OPERATION DEVICE FOR OPERATING ROBOT, ROBOT SYSTEM, AND OPERATION METHOD

• US 20180311825A1
• Filed: 04/20/2018
• Published: 11/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tomoyuki, Maeda, Keita
• Granted Patent: US 10,654,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/06 Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/08 by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/088 with position, velocity or acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1605 Simulation of manipulator lay-out, design, modelling of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1656 characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36168 Touchscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36401 Record play back, teach position and record it then play back
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39446 Display of manipulator and workpiece and jog directions

Abstract

An operation device which can reliably prevent any motion of a robot in the real space unintended by the user. An operation device includes a touch screen to display an image of a robot model and to receive a touch input, a model motion execution section to cause the robot model to make a motion in response to a touch input made by touching a surface of the touch screen, a robot motion button for causing the robot to make a motion in the real space, a motion input detection section to detect an input to the robot motion button, and a real machine motion command section to output a command to cause the robot to make an identical motion in the real space to the motion of the robot model executed by the model motion execution section as long as inputs to the robot motion button are continuously detected.

Claims

1. An operation device for operating a robot, comprising:

a touch screen configured to display an image of a robot model modeling the robot and receive a touch input;

a model motion execution section configured to move the robot model in response to the touch input made by touching a surface of the touch screen;

a robot motion button for moving the robot in a real space;

a motion input detection section configured to detect an input of the robot motion button; and

a real machine motion command section configured to output a command for causing the robot to carry out a motion in the real space that is identical to a motion of the robot model carried out by the model motion execution section, during the motion input detection section continuously detects the input of the robot motion button.

2. The operation device according to claim 1, wherein the robot motion button is displayed on the touch screen as an image, and

wherein the motion input detection section detects a touch input to a display region of the robot motion button on the touch screen as the input of the robot motion button.

3. The operation device according to claim 2, wherein the touch screen includes a force detection section configured to detect a force of the touch input to the display region, and

wherein the motion input detection section detects the touch input to the display region as the input of the robot motion button when the force detected by the force detection section is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

4. The operation device according to claim 1, further comprising a state acquisition section configured to acquire a position and orientation of the robot from a robot controller configured to control the robot,

wherein the touch screen displays the robot model arranged at the position and orientation acquired by the state acquisition section, and

wherein the model motion execution section moves the robot model arranged at the position and orientation acquired by the state acquisition section.

5. The operation device according to claim 1, further comprising a motion command generation section configured to generate a motion command to be transmitted to the robot to cause the robot to carry out the identical motion in the real space, based on a start point and an end point of the touch input made by touching the surface of the touch screen.

6. The operation device according to claim 1, further comprising an image switching section configured to switch the image of the robot model of three-dimension to a second image of the robot model viewed from a direction different from the image, in response to a predetermined type of touch input to the touch screen 52.

7. The operation device according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined type of touch input is:

a touch input to a display region of an image-switching button displayed on the touch screen for switching the image of the robot model to the second image;

a touch input made by touching two different points on the touch screen;

or

a touch input made by continuously touching at least one point on the touch screen for a predetermined time.

8. A robot system comprising:

a robot;

a robot controller configured to control the robot; and

the operation device according to claim 1, that is communicably connected to the robot controller.

9. A method of operating a robot, comprising:

displaying an image of a robot model modeling the robot on a touch screen configured to receive a touch input;

moving the robot model in response to the touch input made by touching a surface of the touch screen;

detecting an input of a robot motion button for moving the robot in a real space; and

outputting a command for causing the robot to carry out an identical motion in the real space to a motion of the robot model, during the input of the robot motion button is continuously detected.