Automation equipment control system

• US 20050267637A1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Robotic Workspace Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Lapham, John R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• 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: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33242 Watchdog for datacommunication, on error switch off supply to bus modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34047 Dsp digital signal processor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34261 Windows, microsoft windows
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39001 Robot, manipulator control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/42 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 Sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/48 Counterbalance

Abstract

A automation equipment 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 equipment instructions and to generate a plurality of move commands. The real-time computer subsystem includes a move command data buffer for storing the plurality of move commands, a move module linked to the data buffer for sequentially processing the moves and calculating a required position for a 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 joint position feedback signal.

Claims

1. At least one first control system for processing at least one program of instructions for mechanisms having at least one 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 instructions for mechanisms and to generate a plurality of mechanism 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 mechanism 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 a position signal and said required position for the mechanical joint; and

a second control system for processing at least one program of instructions from the first control system for mechanisms having at least one 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 second 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 instructions for mechanisms and to generate a plurality of mechanism 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 mechanism 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 a position signal and said required position for the mechanical joint.

2. The control system according to claim 1 further comprising a watchdog intercommunication between said real-time computer subsystem and said general purpose computer for detecting faults in operation of said general purpose computer.

3. The control system according to claim 2 wherein said watchdog intercommunication includes:

a timer variable for storing an elapsed time indication;

a timer code segment for adjusting said timer variable according to passing time;

an activity software switch having an active position and an unset position;

a status code segment installed in said general purpose computer for repeatedly setting said activity software switch to said active position;

a timer reset code segment installed in said real-time computer subsystem for repeatedly resetting said timer variable to a predetermined amount of time when said activity software switch is in said active position and repeatedly setting said activity software switch to said unset position; and

a fail safe code segment installed in said real-time computer subsystem for repeatedly inspecting said timer variable and setting said activation signal to shut down the robot if said timer variable reaches a predetermined value.

4. The control system according to claim 3 wherein said activity software switch is implemented as an integer software variable with said unset position being represented by zero and said active position being represented by one.

5. The control system according to claim 1 further comprising a data bus for receiving bus cards and wherein said real-time computer subsystem includes a bus card with a central processing unit, said bus card being installed in said data bus.

6. At least one first control system suitable for controlling a plurality of automation devices, each device having a mechanical joint and a mechanical actuator to move the joint, the control system comprising:

a general purpose computer with a general purpose operating system, the general purpose computer including a first digital processor for running an operator interface module; and

a plurality of real-time computer subsystems each in electronic communication with said general purpose computer and each operably linked to one of said automation devices, each subsystem including a digital processor for running a real-time tied operating system and a move module for executing move commands; and

a second control system suitable for receiving a signal from the first control system for controlling a plurality of automation devices, each device having a mechanical joint and a mechanical actuator to move the joint, the second control system comprising;

a general purpose computer with a general purpose operating system, the general purpose computer including a first digital processor for running an operator interface module; and

a plurality of real-time computer subsystems each in electronic communication with said general purpose computer and each operably linked to one of said automation devices, each subsystem including a digital processor for running a real-time tied operating system and a move module for executing move commands.

7. A second control system of claim 6 for controlling a series of complex mechanisms.

8. The control system according to claim 6 further comprising a watchdog intercommunication between at least one of said plurality of real-time computer subsystems and said general purpose computer for detecting faults in operation of said general purpose computer.

9. A second control system according to claim 6 wherein at least one of said plurality of subsystems includes a move command data buffer for storing said plurality of move commands, a move module linked to said data buffer to sequentially process said plurality of move commands and calculate a target position for the mechanical joint, and a control algorithm in software communication with said move module to calculate a required activation signal from said target position for the mechanical joint.