US-20260124749-A1 - WORK ROBOT, CONTROL METHOD FOR WORK ROBOT, CONTROL PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR WORK ROBOT, AND WORK SYSTEM

US20260124749A1US 20260124749 A1US20260124749 A1US 20260124749A1US-20260124749-A1

Abstract

A work robot includes at least one arm configured to perform an instructed operation on an article, a mobile unit configured to move on a floor surface, and a control unit configured to control the at least one arm and the mobile unit so as to autonomously perform a task on the article in cooperation with another work robot, based on state information representing at least one of a state of the other work robot and a state of the work robot itself.

Inventors

Akira Kato
Satoshi Nakamura
Yasuaki Matsunaga
Yukihiro Takahashi
Kohji Ohyama
Yuji Tsuchiya
Toshifumi Mori
Hiroyasu BABA
Yuki Yoshioka
Akira Okamoto
Kohei Akiyama

Assignees

DENSO CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251219
Priority Date: 20230619

Claims (20)

1 . A work robot comprising: at least one arm configured to perform an instructed operation on an article; a mobile unit configured to move on a floor surface; and a control unit configured to control the at least one arm and the mobile unit so as to autonomously perform a task on the article in cooperation with another work robot, based on state information representing at least one of a state of the other work robot and a state of the work robot itself, wherein the control unit is configured to perform the task on the article in cooperation with the other work robot by controlling a position of the at least one arm while acquiring a relative position between the work robot and the other work robot using an image of a marker provided on a surface of the other work robot.
2 . The work robot according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication unit configured to perform data communication with a server managing information relating to production of the article, wherein, the control unit is configured to control the at least one arm and the mobile unit based on instruction information associated with designation information acquired together with the instruction information from the server via the communication unit, the instruction information indicating task content for the article, the designation information designating the work robot that is to perform the task on the article.
3 . The work robot according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the mobile unit to move to a location represented by location information acquired from the server via the communication unit.
4 . The work robot according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the at least one arm or the mobile unit is provided with a sensor used by the control unit for control to avoid a collision with the other work robot.
5 . The work robot according to claim 4 , wherein the location information represents a location of a supply of the article used for a product, and the control unit is configured to control the mobile unit so as to move to the location represented by the location information within a reachable range of the at least one arm, and controls the at least one arm so as to perform the task on the article in cooperation with the other work robot.
6 . The work robot according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the mobile unit so that a relative position with respect to the other work robot does not change when controlling the at least one arm.
7 . The work robot according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the mobile unit such that a position of the mobile unit does not shift in either a horizontal direction along the floor surface or a vertical direction perpendicular to the floor surface.
8 . The work robot according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one arm includes an attachment portion at a distal end thereof, the attachment portion being configured to allow attachment and detachment of a plurality of types of tools, and the control unit is configured to identify a running process in the task based on the state information, and perform control to switch the tool attached to the attachment portion in accordance with the identified running process.
9 . The work robot according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of types of tools are attached to the mobile unit, and the control unit is configured to perform control to select, from among the plurality of types of tools attached to the mobile unit, a tool corresponding to the identified running process.
10 . The work robot according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to identify the running process in the task based on peripheral information representing surroundings acquired by the sensor.
11 . The work robot according to claim 5 , wherein the mobile unit includes a work surface on which the article is to be placed, and the control unit is configured to control the at least one arm to perform the task on the article placed on the work surface.
12 . The work robot according to claim 5 , wherein the mobile unit includes a coupling section configured to couple to a mobile unit of another work robot, and the control unit is configured to control the at least one arm and the mobile unit so as to perform the task in a state where the mobile unit is coupled to the mobile unit of the other work robot.
13 . The work robot according to claim 12 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the at least one arm to convey the article along a coupling direction of the mobile units while performing the task on the article.
14 . The work robot according to claim 13 , wherein in a case where the mobile unit constitutes a final stage of the mobile units coupled together, the control unit is configured to, after completing the task on the article, control the mobile unit to detach the mobile unit of the work robot from the mobile unit of the other work robot and transport the article to a designated location.
15 . The work robot according to claim 14 , wherein the mobile unit includes a work surface on which the article is to be placed, and is coupled downstream to an adjacent mobile unit such that the work surfaces of the mobile unit and the adjacent mobile unit are continuous; and the control unit is configured to control the at least one arm to move the article, after completion of the task, to the work surface of the adjacent mobile unit.
16 . The work robot according to claim 5 , wherein a ranging sensor configured to acquire a positional relationship of a surrounding object as three-dimensional data is used as the sensor.
17 . The work robot according to claim 2 , wherein the communication unit is configured to receive via the server, as the instruction information, a control model from an external device that simulates the task on the article in a virtual space replicating a space where the work robot performs the task, the control model being configured to generate control content for controlling the at least one arm and the mobile unit to perform the task on the article based on the state information, and the control unit is configured to control the at least one arm and the mobile unit in accordance with control content generated by the control model based on the state information to be updated.
