Encoder, robot, and printer

{
  "publication_number": "US10788814B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Encoder, robot, and printer",
  "abstract": "An encoder includes a base portion, a scale portion that is provided to be relatively rotatable with respect to the base portion, and has a plurality of marks, an imaging element that is disposed in the base portion, and images the marks, and an estimation portion that performs template matching on a captured image in the imaging element by using a reference image, in which the plurality of marks include a first mark and a second mark, and the estimation portion counts the number of pixels of the imaging element corresponding to a rotation angle of the scale portion with respect to the base portion until a position of the second mark is detected from detection of a position of the first mark, and performs calibration on the basis of the counted number of pixels and the rotation angle.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A robot comprising: a first member; a second member rotatably connected to the first member, a plurality of marks being provided on a surface of the second member, the plurality of marks including a first mark and a second mark; a decelerator configured to deliver drive force to the second member from the first member; an image sensor disposed in the first member, the image sensor being configured to capture the plurality of marks on the surface of the second member; a memory configured to store a program and first and second reference images corresponding to the first mark and the second mark, respectively; and a processor configured to execute the program so as to: continuously cause the image sensor to capture images of the plurality of marks by comparing each of the captured images with the first reference image when the second member rotates relative to the first member; identify a first location of the first mark in the plurality of marks when the captured image matches with the first reference image; continuously cause the image sensor to capture images of the plurality of marks by comparing each of the captured images with the second reference image when the second member rotates relative to the first member; identify a second location of the second mark in the plurality of marks when the captured image matches with the second reference image; count a number of pixels in the captured images that are located at positions between the first location of the first mark and the second location of the second mark; determine a physical quantity amount corresponding to the counted number of pixels; and perform calibration of the robot in response to the determined physical quantity amount.",
    "2. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store an absolute position or an absolute angle of at least one of the first mark and the second mark with respect to the first member.",
    "3. A robot comprising: a first member; a second member rotatably connected to the first member, a plurality of marks being provided on a surface of the second member, the plurality of marks including a first mark; a decelerator configured to deliver drive force to the second member from the first member; an image sensor disposed in the first member, the image sensor being configured to capture the plurality of marks on the surface of the second member; a memory configured to store a program and a first reference image corresponding to the first mark; and a processor configured to execute the program so as to: continuously cause the image sensor to capture images of the plurality of marks by comparing each of the captured images with the first reference image when the second member rotates relative to the first member; identify a first location of the first mark in the plurality of marks when the captured image matches with the first reference image at a first time; continuously cause the image sensor to capture images of the plurality of marks by comparing each of the captured images with the first reference image when the second member rotates relative to the first member by 360° after the identification of the first location of the first mark; identify a first location of the first mark in the plurality of marks when the captured image matches with the first reference image at a first time; count a number of pixels in the captured images that are located at positions between the first location of the first mark and the second location of the first mark; determine a physical quantity amount corresponding to the counted number of pixels; and perform calibration of the robot in response to the determined physical quantity amount and the rotation angle of 360°.",
    "4. The robot according to claim 3, wherein the memory is configured to store an absolute position or an absolute angle of the first mark with respect to the first member.",
    "5. A printer comprising: a platen configured to transfer a printing medium; a head configured to record an image on the printing medium; and an optical device having: a light source configured to emit light toward the printing medium; a first member; a second member, the second member rotating relative to the first member, a plurality of marks being provided on a surface of the second member, the plurality of marks including a first mark and a second mark; a decelerator configured to deliver drive force to the second member from the first member; an image sensor disposed in the first member, the image sensor being configured to capture the plurality of marks on the surface of the second member; a memory configured to store a program and first and second reference images corresponding to the first mark and the second mark, respectively; and a processor configured to execute the program so as to: continuously cause the image sensor to capture images of the plurality of marks by comparing each of the captured images with the first reference image when the second member rotates relative to the first member; identify a first location of the first mark in the plurality of marks when the captured image matches with the first reference image: continuously cause the image sensor to capture images of the plurality of marks by comparing each of the captured images with the second reference image when the second member rotates relative to the first member; identify a second location of the second mark in the plurality of marks when the captured image matches with the second reference image; count a number of pixels in the captured images that are located at positions between the first location of the first mark and the second location of the second mark; determine a physical quantity amount corresponding to the counted number of pixels; and perform calibration of the optical device in response to the determined physical quantity amount.",
    "6. The printer according to 5, wherein the memory is configured to store an absolute position or an absolute angle of at least one of the first mark and the second mark with respect to the first member."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to an encoder, a robot, and a printer.\n\nIn the related art, calibration in an encoder is performed by separately using a highly accurate encoder for calibration as disclosed in JP-A-2012-237638.\n\nHowever, separately using the encoder for calibration has a problem that calibration takes time, and it is hard to perform highly accurate calibration.\n\nAn advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide an encoder capable of performing highly accurate calibration even without separately using an encoder for calibration, and to provide a robot and a printer having the encoder.\n\nThe invention can be implemented as the following application examples or forms.\n\nAn encoder according to an application example includes a base portion; a scale portion that is provided to be relatively movable or rotatable with respect to the base portion, and has a plurality of marks including a first mark and a second mark; an imaging element that is disposed in the base portion, and images the marks; and an estimation portion that performs template matching on a captured image in the imaging element by using a reference image, so as to detect positions of the marks, and estimates a movement state or a rotation state of the scale portion with respect to the base portion, in which the estimation portion counts the number of pixels of the imaging element corresponding to a movement amount or a rotation angle of the scale portion with respect to the base portion until a ...",
  "cpc": [
    "G05B 19/414",
    "B25J 13/088",
    "B25J 19/04",
    "B25J 9/00",
    "B25J 9/0009",
    "B25J 9/042",
    "B25J 9/1692",
    "B41J 29/00",
    "B41J 29/38",
    "G01D 5/00",
    "G01D 5/26",
    "G01D 5/34715",
    "G01D 5/3473",
    "G01D 5/34776",
    "G05B 2219/37183",
    "G05B 2219/37555",
    "G05B 2219/39024",
    "G06T 7/74"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 13/08",
    "B25J 9/04",
    "B25J 9/16",
    "B41J 29/38",
    "G01D 5/347",
    "G05B 19/41",
    "G05B 19/414",
    "G06T 7/73"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Seiko Epson Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Daiki TOKUSHIMA",
    "Takayuki Kondo"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-10-23",
  "publication_date": "2020-09-29",
  "grant_date": "2020-09-29",
  "priority_date": "2017-10-24",
  "application_number": "US-201816167946-A",
  "family_id": "66169345",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
  "citations": [
    "JP2008003000A",
    "JP2011169677A",
    "JP2012237638A",
    "JP2015106287A",
    "US20160110628A1",
    "US20160008988A1",
    "US20170274537A1",
    "JP2017177238A",
    "US20180031394A1",
    "JP2018017594A"
  ]
}