Patent ID: 7194335

Claim:
A manipulator operative in a master/slave operative mode, comprising: a master unit commanding an operation; a slave unit having a work unit; a detector detecting the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit; and a control device controlling the slave unit in response to a command from the master unit, wherein the control device includes: a first function of determining a non-master/slave operative mode or a master/slave operative mode; a second function of calculating a difference between the orientation of the master unit and the orientation of the slave unit; a third function of comparing the absolute value of the difference with a preset reference value, and depending upon the result of the comparison, determining a normal master/slave operative mode or a transitional master/slave operative mode, in said master/slave operative mode, said transitional master/slave operative mode being a transitional mode from the non-master/slave operative mode to the master/slave operative mode; a fourth function of restricting the operation of the slave unit in said master/slave operative mode to set the manipulator in the non-master/slave operative mode; and a fifth function of performing the first to third functions in response to a restriction release command, and, after performing the fourth function, setting the manipulator in said transitional master/slave operative mode.