DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR AN INDUSTRIAL ROBOT AND METHOD FOR MANAGING AVAILABLE RESOURCES THEREOF

• US 20100324730A1
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Müller, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,793,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40163 by assigning priority to messages according to a message field
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems

Abstract

In a method and a computer system for controlling an industrial robot, multiple data packets are received by the computer system, each of the data packets having a destination address with different priority classes being associated therewith in advance by the computer system. A chronological association of tasks with the resources of the computer system is made for processing the individual received data packets, based on the relevant priority class of the destination address of a received data packet.

Claims

1-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A method to administer available resources in a computer system of a controller for an industrial robot, comprising the steps of:

in a computer system of a controller of an industrial robot, receiving a plurality of data packets each comprising a destination address with which different priority classes are associated in advance by the computer system; and

chronologically associating different tasks with resources of the computer system and processing the individual, received data packets in the computer system based on the priority class in the destination address of the individual received data packet.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32 comprising associating at least one destination address with a subnet of the computer system.

34. A method as claimed in claim 32 comprising buffering the received data packets in a memory of the computer system associated with the destination addresses.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34 comprising automatically discarding a data packet having a first destination address if said memory associated with the first destination address is full and a data packet having a second destination address has been received but is not yet processed, or is yet to be received, with said priority class of the first destination address being less than the priority class of the second destination address.

36. A method as claimed in claim 32 comprising receiving Ethernet data packets as the data packets received by the computer system.

37. A method as claimed in claim 32 wherein said computer system comprises a central processing unit configured to control an industrial robot, and executing said tasks through said central processing unit to control the industrial robot therewith.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37 comprising controlling said industrial robot and/or exchanging information between said industrial robot and an additional industrial robot, using data packets having a destination address with a highest priority.

39. A method as claimed in claim 32 comprising implementing a real-time operating system in said computer system to administer said resources.

40. A method as claimed in claim 32 comprising defining three different priority classes in said computer system, said three different priority classes comprising a lowest priority class, a middle priority class, and a highest priority class, and employing data packets having a destination address with said lowest priority to configure the computer system or perform a diagnosis of the computer system, employing data packets having a destination address with said middle priority class to control an industrial robot connected to said computer system, and employing data packets having a destination address with said highest priority class to exchange information between an industrial robot connected to the computer system and at least one additional industrial robot.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40 comprising processing data packets having said destination address with said highest priority class in real time.

42. A method as claimed in claim 32 comprising receiving said data packets via an interface of the computer system and dividing the interface into different interface divisions, and associating different priorities with different interface divisions and chronologically associating said tasks with said resources dependent on the priority class of the interface division that received the individual data packet.

43. A method as claimed in claim 42 comprising associating the destination addresses with the respective interface divisions to establish the destination address for a data packet at the time the data packet is received by a respective interface division.

44. A method as claimed in claim 43 comprising buffering the received data packets in a memory associated with the interface divisions.

45. A method as claimed in claim 44 comprising discarding a data packet received by a first interface division among said plurality of interface divisions when the memory associated with the first interface division is full and a data packet that was received by a second interface division, among said plurality of interface divisions, and is still to be processed or still to be received, with the priority class of the first interface division being less than the priority class of the second interface division.

46. A method as claimed in claim 42 comprising forming said interface divisions from the group consisting of virtual interface divisions and physical interfaces.

47. A method as claimed in claim 42 comprising dividing said interface into three interface divisions and assigning three different priority classes respectively to the three interface divisions, and defining said three different priority classes as a lowest priority class, a middle priority class, and a highest priority class, and receiving data packets at a first of said interface divisions with said lowest priority class for data archiving, configuring said computer system, and diagnosing said computer system, receiving data packets at a second of said interface divisions with the middle priority class for controlling an industrial robot connected to said computer system, and receiving data packets at a third of said interface divisions with the highest priority for information exchange with an industrial robot connected to the computer system and at least one additional industrial robot.

