Robot Motion Collision Checking Using Enclosing Cuboids

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face inefficiencies in determining whether a robot will collide with other objects during movement.

Innovation Solution

A robot control system that includes a control device which specifies positions of other objects and defines a second cuboid encompassing a first cuboid containing the robot's vertices before and after movement, determining if the objects are within this cuboid to prevent collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If complex collision detection algorithms are used to accurately determine whether a robot will collide with other objects, then collision detection accuracy is improved, but computational complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision detection accuracyVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot's movement space is segmented into discrete cuboid volumes representing prior positions and subsequent positions. This segmentation transforms the continuous collision detection problem into a discrete set of volumetric comparisons, reducing computational complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A cuboid encompassing volume is introduced as an intermediary geometric construct that contains all robot positions during movement. This intermediary volume simplifies collision detection by providing a single bounding volume to check against obstacle positions, avoiding complex real-time trajectory calculations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If detailed real-time collision detection is performed throughout the robot's movement path, then safety is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cuboid encompassing volume is predetermined based on the robot's prior and subsequent positions before actual movement occurs. This preliminary geometric construction allows collision detection to be performed efficiently by simply checking whether obstacle positions fall within the pre-calculated bounding volume, rather than performing continuous detection during movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If simple collision detection methods are used, then processing speed is improved, but collision detection accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidcollision detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple discrete robot positions (prior and subsequent) are merged into a single encompassing cuboid volume. This merging allows the system to maintain high processing speed by performing a single volume check rather than multiple individual position checks, while still ensuring accurate collision detection across the entire movement path.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12576518B2Robot control system, control device, and robot control method

Publication Date: 2026.03.17 JOHNAN CORP

AI summary

Provided is a robot control system (1) including a robot (200) and a control device (100). The control device (100): specifies positions of other objects, specifies a second cuboid that encompasses a first cuboid containing the positions of a plurality of vertices of the robot prior to movement and the positions of a plurality of vertices of the robot after movement, and causes the robot to move if none of the other objects are within the second cuboid.