Automation equipment control system

• US 6,922,611 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Robotic Workspace Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Lapham, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/749,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/225, 709/229, 709/203, 709/213, 715/826, 700/245, 700247-249, 700259-260, 318/568.13, 318/568.16, 318573-574, 901/2, 901/8, 901/16, 901/47, 701/23, 707/10
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1656 characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33242 Watchdog for datacommunication, on error switch off supply to bus modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34047 Dsp digital signal processor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34261 Windows, microsoft windows
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39001 Robot, manipulator control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/42 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 Sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/48 Counterbalance

Abstract

A automation equipment control system comprises a general purpose computer with a general purpose operating system in electronic communication with a real-time computer subsystem. The general purpose computer includes a program execution module to selectively start and stop processing of a program of equipment instructions and to generate a plurality of move commands. The real-time computer subsystem includes a move command data buffer for storing the plurality of move commands, a move module linked to the data buffer for sequentially processing the moves and calculating a required position for a mechanical joint. The real-time computer subsystem also includes a dynamic control algorithm in software communication with the move module to repeatedly calculate a required actuator activation signal from a joint position feedback signal.

Claims

1. A control system suitable for controlling automation equipment of different electromechanical configurations, the control system comprising:

an equipment-independent computer unit including a video display and a first digital processor for running an operator interface module for creating a move command; and

an equipment-specific controller unit operably linked to the automation equipment and including a move module for executing said move command, said equipment-specific controller unit being in direct electronic communication with said equipment-independent computer unit.

2. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said equipment-independent computer unit and said equipment-specific controller unit are operably linked to one another electronically by a data bus.