MULTI-AXIS DRIVER CONTROL METHOD, MULTI-AXIS DRIVER AND MULTI-AXIS DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME

• US 20100259209A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: THK Company Limited
• Original Assignee: THK Company Limited
• Inventors: Nagato, Yoshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,334,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/600
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4141 characterised by a controller or microprocessor per axis
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33176 Rs485, mpi multipoint, multidrop interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33187 Serial transmission rs232c, rs422, rs485 communication link

Abstract

Provided is a multi-axis driver control method that enables communications with drive-axis basis controllers of a multi-axis driver with use of a single general-purpose external interface.

In the multi-axis driver control method for transmitting a command from an external device to the drive-axis basis controller of the multi-axis driver to set operation and/or parameters of the drive-axis basis controller, the external device is connected to the multi-axis driver on a one-to-one basis, and the external interface is connected to the drive-axis basis controller via a multi-dropped connecting portion. The drive-axis basis controller determines whether the command is self-addressed or not and, if the command is self-addressed, the drive-axis basis controller executes the command and transmits response data corresponding to the command and a transmission permission flag to the multi-dropped connecting portion. The multi-dropped connecting portion opens a transmission port in response to the transmission permission flag and transmits the response data to the external device, and after transmission is finished, the multi-dropped connecting portion closes the transmission port.

Claims

1. A multi-axis driver control method for transmitting a command from an external device to a drive-axis basis controller of a multi-axis driver to set operation and/or parameters of the drive-axis basis controller, comprising the steps of:

connecting a one-to-one communication port of the external device to an external interface of the multi-axis driver on a one-to-one basis;

connecting the external interface to the drive-axis basis controller via a multi-dropped connecting portion;

the multi-dropped connecting portion converting the command into protocol data suitable for multi-dropped connection and transmitting to the data to the drive-axis basis controller;

the drive-axis basis controller determining whether the command is self-addressed or not and, if the command is self-addressed, the drive-axis basis controller executing the command and transmitting response data corresponding to the command and a transmission permission flag to the multi-dropped connecting portion;

the multi-dropped connecting portion opening a transmission port in response to the transmission permission flag and transmitting the response data to the external device; and

after transmission is finished, the multi-dropped connecting portion closing the transmission port.

2. The multi-axis driver control method according to claim 1, wherein communication standards for the multi-dropped connection are of RS422 or RS485.

3. The multi-axis driver control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a unique identification number of the drive-axis basis controller is a voltage value using an analog port of the drive-axis basis controller.

4. A multi-axis driver for performing drive-axis basis control, comprising:

a one-to-one external interface for external connection;

a first communication controller that is connected to the external interface and is capable of multi-dropped connection thereunder;

a second communication controller that is connected to the first communication controller on a drive-axis basis, has an identical communication protocol to a communication protocol of the first communication controller and has an opening and closing unit of a transmission port; and

a plurality of drive-axis basis controllers that is connected to the second communication controller on the drive-axis basis and configured to execute drive control on the drive-axis basis, each of the drive-axis controllers having a command executing unit that has a unique identification number and is configured to receive and execute a command transmitted with the unique identification number from an external device connected to the external interface of the multi-axis driver, and a unit for, after execution of the command, transmitting response data corresponding to the command and a transmission permission flag that requests the second communication controller to open the transmission port so as to transmit the response data to the external device.

5. The multi-axis driver according to claim 4, further comprising a unit for inputting a different voltage value as the unique identification number to an analog port of the drive-axis basis controller.

6. A multi-axis drive control system comprising:

a plurality of actuators driven on a drive-axis basis;

an inverter for supplying power to the actuators;

a multi-axis driver for controlling the power of the inverter on the drive-axis basis, the multi-axis driver having a one-to-one external interface for external connection;

a first communication controller that is connected to the external interface and is capable of multi-dropped connection thereunder;

a second communication controller that is connected to the first communication controller on a drive-axis basis, has an identical communication protocol to a communication protocol of the first communication controller and has an opening and closing unit of a transmission port; and

a plurality of drive-axis basis controllers that is connected to the second communication controller on the drive-axis basis and configured to execute drive control on the drive-axis basis, each of the drive-axis controllers having a command executing unit that has a unique identification number and is configured to receive and execute a command transmitted with the unique identification number from an external device connected to the external interface of the multi-axis driver, and a unit for, after execution of the command, transmitting response data corresponding to the command and a transmission permission flag that requests the second communication controller to open the transmission port so as to transmit the response data to the external device; and

the external device configured to set operation and/or parameters of the multi-axis driver.