Patent ID: 8340820

Claim:
A method of automatically controlling an extendable robot arm using a control processor to avoid collisions while returning to a first position from a second position, the method comprising: periodically storing locations of the robot arm as the robot arm moves along a forward path from the first position to the second position, wherein periodically storing locations of the robot arm as the robot arm moves along the forward path, comprises: determining a current location of the robot arm on the forward path after a predetermined time period; determining a distance between the current location and a previously stored location of the robot arm on the forward path; and storing the current location as a point on the forward path when the determined distance is greater than a predetermined minimum distance; applying a plurality of heuristic algorithms to the stored locations to determine a return path to the first position, the return path including at least a portion of a retrace path retracing the stored locations of the forward path; and returning the robot arm to the first position under control of the control processor using the determined return path.