Process for controlling industrial robots, and related robots, systems and computer programs

• US 20060232236A1
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comau SPA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Comau SPA (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Calcagno, Renzo
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/568.110
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/42 Recording and playback systems, i.e. in which the programme is recorded from a cycle of operations, e.g. the cycle of operations being manually controlled, after which this record is played back on the same machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23414 Pc as detachable program, debug, monitor device for control system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36159 Detachable or portable programming unit, display, pc, pda
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39001 Robot, manipulator control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39447 Dead man switch
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50198 Emergency stop

Abstract

An industrial robot includes a manipulator (1) having a control unit (2) and a portable terminal (3), the unit and the terminal being able to communicate in wireless mode for executing a robot programming session. The unit (2) and the terminal (3) are configured so as to implement a step of mutual logic coupling, which is required so as to enable the programming session, only when the terminal (3) is in a substantially predefined physical position (5) close to the unit (2).

Claims

1. A method for controlling by means of a portable terminal (3) a manipulator (1-2) of an industrial robot, the method providing for establishing a main wireless connection between said manipulator (1-2) and terminal (3), the main connection being used during a session of use of the terminal (3) for transmitting to the manipulator (1-2) information concerning at least one of programming instructions and instructions of motion and status conditions of a safety device (ES, EN) which the terminal (3) is equipped with, the method comprising the following operations:

a) configuring the manipulator (1-2) and the terminal (3) so as to allow interaction thereof, for executing a logic coupling step enabling said session of use, when the terminal (3) is in a substantially predefined physical position with respect to the manipulator (1-2);

b) bringing the terminal (3) to said position;

c) executing said logic coupling step;

d) using the terminal (3) for transmitting to the manipulator (1-2) said instructions during said session of use, if necessary removing the terminal from said position.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, with said terminal (3) being in said position, a temporary auxiliary connection is established between said terminal (3) and the manipulator (1-2), which is required for executing said logic coupling step, said auxiliary connection being interrupted upon removing the terminal (3) from said position during operation d).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the manipulator (1-2) and the terminal (3) are associated with respective identity information (ID_CU, ID_TP) and the logic coupling step comprises at least the following operations:

making available to the manipulator (1-2) the identity information (ID_TP) of the terminal (3), and

making available to the terminal (3) the identity information (ID_CU) of the manipulator (1-2).

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the logic coupling step comprises the following operations:

c1) using the auxiliary connection for making available to a first one of said terminal (3) and manipulator (1-2) first identity information (ID_TP) concerning a second one of said terminal (3) and manipulator (1-2);

c2) using the main connection for making available to the second one of said terminal (3) and manipulator (1-2) second identity information (ID_CU) concerning the first one of said terminal (3) and manipulator (1-2).

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

during operation cl) the identity information of the terminal (ID_TP) is read or received by a control unit (20) of the manipulator (1-2) and, then,

during operation c2) the identity information of the manipulator (ID_CU) is transmitted by the control unit (20) thereof to a control system (30) of the terminal (3).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the control unit (20) of the manipulator (1-2) checks whether a respective predetermined storage means (20h) is free and

in the positive case, it memorizes in said storage means (20h) the identity information (ID_TP) of the terminal (3) and then transmits to the control system (30) of the terminal (3) the identity information of the manipulator (1-2),

in the negative case, it compares the identity information of the terminal (ID_TP) with a content of said storage means (20h).

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

if the identity information of the terminal (ID_TP) is compatible with the content of said storage means (20h), execution of a logic decoupling step between said terminal (3) and manipulator (1-2) is enabled;

if the identity information of the terminal (ID_TP) is not compatible with the content of said storage means (20h), the logic coupling step is interrupted.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein

the control unit (20) of the manipulator (1-2) retains in a respective predetermined storage means (20h) the identity information (ID_TP) of the terminal (3), and

the control system (30) of the terminal (3) retains in a respective predetermined storage means (30h) the identity information ((ID_CU) of the manipulator (1-2).

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the following operation is further included:

e) executing a logic decoupling step of said terminal (3) with respect to said manipulator (1-2), so as to disable said session of use.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the manipulator (1-2) and the terminal (3) are configured so as to interact for executing said logic decoupling step when the terminal (3) is in said position.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the following operation is further included:

e) executing a logic decoupling step of said terminal (3) with respect to said manipulator (1-2), so as to disable said session of use, and wherein the manipulator (1-2) and the terminal (3) are configured so as to delete said respective predetermined storage means (20h, 30h) during said logic decoupling step.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the manipulator (1-2) and the terminal (3) are configured so as to exchange with each other, during operation c) and through at least one of said main connection, control and check information of execution of said logic coupling step.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein it is provided for a visual indication, both on the terminal (3) and on the manipulator (1-2), of an enabling condition of said session of use.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said manipulator (1-2) is associated with means (5) for defining or identifying said position.

15. The method according to claim 3, wherein said identity information (ID_CU, ID_TP) are obtained by associating with one another at least two codes (IP, SN), one of which can be modified and the other one cannot.

16. An industrial robot comprising a portable terminal (3) and a manipulator (1) having a control unit (20), which implements the method according to claim 1.

24. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the terminal (3) and the manipulator (1-2) comprise respective visual indication means (3, 2c) for signaling an enabling condition of said session of use.

25. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the manipulator (1-2) is associated with positioning means (5) defining or identifying said position.

26. The robot according to claim 25, wherein said positioning means (5) comprise a seat (5a) in which at least part of the second communication means (5c, 21) of the manipulator (1-2) is operative.

27. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the terminal (3) comprises a rechargeable battery (32) which a respective connector (3e) is associated with, the manipulator (1-2) comprises a recharging arrangement (22) for said battery (22) which a respective connector (5b) is associated with, said connectors (3e, 5b) being configured so as to cooperate when the terminal is in said position.

29. A robot system having a plurality of industrial robots, comprising each a manipulator (1) having a respective control unit (2), and a portable terminal (3) that can be used for programming selectively the robots belonging to said plurality, in said system being implemented the method according to claim 1.

31. A computer program product comprising computer instructions or code portions, which can be uploaded into a memory and executed by means of a processor for controlling an industrial robot in accordance with the method of claim 1.

17. An industrial robot comprising a manipulator (1-2) and a portable terminal (3), said manipulator (1-2) and terminal (3) having each an electronic control system (20, 30) comprising respective first communication means (20e, 30e), for establishing a wireless main connection, the main connection being used during at least a session of use for transmitting from the terminal (3) to the manipulator (1-2) information concerning at least one of programming instructions and instructions of motion and status conditions of a safety device (ES, EN) which the terminal (3) is equipped with, the control systems (20, 30) of the manipulator (1-2) and of the terminal (3) comprising:

respective second communication means (5c, 20d, 21, 3f, 30d, 31) configured so as to establish a temporary auxiliary connection when the terminal (3) is in a substantially predefined position close to said manipulator (1-2), and

respective enabling means (20a-20g;

30a-30g) configured so as to

use said auxiliary connection for executing a logic coupling procedure between said manipulator (1-2) and said terminal (3), aiming at enabling said session of use;

allow transmission of said information also after possible interruption of said auxiliary connection, subsequent to removal of the terminal (3) from said position so as to be used during said session of use.

18. The robot according to claim 17, wherein

the enabling means (20a-20g;

30a-30g) of the manipulator (1-2) and of the terminal (3) comprise respective first storage means (20g;

30g) containing respective identity information (ID_CU, ID_TP),

the enabling means (20a-20g) of the manipulator (1-2) comprise means (20d) for making available or communicate a content of the respective first storage means (20h) to the control system (30) of the terminal (3) by means of one of said main and auxiliary connections, and

the enabling means (30a-30g) of the terminal (3) comprise means (30d) for making available or communicate a content of the respective first storage means (30h) to the control system (20) of the manipulator (1-2) by means of the other one of said main and auxiliary connections.

19. The robot according to claim 18, wherein the enabling means (20a-20g) of the manipulator (1-2) comprise means (20d, 20d) for reading, by means of the auxiliary connection, the identity information (ID_TP) of the terminal (3) and then transmitting to the enabling means (30a-30g) of the terminal (3), by means of the main connection, the identity information (ID_CU) of the manipulator (1-2).

20. The robot according to claim 18, wherein

the enabling means (20a-20g) of the manipulator (1-2) comprise a respective second storage means (20h) for retaining the identity information (ID_TP) of the terminal (3), and

the enabling means (30a-30g) of the terminal (3) comprise a respective second storage means (30h) for retaining the identity information (ID_CU) of the manipulator (1-2).

21. The robot according to claim 20, wherein the enabling means (10a-20g) of the manipulator (1-2) comprise comparing means (20d) configured so as to check whether the respective second storage means (20h) is free and

in the positive case, to memorize in said second storage means (20h) the identity information (ID_TP) of the terminal (3),

in the negative case, to compare the identity information (ID_TP) of the terminal (3) with the content of said second storage means (20h).

22. The robot according to claim 17, wherein the enabling means (20a-20g;

30a-30g) of the manipulator (1-2) and of the terminal (3) are configured so as to implement, particularly when the terminal (3) is in said position, a logic decoupling procedure of said terminal (3) with respect to said manipulator (1-2), so as to disable said session of use.

23. The robot according to claims 20 and 22, wherein the enabling means (20a-20g;

30a-30g) of the manipulator (1-2) and of the terminal (3) are configured so as to freeing said respective second storage means (20h, 30h) during said logic decoupling procedure.

28. The robot according to claim 17, wherein said auxiliary connection comprises at least one of

a cabled serial connection,

a connection without physical contacts, such as a short-ray RFID connection or an optical connection;

a connection based on power line communication, in particular with information transmission implemented by exploiting an electrical connection line established between a battery (32) of the terminal (3) and a recharging circuit (22) of said battery, when the terminal (3) is in said position.

30. A robot system having a plurality of industrial robots, comprising each a manipulator (1) having a respective control unit (2), and a portable terminal (3) that can be used for programming selectively the robots belonging to said plurality, in said system being used one or more industrial robots according to claim 17.