Robot Vision Calibration System for Automated Coordinate Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current robot calibration methods require manual operation to accurately teach reference points, leading to prolonged calibration times and inaccuracies, especially as the number of robots increases.

Innovation Solution

A robot system that uses robot vision for automatic calibration, where a personal computer controls a six-axis robot and a capturing unit to automatically set up the reference plane, focus on it, and perform low-accuracy and high-accuracy inclination corrections to calibrate the coordinate systems, reducing the need for manual operation and improving accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual operation is used to teach reference points, then calibration accuracy can be achieved, but calibration time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalibration accuracyVSAvoidcalibration time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automatic vision-based system. The capturing unit captures images of markers, and the control device automatically calculates transformation matrices through image processing and coordinate system transformation, eliminating the need for manual arm operation while maintaining calibration accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses marker copies (visual representations) of reference points instead of directly manipulating physical reference points. By capturing images of markers and processing them through coordinate transformation algorithms, the system achieves accurate calibration without manual intervention, significantly reducing calibration time while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If multiple robots are calibrated manually, then each robot can be accurately calibrated, but the total calibration time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalibration accuracyVSAvoidcalibration efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual calibration operations with an automated vision-based system that can rapidly process multiple robots. The control device automatically captures images, processes coordinates, and calculates transformation matrices for each robot without manual intervention, maintaining accuracy while dramatically improving calibration efficiency for multiple robots.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables continuous calibration processing by automating the entire calibration workflow. The system can sequentially or concurrently process multiple robots without the interruptions and setup times associated with manual calibration, maintaining continuous productive action and significantly reducing total calibration time for multiple units.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Ease of operation

If manual teaching of reference points is performed, then calibration can be completed, but operator skill and visual accuracy are required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidreference point teaching accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual visual estimation and positioning with an automated image capture and processing system. The capturing unit objectively records marker positions, and the control device precisely calculates coordinates through algorithmic processing, eliminating dependence on operator skill and visual accuracy while simplifying the operation to automatic execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses visual copies (images) of reference points captured by the capturing unit instead of direct manual positioning. This objective visual record eliminates subjectivity in reference point teaching, achieving high precision through automated image processing while making the operation simple and repeatable without requiring operator expertise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3221095B1Robot and robot system
Publication Date: 2020.08.19 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3221095B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3221095B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3221095B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A robot includes an instruction receiving unit that receives a calibration initiation instruction, and an arm that changes a positional relationship between a marker which indicates a reference point and a capturing unit when the calibration initiation instruction is received, in which the calibration of a coordinate system of the capturing unit and a coordinate system of the robot is performed on the basis of an image in which the marker is captured by the capturing unit after the positional relationship between the capturing unit and the marker changes.