Transfer Robot Teaching Using Chamber Feature Point Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing industrial robots face challenges in accurately navigating within large manufacturing systems for flat panel displays due to difficulties in directly checking the interior of chambers, leading to potential collisions with obstacles and difficulty in generating appropriate work programs for transfer robots.

Innovation Solution

A robot teaching system and control device that utilize sensors installed on the transfer robot to detect feature points such as support pins and wall surfaces within the chamber, enabling precise position calculation and generation of work programs to avoid collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If local detection is used to check chamber interior, then detection complexity is reduced, but collision risk increases due to incomplete chamber state awareness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection complexityVSAvoidcollision risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The chamber interior detection is segmented into multiple feature points (support pins, wall surfaces, buffers) that are detected separately. The transfer robot detects these feature points at different positions and times, building up a complete picture of the chamber state through incremental detection rather than attempting to detect everything at once.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transfer robot performs preliminary detection of feature points before executing the full transfer operation. By detecting support pin positions, wall surfaces, and buffer locations in advance, the robot can plan a safe transfer path that avoids collisions while completing the workpiece transfer task.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If operator directly checks chamber interior, then operational awareness is improved, but operation difficulty increases due to chamber inaccessibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechamber state awarenessVSAvoidoperation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring the operator to directly observe the chamber interior, the system creates a virtual copy or representation of the chamber state through sensor data. The detected feature points (support pins, wall surfaces, buffers) form a digital model that the operator can use to understand chamber conditions without physical access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct mechanical/visual inspection by the operator with automated sensor-based detection systems. Sensors mounted on the transfer robot or external to the chamber perform the detection function, substituting the operator's direct observation capability with automated measurement technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If work program is generated without complete chamber state information, then programming speed is improved, but navigation accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogramming speedVSAvoidnavigation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of all relevant feature points (support pins, wall surfaces, buffers) before generating the work program. This advance detection ensures that the navigation program is based on complete and accurate chamber state information, enabling precise path planning that avoids collisions while maintaining efficient transfer operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The work program generation incorporates feedback from the detected feature point positions. The detected locations of support pins, wall surfaces, and buffers provide feedback information that is used to adjust and optimize the transfer path, ensuring both navigation accuracy and collision avoidance while maintaining programming efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate navigation of transfer robots by ascertaining chamber states and generating work programs that prevent collisions, ensuring safe and efficient operation within flat panel manufacturing systems.

Implementation Method 1

a sensor installed in a holding portion that holds the workpiece in the transfer robot... sensing the inside of the chamber by using a sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS20250360618A1Robot teaching system and robot control device

Publication Date: 2025.11.27 DAIHEN CORP

AI summary

To provide a robot teaching system and a robot control device capable of appropriately generating a work program for moving a transfer robot to a target position in a chamber in a flat panel manufacturing system for manufacturing a flat panel. A robot teaching system includes feature point detection unit that detects a feature point in a chamber while sensing inside of the chamber by using a sensor installed in a holding portion that holds the workpiece in a transfer robot, position calculation unit that calculating a position of the feature point, and program generation unit that generates a work program for operating the transfer robot to be moved to a target position based on the position of the feature point.