasks, in construction rely on manual expertise of an operator and the competence of the construction crew to perform a lifting task. A lifting operation usually has three main components: a crane, a lifting means and a load. Physical interaction of these components and the influence of the environment (e.g., wind) may determine a performance grade of the lifting operation. In particular in the construction sector there are several potential variable factors and a relatively large area of operation which may cause uncertainty during lifting tasks and therefore may increase the complexity of the lifting tasks. This makes the automation of lifting, in particular heavy lifting, in construction relatively difficult. Since lifting is a safety and mission critical application, it is mainly performedmanually, which is physically demanding and extremely dangerous, since many objects to be transported / lifted are relatively heavy-weight, sometimes weighing several tons. The objects are co-handled between a crane operator and on-site or on-the-ground personnel, e.g., via radio communication. In the prior art, very little, if any, data is collected during a typical lifting operation. Time tracking may be performed manually, e.g., via analog entries in a construction logbook. Each lifting task is thus different and depends on the respective operator(s). Lifting tasks in the prior art are therefore prone to human error.

[0016] Thus, the manipulating device described herein may provide a data driven approach to improve operation of the manipulating device. For instance, decision-making by the manipulating device may be continuously improved, e.g., by selecting an optimal set of lifting actions for a given scenario based on the lifting operations that were performed previously and the generated and / or retrieved data.

[0017] Hence, the manipulating device described herein may increase the safety in lifting operations. The manipulating device described herein may enable active monitoring and may allow early detection of safety risks, e.g., in real-time.

[0018] Moreover, the manipulating device may enable continuous improvement of lifting operations, as the manipulating device may collect relevant data with each lifting cycle to enable, e.g., object identification, planning of transport paths of the object, safety monitoring, localization and positioning, weight control, weather awareness, etc. Moreover, the manipulating device described herein may increase the efficiency of lifting operations and / or may allow lifting operations to be performed more quickly, e.g., compared with manual operations. This may increase a rate of building. The construction industry has for years remained relatively unchanged for the most part, despite technological advancements in other fields. In this regard, a rate of building / assembly may be increased substantially or considerably

[0019] Furthermore, the manipulating device described herein may allow streamlining operations and / or reducing a number of unnecessary and / or redundant actions using heavy machinery to the necessary levels. This may reduce energy consumption.

[0020] In addition, this may allow the manipulating device, in particular the crane and / or the traverse, to be self-stabilizing and / or self-locating. This may reduce an influence and / or disturbances caused by external factors, such as weather.

[0021] WO 2024 / 217962 A2 discloses a fully automatic and autonomous crane control on the basisof an optical sensor system that is evaluated by artificial intelligence. A control system of the crane, which is based on artificial intelligence, thereby takes into account, in particular in addition to passively determined state information of the crane, measurement data which are actively acquired by means of the optical sensor system. From this, the control system can determine precise information concerning a current position of a crane gripper, but also concerning objects to be picked up with the gripper. However, in contrast to the present disclosure, WO 2024 / 217962 A2 does not mention a traverse device, let alone that one or more sensors are mounted on the traverse device. Instead, WO 2024 / 217962 A2 discloses that the optical sensor system is mounted on the crane in order to allow the optical sensor system to look down onto the gripper. By contrast, the present disclosure provides a number of benefits by mounting one or more of the sensors on the traverse device, such as enabling a self-stabilization and / or self-locating function of the traverse device and / or to more efficiently and accurately control the traverse device and / or one or more components of the traverse device.

[0022] The manipulating device may enable continuous improvement of lifting operations, as the manipulating device may collect relevant data with each lifting cycle. This may allow the manipulating device to learn optimal lifting tasks from previous runs.

[0023] Moreover, the manipulating device described herein may allow the manipulating device to be aware of building projects, logistics, a type and / or size of the object, and transport the object with limited or no assistance by construction workers on the site. The manipulating device may also predict and recognize impediments during the lifting process.

[0024] The manipulating device may be configured such that the manipulating device requires input (e.g., via a user input interface), e.g., confirmation, from an operator, before the control device can or is allowed to control the manipulating device, e.g., the driving device, at least partially based on the data. For instance, the manipulating device may be configured to suggest one or more actions based on the data and the manipulating device may require confirmation from the operator before the manipulating device can perform the one or more actions. This may allow the operator to check the operation of the manipulating device as an additional security measure. Human overwrite may always be active.

[0025] The manipulating device may be configured to be used, in particular sequentially, in a manual lifting operation mode and in a partially or fully automated lifting operation mode. The manipulating device may be configured to be capable of learning optimal lifting tasks from one or more previous operations or runs. The manipulating device may maintain local stabilityindependent of the weather conditions, or at least a relatively large range of weather conditions.

[0026] The "at least one object" is preferably a building element, i.e., a component of the building to be assembled, such as a wall or wall section, a roof or a section of a roof, a slab, a beam, etc.

[0027] The one or more sensors may be or may include one or more load cells, one or more tilt angle sensors, one or more inertial measurement unit sensors (IMUs), one or more laser imaging detection and ranging sensors (LiDAR), one or more cameras, preferably multi-purpose, industry grade cameras, for detection of a code, e.g., for QR code detection (QR) and area observation cameras (CAM). For instance, the one or more sensors may be or may include at least one high-resolution encoder system for visually encoding at least one code, e.g., at least one code located on the object and / or associated with the object.

[0028] The parameters may be or may include one or more parameters or parameter values related to and / or of the traverse and / or the object and / or an environment of the manipulating device and / or the object, e.g., at least one weight, at least one orientation, at least one weather condition, etc.

[0029] The driving device may be or may include at least one actuator and / or at least one motor, e.g., at least one electric motor, e.g., at least one linear motor and / or at least one rotary motor.

[0030] The driving device may be configured to rotatably, e.g., about at least one rotation axis, and / or translationally, e.g., along at least one axis, drive the attachment device and / or the object to lift and / or move and / or tilt and / or level the object.

[0031] The attachment device may be configured to be attached to the object by means of a frictional connection, e.g., via a clamp of the attachment device, and / or via a form-fit, e.g., via a hook of the attachment device.

[0032] The manipulating device may be configured to sense the parameters, by means of the sensors, at least during at least one learning operation and / or training operation, e.g., to train at least one model (further details are provided further below). This may allow the manipulating device to continuously learn and improve. Each lifting operation may be defined by several parameters i.e., element, location, path etc. Some of these parameters may be constant (e.g., the weight of the object), one or more other parameters may vary, e.g., depending on the conditions of the environment (e.g., wind speed). The manipulating device described hereinmay allow the influence of external conditions to be reduced which may allow a relatively efficient streamlining of lifting and / or may increase lifting efficiency.

[0033] The manipulating device may include an autonomous control which may be configured to decide which movements and / or processes shall be performed at which time and / or in which sequence.

[0034] The manipulating device may be configured to perform self-leveling and / or self-rotation based on generated and / or retrieved data.

