Coordinated robot control from multiple remote instruction sources
First Claim
1. A robot control system comprising:
- a plurality of robot controllers, each robot controller having an associated motion system adapted to control at least one robotic machine, where the associated motion system is adapted to receive motion control commands from more than one robot control program;
a remote program instruction source that supplies motion control commands to said plurality of robot controllers, the instruction source having a memory for storing at least one robot control program and an instruction processor for converting said robot control program into motion control commands;
a mutual exclusion mechanism residing on either the remote program instruction source or one of the plurality of robot controllers, wherein the mutual exclusion mechanism prevents simultaneous access by more than one robot control program to a given robotic machine and a computer network over which said remote instruction source and said plurality of robot controllers communicate, whereby the remote instruction source propagates motion control commands over the computer network to selected ones of said plurality of robot controllers.
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Abstract
A robot control system is provided for facilitating coordination amongst various robotic machines. The robot control system includes a plurality of robot controllers, such that each robot controller having an associated motion system adapted to control at least one robotic machine and the associated motion system is adapted to receive motion control commands from more than one robot control program. The robot control system further includes a remote instruction source that supplies motion control commands to the robot controllers, and a mutual exclusion mechanism residing on either the remote program instruction source or one of the robot controllers, where the mutual exclusion mechanism prevents simultaneous access by more than one robot control program to a given robotic machine. In operation, motion control commands are propagated from the remote program instruction source over a computer network to a selected group of the robot controllers.
114 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A robot control system comprising:
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a plurality of robot controllers, each robot controller having an associated motion system adapted to control at least one robotic machine, where the associated motion system is adapted to receive motion control commands from more than one robot control program;
a remote program instruction source that supplies motion control commands to said plurality of robot controllers, the instruction source having a memory for storing at least one robot control program and an instruction processor for converting said robot control program into motion control commands;
a mutual exclusion mechanism residing on either the remote program instruction source or one of the plurality of robot controllers, wherein the mutual exclusion mechanism prevents simultaneous access by more than one robot control program to a given robotic machine and a computer network over which said remote instruction source and said plurality of robot controllers communicate, whereby the remote instruction source propagates motion control commands over the computer network to selected ones of said plurality of robot controllers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A robot control system comprising:
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a plurality of robot controllers, each robot controller having an associated motion system adapted to control at least one robotic machine;
a remote instruction source that supplies motion control commands to said plurality of robot controllers, the remote instruction source having a memory for storing at least one robot control program and an instruction processor for converting said robot control program into motion control commands;
a computer network over which said remote instruction source and said plurality of robot controllers communicate; and
a command initiated by said instruction source and propagated over said computer network to selected ones of said plurality of robot controllers, where the command gives the remote instruction source logical temporary ownership of the motion systems for the selected ones of said plurality of robot controllers. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification