Remote control apparatus and control method thereof

• US 5,483,440 A
• Filed: 06/07/1994
• Issued: 01/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Aono, Toshihiro, Kamejima, Kohji, Hamada, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Application Number:
  US08/255,943
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 364/167.01, 364/468, 364/478, 364/188, 364/424.01, 364/424.02, 318/567, 318/568.1, 318/568.11, 318/568.25, 395/912, 414/4, 414/5
• US Class Current: 700/56
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40157 Planning, event based planning, operator changes plans during execution
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40169 Display of actual situation at the remote site
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40314 Simulation of program locally before remote operation

Abstract

This invention relates to a remote control apparatus. Guidance-control equipment and a control apparatus are installed at a site of a work at which the operation object is positioned. An input apparatus including a program input apparatus for inputting a work program determining the operation of an operation appliance and a time schedule input apparatus for inputting a time schedule as an actuation timing of the operation of the operation appliance determined by the work program, is disposed at an operation position spaced apart from the site of the work. Further, a work program memory, a time schedule controller, work interpretation apparatus, a work environment map memory, and a display device are disposed at the operation position.

Claims

1. A remote control apparatus comprising:

guidance-control equipment disposed at a site of a work at which an operation object is positioned, and including image processing means for executing image processing of a condition of said operation object and a condition of an operation appliance for applying a predetermined operation to said operation object and generating work environment data, and control means for inputting a series of operation data of said operation appliance inputted from outside and controlling said operation appliance on the basis of said operation data;

an input apparatus disposed at a position spaced apart from said site of the work, and including program input means for inputting a work program determining the operation of said operation appliance, and time schedule input means for inputting a time schedule as an actuation timing of the operation of said operation appliance determined by said work program; and

a control command generation apparatus including a work program memory for storing said work program generated by said program input means, a time schedule controller for storing said time schedule from said time schedule input means and outputting a work name at a timing set by said time schedule, work interpretation means for reading out a work program corresponding to the work name stored in said work program memory when the work name is outputted from said time schedule controller, generating a series of operation data of said operation appliance and sending said operation data to said guidance-control equipment, a work environment map memory for inputting and storing the work environment data outputted from said guidance-control-equipment, and display means capable of displaying a stored content of said work environment map memory.

2. A remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input apparatus further includes simulation setting means for setting a simulation time schedule as an execution timing of said work for a simulation operation of said operation appliance and outputting said simulation timing schedule to said time schedule controller, said control command generation apparatus further includes simulation means for simulating a condition of said operation object and a condition of said operation appliance, and said work interpretation means of said control command generation means reads out a work program corresponding to a work name stored in said work program memory when the work name is outputted on the basis of the simulation time schedule from said time schedule controller, and controls said simulation means.

3. A remote control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said simulation timing schedule input means inputs a work name of simulation of said operation appliance and its execution time.

4. A remote control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a work network comprising a combination of operations constituting a work corresponding to said work name is set to, and stored in, said operation program memory from said program input means, work elements each expressing an individual operation by operation data of a minimum level of said operation appliance are stored in advance in said operation program memory, and said operation interpretation means reads out a work network corresponding to a work name from said program memory when said work name is outputted from said time schedule controller on the basis of said simulation time schedule, reads out work elements corresponding to each of operation structuring said operation network, and generates a series of operation data of said operation appliance.

5. A remote control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said simulation means includes operation simulation means for reproducing a condition of said operation object and a condition of an operation appliance for applying a predetermined operation to said operation object, either physically or on a program, and a virtual work environment map memory for copying and storing work environment data stored in said work environment memory means, and said control command generation apparatus conducts simulation on the basis of a simulation time schedule by said operation simulation means when operation data of said simulation means is generated so as to re-write the work environment data in said virtual work environment map memory.

6. A remote control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said display means can further display said virtual work environment data stored in said virtual work environment map memory and said simulation time schedule taken into said work interpretation means.

7. A remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operation interpretation means of said control command generation apparatus takes in predetermined coordinates of said operation appliance and of said operation object from said work environment data stored in said work environment map memory, and generates a series of operation data of said operation appliance.

8. A remote control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display means can display said work environment data stored in said work environment map memory and said time schedule taken into said operation interpretation means.

9. A remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said time schedule input means inputs a work name of said operation appliance and its actuation time.

10. A remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a work network comprising a combination of operations constituting a work corresponding to said work name is set to, and stored in, said operation program memory from said program input means, work elements each expressing an individual operation by operation data of a minimum level of said operation appliance are stored in advance in said operation program memory, and said operation interpretation means reads out a work network corresponding to said work name from said program memory when said work name is outputted from said time schedule controller, reads out work elements corresponding to each of operation structuring said operation network, and generates a series of operation data of said operation appliance.

11. A remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said work environment data expresses said operation appliance, said operation object, shapes and positions of articles affecting said work, and a relationship of their connection with other articles.

12. An operation method of a remote control apparatus for operating a work at an operation point spaced apart from a site of the work, comprising the steps of:

extracting a work environment at the site of the work, and sending it to the operation point;

displaying the work environment at the operation point;

programming in advance the work of the site of the work at the operation point and storing it;

setting a timing schedule of the execution of said program for each work;

generating work data for executing said program stored in accordance with said timing schedule, and sending said work data to the site of the work; and

confirming display of the work environment and controlling said remote control apparatus.

13. An operation method of a remote control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said work environment is a work environment model expressing an operation appliance, an operation object, and shapes and positions of articles affecting the work and a connection relationship with said articles with other articles, and said work data is generated by taking in predetermined coordinates from said work environment model to generate said work data at the time of the execution of said program.

14. An operation method of a remote control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein simulation of the operation of said operation appliance is carried out for said work environment at the time of the generation of said program, and a program is modified on the basis of the result of said simulation.

15. An operation method of a remote control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said program is generated in such a manner that a work network comprising a combination of operations constituting said work is set, a work element expressing an individual operation by operation data of a minimum level of said operation appliance is in advance stored at an operation point of said remote control apparatus, a work name and its start time are set to said time schedule, a work network designated by said work name of said time schedule is read out when said time schedule is executed, and generation data on the basis of said work element set to said work network is generated.