VERSATILE ROBOT CONTROL SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A control system for processing a program of robot instructions for robots having a mechanical joint, a mechanical actuator to move the joint and a position feedback sensor, the mechanical actuator being adapted to receive an activation signal and the feedback sensor providing a position signal, the control system comprising:
- a general purpose computer with a general purpose operating system, said general purpose computer including a program execution module to selectively start and stop processing of the program of robot instructions and to generate a plurality of robot move commands; and
a real-time computer subsystem in electronic communication with said general purpose computer and operably linked to the mechanical actuator and the position feedback sensor, a move command data buffer for storing said plurality of move commands, a robot move module linked to said data buffer to sequentially process said plurality of move commands and calculate a required position for the mechanical joint, and a control algorithm in software communication with said robot move module to repeatedly calculate a required activation signal from the feedback signal and said required position for the mechanical joint.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved, versatile robot control system comprises a general purpose computer with a general purpose operating system in electronic communication with a real-time computer subsystem. The general purpose computer includes a program execution module to selectively start and stop processing of a program of robot instructions and to generate a plurality of robot move commands. The real-time computer subsystem includes a move command data buffer for storing the plurality of move commands, a robot move module linked to the data buffer for sequentially processing the moves and calculating a required position for a robot mechanical joint. The real-time computer subsystem also includes a dynamic control algorithm in software communication with the move module to repeatedly calculate a required actuator activation signal from a robot joint position feedback signal.
13 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A control system for processing a program of robot instructions for robots having a mechanical joint, a mechanical actuator to move the joint and a position feedback sensor, the mechanical actuator being adapted to receive an activation signal and the feedback sensor providing a position signal, the control system comprising:
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a general purpose computer with a general purpose operating system, said general purpose computer including a program execution module to selectively start and stop processing of the program of robot instructions and to generate a plurality of robot move commands; and
a real-time computer subsystem in electronic communication with said general purpose computer and operably linked to the mechanical actuator and the position feedback sensor, a move command data buffer for storing said plurality of move commands, a robot move module linked to said data buffer to sequentially process said plurality of move commands and calculate a required position for the mechanical joint, and a control algorithm in software communication with said robot move module to repeatedly calculate a required activation signal from the feedback signal and said required position for the mechanical joint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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17. A versatile robot control system suitable for controlling robots of different electromechanical configurations, the control system comprising:
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a robot-independent computer unit including a video display and a first digital processor running an operator interface module for creating a sequence of robot move commands; and
a robot-specific controller unit operably linked to the robot and including a second digital processor running a real-time tied operating system and a robot move module for executing said robot move commands, said robot specific controller unit being in electronic communication with said robot independent computer unit.
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26. An operator interface module for controlling robots of different electromechanical configurations, the operator interface module comprising:
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a first code segment for generating a first operator display according to a first electromechanical configuration;
a second code segment for generating a second operator display according to a second electromechanical configuration; and
a third segment for selecting said first or second code segment according to said electromechanical configuration.
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Specification