Robot Control Unit for General Cargo Stability Assessment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot systems for loading general cargo units struggle to determine the stability of loading patterns in real time, especially with heterogeneous cargo, due to unknown sizes and weights, leading to potential instability and the need for complex calculations and additional wrapping for transport.
Innovation Solution
The control unit of the robot system calculates a stability parameter by considering essential criteria such as the ratio of the actual footprint to the bearing area, center of gravity position, and tipping moments, using approximation functions like neural networks to quickly assess stability without full three-dimensional force calculations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complete three-dimensional static evaluation with full force and tipping moment calculations is performed, then stability assessment accuracy is improved, but computing time increases and real-time determination becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential criteria needed for stability assessment (footprint-to-bearing area ratio, center of gravity position, tipping moments) from the complete three-dimensional static evaluation. By taking out only the critical parameters rather than performing full force calculations, the system achieves sufficient stability assessment accuracy with dramatically reduced computing time, enabling real-time determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing only the necessary calculations for stability assessment rather than complete static evaluation. It calculates only the intermediate values that are decisive for stability parameters (such as footprint ratios and tipping moments) without computing all forces and moments in three dimensions, thus achieving real-time processing while maintaining adequate assessment accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If precise measurements of all cargo units are obtained, then stability calculation accuracy is improved, but measurement complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement systems with optical measurement methods. By using optical sensors and image processing to determine cargo dimensions and positions, the system achieves sufficient measurement precision without the complexity of mechanical measurement devices, enabling rapid acquisition of dimensional data for real-time stability assessment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If heuristic algorithms prefer package positions where one unit lies on at least two other units, then stability is improved, but tower structures are avoided creating limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic stability assessment by calculating actual stability parameters (footprint-to-bearing area ratios, tipping moments) for each possible package position rather than applying fixed heuristic rules. This allows the system to adaptively determine the most stable position for each cargo unit based on the specific configuration, enabling tower structures when beneficial while maintaining overall stability through quantitative assessment.
Data Source
AI summary
In a robot system, and a method for operating a robot system, for loading general cargo units, a gripper unit of the robot is operated to stack the general cargo units in a stack, by movements controlled by a computerized control unit. In order to avoid unstable loading patterns, the computerized control unit automatically determines the loading pattern of the stack of general cargo units, and also automatically determines at least one characteristic that represents the stability of the loading pattern.