Motion controller that supports standard and custom axes

• US 8,082,515 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Chandhoke, Sundeep
• Primary Examiner(s): TAN, ALVIN H
• Application Number:
  US11/948,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 715/771
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34208 Motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34282 Using special api's allowing user access to control machine, motion, servo
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06

Abstract

System and method for developing a motion application. A motion manager component implementing a supervisory control function and at least one trajectory generation algorithm is stored on a motion controller. A first application programming interface (API) for interfacing the motion manager component to a user developed motion control application is displayed. A second API for interfacing the motion manager component to a user developed communication interface component is displayed. A user application executable for sequencing motion operations in the motion system is created using the first API is created in response to user input. A first communication interface component is created using the second API in response to user input, where the communication interface component is operable to interface with the motion manager component using the second API, and where the user developed communication interface component is executable to communicate with a motion element, e.g., a drive or simulation.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions executable to implement:

a motion manager component of a motion controller, wherein the motion manager component implements a supervisory control function and at least one trajectory generation algorithm;

a first application programming interface (API) for interfacing a motion control application developed by an end user to the motion manager component; and

a second application programming interface for interfacing the motion manager component to a communication interface component developed by the end user, wherein the communication interface component is executable to communicate with a motion element, wherein the second API for interfacing to the communication interface component comprises one or more graphical program nodes, wherein each of the one or more graphical program nodes is configured to be included in a graphical program, and wherein each of the one or more graphical program nodes is executable to interface to the motion manager component;

wherein, during operation, the motion control application communicates with the motion manager component via the first API, the motion manager component communicates with the communication interface component via the second API, and the communication interface component communicates with the motion element.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the second API for interfacing to the communication interface component comprises a plurality of graphical program nodes.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the second API comprises at least one read command and at least one write command.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

one or more vendor defined communication interface components, wherein the one or more vendor defined communication interface components are configured to communicate with a pre-defined motion element.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

a palette of graphical program nodes which compose the second API.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

a software development environment for creating the motion control application and the communication interface component.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 6,

wherein the software development environment is a graphical programming development environment.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the motion manager component is executable to perform motion scans at a specified frequency, and wherein the communication interface component is configured to execute at the specified frequency.

9. A method for developing a motion system, comprising:

utilizing a computer to perform;

storing a motion manager component on a motion controller, wherein the motion manager component implements a supervisory control function and at least one trajectory generation algorithm;

displaying a first application programming interface (API) for interfacing a motion control application developed by an end user to the motion manager component;

displaying a second API for interfacing the motion manager component to a communication interface component developed by the end user, wherein the second API for interfacing to the communication interface component comprises one or more graphical program nodes, wherein each of the one or more graphical program nodes is configured to be included in a graphical program, and wherein each of the one or more graphical program nodes is executable to interface to the motion manager component;

creating an application that incorporates at least a portion of the first API in response to input from the end user, wherein the application is executable for sequencing motion operations in the motion system;

creating a first communication interface component that incorporates at least a portion of the second API in response to input from the end user, wherein the communication interface component is configured to interface with the motion manager component using the second API, wherein the communication interface component is executable to communicate with a motion element;

wherein, during operation of the motion system, the application communicates with the motion manager component via the first API, the motion manager component communicates with the communication interface component via the second API, and the communication interface component communicates with the motion element.

10. The method of claim 9,

wherein the second API comprises a plurality of graphical program nodes.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing a vendor defined communication interface component, wherein the vendor defined communication interface component is configured to communicate with a pre-defined motion element.

12. The method of claim 9,

wherein the first communication interface component is configured to interface with a vendor defined communication interface component.

13. The method of claim 9,

wherein the motion system is configured to perform motion scans at a specified frequency, and wherein the first communication interface component is configured to execute at the specified frequency.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the motion element comprises one or more of:

a drive;

or

a simulation.

15. A motion control system, comprising:

a motion element; and

a motion controller coupled to the motion element, wherein the motion controller comprises a processor and memory, and wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to implement;

a motion manager component, wherein the motion manager component implements a supervisory control function and at least one trajectory generation algorithm;

an application developed by an end user that is executable for sequencing motion operations in the motion system, wherein the application is executable to interface to the motion manager component using a first application programming interface (API); and

a first communication interface component developed by the end user that is executable to communicate with the motion element, wherein the first communication interface component is executable to interface to the motion manager component using a second API, wherein the second API for interfacing to the communication interface component comprises one or more graphical program nodes, wherein each of the one or more graphical program nodes is configured to be included in a graphical program, and wherein each of the one or more graphical program nodes is executable to interface to the motion manager component;

wherein, during operation, the application communicates with the motion manager component via the first API, the motion manager component communicates with the first communication interface component via the second API, and the first communication interface component communicates with the motion element.

16. The motion control system of claim 15, further comprising:

a vendor-defined communication interface component, wherein the vendor defined communication interface component is configured to communicate with a pre-defined motion element.

17. The motion control system of claim 16, wherein the communication interface component is configured to interface with the vendor-defined communication interface component.

18. The motion control system of claim 15,

wherein the motion controller is configured to perform motion scans at a specified frequency, and wherein the first communication interface component is configured to execute at the specified frequency.

19. The motion control system of claim 15, wherein the motion element comprises one or more of:

a drive;

or

a simulation.