Welding robot diagnostic system and method of use thereof

• US 5,353,238 A
• Filed: 09/12/1991
• Issued: 10/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cloos International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cloos International Incorporated
• Inventors: Richards, David, Singh, Ashok, Newell, Martin S., Neef, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEESO, THOMAS R
• Application Number:
  US07/758,062
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 340/517, 364/551.01, 364/188, 364/552
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4063 Monitoring general control system G05B19/4062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24063 Select signals as function of priority, importance for diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24064 Sample rate variable as function of importance of alarm signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24065 Real time diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24085 Analyze, trace fault signals according to tree, table
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24103 Graphical display of proces as function of detected alarm signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24104 Operator can select a graphical screen at his will as help diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33303 Expert system for diagnostic, monitoring use of tree and probability
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34493 Supervision, display diagnostic, use or select between different stored screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45104 Lasrobot, welding robot

Abstract

An on-line real time process monitoring system determines not only the existence of a plurality of trouble conditions but also which condition from the plurality should be responded to first. Appropriate display screens are then selected and displayed for the operator to assist in resolution of the problem.

Claims

1. An operator assisting apparatus for monitoring an ongoing industrial process which generates a plurality of output electrical signals comprising:

means for sensing the plurality of output electrical signals;

means, coupled to said means for sensing the electrical signals, for processing the sensed electrical signals;

means for establishing a priority of trouble conditions from among the processed signals;

said means for establishing a priority of troubled conditions includes means for executing a decision tree so as to determine which of a plurality of trouble conditions has the highest priority;

means for storing a plurality of predetermined screens associated with various potential trouble conditions;

means for selecting a prestored screen associated with the highest priority trouble condition and for displaying the selected screen;

means, responsive to operator input, for selecting a different screen;

means, for monitoring amounts of supplies consumed during the process; and

means for automatically displaying a representation of at least some of said supplies consumed.

2. A system for monitoring a plurality of inputs indicative of an ongoing industrial process comprising:

means for sensing a plurality of inputs identifying various process conditions;

means, coupled to said sensing means, for processing said inputs;

means, coupled to said sensing means, for analyzing and prioritizing said inputs including means for identifying a highest priority condition;

said means for analyzing and prioritizing includes a decision tree means for identifying said highest priority condition;

means, coupled to said means for analyzing and prioritizing and responsive thereto, for generating an indicium identifying said highest priority condition;

means for automatically linking a condition identifying prestored text message to said indicium;

means for visually displaying a representation of said indicium;

means for periodically initiating said analyzing and prioritizing;

means for recording indicia reflecting supplies consumed during the process;

means for automatically displaying a representation of at least some of said supplies consumed; and

communications means for transmitting selected information to remote locations.

3. A system as in claim 2 including a video camera coupled to said means for transmitting selected information.

4. An apparatus usable to provide operator assisting alarm related information for an industrial tool that is operable in an essentially automatic mode, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry for sensing a plurality of inputs from the tool;

said circuitry for sensing a plurality of inputs includes means for altering a rate of sensing one or more of the inputs;

circuitry for processing at least some of the inputs and for generating electrical representations thereof;

means, coupled to said circuitry for generating electrical representations, for storing sequences of screen images associated with various alarm conditions;

manually operable means for operator input, coupled to said circuitry for generating electrical representations for selecting among screen images associated with an identified alarm condition;

circuitry, coupled to said circuitry for processing at least some of the inputs and for generating electrical representations thereof, for executing a prestored decision tree and for identifying a highest priority alarm condition for the tool;

circuitry, responsive to said circuitry for executing said prestored decision tree and for identifying a highest priority alarm condition for the tool, for providing a representation of said alarm condition.

5. A system for monitoring a plurality of inputs indicative of an on-going industrial process comprising:

means for sensing a plurality of inputs identifying various process conditions;

said means for sensing a plurality of inputs includes means for altering a rate of sensing one or more of the inputs;

means coupled to said sensing means for processing said inputs;

means, coupled to said processing means, for analyzing and prioritizing said inputs including means for identifying a highest priority condition;

means, coupled to said means for analyzing and prioritizing said inputs and responsive thereto for generating an indicium identifying said highest priority condition;

said means for analyzing and prioritizing said inputs includes decision tree means for identifying said highest priority condition;

means for automatically linking a condition identifying prestored text message to said indicium;

means for visually displaying a representation of said indicium;

means for periodically initiating said analyzing and prioritizing;

means for recording indicia reflecting supplies consumed during the process; and

means for automatically displaying a representation of at least some of said supplies consumed.

6. An apparatus usable to provide operator assisting alarm related information for an industrial tool that is operable in an essentially automatic mode, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry for sensing a plurality of inputs from the tool, said circuitry for sensing including means for altering a rate of sensing one or more of the inputs responsive to a state of the tool;

circuitry for processing at least some of the inputs and for generating electrical representations thereof;

circuitry for executing a prestored decision tree and for identifying a highest priority alarm condition for the tool; and

circuitry responsive to said executing circuitry for providing a representative of said alarm condition.

7. A method of providing information to an operator to assist in determining a trouble condition in an industrial process which provides a plurality of electrical signals comprising:

sensing the plurality of electrical signals;

processing the plurality of electrical signals;

detecting the presence of one or more trouble conditions, associated with the process;

automatically establishing a priority among the detected trouble conditions by stepping through a predetermined decision tree;

selecting a highest priority trouble condition;

displaying operator assisting screens associated with the selected trouble condition;

receiving operator input for selecting different information screens to be displayed;

storing a plurality of displayable operator assisting information screens; and

displaying an operator assisting screen containing at least one graphical message, prestored at least in part, related to the next trouble condition to which the operator should respond.

8. A method of monitoring an automatic, production welding unit that provides a plurality of status indicating signals comprising:

conditioning selected of the status indicating signals;

analyzing predetermined combinations of the conditioned signals to detect the presence of those combinations indicative of a need for operator intervention;

executing a decision tree, in response to the analyzing step, to determine which combination the operator should respond to next;

displaying an operator assisting graphical message, prestored at least in part, related to the next combination to which the operator should respond;

storing representations of selected of the conditioned signals which are indicative of the performance of the welding unit; and

selectively providing for the operator visual indicia of the stored representations.

9. A method of monitoring an on-going industrial process having a plurality of relate parameters comprising;

sensing selected of the parameters;

analyzing the sensed parameters to determine the presence of one or more trouble condition;

prioritizing the trouble conditions including executing a predetermined decision tree;

linking a highest priority trouble condition to one member of a plurality of operator assisting display screens;

displaying the one linked screen;

recording values of selected parameters as the process proceeds;

displaying at least one graphical representation of selected parameters of the on-going process;

receiving input from an operator responsive to the one linked and displayed screen;

analyzing the received operator input;

displaying, in response to the analysis, a different operator assisting screen.