[0035] The manipulating device may be configured to determine at least one preferable operation, e.g., a lifting operation, from a plurality of operations, e.g., a plurality of lifting operations. For instance, the manipulating device may be configured to determine that a first operation, e.g., a first lifting operation, of the manipulating device or the crane is preferable over at least a second operation, e.g., a second lifting operation, of the manipulating device, in particular based on one or more criteria. After determining the at least one preferable operation from a plurality of operations, the manipulating device may be configured to perform the operation or suggest to an operator to perform the operation according to the determined preferable operation. The criteria may include one or more of the following: a duration of the operation, an energy consumption by and / or during the operation, a general building state, one or more errors which occurred during operation, one or more delays which occurred during operation, etc. This may allow the manipulating device to optimize its operation.

[0036] The manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / or the crane, may be configured to generate and / or retrieve the data based on the sensed parameters such that the control device can control the driving device, during the learning operation and / or training operation and / or during normal operation, e.g., when the manipulating device is not learning / training and / or when the learned / trained is being applied to an operation, of the manipulating device, at least partially based on the data.

[0037] The manipulating device may be configured to apply or perform a feedback-based algorithm, wherein the retrieved and / or generated data are input into the algorithm, preferably based on each operation, e.g., each lift, of the manipulating device and / or crane, in particular to use this data to improve future operation, e.g., future lifting tasks, of the manipulating device and / or crane.The manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / or the crane, may be configured to perform transportation path planning of one or more transportation paths along which the object to be transported. For instance, the manipulating device may be configured to select a path from a plurality of candidate paths, e.g., based on the sensed parameters and / or the generated and / or retrieved data. This may allow the safest and / or most efficient path to be chosen, preferably based on real-time data and / or on the sensed parameters and / or the generated and / or retrieved data. For example, each lifting operation of the object may have multiple possible and / or available paths from a pickup location to a designated placement location. These paths may be different in their duration, energy consumption, safety etc. The manipulating device described herein may allow an optimal path to be selected from the multiple paths.

[0038] An exemplary operation allowed or provided by the manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / or the crane, may be as follows:

[0039] 1. Start with manual lifting operation with data logging.

[0040] 2. Perform semi-automated lifting operations with support of the sensors, in particular for regulating certain actions such as regulation of sway control or path traversing.

[0041] 3. Create at least one model that is using quantifiable criteria in decision making to select optimal candidates.

[0042] 4. Perform fully automated operation based on the model(s).

[0043] The algorithm may be applied or performed for one or more of the following: path planning and traversal, safety monitoring and assurance, and lifting efficiency.

[0044] The at least one model may include a plurality of models.

[0045] Each model may have one or more inputs and one or more outputs that provide input for decision-making for the operation of the manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / or crane. The one or more parameters, e.g., a lifting time, an energy consumption, a safety violation and / or condition, one or more weather conditions, etc., may be provided as input of the model. The parameters may define a quality of the respective operation. The manipulating device may be configured to decide or select the one or more parameters provided to the model as input.

[0046] The manipulating device may be configured to develop the model(s), e.g., at least partially during operation of the manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / or the crane.The model(s) may include a weighted scoring model which is configured to provide classification information that may enrich data used in training for fully automated lifting tasks. These parameters would compose certain global parameters for lifting operations under given conditions and would produce information such as risk factor, safety assurance factor or parameters that indicate prorogation of one goal against the other (e.g., safety vs. speed).

[0047] The model may be configured to perform local and / or global decision making. The model may be configured to perform local decision making on a function level and / or outside of operation of the manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / or the crane. The model being configured to perform global decision making will enable quantifiable selection of strategy during lifting. The following examples of two types of decision-making are provided below: 1. An example of local decision-making is: selection of a path that shall be followed during a lifting task.

[0048] 2. An example for global decision-making is: choose a lower risk strategy (e.g., slower, wider avoidance of obstacles) in case of one or more particular weather conditions, e.g., which are determined as being critical.

[0049] The data may be retrieved from at least one storage, e.g., a local storage and / or a server and / or cloud.

[0050] Preferably, the one or more parameters include one or more environmental parameters. The one or more environmental parameters may be collected and / or detected at or near a ground on which the crane is supported. In other words, the manipulating device may include one or more sensors configured to detect the one or more environmental parameters, the one or more sensors being arranged at or near the ground. The one or more sensors configured to detect the one or more environmental parameters may not be physically attached to the traverse and / or the crane. The one or more environmental parameters preferably include one or more weather conditions in an environment of the manipulating device, preferably including wind speed. This may allow a potential impact of the environment, e.g., one or more weather conditions, on operation of the manipulating device to be taken into consideration by the control device, when controlling the driving device. This may increase safety of the manipulating device and / or may reduce potential risks caused by the environment.

[0051] The terms "lift" or "lifting task", as used herein, may not be limited to moving an object in a vertical direction. Instead, the terms "lift" or "lifting task" cover any movement and / or load bearing of the object by means of the manipulating device, e.g., including vertical movements, horizontal movements, a static support of the object, rotational movements and / or levellingof the object, etc.

[0052] Alternatively, or additionally, the parameters may include one or more of the following: a duration of an operation or task of the manipulating device, in particular the traverse and / or the crane, e.g., a lifting time, an energy consumption, at least one safety violation, at least one safety criterion, one or more weather conditions, at least one distance, at least one element type. This may allow, e.g., to correctly determine an efficiency of an action of the manipulating device, e.g., a lifting action, e.g., dependent and / or independent from one or more weather conditions. This may allow a more precise and / or a corrected comparison between different actions, e.g., lifting actions.

[0053] Preferably, the one or more sensors include one or more sensors configured to detect a presence and / or a movement of one or more items in an environment of the manipulating device and / or the object. The one or more items preferably include one or more structures and / or one or more humans and / or one or more animals. This may allow the manipulating device to detect potential obstacles, e.g., in at least one potential movement path of the manipulating device, and to allow the control device to control the driving device accordingly to circumvent the respective obstacle / item, e.g., by adjusting a movement path of the manipulating device.

[0054] Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to identify the object based on at least some of the data. This may allow the one or more properties of the object, e.g., one or more dimensions and / or at least one weight and / or a type and / or a class of the object, to be identified. This may allow the control device to control the driving device by taking the identification of the object into account. This may allow the control of the manipulating device to be tailored and / or adapted to the identified object.

[0055] Preferably, at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to read at least one indicium associated with the object. Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to identify the object and / or to control, by means of the control device, the driving device based at least partially on the detected indicium. The indicium may be at least one code, e.g., graphic code, e.g., a QR code and / or a barcode. The indicium may be arranged on at least a portion of the object, e.g., adhesively attached to or printed on the object.

