Patent ID: 9555547
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: B25J,G05B,G05F,Y10S

Claim:
1. A robotic system comprising: an incremental encoder coupled to a joint of the robotic system, wherein the incremental encoder is configured to provide outputs that indicate positions of the joint; a memory configured to store information related to a position of the joint; a motor coupled to the joint, wherein a movement of the joint while the robotic system is powered off causes mechanical motion of the motor, wherein the mechanical motion of the motor causes the motor to generate electric power, and wherein, while the robotic system is powered off, the generated electric power is used to power on the incremental encoder and the memory; and a microcontroller configured to (i), while the robotic system is powered off, receive from the incremental encoder information related to an updated position of the joint and (ii) store in the memory the information related to the updated position of the joint, wherein the updated position of the joint resulted from the movement of the joint while the robotic system was powered off, and wherein, while the robotic system is powered off, the generated electric power is also used to power on the microcontroller.