Self-configuring computerized robot control system with call-back feature

• US 4,689,755 A
• Filed: 01/07/1985
• Issued: 08/25/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zymark Corp. (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zymark Corp. (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buote, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruggiero, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US06/689,143
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 364/131-135, 364/138, 364/139, 364/140, 364/167-171, 364/474, 364/475, 364/513, 364/191-193, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 901/2-8, 901/30-38, 901/40-45, 901/50, 318/568, 414/730
• US Class Current: 700/247
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/40936 Defining geometry with a high level language
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4181 characterised by direct numerical control [DNC]
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33053 Modular hardware, software, easy modification, expansion, generic, oop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33125 System configuration, reconfiguration, customization, automatic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34345 Database for sequential control of several machines by messages
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36035 Special language, task programming, oop object oriented programming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45083 Manipulators, robot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Apparatus constructed such that it may control various other equipment for the performance of various work tasks, even other equipment yet to be designed for work tasks yet to be designed. The improvement in the apparatus feature a call-back control procedure which is activatable from device intelligence to ensure that a specific robotic device can be "called-back", i.e. reactivated, to perform some specific action without the necessity of there being a code entry in the sequence intelligence of the central computer system enabling the specific action. The apparatus comprises a central computer control means comprising (1) a dictionary storage means for tagging and storing command-specific parameters for a specific work tasks and that specific robot module to which each of the parameters belongs and (2) sequencing means to schedule said work-tasks for a plurality of said modules. The module also can be activated for the task without use of the sequencing means, e.g. by having the module request one of its own dictionary entries.

Claims

1. In a control system for operating a number of robot modules and comprising a language-generating and storing means, said language generating means comprising means to receive command-specific operating parameters, from a robot module, and means to transfer said operating parameters, said known robot module identification, and a selected name for said parameters into a dictionary storage means and sequence intelligence program means to activate such operating parameters by using said selected name as a command signal to transfer said parameters to said module, the improvement wherein said system comprises a call-timer program means which responds to signals received from device intelligence contained in at least one said module of a said robotic device by commanding performance of a task, by said device, through said device intelligence and without use of said sequence intelligence program means.

2. A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein said system utilizes selected names for a plurality of said robot modules, at least some of which, have a plurality of sets of operating parameters in said dictionary, and wherein said selected names, taken together form a device-independnet sequencing language for such system.

4. A robotic system as defined in claim 1 comprising a robotic device means;

a first module means for providing all of the intelligence for said robotic device means, said modules being electrically connected to said robotic device means;

computer means;

a first physical interface means for providing a plurality of separable electrical connections between said computer means and said first module means so that all of the intelligence for the robotic device means is located on the robotic device means side of the physical interface means;

means for performing a defined task;

a second module means for providing all of the intelligence for said defined task performing means, said module means being electrically connected to said defined task performing means; and

a second physical interface means for providing a plurality of separable electrical connections between said computer means and said second module means so that all of the intelligence for the defined task performing means is located on the defined task performing means side of the physical interface means.

7. A robotic system as defined in claim 2 comprising;

a plurality of robotic device means;

a corresponding plurality of module means with each module means providing all of the intelligence for the corresponding robotic device means, and being electrically connected thereto;

computer means; and

a corresponding plurality of physical interface means each providing a plurality of separable electrical connections between said computer means and the corresponding module means so that all of the intelligence for each robotic device means is located on the robotic device means side of the associated physical interface means.

8. The robotic system of claim 2 wherein each said physical interface means provides separable electrical connections between said computer means and the corresponding module means for at least data, address and read and write.

3. In a robotic system as comprising a robotic device means;

a first module means for providing all of the intelligence for said robotic device means, said modules being electrically connected to said robotic device means;

computer means;

a first physical interface means for providing a plurality of separable electrical connections between said computer means and said first module means so that all of the intelligence for the robotic device means is located on the robotic device means side of the physical interface means;

means for performing a defined task;

a second module means for providing all of the intelligence for said defined task performing means, said module means being electrically connected to said defined task performing means; and

a second physical interface means for providing a plurality of separable electrical connections between said computer means and said second module means so that all of the intelligence for the defined task performing means is located on the defined task performing means side of the physical interface means, the improvement wherein said system comprises a call-timer program means which responds to signals received from device intelligence contained in at least one said module of one said robotic device by commanding performance of a task, by one said device, through device intelligence of said device and without use of said sequence intelligence program means.

5. The robotic system of claim 3 wherein said physical interface means provides separable electrical connections between said computer means and said module means for at least data, address, and read and write.

6. The robotic system of claim 3 wherein at least one said module means further comprises means for providing a control block flag and starting offset for said computer means and means for providing an input/output interface between the computer means and said robotic device means.

9. The robotic system of claim 3 wherein each said module means further comprises means for providing a control block flag and starting offset for said computer means and means for providing an input/output interface between the computer means and the corresponding robotic device means.

10. In a self-configuring robotic system having a control system comprising:

computer means having a central processing unit and an operating system that contains at least a nucleus, a sequence programmer and task support services;

a plurality of robotic device means;

a corresponding plurality of module means with each module means providing all of the intelligence for the corresponding robotic device means and being electrically connected thereto, each said module means having means for providing a control block flag and starting offset for said computer means and means for providing an input/output interface between the computer means and the corresponding robotic device means; and

,

a corresponding plurality of physical interface means each providing a plurality of separable electrical connections between said computer means and the corresponding module means so that all of the intelligence for each robotic device means is located on the robotic device means side of the associated physical interface means, the improvement wherein said system comprises a calltimer program means which responds to signals received from device intelligence contained in at least one said module of one said robotic device by commanding performance of a task, by one said device, through device intelligence of said device and without use of said sequence intelligence program means.

11. A self-configuring robotic system having a control system comprising;

computer means having a central processing unit and an operating system that contains at least a nucleus, a sequence programmer and task support services;

a robotic device means;

a first module means providing all of the intelligence for said robotic device means and being electrically connected thereto, said module means having means for providing a control block flag and starting offset for said computer means and means for providing an input/output interface between the computer means and said robotic device means;

a first physical interface means for providing a plurality of separable electrical connections between said computer means and said module means so that all of the intelligence for the robotic device means is located on the robotic device means side of the physical interface means;

a second module means providing all of the intelligence for said defined task performing means and being electrically connected thereto, said module means having means for providing a control block flag and starting offset for said computer means and means for providing an input/output interface between the computer means and said defined task performing means;

a second physical interface means for providing a plurality of separable electrical connections between said computer means and said module means so that all of the intelligence for the defined task performing means is located on the defined task performing means side of the physical interface means, the improvement wherein said system comprises a call-timer program means which responds to signal received from device intelligence contained in at least one said module of one said robotic device by commanding performance of a task, by one said device, through device intelligence of said device and without use of said sequence intelligence program means.