Collaborative Robot Control for Fast Human Contact Stoppage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collaborative robot systems lack responsiveness to external changes, particularly in detecting human contact, leading to reduced safety and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A robot system with multiple control devices that can independently detect a predetermined state and communicate this information to other control devices, allowing for immediate response to external changes such as human contact, using dual or single communication lines for rapid information exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single upper unit controls the entire robot and stops power supply to the lower unit based on abnormality determination, then the control structure is simplified and centralized, but the responsiveness to external changes such as human contact is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized control function into multiple independent control devices distributed across different units (upper unit and lower units). Each control device can independently determine abnormalities and stop operations, eliminating the single-point control bottleneck and enabling parallel processing of safety decisions, thus improving responsiveness while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by enabling each control device to autonomously determine abnormalities and initiate stoppage without waiting for centralized decision-making. This pre-authorized autonomous response mechanism eliminates communication delays in emergency situations, allowing immediate response to human contact or other hazards.
2Speed
If multiple control devices are introduced to improve responsiveness, then the system can detect and respond to external changes more quickly, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing each control device with identical functional capabilities to perform multiple roles: normal operation control, abnormality determination, and emergency stoppage. This standardized multi-functional design allows any control device to take over leadership functions, simplifying the overall control architecture despite the presence of multiple devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling each control device to autonomously determine abnormalities and initiate stoppage decisions without requiring constant communication with or authorization from other control devices. This self-sufficient design reduces the complexity of inter-device communication protocols and coordination mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot system includes a robot main body, a plurality of first control devices provided in the robot main body, and a detection unit configured to detect a state of the robot main body. In a case where one of the plurality of first control devices determines that the robot main body is in a predetermined state based on a detection result of the detection unit, the one of the plurality of first control devices outputs information indicating that the robot main body is in the predetermined state to another one of the plurality of first control devices other than the one of the plurality of first control devices.