US 11,872,706 B2
Systems and methods for process tending with a robot arm
Daniel Cantor, Kitchener (CA); Ryan Christopher Gariepy, Kitchener (CA); Roydyn Clayton, Kitchener (CA); Yvan Geoffrey Rodrigues, Kitchener (CA); Anthony William Tod, Kitchener (CA); and Bryce William Vondervoort, Kitchener (CA)
Assigned to CLEARPATH ROBOTICS INC., Kitchener (CA)
Filed by Clearpath Robotics Inc., Kitchener (CA)
Filed on Nov. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/979,597.
Application 17/979,597 is a continuation of application No. 16/561,519, filed on Sep. 5, 2019, granted, now 11,518,029.
Application 16/561,519 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CA2018/050610, filed on May 25, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/511,123, filed on May 25, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0124091 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 5/00 (2006.01); G05B 15/02 (2006.01); G05B 15/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01)
CPC B25J 9/1666 (2013.01) [B25J 5/007 (2013.01); G05B 15/02 (2013.01); G05B 2219/31007 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40298 (2013.01); G05D 1/00 (2013.01); G05D 1/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for avoiding collisions while navigating to a waypoint during process tending, the system comprising:
a self-driving vehicle having at least one vehicle safety sensor and a vehicle control system in communication with the at least one vehicle safety sensor;
a robot arm and at least one robot arm safety sensor carried by the vehicle; and
a robot arm control system in communication with the at least one robot arm safety sensor;
wherein when the self-driving vehicle is in motion, the vehicle control system and the robot arm control system are configured to operate in:
a first mode during which the robot arm control system is operable to prevent the robot arm from moving outside a perimeter of the self-driving vehicle and the vehicle control system is operable to control the self-driving vehicle based on the at least one vehicle safety sensor, and
a second mode during which the robot arm control system is operable to allow the robot arm to move outside the perimeter of the self-driving vehicle and the vehicle control system is operable to control the self-driving vehicle based on the at least one robot arm safety sensor and the at least one vehicle safety sensor.