Robot Interference Determination with Range-Based Point Cloud Decimation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing interference check devices for robots are inefficient in processing large point cloud data to determine interference between robot parts and other objects, leading to increased processing loads.

Innovation Solution

An interference determination device that decimates point cloud data based on range and number of points, extracts relevant data within a robot region, and determines interference by checking if the decimated data is inside the robot region, thereby reducing the data required for interference detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If point cloud data is used entirely for interference determination, then measurement precision is improved, but processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference determination accuracyVSAvoidprocessing load
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The workspace is divided into multiple determination regions, each corresponding to a specific robot part. Point cloud data is processed and evaluated separately for each determination region rather than processing all point cloud data uniformly. This segmentation allows the system to maintain measurement precision for interference detection while reducing overall processing load by focusing computational resources only on relevant regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the point cloud data that falls within the determination regions from the complete point cloud dataset. By taking out and isolating only the relevant data portions that correspond to robot part locations, the system achieves accurate interference determination without the computational burden of processing the entire point cloud data set.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If point cloud data is reduced for processing, then processing load is decreased, but measurement precision may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing loadVSAvoidinterference determination accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different processing qualities to different regions of the workspace. Determination regions corresponding to robot parts maintain high data quality and detailed point cloud information for accurate interference detection. Other regions outside the determination zones use reduced or no point cloud data. This local quality approach ensures measurement precision is preserved where needed while reducing processing load in non-critical areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4471517A1Interference determination device
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 DAIHEN CORP
  • EP4471517A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4471517A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4471517A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The interference determination device includes a distance measurement unit measuring a distance to an object contained in a workspace of a robot; a decimation unit decimating point cloud data obtained by the distance measurement unit, based on a range and a number of points of the point cloud data obtained by the distance measurement unit; an extraction unit extracting point cloud data, contained in a determination region encompassing a robot region that corresponds to a model of the robot positioned in the workspace, from point cloud data after being decimated by the decimation unit; and a determination unit determining that the robot interferes with the object when the point cloud data extracted by the extraction unit is located inside the robot region.