Simulation device

• US 20030090491A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuribayashi, Katsuyuki, Nagatsuka, Yoshiharu, Watanabe, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1671 characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35291 Record history, log, journal, audit of machine operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40322 Simulation with des, discrete event system

Abstract

A simulation device capable of displaying still images of a three-dimensional model of a machine such as a robot in the midst of an operation of the machine and simulating the operation from a start to the midst of the operation. The simulation device receives historical data (lapsing time information and positional information associated with the lapsing time information) of the operation of the machine to perform the simulation of the operation by displaying an image of the three-dimensional model of the machine by animation. When a capturing trigger signal is issued manually or automatically in the simulation, the image of the three-dimensional model is reduced and stored to be associated with the historical data of the operation of the machine at the issuance of the capturing trigger signal. The obtained reduce images are displayed in time series in the order of lapsing time. When one of the reduced images is selected, the simulation from a start to the midst of the operation indicated by the selected reduced image is replayed based on The historical data stored in associated with the selected reduced image.

Claims

1. A simulation device for simulating an operation of a machine which operates in accordance with a operation program or an operation command, said simulation device comprising:

receiving means for receiving lapsing time information of the operation of the machine and positional information of the machine associated with the lapsing time information;

simulation display means for displaying an image of a model of the machine on a display device by animation to perform simulation of the operation of the machine based on the received lapsing time information and positional information;

capturing means for capturing images of the model of the machine obtained by said simulation display means in the simulation and reduce the captured images of the model of the machine;

storing means for storing the reduced images to be associated with the lapsing time information and the positional information to the time of capturing of the respective images of the model of the machine; and

display control means for displaying the reduced images on the display device in the order of lapsing time based on the stored lapsing time information.

2. A simulation device according to claim 1, further comprising arithmetic processing means for executing the operation program or the operation command, wherein said receiving means receives the lapsing time information of the operation of the machine and the positional information of the machine from said arithmetic processing means.

3. A simulation device according to claim 2, wherein said arithmetic processing means comprises a controller of the machine or a device having an arithmetic processing section equivalent to the controller of the machine.

4. A simulation device according to claim 1, further comprising replay means for replaying a part of the simulation of the operation of the machine designated by at least one reduced image selected by an operator from the reduced images displayed on the display device based on the lapsing time information of the operation of the machine an the positional information of the machine associated with the reduced image selected by the operator.

5. A simulation device according to claim 4, wherein said replay means replays the simulation of operation of the machine from a present position of the machine to a target position determined by the positional information associated with the selected image, and commands the machine to operate to the position corresponding to the position of the machine in the simulation.

6. A simulation device according to claim 5, wherein said replay means displays an image of the model of the machine by animation from the present position to the target position of the machine before commanding the machine to operate to the position corresponding to the position of the machine in the simulation.

7. A simulation device according to claim 4, wherein said replay means displays a locus of a controlled point of the machine on the display device in the replay of the simulation of the operation of the machine.

8. A simulation device according to claim 4, further comprising replay control means for suspending the replay of the simulation to allow altering of a replay speed of the replay of the simulation and restarting the replay of the simulation.

9. A simulation device according to claim 8, wherein the suspending of the replay of the simulation to alter the replay speed and the restarting of the replay of the simulation are performed with respect to another machine which operates simultaneously with said machine.

10. A simulation device according to claim 1, further comprising capturing commanding means for issuing a command for capturing an image of model to said capturing means.

11. A simulation device according to claim 1, wherein said capturing commanding means automatically issues the capturing command at every predetermined period.

12. A simulation device according to claim 10, wherein said capturing commanding means issues the capturing command in response to a command manually inputted by an operator.

13. A simulation device according to claim 1, wherein said lapsing time information includes one of time information in execution of the operation program and lapsing time from a start of execution of the operation program.

14. A simulation device according to claim 1, wherein said machine comprises an industrial robot.

15. A simulation device according to claim 1, wherein said machine comprises a machine tool.

16. A simulation device for simulating an operation of a machine, comprising:

receiving means for receiving lapsing time information of the operation of the machine and positional information of the machine associated with the lapsing time information;

simulation display means for displaying an image of a model of the machine on a display device by animation to perform simulation of the operation of the machine based on the received lapsing time information and positional information;

capturing means for capturing images of the model of the machine obtained by said simulation display means in the simulation;

storing means for storing the captured images to be associated with the lapsing time information and the positional information to the time of capturing of the respective images of the model of the machine; and

display control means for reducing the captured images and displaying the reduced images on the display device in the order of lapsing time based on the stored lapsing time information.

17. A simulation device according to claim 16, further comprising arithmetic processing means for executing the operation program or the operation command, wherein said receiving means receives the lapsing time information of the operation of the machine and the positional information of the machine from said arithmetic processing means.

18. A simulation device according to claim 17, wherein said arithmetic processing means comprises a controller of the machine or a device having an arithmetic processing section equivalent to the controller of the machine.

19. A simulation device according to claim 16, further comprising replay means for replaying a part of the simulation of the operation of the machine designated by at least one of reduced images selected by an operator based on the lapsing time information of the operation of the machine and the positional information of the machine associated with the reduced images selected by the operator.

20. A simulation device according to claim 19, wherein said replay means replays the simulation of operation of the machine from a present position of the machine to a target position determined by the positional information associated with the selected image, and commands the machine to operate to the position corresponding to the position of the machine in the simulation.

21. A simulation device according to claim 20, wherein said replay means displays an image of the model by animation from the present position to the target position of the machine before commanding the machine to operate to the position corresponding to the position of the machine in the simulation.

22. A simulation device according to claim 19, wherein said replay means displays a locus of a controlled point of the machine on the display device in the replay of the simulation of the operation of the machine.

23. A simulation device according to claim 19, further comprising replay control means for suspending the replay of the simulation to allow altering of a replay speed of the replay of the simulation and restarting the replay of the simulation.

24. A simulation device according to claim 23, wherein the suspending of the replay of the simulation to alter the replay speed and the restarting of the replay of the simulation are performed with respect to another machine which operates simultaneously with said machine.

25. A simulation device according to claim 16, further comprising capturing commanding means for issuing a command for capturing an image of model to said capturing means.

26. A simulation device according to claim 25, wherein said capturing commanding means automatically issues the capturing command at every predetermined period.

27. A simulation device according to claim 25, wherein said capturing commanding means issues the capturing command in response to a command manually inputted by an operator.

28. A simulation device according to claim 16, wherein said lapsing time information includes one of time information in execution of the operation program and lapsing time from a start of execution of the operation program

29. A simulation device according to claim 16, wherein said machine comprises an industrial robot.

30. A simulation device according to claim 16, wherein said machine comprises a machine tool.