Patent ID: 7974737

Claim:
A method of optimizing collision free path planning for an automated manufacturing cell, comprising: initializing a plurality of feasible configuration points; initializing a first plurality of sample points located in a free space; initializing a second plurality of sample points not located in said free space; determining an initial goodness rating of said first and second pluralities of sample points and said plurality of feasible configuration points; generating a plurality of new candidate points; determining if each of said new candidate points is a feasible configuration point; adding respective ones of said new candidate points to said plurality of feasible configuration points if said respective ones are feasible configuration points; determining if said respective ones of said new candidate points are located in said free space if said respective ones are not feasible configuration points; adding said respective ones to said first plurality of sample points if said respective ones are located in said free space and are not feasible configuration points; adding said respective ones to said second plurality of sample points if said respective ones are not located in said free space and are not feasible configuration points; determining an updated goodness rating of said first and second pluralities of sample points and said plurality of feasible configuration points; updating a motion planning algorithm; determining if a termination criteria has been met; reporting one of a best solution and no solution as the optimized collision free path if said termination criteria has been met; and repeating said generating a plurality of new candidate points and determining if each of said new candidate points is a feasible configuration point if said termination criteria has not been met wherein a controller is operatively connected to the automated manufacturing cell and the method is programmed into and is executed by the controller.