AUTOMATIC MACHINE SYSTEM AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090030550A1
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Inventors: Nagata, Hideo, Tanaka, Michiharu
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/251
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/14 the means being photocells or other devices sensitive without mechanical contact
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4061 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49137 Store working envelop, limit, allowed zone
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices

Abstract

In an automatic machine system comprising a mechanism unit (1) including at least one driving mechanism, a controller (2) for controlling a driving operation of the mechanism unit (1), and a teaching unit (3) for operating the mechanism unit (1),

the teaching unit (3) includes a teaching unit communicating portion for carrying out a wireless communication with the controller (2) and a first field intensity monitoring portion (13) for monitoring a field intensity of communication data in the teaching unit communicating portion, and

the controller (2) includes a controller communicating portion for carrying out a wireless communication with the teaching unit (3), a second field intensity monitoring portion (26) for monitoring a field intensity of communication data in the controller communicating portion, and a driving portion for driving the mechanism unit (1) based on an operation signal sent from the teaching unit (3) in the controller communicating portion.

Claims

1. :

An automatic machine system comprising;

a mechanism unit including at least one driving mechanism;

a controller for controlling a driving operation of the mechanism unit; and

a teaching unit for operating the mechanism unit, wherein the teaching unit includes;

a teaching unit communicating portion for carrying out a wireless communication with the controller; and

a first field intensity monitoring portion for monitoring a field intensity of communication data in the teaching unit communicating portion, and the controller includes;

a controller communicating portion for carrying out a wireless communication with the teaching unit;

a second field intensity monitoring portion for monitoring the field intensity of communication data in the controller communicating portion; and

a driving portion for driving the mechanism unit based on an operation signal sent from the teaching unit, which is received in the controller communicating portion.

2. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 1, wherein the first or second field intensity monitoring portion gives an alarm to an operator when the field intensity is equal to or smaller than a first threshold which is preset.

3. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 1, wherein the first or second field intensity monitoring portion stops the driving operation of the mechanism unit when the field intensity is equal to or smaller than a second threshold which is preset.

4. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 1, wherein the first or second field intensity monitoring portion gives an alarm to an operator when the field intensity is equal to or smaller than a first threshold which is preset, and stops the driving operation of the mechanism unit when the field intensity is equal to or smaller than a second threshold which is preset.

5. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 1, wherein the first or second field intensity monitoring portion monitors the field intensity every certain cycle, and gives an alarm to an operator when the field intensity is equal to or smaller than a preset first threshold continuously at a preset number of times.

6. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 2, wherein the first or second field intensity monitoring portion holds the preset thresholds of the field intensity as parameters.

7. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 5, wherein the first or second field intensity monitoring portion holds the preset number of times as a parameter.

8. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 1, wherein the alarm generated by the first field intensity monitoring portion is a display, a sound or a vibration, or a combination thereof.

9. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 1, wherein the alarm generated by the second field intensity monitoring portion is a display, a sound or an output to an external apparatus connected to the controller, or a combination thereof.

10. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 3, wherein the first field intensity monitoring portion generates a display, a sound or a vibration as the alarm, and the second field intensity monitoring portion generates a display, a sound or an output to an external apparatus as the alarm when the driving operation of the mechanism unit is stopped.

11. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 3, wherein the first or second field intensity monitoring portion releases a radio channel used in the wireless communication when the driving operation of the mechanism unit is stopped.

12. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 1, wherein the second field intensity monitoring portion is disposed in the vicinity of an antenna of the controller communicating portion.

13. :

An automatic machine system comprising;

a mechanism unit including at least one driving mechanism;

a controller for controlling a driving operation of the mechanism unit; and

a teaching unit for operating the mechanism unit, wherein the teaching unit includes;

a teaching unit communicating portion for carrying out a wireless communication with the controller; and

a first communication failure frequency monitoring portion for monitoring a communication failure frequency of the wireless communication in the teaching unit communicating portion, and the controller includes;

a controller communicating portion for carrying out a wireless communication with the teaching unit;

a second communication failure frequency monitoring portion for monitoring the communication failure frequency of the wireless communication in the controller communicating portion; and

a driving portion for driving the mechanism unit based on an operation signal sent from the teaching unit which is received in the controller communicating portion.

14. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 13, wherein the first or second communication failure frequency monitoring portion gives an alarm to an operator when the communication failure frequency is equal to or greater than a third threshold which is preset.

15. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 13, wherein the first or second communication failure frequency monitoring portion stops the driving operation of the mechanism unit when the communication failure frequency is equal to or greater than a fourth threshold which is preset.

16. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 13, wherein the first or second communication failure frequency monitoring portion gives an alarm to an operator when the communication failure frequency is equal to or greater than a third threshold which is preset, and stops the driving operation of the mechanism unit when the communication failure frequency is equal to or greater than a fourth threshold which is preset.

17. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 13, wherein the first or second communication failure frequency monitoring portion monitors the communication failure frequency every certain cycle, and gives an alarm to an operator when the communication failure frequency is equal to or greater than a preset third threshold continuously at a preset number of times.

18. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 14, wherein the first or second communication failure frequency monitoring portion holds the preset thresholds of the communication failure frequency as parameters.

19. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 17, wherein the first or second communication failure frequency monitoring portion holds the preset number of times as a parameter.

20. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 13, wherein the alarm generated by the first communication failure frequency monitoring portion is a display, a sound or a vibration, or a combination thereof.

21. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 13, wherein the alarm generated by the second communication failure frequency monitoring portion is a display, a sound or an output to an external apparatus connected to the controller, or a combination thereof.

22. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 15, wherein the first communication failure frequency monitoring portion generates a display, a sound or a vibration as the alarm, and the second communication failure frequency monitoring portion generates a display, a sound or an output to an external apparatus as the alarm when the driving operation of the mechanism unit is stopped.

23. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 15, wherein the first or second communication failure frequency monitoring portion releases a radio channel used in the wireless communication when the driving operation of the mechanism unit is stopped.

24. :

The automatic machine system according to claim 13, wherein the second communication failure frequency monitoring portion is disposed in the vicinity of an antenna of the controller communicating portion.

25. :

A wireless communication method of an automatic machine system comprising a controller for controlling a driving operation of a mechanism unit including at least one driving mechanism, and a teaching unit for operating the mechanism unit, wherein the teaching unit carries out a wireless communication with the controller to monitor a field intensity of communication data, and the controller carries out a wireless communication with the teaching unit to monitor the field intensity of communication data, and gives an alarm when the field intensity is equal to or smaller than a first threshold which is preset and stops the driving operation of the mechanism unit when the field intensity is equal to or smaller than a second threshold which is preset.

26. :

A wireless communication method of an automatic machine system comprising a controller for controlling a driving operation of a mechanism unit including at least one driving mechanism, and a teaching unit for operating the mechanism unit, wherein the teaching unit carries out a wireless communication with the controller to monitor a generation frequency of communication failure of communication data, and the controller carries out a wireless communication with the teaching unit to monitor the generation frequency of communication failure of communication data, and gives an alarm when the generation frequency of communication failure is equal to or greater than a third threshold which is preset and stops the driving operation of the mechanism unit when the generation frequency of communication failure is equal to or greater than a fourth threshold which is preset.