Robot control apparatus with function for robot backward operation

• US 6,285,921 B1
• Filed: 02/20/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Takayuki, Kosaka, Tetsuya, Aramaki, Takeaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Application Number:
  US09/011,963
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/82, 700/18, 700/264, 700/252, 700/86-88, 700/253, 700/250, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/567
• US Class Current: 700/264
• 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 2219/36558 Forward and backward reading of tape, reverse execution program

Abstract

A robot control apparatus having an expanded and improved backward operation function. During forward operation according to an operation program, command types, line numbers, robot positions, I/O signal states before execution of related commands, and values before execution of computation commands are stored in a history table. In the backward operation, the data written in the history table is read backward, command type discrimination is made, and backward operation processing is executed in accordance with the result of discrimination. For backward operation dedicated commands, a separately taught backward operation dedicated command is read and executed. If, however, the read command is a command to output a signal to a cooperative device, the signal output command is executed after completion of the robot motion to the stored position. For I/O commands, I/O signals are automatically inverted or are individually set after the motion to the stored position is completed.

Claims

1. A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot and a cooperative device for cooperation with said robot, comprising:

first storing means for storing an operation program including at least one statement for specifying an operation of said robot and at least one statement for specifying an operation of said cooperative device;

forward operation processing means for performing processing of operating said robot and said cooperative device forward in accordance with said operation program;

second storing means for storing history data of the forward operations of said robot and said cooperative device when said forward operation processing is performed;

backward operation processing means for performing processing of operating the robot backward so that history of the forward operation of said robot is retraced based on said history data stored in said second storing means; and

means for selectively setting one of continuous mode and step mode for said backward operation.

2. A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot and a cooperative device for cooperation with said robot, comprising:

first storing means for storing an operation program including at least one statement for specifying an operation of said robot and at least one statement for specifying an operation of said cooperative device;

forward operation processing means for performing processing of operating said robot and said cooperative device forward in accordance with said operation program;

second storing means for storing history data of the forward operations of said robot and said cooperative device when said forward operation processing is performed;

backward operation processing means for performing processing of operating the robot backward so that history of the forward operation of said robot is retraced based on said history data stored in said second storing means; and

means for calling an attention of an operator during said backward operation.

3. A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot and a cooperative device for cooperation with said robot, comprising:

first storing means for storing an operation program including at least one statement for specifying an operation of said robot and at least one statement for specifying an operation of said cooperative device;

forward operation processing means for performing processing of operating said robot and said cooperative device forward in accordance with said operation program;

second storing means for storing history data of the forward operations of said robot and said cooperative device when said forward operation processing is performed; and

backward operation processing means for performing processing of operating the robot backward so that history of the forward operation of said robot is retraced based on said history data stored in said second storing means,

wherein said at least one statement for specifying the operation of said cooperative device includes an input/output command relating to an input/output of a signal for determining status of said cooperative device, said history data includes data indicative of the status of said cooperative device before the status changes in response to the input/output command during said forward operation, and

said backward operation processing means performs said backward operation processing based on the history data indicative of the status before a status change so that the status of said cooperative device is restored.

4. The robot control apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising means for selectively invalidating restoration of the status of said cooperative device during said backward operation processing.

5. A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot and a cooperative device for cooperation with said robot, comprising:

first storing means for storing an operation program including at least one statement for specifying an operation of said robot and at least one statement for specifying an operation of said cooperative device;

forward operation processing means for performing processing of operating said robot and said cooperative device forward in accordance with said operation program;

second storing means for storing history data of the forward operations of said robot and said cooperative device when said forward operation processing is performed; and

backward operation processing means for performing processing of operating the robot backward so that history of the forward operation of said robot is retraced based on said history data stored in said second storing,

wherein said at least one statement for specifying the operation of said cooperative device includes an input/output command relating to an input/output of a signal for determining an open/closed status of a robot hand, said history data includes data indicative of the open/closed status of said robot hand before the status changes in response to the input/output command during said forward operation, and

said backward operation processing means performs the backward operation processing based on the history data indicative of the status before a status change so that the open/closed status of said robot hand is restored.

6. The robot control apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for selectively invalidating restoration of the open/closed status of said robot hand during said backward operation processing.

7. A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot and a cooperative device for cooperation with said robot, comprising:

first storing means for storing an operation program including at least one statement for specifying an operation of said robot and at least one statement for specifying an operation of said cooperative device;

forward operation processing means for performing processing of operating said robot and said cooperative device forward in accordance with said operation program;

second storing means for storing history data of the forward operations of said robot and said cooperative device when said forward operation processing is performed; and

backward operation processing means for performing processing of operating the robot backward so that history of the forward operation of said robot is retraced based on said history data stored in said second storing means,

wherein said at least one statement for specifying the operation of said cooperative device includes a computation command, said history data includes data indicative of a computation value before the value changes in response to the computation command during said forward operation, and

said backward operation processing means performs the backward operation processing based on the history data indicative of the computation value before a value change so that the computation value is restored.