[0056] Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to retrieve or receive information on the object based on the identification of the object. Preferably, the information includes one or more of the following: an object name and / or an object type, a target location of the object,in particular a target building floor on which the object is to be mounted, a target building section and / or a target apartment in which the object is to be mounted, a target orientation of the object, a weight of the object, one or more dimensions of the object, and number of attachment points.

[0057] Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to determine whether the object is attached to the attachment device according to a predetermined attachment condition, in particular before the driving device is actuated, in particular by the control device, and / or a user is allowed and / or able to actuate the driving device. This may increase the safety of the manipulating device. For instance, the manipulating device is configured to determine whether the attachment device, e.g., one or more hooks (preferably all hooks) of the attachment device, is in a closed state and / or fixedly engages the object.

[0058] Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to determine whether one or more properties of the object meet one or more predetermined requirements and / or one or more predetermined target parameters, in particular before the control device actuates the driving device and / or a user is allowed and / or able to actuate the driving device and / or during a lifting action and / or when the object is hanging and / or airborne. Preferably, the one or more properties of the object include one or more of the following: a weight of the object, one or more dimensions of the object, and an orientation of the object. This may allow to ensure that the correct object is to be transported, e.g., that a certain target or predetermined object is to be transported. This may increase the safety and / or efficiency of the manipulating device.

[0059] Preferably, the manipulating device includes at least one communication interface configured to communicate with one or more external devices. Preferably, the communication interface is configured to provide a broadband internet connection. For instance, the communication interface may be a 5G interface.

[0060] Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to autonomously or semi-autonomously move the object to a target position and / or a target orientation in and / or at the building based at least partially on the data. This may facilitate operation of the manipulating device and / or reduce human error. In fact, this may allow the manipulating device to be operated, at least for one or more time periods, without human intervention.

[0061] Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to determine at least one transportation path to transport the object to a target position, in particular a target position in and / or at the building, based at least partially on the data. The manipulating device may be configured totransport the object along the determined transportation path automatically or autonomously or semi-automatically or semi-autonomously. Alternatively, the manipulating device may be configured to provide instructions to an operator to manually transport the object along the determined transportation path. This may increase the efficiency and / or the safety and / or the user-friendliness of the manipulating device.

[0062] Preferably, at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to detect one or more obstacles and to determine the transportation path based at least partially on the detected obstacle(s). This may allow a potential collision with the obstacle to be avoided, or may at least reduce the risk thereof.

[0063] Preferably, the manipulating device includes at least one storage device and / or may be configured to access at least one storage device configured to store at least some of the data. For instance, the storage device may be or may include a local storage device and / or a remote storage device, e.g., a server or cloud. The control device is preferably configured to adapt and / or optimize the control of the manipulating device, in particular of the driving device, in particular by the control device, at least partially based on the stored data. This may allow data, e.g., historical data, e.g., historical data related to the parameters, to be retrieved from the storage device.

[0064] Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to operate in a learning phase or learning operation in which one or more operations of the manipulating device are performed manually or at least partially manually by a user and the manipulating device is configured to adapt based on the one or more operations performed manually or at least partially manually by the user such that the manipulating device is able to adapt to automatically or semi-automatically perform the one or more operations. In other words, the manual or semimanual operation performed by the user may be used as a reference for the learning phase or learning operation. The manipulating device may learn from the manual or semi-manual operation in order to automatize orsemi-automatize the operation of the manipulating device based on the generated and / or retrieved data. In particular, in the learning phase or learning operation, the manipulating device may be configured to correlate the data generated and / or retrieved during and / or based on the manual or semi-manual operation and convert the data into digital processes that are, in the following operation, fully or partly automated.

[0065] Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to increase a degree of automation, in particular provided by the control device, of one or more operations, preferably continuously, based on the data.Preferably, the manipulating device is configured to create and / or adapt one or more models which each includes one or more criteria for making decisions during operation of the manipulating device. The one or more models may be configured as decision-making models.

[0066] Preferably, the one or more sensors are configured to detect one or more of the following: a speed of movement of at least a portion of the manipulating device and / or the object, an orientation and / or a position of at least a portion of the manipulating device and / or the object, a degree of leveling and / or a deviation from a level state of the manipulating device and / or the object, a wind speed, a weight and / or load of the object, an acceleration of at least a portion of the manipulating device and / or the object, whether the attachment device is in a closed or secured state or an open or unsecured state, and one or more obstacles. Alternatively, or additionally, the attachment device, e.g., one or more hooks of the attachment device, may be configured to generate and send at least one signal, e.g., to at least one control device of the manipulating device and / or the traverse device, that indicates whether the attachment device, in particular the one or more hooks, is in a closed or secured state or an open or unsecured state.

[0067] The object mentioned at the beginning is also achieved by a method of operating the manipulating device of any of the embodiments described herein configured to lift and / or move at least one object to be mounted in and / or on a building. As mentioned herein, the manipulating device includes at least one traverse device configured for use with a crane. The effects, advantages, and embodiments, as described herein, e.g., above, with respect to the manipulating device apply to the method accordingly.

[0068] The method described herein is not limited to a certain sequence of the steps of the methods. The steps of the method may be performed in any technically feasible sequence.

[0069] As an essential step, the method includes:

[0070] movably driving, by at least one driving device, at least one attachment device attached to the object to lift and / or move the object.

[0071] As a further essential step, the method includes:

[0072] sensing, by one or more sensors mounted on the traverse device, one or more parameters related to an operation of the traverse device.

[0073] As a further essential step, the method includes:generating and / or retrieving data based on the sensed parameters.

[0074] The driving device is controlled by at least one control device at least partially based on the data.

[0075] Preferably, the method includes or is at least partially performed during at least one learning phase or at least one learning operation in which one or more operations, preferably the entire operation, of the manipulating device are adapted and / or optimized based at least partially on the data, in particular for normal operation of the manipulating device.

[0076] Preferably, during the learning phase or learning operation, the operations of the manipulating device are performed manually by a user and the manipulating device is configured to adapt at least some of the operations of the manipulating device based on the operations performed manually by the user, in particular such that the manipulating device is able to adapt to automatically or semi-automatically perform at least some of the operations.

[0077] The following list of aspects provides preferred embodiments of the present disclosure:

[0078] 1. A manipulating device configured to lift and / or move at least one object, in particular at least one object to be mounted in and / or on a building, the manipulating device including:

[0079] optionally, at least one attachment device configured to be attached to the object;

[0080] at least one driving device configured to move or movably drive the object, when the object is attached to the manipulating device, preferably to the attachment device, and / or the attachment device to lift and / or move the object;

[0081] a traverse device, in particular a crane traverse configured for use with a crane; one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters related to an operation of the traverse device , in particular during operation and / or before operation of the manipulating device, wherein one or more of the sensors are mounted on the traverse device, optionally wherein the manipulating device is configured to generate and / or retrieve data based on the sensed parameters; and at least one control device configured to control the driving device at least partially based on data related to and / or based on the sensed parameters, in particular at least partially based on the generated and / or retrieved data.