48. A method as claimed in claim 47 comprising processing data packets received by said interface with the highest priority class in real time.

49. A computer system to administer available resources in a computer system of a controller for an industrial robot, comprising:

an interface that receives a plurality of data packets each comprising a destination address with which different priority classes are associated in advance by the computer system; and

a processor configured to chronologically associate different tasks with resources of the computer system and processing the individual, received data packets in the computer system based on the priority class in the destination address of the individual received data packet.

50. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said processor is configured to associate at least one destination address with a sub net of the computer system.

51. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 comprising a memory in which the received data packets associated with the destination addresses are buffered.

52. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said processor is configured to automatically discard a data packet having a first destination address if said memory associated with the first destination address is full and a data packet having a second destination address has been received but is not yet processed, or is yet to be received, with said priority class of the first destination address being less than the priority class of the second destination address.

53. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said processor is configured to receive Ethernet data packets as the data packets received by the computer system.

54. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said processor is part of a central processing unit configured to control an industrial robot to execute said tasks.

55. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said control processing unit is configured to control said industrial robot and/or exchange information between said industrial robot and an additional industrial robot, using data packets having a destination address with a highest priority.

56. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said processor is configured to implement a real-time operating system in said computer system to administer said resources.

57. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said processor is configured to define three different priority classes, said three different priority classes comprising a lowest priority class, a middle priority class, and a highest priority class, and to employ data packets having a destination address with said lowest priority to configure the computer system or perform a diagnosis of the computer system, to employ data packets having a destination address with said middle priority class to control an industrial robot connected to said computer system, and to employ data packets having a destination address with said highest priority class to exchange information between an industrial robot connected to the computer system and at least one additional industrial robot.

58. A computer system as claimed in claim 57 wherein said processor is configured to process data packets having said destination address with said highest priority class in real time.

59. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said interface is divided into different interface divisions, with different priorities being associated with different interface divisions and wherein said processor is configured to chronologically associate said tasks with said resources dependent on the priority class of the interface division that received the individual data packet.

60. A computer system as claimed in claim 59 wherein said processor is configured to associate the destination addresses with the respective interface divisions to establish the destination address for a data packet at the time the data packet is received by a respective interface division.

61. A computer system as claimed in claim 59 comprising a memory in which associated with the interface divisions on which the received data packets are buffered.

62. A computer system as claimed in claim 59 wherein said processor is configured to discard a data packet received by a first interface division among said plurality of interface divisions when the memory associated with the first interface division is full and a data packet that was received by a second interface division, among said plurality of interface divisions, and is still to be processed or still to be received, with the priority class of the first interface division being less than the priority class of the second interface division.

63. A computer system as claimed in claim 59 wherein said interface divisions are formed from the group consisting of virtual interface divisions and physical interfaces.

64. A computer system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said interface is divided into three interface divisions respectively assigned three different priority classes, said three different priority classes being defined as a lowest priority class, a middle priority class, and a highest priority class, and wherein said interface is configured to receive data packets at a first of said interface divisions with said lowest priority class for data archiving, configuring said computer system, and diagnosing said computer system, receive data packets at a second of said interface divisions with the middle priority class for controlling an industrial robot connected to said computer system, and receive data packets at a third of said interface divisions with the highest priority for information exchange with an industrial robot connected to the computer system and at least one additional industrial robot.

65. A computer system as claimed in claim 64 wherein said processor is configured to process data packets received by said interface with the highest priority class in real time.

66. An industrial robot system comprising:

a robot comprising a plurality of robot arms respectively articulated at multiple axes and being movable relative to each other with respect to said axes; and

a computer system connected to said robot for controlling movement of said plurality of robot arms, said computer system being configured to receive a plurality of data packets each comprising a destination address with which different priority classes are associated in advance by the computer system, and to chronologically associate different robot control tasks with resources of the computer system and to process the individual, received data packets in the computer system to control the robot based on the priority class in the destination address of the individual received data packet.