Robot control system provided with function of changing criterion for communication quality in accordance with distance between machine and portable wireless operation panel

• US 9,902,060 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Inventors: Inaba, Ryoutarou
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US15/067,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20160271794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 700264, 4554561, 4554566, 345168, 345169, 345173
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/414 Structure of the control system, e.g. common controller or multiprocessor systems, interface to servo, programmable interface controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31081 Detect position robot, agv relative to machine to start communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections

Abstract

A robot control system of the present invention includes: a control device for controlling a machine; a portable wireless operation panel that can perform wireless communication with the control device to control the machine; a distance measuring unit that measures the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel; a communication monitoring unit that monitors the communication quality of wireless communication between the control device and the portable wireless operation panel; a warning generator that emits a warning to the operator or stops the machine when the communication quality becomes lower than a predetermined criterion; and, a criterion changing unit that changes the predetermined criterion in accordance with the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel.

Claims

1. A robot control system comprising:

a control device for controlling a machine;

a portable wireless operation panel for performing wireless communication with the control device to control the machine;

a distance measuring unit for measuring the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel;

a communication monitoring unit for monitoring the communication quality of wireless communication between the control device and the portable wireless operation panel;

a warning generator for emitting a warning to the operator or stopping the machine when the communication quality becomes lower than a predetermined criterion; and

a criterion changing unit for changing the predetermined criterion in accordance with the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel.

2. The robot control system according to claim 1,

wherein the communication quality is monitored by measuring an exchanging interval of live data for confirming establishment of the wireless communication.

3. The robot control system according to claim 1,

wherein the communication quality is monitored by measuring an exchanging interval of safety signals that are exchanged between the control device and the portable wireless operation panel to indicate whether or not the machine should be stopped.

4. The robot control system according to claim 1,

wherein the communication quality is monitored by measuring the interval at which data with an error-detecting code or an error-correcting code that is exchanged between the control device and the portable wireless operation panel is exchanged in an error free condition or by measuring the frequency of errors.

5. The robot control system according to claim 1,

wherein the communication quality is monitored by measuring radio wave intensity of the wireless communication.

6. The robot control system according to claim 1,

wherein the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel is measured by a sensor including, at least, one of a laser sensor, a pressure sensor, an infrared sensor and a light curtain, arranged near the machine.

7. The robot control system according to claim 1,

wherein the distance between the machine and the portable wireless operation panel is measured by analyzing an image of surroundings of the machine taken by a fixed camera.