[0082] 2. The manipulating device of aspect 1, wherein the one or more parameters include oneor more environmental parameters, which preferably include one or more weather conditions in an environment of the manipulating device, preferably including wind speed.

[0083] 3. The manipulating device of aspect 1 or 2, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more sensors configured to detect a presence and / or a movement of one or more items, preferably including one or more structures and / or one or more humans and / or one or more animals, in an environment of the manipulating device and / or the object.

[0084] 4. The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device is configured to identify the object based on at least some of the data.

[0085] 5. The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to read at least one indicium associated with the object, preferably wherein the manipulating device is configured to identify the object and / or to control, preferably by means of the control device, the driving device based at least partially on the detected indicium.

[0086] 6. The manipulating device of aspect 4 or 5, wherein the manipulating device is configured to retrieve or receive information on the object based on the identification of the object, preferably wherein the information includes one or more of the following: an object name and / or an object type, a target location of the object, in particular a target building floor on which the object is to be mounted, a target building section and / or a target apartment in which the object is to be mounted, a target orientation of the object, a weight of the object, and one or more dimensions of the object.

[0087] 7. The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device is configured to determine whether the object is attached to the attachment device according to a predetermined attachment condition, in particular before the driving device is actuated, preferably by the control device, and / or a user is allowed and / or able to actuate the driving device.

[0088] 8. The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device is configured to determine whether one or more properties, in particular of the object, meet one or more predetermined requirements and / or one or more predetermined target parameters, in particular before the control device actuates thedriving device and / or a user is allowed and / or able to actuate the driving device, preferably wherein the one or more properties include one or more of the following: a weight of the object, one or more dimensions of the object, an orientation of the object, a number of attachment points between the manipulating device and the object, or a status of one or more attachment point(s) between the manipulating device and the object, e.g. whether the attachment point(s) is / are open or closed.

[0089] The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, including at least one communication interface configured to communicate with one or more external devices, preferably wherein the communication interface is configured to provide a broadband internet connection.

[0090] The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device is configured to autonomously or semi-autonomously move the object to a target position and / or a target orientation in and / or at the building based at least partially on the data.

[0091] The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device is configured to determine at least one transportation path to transport the object to a target position, in particular a target position in and / or at the building, based at least partially on the data.

[0092] The manipulating device of aspect 11, wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is configured to detect one or more obstacles and to determine the transportation path based at least partially on the detected obstacle(s).

[0093] The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, further including at least one storage device configured to store at least some of the data, wherein the control device is configured to adapt and / or optimize the control of the manipulating device, in particular of the driving device, in particular by the control device, at least partially based on the stored data.

[0094] The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device is configured to operate in a learning phase in which one or more operations of the manipulating device are performed manually by a user and the manipulating device is configured to adapt based on the one or more operations performed manually by the user such that the manipulating device is able to adapt toautomatically or semi-automatically perform the one or more operations.

[0095] 15. The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device is configured to increase a degree of automation, in particular provided by the control device, of one or more operations, preferably continuously, based on the data.

[0096] 16. The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device is configured to create and / or adapt one or more models which each includes one or more criteria for making decisions during operation of the manipulating device.

[0097] 17. The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect one or more of the following: a speed of movement of at least a portion of the manipulating device and / or the object, an orientation and / or a position of at least a portion of the manipulating device and / or the object, a degree of leveling and / or a deviation from a level state of the manipulating device and / or the object, a wind speed, a weight and / or load of the object, an acceleration of at least a portion of the manipulating device and / or the object, whether the attachment device is in a closed state or an open state, and one or more obstacles.

[0098] 18. The manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the manipulating device includes a crane which is operably connected or connectable to the traverse device.

[0099] 19. A system including at least one manipulating device of any of the preceding aspects and at least one crane which is operably connected or connectable to the traverse device.

[0100] 20. A method of operating a manipulating device, preferably the manipulating device of any of aspects 1 to 18, configured to lift and / or move at least one object, preferably at least one object to be mounted in and / or on a building, the manipulating device including at least one traverse device configured for use with a crane, at least one attachment device connected to the traverse device and configured to be attached to the object, at least one driving device configured to movably drive the attachment device to lift and / or move the object, one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters related to an operation of the traverse device, during operation of the manipulating device, wherein the manipulating device is configured to generate and / or retrieve data based on the sensed parameters, wherein one or more of thesensors are mounted on the traverse device, and at least one control device configured to control the driving device at least partially based on the data, the method including:

[0101] movably driving, by the driving device, the attachment device attached to the object to lift and / or move the object;

[0102] sensing, by the sensors, the parameters,

[0103] generating and / or retrieving data based on the sensed parameters; wherein the driving device is controlled by at least one control device at least partially based on data related to and / or based on the sensed parameters, in particular at least partially based on the generated and / or retrieved data.

[0104] 21. The method of aspect 20, wherein the method includes or is at least partially performed during at least one learning phase or at least one learning operation in which one or more operations, preferably the entire operation, of the manipulating device are adapted and / or optimized based at least partially on the data, in particular for normal operation of the manipulating device.

[0105] 22. The method of aspect 21, wherein, during the learning phase or learning operation, the operations of the manipulating device are performed manually by a user and the manipulating device is configured to adapt at least some of operations of the manipulating device based on the operations performed manually by the user, in particular such that the manipulating device is able to adapt to automatically or semi- automatically perform at least some of the operations.

[0106] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated below with reference to the figures. The described embodiments are merely exemplary and do not limit the present invention, as defined by the claims and their respective equivalents.

[0107] Fig. 1 shows, in a schematic front view, a manipulating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0108] Fig. 2 shows, in a schematic perspective view, a traverse device of the manipulating device of Fig. 1;

[0109] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a standard lifting process according to the prior art;

[0110] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart of a learning stage of the manipulating device of Figs. 1 and 2;Fig. 5 shows a flowchart of an automated stage of the manipulating device of Figs. 1 and 2;

[0111] Fig. 6 shows, in a schematic side view, the manipulating device of Fig. 1 in operation;

[0112] and

[0113] Fig. 7 shows a learning phase of the manipulating device 10.

[0114] Fig. 1 schematically shows, in a front view, a manipulating device 10 configured to lift and / or move at least one object 12 to be mounted in and / or on a building 14. The manipulating device 10 may include a crane 11A which may include at least one base structure 16 configured to support the crane 11A on a surface 18, e.g., a ground, and at least one crane jib 20 connected to the base structure 16. According to the invention, the manipulating device 10 also includes at least one traverse device 22. The traverse device 22 may be connected to the base structure 16, more specifically to the crane jib 20. The manipulating device 10 can be adjusted, e.g., in height, to support different building heights.

[0115] The crane 11A may be configured to be set up and removed relatively easily and / or quickly and / or may be configured to be set up and / or mounted temporarily, e.g., by placing the crane 11A on the ground and / or by not anchoring the crane 11A in and / or to the ground. Such a crane may be referred to as a flexible or temporary crane. Alternatively, or additionally, the crane 11A, in particular the base structure 16, may be anchored, e.g., on a ground.

