Operation device for operating robot, robot system, and operation method

• US 10,654,171 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tomoyuki, Maeda, Keita
• Primary Examiner(s): Oh, Harry Y
• Application Number:
  US15/958,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20180311825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/06 Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/08 by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/088 with position, velocity or acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1605 Simulation of manipulator lay-out, design, modelling of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1656 characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36168 Touchscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36401 Record play back, teach position and record it then play back
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39446 Display of manipulator and workpiece and jog directions

Abstract

An operation device which can reliably prevent any motion of a robot in the real space unintended by the user. An operation device includes a touch screen to display an image of a robot model and to receive a touch input, a model motion execution section to cause the robot model to make a motion in response to a touch input made by touching a surface of the touch screen, a robot motion button for causing the robot to make a motion in the real space, a motion input detection section to detect an input to the robot motion button, and a real machine motion command section to output a command to cause the robot to make an identical motion in the real space to the motion of the robot model executed by the model motion execution section as long as inputs to the robot motion button are continuously detected.

Claims

1. A robot interface device for operating a robot, comprising:

a touch screen configured to display an image of a robot model modeling the robot and receive a touch input;

a robot motion button for moving the robot in real space; and

a processor configured to;

move the image of the robot model in response to the touch input made by touching a surface of the touch screen;

move the robot in a real space;

detect an input of the robot motion button;

determine whether or not the input of the robot motion button is continuously detected for a predetermined time after detection of the input; and

start a command output operation to output a command for causing the robot to carry out a motion in the real space that is identical to a motion of the image of the robot model, when the processor determines that input of the robot motion button is continuously detected, and execute the command output operation during the continuous detection of the input of the robot motion button after the start of the command output operation.

2. The robot interface device according to claim 1, wherein the robot motion button is displayed on the touch screen as an image, and

wherein the processor is further configured to detect a touch input to a display region of the robot motion button on the touch screen as the input of the robot motion button.

3. The robot interface device according to claim 2, wherein the touch screen is configured to detect a force of the touch input to the display region, and

wherein the processor is further configured to detect the touch input to the display region as the input of the robot motion button when the force detected by the touch screen is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether or not the force detected by the touch screen is continuously equal to or greater than the threshold value for the predetermined time after the force has become equal to or greater than the threshold value.

4. The robot interface device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to acquire a position and orientation of the robot from a robot controller configured to control the robot,

wherein the touch screen displays the image of the robot model arranged at the position and orientation acquired by the processor, and

wherein the processor is further configured to move the image of the robot model arranged at the position and orientation acquired by the processor.

5. The robot interface device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a motion command to be transmitted to the robot to cause the robot to carry out the identical motion in the real space, based on a start point and an end point of the touch input made by touching the surface of the touch screen.

6. The robot interface device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to switch the image of the robot model of three-dimension to a second image of the robot model viewed from a direction different from the image, in response to a predetermined type of touch input to the touch screen.

7. The robot interface device according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined type of touch input is:

a touch input to a display region of an image-switching button displayed on the touch screen for switching the image of the robot model to the second image;

a touch input made by touching two different points on the touch screen;

or

a touch input made by continuously touching at least one point on the touch screen for a predetermined time.

8. A robot system comprising:

a robot;

a robot controller configured to control the robot; and

a robot interface device, that is communicably connected to the robot controller, the robot interface device comprising;

a touch screen configured to display an image of a robot model modeling the robot and receive a touch input;

a robot motion button for moving the robot in real space; and

a processor configured to;

move the image of the robot model in response to the touch input made by touching a surface of the touch screen;

move the robot in a real space;

detect an input of the robot motion button;

determine whether or not the input of the robot motion button is continuously detected for a predetermined time after detection of the input; and

start a command output operation to output a command for causing the robot to carry out a motion in the real space that is identical to a motion of the image of the robot model, when the processor determines that input of the robot motion button is continuously detected, and execute the command output operation during the continuous detection of the input of the robot motion button after the start of the command output operation.

9. A method of operating a robot, comprising:

displaying, by a touch screen, an image of a robot model modeling the robot, the touch screen configured to receive a touch input;

moving, by a processor, the image of the robot model in response to the touch input made by touching a surface of the touch screen;

detecting, by the processor, an input of a robot motion button for moving the robot in a real space;

determining, by the processor, whether or not the input of the robot motion button is continuously detected for a predetermined time after detection of the input; and

starting, by the processor, a command output operation to output a command for causing the robot to carry out an identical motion in the real space to a motion of the robot model, when it is determined that the input of the robot motion button is continuously detected, and executing the command output operation during continuously detecting the input of the robot motion button after the start of the command output operation.