Image Processing Apparatus for Robot Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot control systems require users to create complex motion control programs and understand machine language, making it difficult to achieve accurate calibration and motion control, especially when dealing with different types of robots.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and system that includes a communication device, imaging device, and units for transmitting commands, acquiring coordinates, controlling imaging, detecting images, and executing calibration, allowing for the calculation of a conversion rule between robot coordinates and image-based coordinates without the need for users to understand robot-specific machine language.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional robot control system is used to execute calibration, then the robot motion can be controlled, but the user must create complex robot motion control programs and understand robot-specific machine language, increasing operation difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an image processing apparatus as an intermediary between the user and the robot controller. This apparatus generates movement commands and transmits them to the robot controller, which then executes the calibration process. The user interacts only with the image processing apparatus through simple image-based operations, while the complex robot control operations are handled automatically by the system, eliminating the need for users to learn robot-specific programming languages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical approach of direct robot controller programming with an image-based processing system. Instead of requiring users to write and execute robot motion control programs, the system captures images of the workpiece, automatically processes these images to determine positions, and converts them into robot movement commands. This substitution of image processing for mechanical programming significantly simplifies the calibration operation.
2Reliability
If the robot controller directly controls the calibration process, then the robot motion is precise, but the system complexity increases due to the need for robot-specific programming knowledge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the calibration system into two distinct functional segments: the image processing apparatus and the robot controller. The image processing apparatus handles command generation, image capture, and coordinate conversion, while the robot controller handles motion execution. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function independently, reducing the overall system complexity from the user perspective while maintaining reliable motion control through the robot controller's dedicated functionality.
3Measurement precision
If users are required to set both robot motion control programs and image processing apparatus, then the calibration can be executed, but the startup time increases due to the need for dual expertise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service functionality where the image processing apparatus automatically generates appropriate robot movement commands based on image analysis, without requiring user programming. The system performs coordinate conversion, calculates movement destinations, and transmits commands automatically. This eliminates the time-consuming process of users manually creating and configuring robot motion control programs, while still achieving precise calibration through automated image-based positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A movement command to move an end effector to a plurality of predetermined positions is transmitted to a robot controller so as to change a relative position of a target, which becomes an imaging target, with respect to an imaging device. First coordinate values are acquired, the values being each of position coordinates of the end effector having moved in accordance with the movement command, and an image of the target is captured at each movement destination, to which the end effector has moved. Second coordinate values being position coordinates of the target are detected based on the image of the target captured at each movement destination, and a conversion rule between both of the coordinates is calculated based on the first coordinate values and the second coordinate values.