Teleoperated industrial robots

• US 9,132,551 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Zhang, Biao, Staab, Harald, Wang, Jianjun, Zhang, George Q., Boca, Remus, Choi, Sangeun, Fuhlbrigge, Thomas A., Kock, Soenke, Chen, Heping
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US14/075,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20140156073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33242 Watchdog for datacommunication, on error switch off supply to bus modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34466 Bad circuits, watchdog, alarm, indication
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A teleoperated robot system has a watchdog to determine if the rate of data transmission from a computing device such as a robot controller located in the station used by the operator of the teleoperated robot to the remotely located industrial robot has fallen below a minimum data rate or the time for transmission of data has exceeded a maximum time. Upon the occurrence of either or both of the foregoing, one or more types of corrective action are undertaken to bring the teleoperated robot and the processes performed by the robot.

Claims

1. A system for teleoperating an industrial robot having a maximum allowable speed of operation to perform a predetermined process having a maximum allowable speed comprising:

a station for an operator remotely located from a robot station at which both said robot and said predetermined process are located, said operator station comprising an input device for said operator to send signals to a computing device located at said robot station for controlling said robot to perform said predetermined process;

a communication link between said operator station and said robot station for transferring signals to and from said operator station and said robot station;

said computing device,

a. determining if said robot is in a teleoperation mode of operation;

b. determining if a watchdog signal has been received by said robot station from said operator station;

c. measuring the rate of transmission of data from said operator station to said robot station to determine if said data transmission rate does not exceed a minimum rate of data transmission or if a maximum time for transmission of said data from said operator station to said robot station is exceeded; and

d. undertaking one or more corrective measures when said data transmission rate does not exceed said minimum rate of data transmission and/or when said maximum time of data transmission from said operator station to said robot station is exceeded, said one or more corrective measures comprising;

1. reducing said maximum allowable speed of operation of said robot and said maximum allowable speed of said process when said data transmission rate does not exceed said minimum rate of data transmission;

2. stopping said robot motion and putting said predetermined process in a safe state;

or

3. transmitting a priority list of signals between said robot station and said operator station.

2. A method for controlling an industrial robot having a maximum allowable speed of operation to perform a predetermined process having a maximum allowable speed, both said robot and said predetermined process located at a robot station that is remotely located from a station having an operator of said robot, said robot station having a device for controlling said robot, said method, comprising:

said controlling device,

a. determining if said robot is in a teleoperation mode of operation;

b. determining if a watchdog signal has been received by said robot station from said operator station;

c. measuring the rate of transmission of data from said operator station to said robot station to determine if said data transmission rate does not exceed a minimum rate of data transmission or if a maximum time for transmission of said data from said operator station to said robot station is exceeded; and

d. undertaking one or more corrective measures when said data transmission rate does not exceed said minimum rate of data transmission and/or when said maximum time of data transmission from said operator station to said robot station is exceeded, said one or more corrective measures comprising;

1. reducing said maximum allowable speed of operation of said robot and said maximum allowable speed of said process when said data transmission rate does not exceed said minimum rate of data transmission;

2. stopping said robot motion and putting said predetermined process in a safe state;

or

3. transmitting a priority list of signals between said robot station and said operator station.