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Publication Number
US-12559894-B2
Publication Date
2026-02-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
An example method includes storing surface treatment data to specify at least one selected surface treatment to apply at a target location along a vehicle path of travel, the surface treatment data including a machine-readable description and a reference coordinate frame for the selected surface treatment. The method also includes generating task plan data to apply the selected surface treatment based on the surface treatment data and at least one parameter of an application tool. The method also includes determining a location and orientation of the application tool with respect to the vehicle path of travel based on location data representing a current location of a vehicle carrying the application tool. The method also includes computing a joint-space trajectory to enable the application tool to apply the selected surface treatment at the target location based on the task plan data and the determined location of the application tool.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a vehicle-carried system to apply surface treatments to a surface on which the vehicle is adapted to travel. The system includes an application tool having a joint space, carried by the vehicle, and including a robot with a dispensing tool adapted to apply a surface treatment. The system stores non-transitory machine-readable media with instructions and surface treatment data describing at least one selected surface treatment to apply at a target location on the surface, including a reference frame for the selected surface treatment.
The system generates task plan data based on the surface treatment data and at least one parameter of the application tool. The task plan data includes instructions describing a process of the application tool applying the selected surface treatment independent of the target location and a pose of the application tool. The system determines a pose of the reference frame with respect to the application tool, and defines the target location and an orientation of the selected surface treatment on the surface in response to a substantially real-time user input instruction entered through a graphical user interface at runtime.
Responsive to the user input instruction, the system computes a joint-space trajectory to enable the application tool to apply the selected surface treatment at the target location with the orientation. The computation is based on the task plan data, the pose of the reference frame, and the pose of the application tool. The system then controls the joint space of the application tool and the dispensing tool to apply the selected surface treatment at the target location with the orientation based on the computed joint-space trajectory, including inverse kinematics and determining target coordinates with respect to a current pose of the application tool and the reference frame.
Claims Coverage
Independent claims include a vehicle-carried system and methods for planning and executing application of surface treatments using reference-frame-based task planning and substantially real-time graphical user interface target definition. Across the independent claims, the core inventive features focus on reference-frame surface treatment data, target location and orientation defined via a GUI with substantially real-time user input, and computing joint-space trajectories using task plan data together with reference frame pose and application tool pose, including inverse kinematics and target coordinates determination.
Reference-frame surface treatment data and vehicle-carried application tool
An application tool having a joint space, carried by the vehicle and including a robot having a dispensing tool adapted to apply a surface treatment; and one or more non-transitory machine-readable media to store instructions and surface treatment data, the surface treatment data describing at least one selected surface treatment to apply at a target location on the surface, the surface treatment data including a reference frame for the selected surface treatment that is to be applied.
Task planning independent of target location
A processor configured to generate task plan data based on the surface treatment data and at least one parameter of the application tool, the task plan data including instructions describing a process of the application tool applying the selected surface treatment independent of the target location and a pose of the application tool.
GUI-defined target location and orientation at runtime
Define the target location and an orientation of the selected surface treatment on the surface in response to a substantially real-time user input instruction entered through a graphical user interface at runtime when applying the selected surface treatment.
Joint-space trajectory computation based on reference frame pose and tool pose
Responsive to the user input instruction: compute a joint-space trajectory to enable the application tool to apply the selected surface treatment at the target location with the orientation based on the task plan data, the pose of the reference frame and the pose of the application tool; and control the joint space of the application tool and the dispensing tool to apply the selected surface treatment at the target location with the orientation based on the computed joint-space trajectory.
Inverse kinematics using target coordinates relative to tool pose and reference frame
Determine target coordinates of the selected surface treatment with respect to a current pose of the application tool and the reference frame based on the target location of the selected surface treatment; implement inverse kinematics to compute a joint-space trajectory to apply the selected surface treatment at the defined target location based on the task plan data, the pose of the application tool, and the target coordinates; and control the application tool and the dispensing tool to apply the selected surface treatment at the target location based on the computed joint-space trajectory.
GUI visualization superimposed on a real-time image
Generate a graphical user interface that includes a visualization of the selected surface treatment at the target location, and the visualization includes a graphical representation of the selected surface treatment superimposed on a real-time image of the surface that includes the target location; and define a target location of the selected surface treatment on the surface in response to a substantially real-time user input instruction entered through the graphical user interface at runtime when applying the selected surface treatment.
The independent claim set covers a vehicle-carried robotic surface-treatment application approach where surface treatment data includes a reference frame, task plan data defines a process independent of the target location, and a substantially real-time GUI user input defines the target location and orientation at runtime. The system computes joint-space trajectories based on task plan data together with the determined pose of the reference frame and the pose of the application tool, including inverse kinematics with target coordinates relative to the current tool pose and reference frame, and controls the application tool and dispensing tool to apply the selected surface treatment.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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