Robot motion control system
First Claim
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1. A method for controlling a mechanical manipulator using a controller, the method comprising:
- storing in the controller a procedure which includes an ordered sequence of motions, each motion including an ordered sequence of positions, each position including coordinates which define a location relative to each axis of movement for the mechanical manipulator, each of said procedure, motions, positions and coordinates defining an attribute level;
storing a first and a second attribute operator, said two attribute operators pertaining to different attribute levels and affecting two or more attribute levels, said first attribute operator having a higher rank than the second according to a predetermined ranking rule based on a ranking of the attribute levels;
comparing the attribute operators stored and selecting the attribute operator having a higher rank from a pair of attribute operators when the pair have conflicting influence on the procedure; and
executing the stored procedure according to the stored attribute operators, except for any non-selected attribute operator when the selecting step occurs.
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Abstract
A system for controlling a mechanical manipulator in a laboratory environment employs a system of taught motions, attribute operators and procedure rules to simplify the programming task for scientists or engineers skilled in their own fields and not robotics.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a mechanical manipulator using a controller, the method comprising:
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storing in the controller a procedure which includes an ordered sequence of motions, each motion including an ordered sequence of positions, each position including coordinates which define a location relative to each axis of movement for the mechanical manipulator, each of said procedure, motions, positions and coordinates defining an attribute level; storing a first and a second attribute operator, said two attribute operators pertaining to different attribute levels and affecting two or more attribute levels, said first attribute operator having a higher rank than the second according to a predetermined ranking rule based on a ranking of the attribute levels; comparing the attribute operators stored and selecting the attribute operator having a higher rank from a pair of attribute operators when the pair have conflicting influence on the procedure; and executing the stored procedure according to the stored attribute operators, except for any non-selected attribute operator when the selecting step occurs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for controlling a mechanical manipulator using a controller, the method comprising:
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means for storing in the controller a procedure which includes an ordered sequence of motions, each motion including an ordered sequence of positions, each position including coordinates which define a location relative to each axis of movement for the mechanical manipulator, each of said procedures, motions, positions and coordinates defining an attribute level; means for storing a first and a second attribute operator, said two attribute operators pertaining to different attribute levels and affecting two or more attribute levels, said first attribute operator having a higher rank than the second according to a predetermined ranking rule based on a ranking of the attribute levels; means for comparing the attribute operators stored and selecting the attribute operator having a higher rank from a pair of attribute operators when the pair have conflicting influence on the procedure; and means for executing the stored procedure according to the stored attribute operators, except for any non-selected attribute operator when the selecting step occurs.
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Specification