[0116] However, alternatively, the crane may be a standard crane, i.e., a permanent crane, as shown in Fig. 6 (see the crane 11B), e.g., by anchoring the crane 11B in and / or to the ground.

[0117] The crane 11A may include a cover, e.g., to protect at least a portion of the crane 11A against weather.

[0118] A reference device 19 may be provided. The reference device 19 may be a component of the manipulating device 10. The reference device 19 may be configured to detect one or more references, e.g., one or more reference points and / or one or more reference surfaces, and provide information on the detected references, e.g., to a component of the manipulating device 10, e.g., a control device, e.g., the control device 42 discussed further below. The detected references may provide a basis for controlling the manipulating device 10. The reference device 19 may be configured as or may include a theodolite.

[0119] The traverse device 22 may be configured as an integrated unit. As shown in Fig. 2, the traversedevice 22 may include a main girder 23 and one or more cross beams 25. The traverse device 22 may include at least one support structure 15 configured to support sensor equipment, which may include one or more sensors (as described further below in more detail), and / or one or more auxiliary devices, such as one or more lights, and / or optionally one or more devices configured to cooperate and / or communicate with the sensors.

[0120] The traverse device 22 may be configured to distribute forces of the object 12 relatively evenly, in particular to achieve vertical lifting angles. The main girder 23 may be configured for lifting wall elements while the cross beams 25 may be configured to lift, e.g., prefabricated slab elements and bath pods. The traverse device 22 may include multiple lifting points, e.g., to reach an overall lifting capacity of at least 1 ton, preferably at least 2 tons, preferably at least 3 tons, preferably at least 4 tons, preferably at least 5 tons, preferably at least 6 tons, preferably at least 7 tons, preferably at least 8 tons, preferably at least 9 tons, preferably at least 10 tons. A main central lifting point 27 may be capable of lifting 10 tons and / or may be configured to lift bulk material and / or loose material, such as flooring or pallets of plaster and paint.

[0121] The traverse device 22 includes at least one attachment device 28 configured to be attached to the object 12. The traverse device 22 may be connected to the crane jib 20 via at least one interconnecting member 30 (see Fig. 1). The traverse device 22 may include and / or may be coupled to at least one trolley device 34, e.g., via the interconnecting member 30. The crane 11A may include one or more sensors, e.g., one or cameras and / or LiDARs, configured to track the position of the crane 11A and / or the trolley device 34. The one or more sensors may be attached to the crane jib 20. The one or more sensors may be configured to map the position of the traverse 22 and the object 12, in particular in the open space, and compare the relative position of the traverse 22 and the object 12 compared with a calculated lifting path.

[0122] As shown in Fig. 2, the traverse device 22 includes at least one driving device 36 which may be configured to movably drive, i.e., the attachment device 28 to lift and / or move the object 12, in particular relative to the crane jib 20 and / or the base structure 16 and / or the surface 18 and / or the building 14. The driving device 36 may be configured to rotatably and / or translationally drive / move the attachment device 28, and thus the object 12.

[0123] The driving device 36 may include at least one rotation unit 37 configured to rotatably drive or move the object 12, when the object 12 is attached to the traverse device 22 via the attachment device 28. The rotation unit 37 may include at least one rotation gear box 39 and at least one rotation engine 41. The rotation unit 37 may include at least one servo controller43.

[0124] The traverse device 22, in particular the driving device 36, may include at least one leveling engine 45 (which may include at least one servo controller) configured to at least partially level the traverse device 22.

[0125] The traverse device 22 includes one or more sensors 40 configured to sense one or more parameters related to an operation of the traverse device 22, in particular during operation of the traverse device 22. The traverse device 22 may be configured to generate and / or retrieve data based on the sensed parameters.

[0126] The sensor(s) 40 may include one or more safety sensors configured to detect a movement of the traverse device 22. The one or more safety sensors may include one or more inductive sensors configured to limit movement of and / or communicate with a leveling mechanism of the traverse device 22, one or more inclination sensors configured to detect a current tilt angle, one or more inertial measurement unit sensors (IMUs) configured to measure movement acceleration, in particular in and / or along six axes, in particular for various purposes, such as sway control or smooth lifting or positioning, one or more environmental sensors which may include one or more laser imaging detection and raging sensors (LiDAR), one or more multi-purpose industry grade cameras for QR code detection (QR), and / or one or more area observation cameras (CAM).

[0127] The sensor(s) 40 may include one or more of the following: At least one inertial measurement sensor, in particular at least one inertial measurement unit 6-axis sensor, at least one inductive sensor, at least one inclination sensor, in particular at least one high measurement accuracy two axis (e.g., X-Y axes) inclination sensor, at least one load cell 58, at least one area scan camera, at least one code scanner (which may be configured as a camera), preferably at least one QR code scanner, in particular for scanning at least one code which may be arranged on the object 12 and / or may be associated with the object 12, and at least one 3D laser scanning Lidar. For instance, the sensor(s) 40 may be or may include at least one high-resolution encoder system for visually encoding at least one code, e.g., at least one code located on the object and / or associated with the object 12.

[0128] Preferably, at least one sensor of the sensor(s) 40 is configured to read at least one indicium associated with the object 12. Preferably, the traverse device 22 is configured to identify the object and / or to control, by means of a control device 42, the driving device 36 based at least partially on the detected indicium. The indicium may be at least one code, e.g., graphic code,e.g., a QR code and / or a barcode. The indicium may be arranged on at least a portion of the object 12, e.g., adhesively attached to or printed on the object 12.

[0129] One or more further sensors may be provided. For instance, there may be provided at least one sensor 70 configured to detect and / or receive at least one weather condition. The sensor 70 may be configured as a weather station, preferably a local weather station. The sensor 70, e.g., the weather station, may include at least one transmission device, e.g., a 5G transmission device, e.g., for sending and / or receiving data. The manipulating device 10 may include the sensor 70.

[0130] There may be provided at least one processing and / or data storage device 72, e.g., a local processing and / or data storage device 72. The device 72 may be configured to process and / or store and / or retrieve data for and / or from and / or of the manipulating device 10. The manipulating device 10 may include the device 72. The device 72 may allow or facilitate a partial or fully autonomous control of the manipulating device 10 and / or the traverse device 22.

[0131] The traverse device 22 includes the control device 42 configured to control the driving device 36 at least partially based on the data. The traverse device 22 may include at least one processing unit 46 configured to process the data generated, e.g., by one or more of the one or more sensors 40, and / or retrieved data based on the sensed parameters. The processing unit 46 may be configured to collect and / or process and / or perform data transformations and / or or perform data analysis based on all data generated and / or retrieved based on the sensed parameters. The processing unit 46 may be configured to interface all sensors 40. The processing unit 46 may be configured as or may include at least one industrial computer.

