US 11,992,954 B2
Safe operation of a robotic system
Fan Dai, Zwingenberg (DE); Rene Kirsten, Fernwald (DE); and Bjoern Matthias, Bad Schoenborn (DE)
Assigned to ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed by ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed on Mar. 25, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/211,895.
Application 17/211,895 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2018/076612, filed on Oct. 1, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0205994 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01); G05B 19/4155 (2006.01); G08C 17/02 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1676 (2013.01) [B25J 13/08 (2013.01); G05B 19/4155 (2013.01); G08C 17/02 (2013.01); G05B 19/41895 (2013.01); G05B 2219/37631 (2013.01); G05B 2219/40339 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic system, the robotic system comprising:
at least one robot;
a robot controller configured to control an operation of the at least one robot;
a robot sensor system comprising at least one robot sensor, the robot sensor system being coupled to the robot controller and configured to detect a presence of an object in a robot safety zone, the robot safety zone at least partially surrounding the at least one robot and comprising an entering area and an exiting area; and
at least one automated vehicle configured to supply the at least one robot,
wherein the at least one automated vehicle comprises at least one vehicle sensor configured to detect a presence of an object in a vehicle safety zone, the vehicle safety zone at least partially surrounding the at least one automated vehicle,
wherein the robot controller is configured to:
determine an entry of the at least one automated vehicle into the robot safety zone,
adjust at least a part of the robot safety zone based on determining the entry of the at least one automated vehicle into the robot safety zone, the adjusting comprising temporarily muting the entering area and merging the robot safety zone and the vehicle safety zone,
determine that the at least one automated vehicle is fully inside the robot safety zone,
based on determining that the at least one automated vehicle is fully inside the robot safety zone, un-mute the entering area and un-merge the robot safety zone and the vehicle safety zone,
determine an exit of the at least one automated vehicle out of the robot safety zone, and
based on determining that the at least one automated vehicle is exiting the robot safety zone, temporarily mute the exiting area and merge the robot safety zone and the vehicle safety zone.