System and a method for providing safe remote access to a robot controller

• US 8,670,868 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Emmertz, Bertil, Alt, Jean-Christophe, Murphy, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US13/770,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/247, 700/248, 713/155, 380/277, 709/225
• US Class Current: 700/248
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24154 Password with time limited access to system, protect protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24166 Permit from several operators to allow access
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24167 Encryption, password, user access privileges
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24168 Identify connected programmer to allow control, program entry
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40195 Tele-operation, computer assisted manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for providing safe remote access to a plurality of robot controllers positioned at a local site for a person positioned on a remote site. The system includes a plurality of robot controllers, each capable of receiving credentials and including an authentication component for authentication of the credentials, and an authorization component for handling authorization for access to the robot controller based on the result of the authentication, a remote computer located at a remote site and capable of communicating with the robot controllers and having an interface capable of receiving credentials and configured to send the credentials to the robot controllers, a server component capable of communicating with the robot controllers, and an identifying component positioned at the local site configured to receive proof of local access.

Claims

1. A system providing safe remote access for control of robots positioned at a local site, the system comprising:

a plurality of robot controllers, each robot controller having an authentication component and an authorization component, the authentication component receiving and authenticating credentials for remote access, and the authorization component determining authorization for remote access to the robot controller based on a result of authentication;

a remote computer positioned at a remote site, the remote computer communicating with the robot controllers and having an interface for receiving the credentials and transmitting the credentials to the robot controllers;

a server component communicating with the robot controllers, the server component providing authorization for remote access to the authorization components of said robot controllers;

an identifying component positioned at the local site, the identifying component communicating with the server component and being configured to receive an identifier and to send information on the identifier to the server component, the identifier indicating there is local access to one or more of the plurality of robot controllers;

the server component authorizing remote access to the robot controllers based on the information on the identifier; and

the authorization component of each robot controller providing the remote computer with remote access to the robot controller when credentials have been authenticated and when remote access has been authorized by the server component.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to authorize remote access to the robot controllers during a defined time limit.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to not authorize remote access to the robot controllers upon receiving an order that remote access to the controllers is no longer permitted.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises data storage for storing a list of robot controllers to which remote access are to be allowed, and said server component is configured to authorize remote access to the robot controllers based on the information on local access received from the identifying component and the stored list of robot controllers to which remote access are to be allowed.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said list includes information on who is allowed remote access to the robot controllers and to which of the robot controllers remote access is allowed, and the server component is configured to authorize remote access to the robot controllers based on the information on who is allowed remote access and to which of the robot controllers.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein for at least one of the robot controllers on said list, the list includes information on a time period during which remote access to the robot controller is allowed, and the server component is configured to authorize remote access to the robot controller based on the time period specified in the list.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the server component contains a server authentication module configured to receive server credentials and to authorize actions on the server component based on the received server credentials, and the system further comprises a second computer capable of communicating with the server component and capable of receiving server credentials, and the second computer is configured to send the server credentials to the server component, and capable of creating said list of robot controllers for which remote access is to be allowed and to provide the server component with the list.

8. The system according to claim 4, wherein the remote computer is configured to receive said list and to send the list to the robot controllers as credentials, and the authentication components are configured to carry out the authentication based on the received list from the remote computer.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the server component is configured to digitally sign the list by using a key, and the authentication component is configured to authenticate the list using the key.

10. The system according to claim 4, wherein the identifier comprises said list, and the identifying component is configured to authenticate the list and to signal to the server component that local access has been confirmed.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the server component is configured to digitally sign the list by using a key, and the identifying component is configured to authenticate the list using the key.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the identifying component is located on or in close vicinity to one of the robot controllers.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the robot controllers includes said identifying component and the identifying component is configured to receive the identifier from a physical interface on the robot controller.

14. A method for providing safe remote access to a plurality of robot controllers positioned at a local site through a remote computer located at a remote site, the remote computer communicating with the robot controllers, the method comprising:

sending credentials from the remote computer to at least one of the robot controllers,

providing authentication of the credentials,

receiving an identifier indicative of local access to at least one of the robot controllers,

sending information on the identifier to a server component,

the server component authorizing remote access to the robot controllers based on the information on the identifier, and

allowing the remote computer remote access to the robot controllers when credentials have been authenticated and when remote access to the robot controllers has been authorized.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein remote access to the robot controllers is authorized during a defined time limit.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein remote access to the robot controllers is not authorized upon receiving an order that remote access to the controllers is no longer permitted.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises:

storing a list of robot controllers to which remote access are to be allowed,

sending credentials from the remote computer to one of the robot controllers, and

checking whether or not remote access is allowed to the controller based on said list, wherein remote access to the robot controller is authorized if remote access to the controller is allowed, authentication is successful, and when the identifier has been received.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the method comprises checking if remote access to the robot controller is to be provided through the remote computer based on said list, wherein said list includes information on who is allowed remote access to the robot controllers and to which of the robot controllers remote access is allowed.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said list is sent to the remote computer, the remote computer sends the list to the robot controllers as credentials, and the authentication is carried out based on the list received from the remote computer.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the identifier is indicative of presence of said list, and remote access to the robot controller is authorized when the list has been received and authenticated.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the method comprises digitally signing the list using a key, and authenticating the list using the same key.