Distributed autonomous control system for multi-axis motion control
First Claim
1. A method for distributed multi-axis motion control comprising the steps of:
- generating a pattern table of a motor system comprising a first node component and a second node component of a multicast communications network, the first node component comprising a first clock and a first actuator and the second node component comprising a second clock and a second actuator;
translating the pattern table into first and second single-direction-of-motion pattern tables each controlling a separate actuator direction of motion in the motor system;
transmitting the first single-direction-of-motion pattern table over the network to the first node component and the second single-direction-of-motion pattern table over the network to the second node component;
synchronizing the first and second clocks with synchronization signals transmitted through the network at a sync interval;
generating time bombs at an interval which is a whole number multiple of the sync interval;
concurrently executing the first step in the sequence of motions defined in the first and second single-direction-of-motion pattern tables for each of the actuators in response to a time-bomb to begin motion of the actuators to produce multi-axis motion of the motor system; and
continuing execution of subsequent steps in the sequence of motions defined in the first and second single-direction-of-motion pattern tables in response to subsequent time-bombs to produce synchronized multi-axis motion of the motor system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed multi-axis motion control system comprises a multicast communications network having several node components. Each of the node components includes a clock and an actuator. The actuators are part of a motor system and a pattern profile table of the motor system is generated. The pattern profile table is translated into a separate single-direction-of-motion pattern table to separately direct the motion of each of the actuators of the node components. A grandmaster clock generates synchronization signals which are transmitted through the network at a sync interval and which synchronize the clocks. Time-bombs are generated at an interval which is a whole number multiple of the sync interval. The time-bombs cause concurrent execution of the first and subsequent steps from the single-direction-of-motion pattern tables to produce synchronized multi-axis motion of the motor system.
26 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for distributed multi-axis motion control comprising the steps of:
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generating a pattern table of a motor system comprising a first node component and a second node component of a multicast communications network, the first node component comprising a first clock and a first actuator and the second node component comprising a second clock and a second actuator; translating the pattern table into first and second single-direction-of-motion pattern tables each controlling a separate actuator direction of motion in the motor system; transmitting the first single-direction-of-motion pattern table over the network to the first node component and the second single-direction-of-motion pattern table over the network to the second node component; synchronizing the first and second clocks with synchronization signals transmitted through the network at a sync interval; generating time bombs at an interval which is a whole number multiple of the sync interval; concurrently executing the first step in the sequence of motions defined in the first and second single-direction-of-motion pattern tables for each of the actuators in response to a time-bomb to begin motion of the actuators to produce multi-axis motion of the motor system; and continuing execution of subsequent steps in the sequence of motions defined in the first and second single-direction-of-motion pattern tables in response to subsequent time-bombs to produce synchronized multi-axis motion of the motor system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A distributed multi-axis motion control system comprising:
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a multicast communications network having; a first node component comprising a first clock and a first actuator and a second node component comprising a second clock and a second actuator; a motor system comprising the first node component and the second node component; a pattern profile table of the motor system; a first single-direction-of-motion pattern profile table translated from the pattern profile table, the first single-direction-of-motion pattern table transmitted over the network to the first node component for controlling the first actuator; a second single-direction-of-motion pattern profile table translated from the pattern table, the second single-direction-of-motion pattern table transmitted over the network to the second node component for controlling the second actuator; a grandmaster clock generating synchronization signals transmitted through the network at a sync interval for synchronizing the first and second clocks; a processor for generating time-bombs at an interval which is a whole number multiple of the sync interval; a time-bomb, from the generated time-bombs, received by the first and second node components and causing concurrent execution of the first step in the sequence of motions defined in the first and second single-direction-of-motion pattern tables for each of the actuators to begin motion of the actuators to produce multi-axis motion of the motor system; and subsequent time-bombs, from the generated time-bombs, received by the first and second node components and causing continuing execution of subsequent steps in the sequence of motions defined in the first and second single-direction-of-motion pattern tables to produce synchronized multi-axis motion of the motor system. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification