Wireless controller and a method for wireless control of a device mounted on a robot

• US 20060122730A1
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ABB Research Ltd. (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kjellsson, Jimmy, Strand, Martin, Tasala, Seija, Oberg, Pierre, Gronqvist, Asa, Niemela, Esko
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1612 characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39556 Control system build into hand itself

Abstract

A wireless controller for controlling and/or monitoring a device arranged mounted on or relative to an industrial robot. A wireless communicator including a processor arranged with software means handles wireless communication to and from the device. A control carries out at least one control function for one or more actuators of the device. Also, a method, a computer program and a graphic user interface.

Claims

1. A wireless controller for controlling-and/or monitoring a device arranged relative an industrial robot, comprising wireless communication means including a processor arranged with communication function means for handling wireless communication to and from said device and control means for carrying out at least one control function for one or more actuators of said device.

2. The wireless controller according to claim 1, wherein the control means are comprised in part as one or more computer programs executable by means of said processor that handles the wireless communication functions.

3. The wireless controller according to claim 1, wherein the control means is further arranged to process a signal from at least one sensor arranged with said device.

4. The wireless controller according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a configurable hardware I/O interface.

5. The wireless controller according to claim 4, wherein the hardware input/output means of the wireless controller are integrated in the same unit as said processor.

6. The wireless controller according to claim 1, wherein the control means further comprises program means for receiving and/or storing operational data of said device.

7. The wireless controller according to claim 6, wherein the wireless controller comprises memory means for storage of operational data.

8. The wireless controller according to claim 6, wherein the control means further comprises computer program means for processing the operational data of said device.

9. The wireless controller according to claim 6, wherein the control means further comprises output means for communicating data dependent on the stored operational data to a display means.

10. The wireless controller according to claim 6, wherein the output means for communicating the stored operational data comprises an embedded web server.

11. The wireless controller according to claim 9, wherein the output means of the control means is configured to communicate the stored operational data via the wireless communication means.

12. The wireless controller according to claim 9, wherein the output means of the control means may be configured to communicate with a supervisory robot control system using a message sent via any of the list of:

SMS, a web address, a phone, a second robot control unit.

13. The wireless controller according to claim 9, wherein the output means of the control means is configured to send a communication to a human operator via any of a list of:

SMS, a web address, a network address, a phone, a control unit.

14. The wireless controller according to claim 1, wherein the control means further comprises a control loop for receiving an input signal from a high level control system and generating a control signal to said device dependent on the input signal from the high level control system.

15. The wireless controller according to claim 14, wherein input/output signals of the control loop of the control means are compatible with a high level language.

16. The wireless controller according to claim 6, wherein the wireless controller comprises additional processor means for receiving and/or storing operational data of said device.

17. The wireless controller according to claim 1, further comprising wireless communication means configured to operate according to a standard compatible issued by the Bluetooth SIG Inc.

18. The wireless controller according to claim 17, wherein wireless communication functions means comprises protocol stack handling for both incoming and outgoing communications.

19. The wireless controller according to claim 17, wherein handling wireless communication transmitted according to a protocol that emulates a serial transmission line.

20. The wireless controller according to claim 1, further comprising means for providing wireless I/O functions between the robot control unit and said device arranged on or in relative proximity to the industrial robot.

33. Use of a device according to claim 1 to control and/or monitor a device arranged with an industrial robot to carry out the operation of any one from the list of:

welding, soldering, riveting, painting, gluing, folding plate, bending plate, hemming plate, gripping an object, manipulating an object.

34. Use of a device according to claim 1 to configure and/or calibrate a second wireless controller and/or a second device prior till use with a robot.

35. Use of a wireless controller according to claim 1 by a human operator to control and/or monitor a device arranged with an industrial robot.

36. Use of a wireless controller according to claim 1 by means of a process running on one or more computers to supervise and/or control a device arranged with an industrial robot.

39. A graphical user interface for controlling and/or monitoring and a device arranged relative an industrial robot, wherein a display for operational data of the device is provided by a wireless controller according to claim 1.

40. The graphical user interface according to claim 39, wherein the operational data values are provided by means of an embedded web server comprised in the control means of the wireless controller.

41. The graphical user interface according to claim 39, wherein the operational data values displayed are combined with a graphical representation of a relevant production cell or part thereof.

42. The graphical user interface according to claim 39, wherein the operational data values displayed are arranged to be displayed upon activation of a part of the graphical representation of the relevant production cell or part thereof using a computer mouse, joystick, touch screen or similar computer display selection means.

21. A method for wireless control and/or monitoring of a device arranged relative an industrial robot, comprising:

sending a wireless signal from a robot control unit to said device mounted on or arranged in conjunction with said robot,

receiving the signal by means of a wireless controller arranged mounted on-or in conjunction with said device,

processing the wireless signal in a processor of the wireless controller,

generating a second control signal in the processor and sending it to said device.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising sending the second control signal by means of a hardware I/O interface of the wireless controller.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising storing operational data for said device in a memory means of the wireless controller.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising storing in-signals and result signals sent out in a memory means of the wireless controller.

25. The method according to claim 21, further comprising processing operational data and providing for a web client or a thin client data comprising any from the list of:

signals, results, number of complete cycles, cycle time, statistical information, alarms.

26. The method according to claim 21, further comprising providing operational data for a display means.

27. The method according to claim 21, further comprising providing diagnostic information based on the operational data.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising providing the diagnostic information arranged compatible with a web client or a thin client.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising providing the diagnostic information arranged compatible with a web browser or telephone adapted web browser format including from the list of:

XML, HTML, WML, WBXML.

30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising providing the diagnostic information arranged compatible with a Java applet.

31. The method according to claim 21, further comprising downloading operational information and/or configuration data stored in the wireless controller to a second wireless controller and/or second device neither of which are mounted on the robot.

32. The method according to claim 21, further comprising providing wireless I/O functions between the robot control system and the device arranged on or in relative proximity to the industrial robot.

37. A computer program comprising computer code means and/or software code portions for making a computer or processor perform the steps of a method according to claim 21.

38. The computer program product according to claim 37 comprised in one or more computer readable media.

43. A wireless controller for controlling and/or monitoring a device arranged relative an industrial robot, comprising wireless communication means including a processor arranged with

communication function software means for handling a wireless protocol stack for communication to and from said device, and

control means for carrying out at least one control function for one or more actuators of said device.