18 . A control method for a work robot including at least one arm configured to perform an instructed operation on an article, and a mobile unit configured to move on a floor surface, the control method comprising causing a computer to perform a process of controlling the at least one arm and the mobile unit to autonomously perform the task on the article in cooperation with another work robot based on state information representing at least one of a state of the other work robot and a state of the work robot itself, wherein the process of controlling the at least one arm and the mobile unit includes performing the task on the article in cooperation with the other work robot by controlling a position of the at least one arm while acquiring a relative position between the work robot and the other work robot using an image of a marker provided on a surface of the other work robot.
19 . A control program product for a work robot including at least one arm configured to perform an instructed operation on an article and a mobile unit configured to move on a floor surface, the control program product including a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, causes said computer to perform a process of controlling the at least one arm and the mobile unit to autonomously perform the task on the article in cooperation with another work robot based on state information representing at least one of a state of the other work robot and a state of the work robot itself, wherein the process of controlling the at least one arm and the mobile unit includes performing the task on the article in cooperation with the other work robot by controlling a position of the at least one arm while acquiring a relative position between the work robot and the other work robot using an image of a marker provided on a surface of the other work robot.
20 . A work system comprising: a plurality of work robots, each work robot including at least one arm configured to perform an instructed operation on an article, a mobile unit configured to move on a floor surface, and a control unit configured to control the at least one arm and the mobile unit so as to autonomously perform a task on the article in cooperation with another work robot based on state information representing at least one of a state of the other work robot and a state of the work robot itself; and a server including a communication unit configured to perform data communication with the respective work robots and to transmit information relating to production of the article to the work robots, wherein the control unit is configured to perform the task on the article in cooperation with the other work robot by controlling a position of the at least one arm while acquiring a relative position between the work robot and the other work robot using an image of a marker provided on a surface of the other work robot.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/JP2024/014142, filed Apr. 5, 2024 which designated the U.S. and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-100361, filed Jun. 19, 2023, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a work robot, a control method for the work robot, a control program product for the work robot, and a work system. Related Art In a known work system, at least one mobile robot, which moves with a single-arm or dual-arm work robot mounted on a mobile carriage, is moved between work locations along a predefined route to perform work at a plurality of work locations. Each mobile robot is provided with a power-reception device, and at least one of the plurality of work locations is provided with a power-supply facility that, by the operation of the mobile robot, attaches and detaches a corresponding power-supply device to and from the power-reception device of the mobile robot. The work robot is equipped with a battery that supplies power during movement between the work locations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example configuration of a work system; FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a work robot; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the work robot; FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control process in the work robot; FIG. 5 is an illustration of an example in which the work robot is fixed to a floor surface using columnar supports; FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the work robot equipped with tools on a mobile unit; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the work robot that assembles parts in cooperation with another work robot; FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of work robots equipped with coupling sections; FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of work robots coupled together; FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which a plurality of work robots are coupled to form a production line; and FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which a work robot located at the final stage of the production line functions as an AMR. DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS According to the above known work system as disclosed in JP 2015-211997 A, when a specific task is performed using a work robot, it is necessary to construct, at the work location, a work environment required for the work robot to perform the task, such as a workbench on which the work robot operates, or conveying equipment that transports parts of the product handled by the work robot to the workbench. Such a work environment is constructed each time by an operator based on the task content assigned to the work robot. Therefore, through the inventors'detailed study, it has been found that, in order to accommodate production of small-lot, high-mix products, the operator must change the work environment within a short period, and therefore a certain number of operators must be constantly secured. This likely leads to an increase in labor costs, which raises an issue. The inventors have also found that, for example, when identical products are to be produced during the same period at a plurality of work sites distributed around the world, it is difficult for operators at each work site to rapidly construct the work environment for the work robots. In view of the foregoing, it is desired to have a work robot, a control method for the work robot, a control program product for the work robot, and a work system, which enable production of a product using the work robot without requiring a person to construct a work environment in advance in accordance with the task content for the work robot. One aspect of the present disclosure provides a work robot including: at least one arm configured to perform an instructed operation on an article; a mobile unit configured to move on a floor surface; and a control unit configured to control the at least one arm and the mobile unit so as to autonomously perform a task on the article in cooperation with another work robot, based on state information representing at least one of a state of the other work robot and a state of the work robot itself. One aspect of the present disclosure provides a control method for a work robot including at least one arm configured to perform an instructed operation on an article, and a mobile unit configured to move on a floor surface. The control method includes causing a computer to perform a process of controlling the at least one arm and the mobile unit to autonomously perform the task on the article in cooperation with another work robot based on state information representing at least one of a state of the other work robot and a state of the work robot itself. One