Robot control system

• US 5,608,619 A
• Filed: 03/13/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AB (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Eriksson, Peter, Johansson, Sven-Erik, Reyier, Ingemar, Brantmark, H.ang.kan
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRESLEY, KAREN
• Application Number:
  US08/402,502
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 364/192, 364/191, 364/190, 364/424.01, 395/80, 395/92, 395/99, 318/568.13
• US Class Current: 700/87
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1661 characterised by task planning, object-oriented languages
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/408 characterised by data handling or data format, e.g. reading, buffering or conversion of data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34332 Program execution as function of direction, forward or backward
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35262 Macro instruction, canned cycles, subroutines, subprogram
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36558 Forward and backward reading of tape, reverse execution program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40397 Programming language for robots, universal, user oriented

Abstract

The invention relates to a control system for an industrial robot adapted for storage of user programs which comprise a series of robot instructions. At least one of the robot instructions is arranged as a shell instruction, which constitutes a call to a shell routine (20). The shell routine is associated with a plurality of optional attributes (21a, 21b, 21c) and comprises

- a forward list (22) comprising a first set of robot instructions; and

- a backward list (23) comprising a second set of robot instructions.

The control system comprises a program executor adapted, for forward running of a user program, to execute the shell instructions in accordance with the forward list and, for running the user program backwards, to execute the shell instructions in accordance with the backward list.

The invention also relates to a method for controlling an industrial robot. The method comprises creating a plurality of shell routines and testing them in advance. When producing user programs, shell instructions are used which constitute calls to the shell routines created in advance. The user programs are executed by the program executor, and for forward running the shell instructions are carried out in accordance with the forward list, and for backward running the shell instructions are carried out in accordance with the backward list. (FIG. 3)

Claims

1. A control system for an industrial robot comprising a program executor and a program storage arranged for storing and executing a user program including a series of robot instructions, wherein at least one of the robot instructions is a shell instruction which constitutes a call to a shell routine comprising:

a forward list comprising a first set of robot instructions;

a backward list comprising a second set of robot instructions;

the shell routine being associated with a number of optional attributes which may be activated or deactivated; and

the program executor is adapted for running the user program forward to execute the shell instruction in accordance with the forward list and for running the user program backwards, to execute the shell instruction in accordance with the backward list.

2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the shell routine comprises an attribute (VO, SA) which when activated the shell routine may be read but is blocked for changes.

3. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the shell routine comprises an attribute (NSI) which when activated conceals the shell routine for the user.

4. A control system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of shell routines are associated with the same attributes.

5. A method for controlling an industrial robot comprising:

creating a shell routine, being associated with a number of optional attributes which are deactivated during the creating of the shell routine, and comprising a forward list including a first set of robot instructions, and a backward list including a second set of robot instructions;

activating the attributes;

producing a user program comprising a series of robot instructions wherein at least one robot instruction is a shell instruction constituting a call to the shell routine;

executing the user program, and when running forwards the shell instruction is carried out in accordance with the forward list, and when running backwards the shell instruction is carried out in accordance with the backward list.