Data processing system for an industrial robot and method for managing available resources thereof

• US 8,793,018 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: KUKA Laboratories GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Mller, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao Long T
• Application Number:
  US12/741,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,099 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40163 by assigning priority to messages according to a message field
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4026 Bus for use in automation systems

Abstract

In a method and a computer system for controlling an industrial robot, multiple data packets are received by the computer system, each of the data packets having a destination address with different priority classes being associated therewith in advance by the computer system. A chronological association of tasks with the resources of the computer system is made for processing the individual received data packets, based on the relevant priority class of the destination address of a received data packet.

Claims

1. A method to operate a computer system, comprising:

in a computer system having a plurality of respective interfaces, assigning each respective interface a priority level, from among a plurality of priority levels ranked from a lowest priority level to a highest priority level in a hierarchy of time-criticality for performing respective tasks among a plurality of tasks performable by said computer system, with the lowest priority level in said hierarchy designating a task, among said plurality of tasks, with a lowest time-criticality for performance thereof and the highest priority level designating a task, among said plurality of tasks, with a highest time-criticality for performance thereof;

via the respective interfaces, individually receiving incoming data packets that originate externally of said computer system, and automatically assigning each incoming data packet a priority level equal to the priority level of the respective interface at which that incoming data packet was received;

in said computer system, giving each incoming data packet a destination address that causes that data packet to be transferred to a destination in said computer system designated by the destination address; and

processing the respective data packets at said respective destinations in said computer system in a chronological order that is dependent on the respective destination to which the respective data packets have been transferred.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising assigning at least one destination address with a subnet of the computer system.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising buffering the respective, received data packets in respective memories of the computer system, each assigned to a respective destination address.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 comprising automatically discarding a data packet having a first destination address if a respective memory assigned to the first destination address is full and a data packet having a second destination address has been received but is not yet processed, or is yet to be received, with said priority class of the first destination address being less than the priority class of the second destination address.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising receiving Ethernet data packets as the data packets received by the computer system.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said computer system comprises a central processing unit configured to control an industrial robot, and executing said tasks through said central processing unit to control the industrial robot therewith.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 comprising controlling said industrial robot and/or exchanging information between said industrial robot and an additional industrial robot, using data packets having a destination address with a highest priority.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 comprising defining three different priority classes in said computer system, said three different priority classes comprising said lowest priority class, a middle priority class, and said highest priority class, and employing data packets having a destination address with said lowest priority, in a configuration task among said plurality of tasks, to configure the computer system or perform a diagnosis of the computer system, employing data packets having a destination address with said middle priority class, in a control task among said plurality of tasks, to control said industrial robot, and employing data packets having a destination address with said highest priority class, in an information exchange task among said plurality of tasks, to exchange information between said industrial robot and said additional industrial robot.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising processing data packets having said destination address with said highest priority class in real time.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7 comprising forming said plurality of interfaces by dividing one interface into three interface divisions and assigning three different priority classes respectively to the three interface divisions, and defining said three different priority classes as a lowest priority class, a middle priority class, and a highest priority class, and receiving data packets at a first of said interface divisions with said lowest priority class for data archiving, configuring said computer system, and diagnosing said computer system, receiving data packets at a second of said interface divisions with the middle priority class for controlling said industrial robot, and receiving data packets at a third of said interface divisions with the highest priority for information exchange with said industrial robot and said additional industrial robot.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 comprising processing data packets received by said interface division with the highest priority class in real time.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising implementing a real-time operating system in said computer system to administer said resources.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising assigning a respective destination address to a respective interface to establish the destination address for a data packet at the time the data packet is received by that respective interface.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising buffering the respective, received data packets in respective memories respectively assigned to the respective interface.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising discarding a data packet received by a first interface among said plurality of interfaces when the respective memory assigned to the first interface is full and a data packet that was received by a second interface, among said plurality of interfaces, and is still to be processed or still to be received, with the priority class of the first interface being less than the priority class of the second interface.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising forming said plurality of interfaces from the group consisting of virtual interface divisions of one interface, and physically separate interfaces.

