Robot controller

• US 6,522,949 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ochiai, Kazuhiko, Ikeda, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/856,846
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/246, 700/247, 700/251, 700/254, 700/257, 700/262, 318/573, 219/125.1, 219/121.63, 219/121.64, 361/680, 714/15, 714/24, 701/23, 901/3
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/425 Teaching successive positions by numerical control, i.e. commands being entered to control the positioning servo of the tool head or end effector
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35472 Mode selection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36053 Adapt, modify program in real time as function of workpiece configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36162 Pendant control box

Abstract

When a position deviation of teaching point of a robot manipulator is detected during continuous operation of a robot system, device for correcting the teaching point without stopping continuous operation of the robot system is provided, thereby presenting device for operating the robot system efficiently without having effects on productivity of the production line. Having a changeover unit for changing over modes by selecting from an input mode for entering teaching points, an operation mode for operating according to the teaching points, and an in-process correction mode for correcting the teaching points stored in the storage unit according to the data from the input unit during operation of the robot manipulator, the mode is changed over to the in process correction mode by the changeover unit, the data for correcting the teaching point is entered from the input unit, and the control unit corrects and processes according to the entered data.

Claims

1. A robot control apparatus including an input unit and a control unit comprising:

a storage unit for storing data of teaching points entered from said input unit; and

a changeover unit provided in said input unit for changing over modes by selecting from

an input mode for entering data of teaching points,

an operation mode for operating the robot manipulator according to the entered data of teaching points, and

an in-process correction mode for correcting the data of teaching points stored in said storage unit according to the data from said input unit during operation of the robot manipulator,

wherein said input unit for entering teaching points of a robot manipulator is connected said control unit, and

wherein said control unit transmits data for operating the robot manipulator to a drive unit of the robot manipulator according to the data of teaching points stored in said storage unit.

2. The robot control apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in the in-process correction mode, only the teaching points not put in operation yet can be corrected, and teaching points during operation are corrected after completion of operation.

3. The robot control apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a display unit for specifying the teaching points that can be corrected, in the in-process correction mode, and

means for selecting the teaching points to be corrected therefrom, and correcting and setting the selected teaching points.

4. The robot control apparatus of claim 2, further comprising setting means for determining the correction direction of the teaching point by selecting the system of coordinates, in the in-process correction mode, from

an absolute system of coordinates on the basis of a preset machine origin of the RM (robot manipulator),

a tool system of coordinates on the basis of the tool attached to the final leading end of the RM (robot manipulator), and

a user system of coordinates arbitrarily set by the user.

5. The robot control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit for specifying the teaching points that can be corrected, in the in-process correction mode, and

means for selecting the teaching points to be corrected therefrom, and correcting and setting the selected teaching points.

6. The robot control apparatus of claim 5, further comprising setting means for determining the correction direction of the teaching point by selecting the system of coordinates, in the in-process correction mode, from

an absolute system of coordinates on the basis of a preset machine origin of the RM (robot manipulator),

a tool system of coordinates on the basis of the tool (hand) attached to the final leading end of the RM (robot manipulator), and

a user system of coordinates arbitrarily set by the user.

7. The robot control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising setting means for determining the correction direction of the teaching point by selecting the system of coordinates, in the in-process correction mode, from

an absolute system of coordinates on the basis of a preset machine origin of the RM (robot manipulator),

a tool system of coordinates on the basis of the tool attached to the final leading end of the RM (robot manipulator), and

a user system of coordinates arbitrarily set by the user.