[0132] The traverse device 22 may include at least one second attachment device 50 configured to attach the traverse device 22 to the crane jib 20, e.g., via one or more chains, ropes, etc. The second attachment device 50 may be configured as a hook, as shown in Fig. 2.

[0133] The traverse device 22 may include at least one energy storage device 52. The energy storage device 52 may be or may include at least one battery, in particular at least one rechargeable battery. The energy storage device 52 may be or may include at least one pneumatic energy storage configured to store a compressed gas. Additionally, or alternatively, the traverse device 22 may be configured to be powered by one or more external power sources, e.g., via a power cable.The attachment device 28 may include one or more hooks 56 configured to attach to the object 12, as shown in an exemplary manner in Fig. 2. However, the attachment device 28 may include any type of attachment element(s) 56, e.g., one or more clamps or magnets, etc., configured to attachably engage with the object 12, e.g., via a form-fit connection and / or a frictional connection between the respective attachment element 56 and the object 12. The attachment elements 56 may be configured to be remotely controlled, e.g., such that the attachment elements 56 can be operated either by a crane operator or automatically via a control device (see the control device 42 described further below).

[0134] One or more load cells 58 may be attached or coupled to one or more, preferably each, of the attachment element(s) 56. The load cells 58 may be configured to measure a weight of a load, in particular of the object 12, on one or more of the attachment element(s) 56. This may serve as an indicator whether the object 12 is in the air, i.e., is lifted or suspended, or is on the ground and / or a surface, i.e., is not lifted or not completely lifted. The weight measurements via the load cells 58 may be used to ensure correct weight of the object 12 and support identification of the object 12 and / or quality control and / or risk reduction and / or accident prevention. Moreover, a misalignment of weight(s) on the traverse device 22 may indicate safety risks such as detached or faulty attachment element(s) 56 and / or anchor points on the object 12.

[0135] The traverse device 22 may include one or more lights 62. The lights 62 may be configured to illuminate a working area and / or the area for the QR code reading.

[0136] The traverse device 22 may include at least one communication interface 64 which may be configured to communicate with one or more external devices and / or to communicatively couple components of the traverse device 22 and / or the crane 11A. Preferably, the communication interface 64 is configured to provide a broadband internet connection. For instance, the communication interface 64 may be a 5G interface.

[0137] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a standard lifting process according to the prior art. As shown in Fig. 3, in the standard lifting process according to the prior art, the tasks are usually performed manually using a heavy lifting crane and in close coordination between floor workers and the crane operators. The present disclosure may augment a traditional lifting process with data driven functions, as described herein and shown in the Figures.

[0138] By introducing a data-driven approach, as disclosed herein, the present disclosure provides improvement over traditional lifting processes, e.g., by increasing overall efficiency and safetyby a significant margin.

[0139] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart of a learning stage of the manipulating device 10.

[0140] The manipulating device 10 may be configured for full automation, in particular with the ability to accommodate and / or perform intermediate stages necessary to reach full autonomy. These stages can be divided into a learning stage, an automation stage and a fully autonomous stage. These stages may allow data to first be collected, evaluated and used to train one or more algorithms capable of decision-making to allow for higher automation stages. The algorithms may be performed by the processing unit 46 and / or a cloud.

[0141] In the autonomous stage, the traverse 22 can map the building 14 while no object 12 is attached. The mapping of this point cloud can be used to ensure general tolerances of the building 14 as well as the documentation of the current production and / or assembly stage.

[0142] An assembly process on a construction site may start with the arrival of one or more objects 12 via truck on the construction site. The initial location of the objects 12 on the construction site is called a pick-up location or "Lload". The objects 12 may be positioned for optimal lifting such that necessary surface areas and lifting points may be exposed. In this stage, the process may be fully controlled by a crane operator and the on-site personal, i.e., fully manually. However, the data from the sensors 40 on the manipulating device 10 may be collected and stored during this stage. Each lifting process may be recorded and used as a reference for automation and optimization steps based on one or more criteria, such as speed of lifting and positioning or energy consumption.

[0143] The process may continue with the crane operator placing the traverse device 22 above the respective object 12. One or more lifting chains may be manually moved above a lifting point of the respective object 12. After the attachment devices are attached to the object 12, the lifting operation may start. As soon as the attachment devices are closed (which may be detected by at least one sensor of the sensor(s) 40), the functions for safety and data collection may be activated.

[0144] Each object 12, e.g., each wall or slab element, may be digitally tracked from planning to production and finally to the assembly process. This may allow each object 12 to have a distinct digital profile, which may include one or more of the following: a project ID, a building ID, a building sequence order, a name and / or type of the object 12, a location of the object 12, a floor of the building, a target section or apartment of the building, an orientation, e.g., atarget orientation, of the object 12, a weight of the object 12, a size of the object 12, a number of attachment points, etc.

[0145] This information may be collected via Data Fabric and related services (e.g., MES, On-Site (Gropyus Data management-system forthe construction site), BuildingTwin) and may be used for identification of the object 12 and / or calculation of safety margins and / or an efficiency score during lifting operations.

[0146] The process shown in Fig. 4 is explained below.

[0147] 1. Object Identification

[0148] a. The traverse device 22 is driven to the pick-up area and positioned above an object 12.

[0149] The object 12 is recognized in advance, e.g., using a QR code located on the object 12. The QR code reading can be done either via a camera of the traverse device 22 or by a hand-held scanner device.

[0150] 2. Manual attachment of object 12 via the attachment device.

[0151] a. Confirmation that all necessary (depending on the object 12) attachment device are closed. This is a safety measure monitored by the Safety Monitoring.

[0152] b. Further, data logging from all sensors (IMU, Camera, Lidar, Load Cell, Weather Conditions) is started.

[0153] 3. Start Lifting Process

[0154] a. Check the weight of the object 12 from the profile of the object 12 (Data Fabric and related services). This is a safety feature that may direct lifting procedures.

[0155] b. Second weight check includes monitoring of individual attachment devices and weights on the load cells. This is also a safety feature. Any discrepancy in weight distribution may be regarded as safety risk and indicates a problem on one of the attachment devices , respectively.

[0156] 4. Stabilizing of object 12.

[0157] a. When airborne in safe position, the crane operator may perform manual leveling and rotation corrections for the preferred lifting plan.

[0158] 5. Go to designated position Lbuild in the lifting area

[0159] a. In this step, the crane operator may determine / propose, in particular manually, a path to transport the object 12 within general lifting area to the designated positioning Lbuild.

[0160] b. The crane operator may perform a series of manual movements of the object 12 to reach designated position Lbuild.c. In some cases, objects 12 are not stacked according to the building sequence and need to be temporarily relocated. In this case, the objects 12 may not be transported to the Lbuild but to a secondary pick-up area.