17. A computer system comprising:

a computer comprising a plurality of interfaces;

said computer being configured to assign each respective interface a priority level, from among a plurality of priority levels ranked from a lowest priority level to a highest priority level in a hierarchy of time-criticality for performing respective tasks among a plurality of tasks performable by said computer system, with the lowest priority level in said hierarchy designating a task, among said plurality of tasks, with a lowest time-criticality for performance thereof and the highest priority level designating a task, among said plurality of tasks, with a highest time-criticality for performance thereof;

the respective interfaces being configured to individually receive incoming data packets that originate externally of said computer system, and to automatically assign each incoming data packet a priority level equal to the priority level of the respective interface at which that incoming data packet was received;

said computer, via the respective interfaces, being configured to give each incoming data packet a destination address that causes that data packet to be transferred to a destination in said computer system designated by the destination address; and

said computer being configured to process the respective data packets at said respective destinations in said computer system in a chronological order that is dependent on the respective destination to which the respective data packets have been transferred.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said computer is configured to assign at least one destination address with a subnet of the computer.

19. A system as claimed in claim 17 comprising respective memories in which the respective, received data packets assigned to a respective destination address are buffered.

20. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said computer is configured to automatically discard a data packet having a first destination address if the respective memory associated with the first destination address is full and a data packet having a second destination address has been received but is not yet processed, or is yet to be received, with said priority class of the first destination address being less than the priority class of the second destination address.

21. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said computer is configured to receive Ethernet data packets as the data packets received by the computer.

22. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said computer is part of a central processing unit configured to control an industrial robot to execute said tasks.

23. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said central processing unit is configured to control said industrial robot and/or exchange information between said industrial robot and an additional industrial robot, using data packets having a destination address with a highest priority.

24. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said computer is configured to implement a real-time operating system in said computer to administer said resources.

25. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said computer is configured to define three different priority classes, said three different priority classes comprising a lowest priority class, a middle priority class, and a highest priority class, and to employ data packets having a destination address with said lowest priority to configure the computer or perform a diagnosis of the computer, to employ data packets having a destination address with said middle priority class to control said industrial robot, and to employ data packets having a destination address with said highest priority class to exchange information between said industrial robot and said additional industrial robot.

26. A system as claimed in claim 25 wherein said computer is configured to process data packets having said destination address with said highest priority class in real time.

27. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said computer is configured to assign a respective destination address to a respective interface to establish the destination address for a data packet at the time the data packet is received by that respective interface.

28. A system as claimed in claim 17 comprising respective memories respectively assigned to the interfaces, in which the received data packets are buffered.

29. A system as claimed in claim 28 wherein said computer is configured to discard a data packet received by a first interface among said plurality of interfaces when the respective memory associated with the first interface is full and a data packet that was received by a second interface, among said plurality of interfaces, and is still to be processed or still to be received, with the priority class of the first interface being less than the priority class of the second interface.

30. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said plurality of interfaces are formed from the group consisting of virtual interface divisions of one interface, and physically separate interfaces.

31. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said plurality of interfaces are formed by dividing one interface into three interface divisions respectively assigned three different priority classes, said three different priority classes being defined as a lowest priority class, a middle priority class, and a highest priority class, and wherein said interface is configured to receive data packets at a first of said interface divisions with said lowest priority class for data archiving, configuring said computer, and diagnosing said computer, and to receive data packets at a second of said interface divisions with the middle priority class for controlling said industrial robot, and to receive data packets at a third of said interface divisions with the highest priority for information exchange between said industrial robot and said additional industrial robot.

32. A system as claimed in claim 31 wherein said computer is configured to process data packets received by said interface division with the highest priority class in real time.

33. An industrial robot system comprising:

a robot comprising a plurality of robot arms respectively articulated at multiple axes and being movable relative to each other with respect to said axes;

a computer system connected to said robot configured to perform a plurality of tasks associated with operation of said robot;

said computer system having a plurality of respective interfaces and being configured to assign each respective interface a priority level, from among a plurality of priority levels ranked from a lowest priority level to a highest priority level in a hierarchy of time-criticality for performing respective tasks among said plurality of tasks, with the lowest priority level in said hierarchy designating a task, among said plurality of tasks, with a lowest time-criticality for performance thereof and the highest priority level designating a task, among said plurality of tasks, with a highest time-criticality for performance thereof;

the respective interfaces being configured to individually receive incoming data packets that originate externally of said computer system, and to automatically assign each incoming data packet a priority level equal to the priority level of the respective interface at which that incoming data packet was received;

said computer system, via the respective interfaces, being configured to give each incoming data packet a destination address that causes that data packet to be transferred to a destination in said computer system designated by the destination address; and

said computer system being configured to process the respective data packets at said respective destinations in said computer system in a chronological order that is dependent on the respective destination to which the respective data packets have been transferred.