8. A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot and a cooperative device for cooperation with said robot, comprising:

first storing means for storing an operation program including at least one statement for specifying an operation of said robot and at least one statement for specifying an operation of said cooperative device;

forward operation processing means for performing processing of operating said robot and said cooperative device forward in accordance with said operation program;

second storing means for storing history data of the forward operations of said robot and said cooperative device when said forward operation processing is performed; and

backward operation processing means for performing processing of operating the robot backward so that history of the forward operation of said robot is retraced based on said history data stored in said second storing means,

wherein said operation program includes a backward operation dedicated command to be executed only during backward operation, said history data includes data of said backward operation dedicated command, and

said backward operation processing means executes said backward operation dedicated command in accordance with the history data of said backward operation dedicated command.

9. A robot control apparatus for controlling a robot and a cooperative device for cooperation with said robot, comprising:

first storing means for storing an operation program including at least one statement for specifying an operation of said robot and at least one statement for specifying an operation of said cooperative device;

forward operation processing means for performing processing of operating said robot and said cooperative device forward in accordance with said operation program;

second storing means for storing history data of the forward operations of said robot and said cooperative device when said forward operation processing is performed; and

backward operation processing means for performing processing of operating the robot backward so that history of the forward operation of said robot is retraced based on said history data stored in said second storing means,

wherein said operation program includes a start command to start a subprogram which includes a backward operation dedicated command to be executed only during backward operation, said history data includes data of said subprogram start command, and

said backward operation processing means executes said subprogram in accordance with the history data of said subprogram start command.

10. A robot control apparatus, comprising:

a forward operation unit to operate a robot and a cooperative device in a forward operation in accordance with an operation program including at least one statement specifying an operation of the robot and cooperative device;

a storing unit to store history data of the forward operations of the robot and the cooperative device when the forward operation unit is operated; and

a backward operation unit to operate the robot and cooperative device backward so that the stored history data of forward operations is retraced,

wherein the at least one statement specifying the operation of the cooperative device includes an input/output command relating to an input/output of a signal for determining the status of the cooperative device, the history data includes data indicative of the status of the cooperative device before the status changes in response to the input/output command during the forward operation, and the backward operation unit performs the backward operation based on the history data indicative of the status before a status change so that the status of the cooperative device is restored.

11. A robot control apparatus, comprising:

a forward operation unit to operate a robot and a cooperative device in a forward operation in accordance with an operation program including at least one statement specifying an operation of the robot and cooperative device;

a storing unit to store history data of the forward operations of the robot and the cooperative device when the forward operation unit is operated; and

a backward operation unit to operate the robot and cooperative device backward so that the stored history data of forward operations is retraced,

wherein the at least one statement specifying the operation of the cooperative device includes an input/output command relating to an input/output of a signal for determining an open/closed status of a robot hand, the history data includes data indicative of the open/closed status of said robot hand before the status changes in response to the input/output command during the forward operation, and the backward operation processing unit operates based on the history data indicative of the status before a status change so that the open/closed status of the robot hand is restored.

12. A robot control apparatus, comprising:

a forward operation unit to operate a robot and a cooperative device in a forward operation in accordance with an operation program including at least one statement specifying an operation of the robot and cooperative device;

a storing unit to store history data of the forward operations of the robot and the cooperative device when the forward operation unit is operated; and

a backward operation unit to operate the robot and cooperative device backward so that the stored history data of forward operations is retraced,

wherein the at least one statement specifying the operation of the cooperative device includes a computation command, the history data includes data indicative of a computation value before the value changes in response to the computation command during the forward operation, and the backward operation unit operates based on the history data indicative of the computation value before a value change so that the computation value is restored.

13. A robot control apparatus, comprising:

a forward operation unit to operate a robot and a cooperative device in a forward operation in accordance with an operation program including at least one statement specifying an operation of the robot and cooperative device;

a storing unit to store history data of the forward operations of the robot and the cooperative device when the forward operation unit is operated; and

a backward operation unit to operate the robot and cooperative device backward so that the stored history data of forward operations is retraced,

wherein the operation program includes a backward operation dedicated command to be executed only during backward operation, the history data includes data of the backward operation dedicated command, and the backward operation unit executes the backward operation dedicated command in accordance with the history data including the backward operation dedicated command.

14. A robot control apparatus, comprising:

a forward operation unit to operate a robot and a cooperative device in a forward operation in accordance with an operation program including at least one statement specifying an operation of the robot and cooperative device;

a storing unit to store history data of the forward operations of the robot and the cooperative device when the forward operation unit is operated; and

a backward operation unit to operate the robot and cooperative device backward so that the stored history data of forward operations is retraced,

wherein the operation program includes a start command to start a subprogram which includes a backward operation dedicated command to be executed only during backward operation, the history data includes data of the subprogram start command, and the backward operation unit executes the subprogram in accordance with the history data including the subprogram start command.

15. A robot control apparatus, comprising:

a forward operation unit to operate a robot and a cooperative device in a forward operation in accordance with an operation program including at least one statement specifying an operation of the robot and cooperative device;

a storing unit to store history data of the forward operations of the robot and the cooperative device when the forward operation unit is operated; and

a backward operation unit to operate the robot and cooperative device backward so that the stored history data of forward operations is retraced,

wherein the backward operation unit selectively sets either a continuous mode or step mode for the backward operation.