Robot Servo Control With Multi-Sensor Time Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sensor-based robot applications face issues with asynchronous sensor signals and time delays, which impair the stability and performance of servo tasks, particularly in scenarios requiring simultaneous use of multiple sensors.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that includes a first data collector for robot feedback and a second data collector for sensor data, combined with estimators to generate predictions of a target position by fusing position information from both sources, using time stamp calibration and various fusion modes to improve accuracy and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors are used simultaneously to improve robot operation accuracy and flexibility, then the robot skills and product varieties can be extended, but asynchronous sensor signals and time delays occur which impair stability and limit servo task performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor data streams (vision sensor, force sensor, and robot feedback data) into a unified coordinate system through data collectors and estimators. This integration allows simultaneous use of multiple sensors while resolving their asynchrony through coordinate transformation and time stamp calibration, thereby extending robot capabilities without sacrificing servo task stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces data collectors and estimators as intermediary components between multiple sensors and the robot controller. These intermediaries synchronize data from different sensors by calibrating time stamps and transforming coordinates, mediating the asynchronous signals before they are used for servo control, thus maintaining reliability while enabling multi-sensor versatility.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional robots are used without modification to reduce implementation cost, then deployment is simpler, but integrating multi-sensor solutions becomes complex and development time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal data collection and estimation framework that can interface with various traditional robot controllers and multiple sensor types through standardized coordinate transformations. This multi-functional architecture allows the same system to work with different robot models and sensor combinations without requiring hardware modifications, reducing deployment cost while managing integration complexity through a unified approach.
3Speed
If sensor data is processed in real-time to improve servo task performance, then response speed increases, but processing complexity and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data processing task into distinct functional modules: data collectors for acquiring sensor inputs, coordinate transformation modules for converting sensor data to robot coordinates, time stamp calibration for synchronization, and estimators for predicting target positions. This segmentation allows real-time processing by distributing computational load across specialized modules, improving response speed while managing complexity through modular architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method for operating a robot. The system includes a first data collector coupled to the robot and configured to determine first position information of the robot based on feedback data received from the robot. The system also includes a second data collector coupled to a sensor and configured to determine second position information of an object to be operated by the robot based on sensing data received from the sensor. The system further comprises a first estimator coupled to the first data collector and the second data collector, and configured to generate a first prediction of a target position at which the object is operated by the robot and a command generator configured to generate a command for operating the robot at least partially based on the first prediction.