[0161] 6. Fine-grained positioning

[0162] a. Once a general vicinity of the Lbuild is reached, the object 12 needs to be prepared for final placement. The object 12 may be slowly guided into designated position Lbuild with the help of on-site personal.

[0163] 7. Securing the object 12 in place

[0164] a. Once the object 12 is in place, the crane operator maintains the connection to the crane until the object 12 is secured in place via connectors (e.g., such that there is no tension or substantially no tension between the traverse 22 and the object 12).

[0165] b. Before the attachment devices can be released, the operator and on-site personal need the confirmation that load cells on all attachment devices are zero (no weight present).

[0166] 8. Open and detach attachment devices

[0167] a. When all load cells show zero and there is no tension on the object 12 from the crane, attachment devices can be opened by a manual remote control by the crane operator. b. Crane operator receives confirmation that all attachment devices are opened.

[0168] c. At this stage the system automatically stops data logging for the given and / or specific and / or performed lifting operation.

[0169] Hence, in the learning stage, the lifting process may still contain several manual actions. However, data is recorded, in particular by the sensors 40, during the manual actions to be used as a reference, e.g., for actions in the future. In the learning process, data from the lifts may be correlated with future tasks and may convert them into digital processes that are, in the future stages, fully or partly automated. One example may be Step 5: Go to designated position Lbuild where important parameters like acceleration on lifting, movement, or sway control to counter inertia or wind are provided. These parameters may be mapped in a model to a specific type of object 12 and to specific conditions. These parameters may be used as a reference in the automation process. This may correspond to Level 1-2 of the automation scale defined by SAE.

[0170] Fig. 5 shows a flowchart of an automated stage of the manipulating device 10.

[0171] The automated stage may provide an increase in automation according to SAE scale to Level 3-4. The above-defined lifting tasks may be performed either automatically with supervision, optionally with the ability to interrupt, or fully autonomously. The automated stage may extend or include or maintain the or a learning stage by utilizing the collected data andautomating certain processes. Thus, a learning aspect may be maintained in the automated stage for further optimizations.

[0172] The process shown in Fig. 5 is explained below.

[0173] Lifting process in the Automation Stage of the manipulating device 10:

[0174] 1. Identification of object 12

[0175] a. The traverse device 22 is automatically driven to the pick-up area.

[0176] b. Available QR codes may be scanned and searched for the next object 12 in the building sequence.

[0177] c. The object 12 is identified, and the corresponding profile information of the object 12 is received from Data Fabric. Corresponding lift sequence is digitally instantiated in the corresponding data base. Finally, all data logging can be started including all sensors and cameras.

[0178] 2. Attachment of the object 12 via attachment elements, e.g., hooks, grippers

[0179] a. This step may be performed manually or automatically or remotely. Confirmation that all necessary (e.g., depending on the object 12) attachment devices are closed.

[0180] 3. Start Lifting Process

[0181] a. Check the weight of the object 12 from the profile of the object 12 (e.g., Data Fabric and related services). This may be a safety feature that directs lifting procedures.

[0182] b. Second weight check includes monitoring of individual attachment devices and weights on the load cells. This may also be a safety feature. Any discrepancy in weight distribution may be regarded as a safety risk and may indicate a problem with one of the attachment devices and / or one or more attachment points between the traverse 22 and the object 12, respectively.

[0183] c. A collision detection under safety monitoring function may be activated.

[0184] 4. Stabilizing the object 12

[0185] a. When airborne in safe position, the traverse device 22 may perform automated leveling and rotation corrections for the preferred lifting plan using a self-regulation algorithm that may rely on level and orientation sensors, e.g., of the sensors 40, to establish an optimal position for the given lifting task of the object 12. Optimal stable position and orientation may be determined using former lifting data with objects 12 of similar type, weight and designated location Lbuild, in combination with real-time sensor data. 5. Go to designated position Lbuild in the lifting area

[0186] a. In this step, automated control of the traverse device 22, via the control device 42, may perform the task of transporting the object 12, in particular within the general lifting area to the designated positioning Lbuild. The path may be established by the pathplanning and positioning function. To calculate an optimal plan, multiple factors may be taken into consideration, such as profile of the object 12, potential obstacles, weather conditions, safety conditions and optimization criteria such as speed of lifting and energy consumption.

[0187] b. Automated movement of the object 12 to reach designated position Lbuild according to the proposed plan.

[0188] c. In some cases, objects 12 may not be stacked according to the building sequence and may need to be temporarily relocated. In case the objects 12 are not transported to the Lbuild, the objects 12 may be transported to a secondary pick-up area.

[0189] d. During this action all safety functions are active including automatic active sway control based on real-time input from sensors and weather conditions.

[0190] 6. Fine-grained positioning

[0191] a. Once a general vicinity of the Lbuild is reached, the object 12 may be prepared for final placement.

[0192] b. The object 12 may be slowly guided into final placement at the position Lbuild. This may be performed in coordination with sensor input (in particular from sensor(s) 40) such as lidar that may scan close proximity of Lbuild and identifies potential obstacles. Further, path planning and positioning may define a fine-grained positioning path.

[0193] c. The process may be controlled by on-site personal with the capability of manual override.

[0194] 7. Securing the object 12 in place

[0195] a. Once the object 12 is in place, the crane operator maintain a connection between the traverse 22 and the object 12 until the object 12 is secured in place via connectors. b. Before the attachment devices can be released, the operator may confirm that load cells on all attachment devices show zero (i.e., no weight present).

[0196] c. This step may be repeated.

[0197] 8. Open and detach attachment devices

[0198] a. When all load cells are zero and there is no tension on the attachment devices, the attachment devices may be opened by a manual remote control by the crane operator. b. Crane operator receives confirmation that all attachment devices are opened.

[0199] c. At this stage, the manipulating device 10 may automatically stop data logging or proceed to the next operation.

[0200] Fig. 6 shows, in a schematic side view, the manipulating device 10 during operation.

[0201] As shown in Fig. 6, a truck or other transportation vehicle or device 80 may deliver the object 12 to a site, in particular a construction site. The object 12 may be located in location 82, e.g.,at the truck 80. The manipulating device 22 may be moved to location 82 to retrieve the object 12.

[0202] The aim may be to transport the object 12 to a second location 84 (e.g., a designated target location), e.g., on the building 14. The traverse device 22 and / or the crane 11B may be configured to operate in a working area 86. In the working area 86, a plurality of transportation paths 90A, 90B, 90C may be available or possible to transport the object 12 from location 82 to location 84. The manipulating device 10 may be configured to select a transportation path of the transportation paths 90A, 90B, 90C based on the sensing performed by the sensors 40, as discussed herein.

