System for controlling a wandering robot

• US 5,031,109 A
• Filed: 08/20/1990
• Issued: 07/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gemplus International SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemplus International SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Gloton, Jean-Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORDON, PAUL P
• Application Number:
  US07/569,960
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 364/513, 364/424.02, 364/468, 364/478, 414/909, 901/50, 318/568.12
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/12 using record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/408 characterised by data handling or data format, e.g. reading, buffering or conversion of data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/122 Remote control handlers

Abstract

To program a robot, without requiring action by specially qualified staff, electronic cards (called chip cards) are used. A handling workman stacks chip cards in an automatic distributor. These chip cards correspond to a set of tasks to be performed. The robot is designed to come and stand in queue before this distributor to receive the chip card which is located at the bottom of the stack and has the program of instructions which it has to carry out.

Claims

1. A control system for a wandering robot, comprising means to record programs of instructions and to transmit these recorded programs of instructions to the robot, said robot comprising means to receive these recorded programs of instructions and means to carry these instructions out, said system having smart cards in the means to record and to transmit these recorded instructions on cards, each of said smart cards being provided with a chip having a storage zone for recording said recorded programs of instructions and a microprocessor unit designed to organize the execution of said instructions by the robot, said receiving means comprising a chip card reader.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the cards are flat and have, on at least one of their surfaces, a location to receive indications, understandable by human beings, in order to represent the program to be accomplished.

3. A system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein it further comprises markers placed on a path of said robot and in this robot, means for identifying the position of this robot with respect to these markers.

4. A system according to claim 3 wherein said transmitting means comprising an automatic card distributor to work together with the receiving means, said distributor having means to place the programs to be accomplished by the robot in queue.

5. A system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein it comprises means for recording conditions of carrying out of the instructions after these instructions have been carried out.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein said transmitting means comprising an automatic card distributor to work together with the receiving means, said distributor having means to place the programs to be accomplished by the robot in queue.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein a distributor has means to place programs to be accomplished by robot in queue.

8. A system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said transmitting means comprising an automatic card distributor to work together with the receiving means, said distributor having means to place the programs to be accomplished by the robot in queue.