Web browser access to robot cell devices

• US 9,914,220 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Svensson Landin, Kjell
• Primary Examiner(s): Jakovac, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US15/108,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20160325435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31241 Remote control by a proxy or echo server, internet - intranet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40174 Robot teleoperation through internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A method and computer program product for controlling data transfer between a client device and auxiliary robot cell functions of a robot cell as well as to an interface arrangement for the robot cell. The arrangement includes a reverse proxy providing connectivity for a client device to auxiliary robot cell functions accessible via a local addressing space, where the reverse proxy receives, in a first message having a destination address belonging to the interface device and being a first global address in a global addressing space, a request intended for an auxiliary robot cell function, converts the first address to a first local address of the auxiliary robot cell function in the local addressing space and sends the request to a web server associated with the auxiliary robot cell function using the first local address.

Claims

1. A method for controlling data transfer between a client device and auxiliary robot cell functions of a robot cell so that a user of the client device can access the auxiliary robot cell functions, the robot cell comprising at least one industrial robot being controlled by a robot controller, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a web browser of the client device, a request intended for an auxiliary robot cell function, the request comprising data identifying activities that the user desires the auxiliary robot cell function to perform and being received in a first message having a destination address belonging to an interface device for the robot cell, the destination address being a first global Internet Protocol address in a global addressing space;

converting the first global Internet Protocol address to a first local address of the auxiliary robot cell function in a local addressing space provided for auxiliary robot cell functions of the robot cell;

sending, using the first local address, the request to a web server associated with the auxiliary robot cell function; and

investigating if the robot is running a robot program producing a product, investigating whether the request is a request to write data to or a request to read data from the auxiliary robot cell function, and stopping the sending of the request to the web server associated with the auxiliary robot cell function if (i) the request is determined to be a request to write data to the auxiliary robot cell function, and (ii) the robot is determined to be running a robot program at a time of sending the request.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising investigating a right to access the auxiliary function in order to determine if the request is to be forwarded to the auxiliary robot cell function.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises investigating a mode of operation of the robot.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises investigating the request.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stopping is a temporary stopping until the robot is no longer running a robot program.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising allowing a request to be forwarded to the web server associated with the auxiliary robot cell function if (i) the request is determined to be a request to read data, and (ii) the robot is determined to be running a robot program at a time of sending the request.

6. An interface arrangement for a robot cell allowing a user of a client device to access auxiliary robot cell functions of the robot cell, said robot cell comprising at least one industrial robot being controlled by a robot controller, the arrangement comprising:

an interface device having a reverse proxy providing connectivity for the client device to auxiliary robot cell functions associated with the robot cell, where the auxiliary robot cell functions are accessible via a local addressing space of the robot cell, the reverse proxy being configured to;

receive, from a web browser of the client device, a request intended for an auxiliary robot cell function, said request comprising data identifying activities that the user desires the auxiliary robot cell function to perform and being received in a first message having a destination address belonging to the interface device, said destination address being a first global Internet Protocol address in a global addressing space;

convert the first global Internet Protocol address to a first local address of the auxiliary robot cell function in the local addressing space; and

send, using the first local address, the request to a web server associated with the auxiliary robot cell function;

wherein the interface arrangement is further configured to investigate if the robot is running a robot program producing a product, investigate whether the request is a request to write data to or a request to read data from the auxiliary robot cell function, and stop the sending of the request to the web server associated with the auxiliary robot cell function if (i) the request is determined to be a request to write data to the auxiliary robot cell function, and (ii) the robot is determined to be running a robot program at a time of sending the request.

7. The interface arrangement according to claim 6, the interface device further comprising an access rights determining element configured to perform an access rights investigation in order to determine if the request is to be forwarded to the auxiliary robot cell function.

8. The interface arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the access rights determining element is further configured to connect to the robot controller for investigating a mode of operation of the robot.

9. The interface arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the interface arrangement is further configured to investigate the request.

10. The interface arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the stopping is a temporary stopping until the robot is no longer running a robot program.

11. The interface arrangement according to claim 6, further comprising the robot controller.

12. The interface arrangement according to claim 6, the interface device further comprising a web server of at least one auxiliary robot cell function.

13. The interface arrangement according to claim 6, wherein at least one auxiliary robot cell function is provided in an auxiliary robot cell device, said auxiliary robot cell device also comprising an associated web server and being connected to the interface device via a local communication network where the local addressing space is used.

15. The interface arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the interface arrangement is further configured to allow a request to be forwarded to the web server associated with the auxiliary robot cell function if (i) the request is determined to be a request to read data, and (ii) the robot is determined to be running a robot program at a time of sending the request.