[0203] In other words, the manipulating device 10 may be configured to perform transportation path planning of one or more transportation paths 90A, 90B, 90C along which the object 12 is to be or may be transported. For instance, the manipulating device 10 may be configured to select a transportation path from a plurality of candidate transportation paths 90A, 90B, 90C, e.g., based on the sensed parameters and / or the generated and / or retrieved data. This may allow the safest and / or most efficient transportation path to be chosen, preferably based on realtime data and / or on the sensed parameters and / or the generated and / or retrieved data. For example, each lifting operation of the object 12 may have multiple possible and / or available transportation paths from a pickup location, e.g., location 82, to a designated placement location, e.g., location 84. These transportation paths may be different in the time they take, energy used, safety etc. The manipulating device 10 described herein may allow an optimal transportation path to be selected from the multiple transportation paths.

[0204] An exemplary development allowed or provided by the manipulating device 10 may be as follows:

[0205] 1. Start with manual lifting operation with data logging.

[0206] 2. Perform semi-automated lifting operations with support of the sensors, in particular for regulating certain actions such as regulation of sway control or path traversing.

[0207] 3. Create at least one model that is using quantifiable criteria in decision making to select optimal candidates.

[0208] 4. Perform fully automated operation based on the model(s).

[0209] Fig. 7 shows a learning phase in which the traverse device 22 is in combination with the crane 11 and the operations (e.g., lifting and placement) of the manipulating device 10 are performed manually with the functions of the manipulating device 10, in particular the crane11 and / or the traverse device 22, being enabled (e.g., data collection and rotation / leveling function).

[0210] At least some of the features described herein may be provided by the traverse device 22 and / or at least some ofthe features described herein maybe provided by the crane 11 and / or at least some ofthe features described herein may be provided by one or more further and / or external components. A table is depicted below with a possible allocation of the features, wherein "M" defines a main functionality and "S" defines a support functionality.

[0211]

Claims

Claims1. A manipulating device (10) configured to lift and / or move at least one object (12) to be mounted in and / or on a building (14), the manipulating device (10) including: at least one traverse device (22) configured for use with a crane;at least one attachment device (28) connected to the traverse device (22) and configured to be attached to the object (12);at least one driving device (36) configured to movably drive the attachment device (28) to lift and / or move the object (12);one or more sensors (40, 70) configured to sense one or more parameters related to an operation of the traverse device (22), during operation of the manipulating device (10), wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to generate and / or retrieve data based on the sensed parameters, wherein one or more of the sensors (40, 70) are mounted on the traverse device (22); andat least one control device (42) configured to control the driving device (36) at least partially based on the data.

2. The manipulating device (10) of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters include one or more environmental parameters, which preferably include one or more weather conditions in an environment of the manipulating device (10), preferably including wind speed.

3. The manipulating device (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more sensors (40) include one or more sensors configured to detect a presence and / or a movement of one or more items, preferably including one or more structures and / or one or more humans and / or one or more animals, in an environment of the manipulating device (10) and / or the object (12).

4. The manipulating device (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors (40) is configured to read at least one indicium associated with the object (12), wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to identify the object (12) and / or to control, by means of the control device (42), the driving device (36) based at least partially on the detected indicium.

5. The manipulating device (10) of claim 4, wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to retrieve or receive information on the object (12) based on the identification of the object (12), preferably wherein the information includes one ormore of the following: an object name and / or an object type, a target location of the object (12), in particular a target building floor on which the object (12) is to be mounted, a target building section and / or a target apartment in which the object (12) is to be mounted, a target orientation of the object (12), a weight of the object (12), one or more dimensions of the object (12), a number of attachment points between the manipulating device (10) and the object (12), or a status of one or more attachment point(s) between the manipulating device (10) and the object (12).

6. The manipulating device (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to determine whether the object (12) is attached to the attachment device (28) according to a predetermined attachment condition, in particular before the driving device (36) is actuated, in particular by the control device (42), and / or a user is allowed and / or able to actuate the driving device (36).

7. The manipulating device (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to determine whether one or more properties, preferably of the object (12), meet one or more predetermined requirements and / or one or more predetermined target parameters, in particular before the control device (42) actuates the driving device (36) and / or a user is allowed and / or able to actuate the driving device (36), preferably wherein the one or more properties include one or more of the following: a weight of the object (12), one or more dimensions of the object (12), and an orientation of the object (12), a number of attachment points between the manipulating device (10) and the object (12), or a status of one or more attachment point(s) between the manipulating device (10) and the object (12).

8. The manipulating device (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to autonomously or semi-autonomously move the object (12) to a target position and / or a target orientation in and / or at the building (14) based at least partially on the data.

9. The manipulating device (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to determine at least one transportation path to transport the object (12) to a target position, in particular a target position in and / or at the building (14), based at least partially on the data, optionally wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors (40) is configured to detect one or more obstacles and to determine the transportation path based at least partially on the detected obstacle(s).

10. The manipulating device (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to operate in a learning phase in which one or more operations of the manipulating device (10) are performed manually by a user and the manipulating device (10) is configured to adapt based on the one or more operations performed manually by the user such that the manipulating device (10) is able to adapt to automatically or semi-automatically perform the one or more operations.

11. The manipulating device (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein:the manipulating device (10) is configured to increase a degree of automation, in particular provided by the control device (42), of one or more operations, preferably continuously, based on the data;and / orthe manipulating device (10) is configured to create and / or adapt one or more models which each includes one or more criteria for making decisions during operation of the manipulating device (10).

12. The manipulating device (10) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more sensors (40) are configured to detect one or more of the following: a speed of movement of at least a portion of the manipulating device (10) and / or the object (12), an orientation and / or a position of at least a portion of the manipulating device (10) and / or the object (12), a degree of leveling and / or a deviation from a level state of the manipulating device (10) and / or the object (12), a wind speed, a weight and / or load of the object (12), an acceleration of at least a portion of the manipulating device (10) and / or the object (12), whether the attachment device (28) is in a closed state or an open state, and one or more obstacles.

13. A system including at least one manipulating device of any of the preceding claims and at least one crane which is operably connected or connectable to the manipulating device.

14. A method of operating a manipulating device (10), preferably the manipulating device (10) of any of claims 1 to 12, configured to lift and / or move at least one object (12) to be mounted in and / or on a building (14), the manipulating device (10) including at least one traverse device (22) configured for use with a crane, at least one attachment device (28) connected to the traverse device and configured to be attached to the object (12), at least one driving device (36) configured to movably drive the attachmentdevice (28) to lift and / or move the object (12), one or more sensors (40, 70) configured to sense one or more parameters related to an operation of the traverse device (22), during operation of the manipulating device (10), wherein the manipulating device (10) is configured to generate and / or retrieve data based on the sensed parameters, wherein one or more of the sensors (40, 70) are mounted on the traverse device (22), and at least one control device (42) configured to control the driving device (36) at least partially based on the data, the method including:movably driving, by the driving device (36), the attachment device (28) attached to the object (12) to lift and / or move the object (12);sensing, by the sensors (40, 70), the parameters,generating and / or retrieving data based on the sensed parameters; controlling the driving device (36) by the control device (42) at least partially based on the data.

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