Robot language processing apparatus

• US 6,167,328 A
• Filed: 03/18/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Inventors: Ohsawa, Noriyuki, Takaoka, Keiichi, Mantani, Noriaki, Kanehara, Takeyoshi, Kawai, Fumiaki, Tanaka, Youichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US09/043,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/250, 700/264, 700/252, 700/123, 700/86, 901/1, 901/8, 901/42, 318/568.1
• US Class Current: 700/264
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1671 characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4068 Verifying part programme on screen, by drawing or other means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36074 Display part, select, mark element and edit corresponding block
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36143 Use of icon to represent a function, part of program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36257 Indicate region and kind of machining on shape of part
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40099 Graphical user interface for robotics, visual robot user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45104 Lasrobot, welding robot

Abstract

When a robot language is to be displayed and edited, a teaching apparatus or a programming pendant heretofore displays intermediate code of the robot language as expressed by characters. The operator cannot intuitively recognize motions of the robot, needs time to master the robot language, and is required to actually move the robot to confirm the correctness of the program after the robot has been taught. According to the present invention, a robot language processing apparatus includes a display device for graphically displaying a picture and designating a position in the displayed picture with a pointing device, a memory for storing a robot program, a graphical language processor for displaying an operation interval and an air-cut interval as successive lines on the display device by referring to the robot program, and controlling the display device to display the type of an operation detail at either one of the lines when the either one of the displayed lines is designated by the pointing device. The robot language processing apparatus is capable of teaching based on a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A robot language processing apparatus for displaying a robot program which has been already taught, comprising:

display means for graphically displaying a picture and capable of designating a position in the displayed picture with pointing means;

storage means for storing said robot program; and

processing means for displaying an operation interval and an air-cut interval as successive lines on said display means by referring to said robot program, and controlling said display means to display the type of an operation detail at either one of said lines when said either one of the displayed lines is designated by said pointing means.

2. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said robot program comprises an operating program for a welding robot, and when one of the lines is designated by said pointing means, said processing means changes a color or type of the designated line to indicate a type of welding process.

3. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said robot program comprises an operating program for a welding robot, and said processing means moves a bright spot on the lines at a speed corresponding to a welding speed.

4. A robot language processing apparatus for describing operation details of a teaching-playback robot and teaching the robot, comprising:

display means for graphically displaying a picture and capable of designating a position in the displayed picture with pointing means;

storage means for storing said robot program as intermediate code; and

language processing means for decoding said intermediate codes and connecting orthogonal space positions of a group of motion commands stored in a time-series manner with straight lines or curved lines, converting an obtained group of lines into coordinates in the displayed picture as viewed from an arbitrary viewpoint, graphically displaying the converted group of lines on said display means, and displaying time-series numbers of points in the group of motion commands in superimposed relation to the group of lines on said display means.

5. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, when one of the displayed time-series numbers is designated by said pointing means, said language processing means graphically displays an orientation of a tool at a teaching position of the motion command corresponding to the designated number on said display means.

6. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, said language processing means displays an overall image of the robot at the position designated by said pointing means on said display means.

7. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, an operation interval is recognized on the basis of operation start and end commands in said intermediate code, and one of the displayed lines which corresponds to said operation interval is displayed in a different color or type.

8. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, when a line in a start interval and a line in an end interval among the displayed lines are designated by said pointing means, said language processing means establishes an effective interval for an operating command based on the designated lines, and inserting the operating command into said intermediate code in said storage means.

9. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said language processing means displays icons indicative of operation details on said display means, and when one of the displayed icons is selected by said pointing means, said language processing means inserts an operating command corresponding to the selected icon into intermediate code in said storage means.

10. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 9, when said icon is selected, said language processing means displays a window for entering parameters related to corresponding to operation details on said display means, establishes parameters depending on details entered in said window, and inserts an operating command corresponding to the selected icon into intermediate code in said storage means.

11. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, if an operating command which is neither a motion command nor a command indicative of an operation interval is present in said intermediate code, then said language processing means displays an icon representative of the operating command in relation to a point of a motion command on said display means.

12. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, when an icon representative of said operating command is designated by said pointing means, said language processing means displays a pop-up window for displaying and establishing parameters associated with said operating command, and when parameters are established or changed, said language processing means changes a corresponding intermediate code based on the established or changed parameters.

13. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein if a mode for adding operating commands is designated, then said language processing means displays a group of icons of operating commands that can be added, determines a command adding position as designated by said pointing means, determines an operating command to be added which corresponds to one of the icons which is selected by said pointing means, converts the determined operating command into intermediate code, and inserts the intermediate code into a corresponding location in said storage means.

14. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, if a mode for modifying operating commands is designated, then said language processing means displays a group of icons of operating commands that can be modified, employs, as a command to be modified, a first icon selected by said pointing means from the group of icons registered and displayed as operating commands in relation to an operation path, employs, as a modified operating command, a second icon selected by said pointing means from the group of icons of operating commands that can be modified, and replaces intermediate code at a corresponding location in said storage means.

15. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, if a mode for deleting operating commands is designated, then said language processing means displays a group of icons registered and displayed as operating commands in relation to an operation path on said display means, employs, as a command to be deleted, an icon selected by said pointing means from said group of icons, and deletes intermediate code at a corresponding location in said storage means.

16. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a database relative to operations, and wherein said language processing means displays a group of icons indicative of physical operating conditions on said display means, and when one of the icons and an operation interval are selected by said pointing means, said language processing means searches said database based on the selected physical operating condition and the selected operation interval to read operating condition data therefrom, and converts the operating condition data into an operating command.

17. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the robot program stored in said storage means is updated on the basis of the converted operating command.

18. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein if a mode for correcting a position and an orientation is designated, said language processing means determines an object to be corrected as designated by said pointing means, three-dimensionally displays a present teaching position on said display means, displays a button capable of continuously modifying a position and an orientation on said display means, determines correcting quantities for a position and an orientation depending on an operation effected on said button by said pointing means, and causes a motion command at a corresponding location in said storage means to reflect the corrected quantities.

29. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said language processing apparatus displays all orientations of a tool at teaching positions of the motion commands which correspond to the time-series numbers of the motion commands on said display means.

30. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, if a type of interpolation of a motion command expressed by an intermediate code is circular interpolation, and the number of teaching points is smaller than a number required for circular interpolation, then said language processing apparatus changes the type of a displayed line to indicate that said robot cannot move along an arcuate path on said display means.

31. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein if the type of interpolation of the motion command expressed by the intermediate code is circular interpolation, and there is one time-series teaching point for circular interpolation, then said language processing apparatus automatically generates an operating program for linear interpolation.

32. The robot language processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein if the type of interpolation of the motion command expressed by the intermediate code is circular interpolation, and there are two time-series teaching points for circular interpolation and there is another motion command for which another type of interpolation is designated, successive to the teaching points in a time-series manner, then said language processing apparatus automatically adds a motion command at the same position and orientation as said other motion command for which the other type of interpolation is designated thereby enabling said robot to move along the arcuate path.

33. The programming pendant according to claim 4, wherein when supplied with a gap distance corresponding to a line displayed on said display means, said language processing means displays said line again as dual lines spaced from each other by a distance corresponding to said gap distance.

19. A programming pendant for teaching an industrial robot having at least three degrees of freedom, comprising:

display means for graphically displaying a picture and capable of designating a position in the displayed picture with pointing means;

storage means for storing an operating program which contains target positional data for the robot described as motion commands;

a database storing operating conditions; and

language processing means for three-dimensionally graphically displaying a taught path on said display means, displaying a group of icons representing physical operating conditions when a straight line or a curved line interconnecting two arbitrary motion commands in the displayed path is designated by said pointing means, searching said database to read a group of operating conditions therefrom based on a first group of physical operating conditions determined on the basis of a position and an icon which are designated by said pointing means, and a second group of physical operating conditions determined in advance with respect to a system which includes the robot, converting the resulting group of operating conditions into an operating command for the robot, and automatically incorporating the operating command into the designated position in said operating program.

20. The programming pendant according to claim 19, wherein said language processing means modifies orientation information of a taught motion command according to data indicative of an orientation of the robot in the group of operating conditions read from said database.

21. The programming pendant according to claim 19, wherein said language processing means modifies orientation information of a taught motion command according to data indicative of an orientation of the robot in the group of operating conditions resulting from said database, and automatically adds orientation changing points to precede and follow the taught motion command in order to keep a relative orientation between a workpiece and an operating tool in conformity with the orientation from said database as much as possible.

24. The programming pendant according to claim 19, wherein said language processing means displays time-series numbers of the motion commands described in said operating program in superimposed relation to the displayed picture on said display means, and when a range of time-series numbers is designated by said pointing means, said language processing means displays only a path of an interval of corresponding motion commands on said display means.

25. The programming pendant according to claim 19, wherein said language processing means calculates an angle formed between a straight line passing through two teaching positions on a workpiece and the ground from two successive teaching positions of the motion commands, and registers the calculated angle as an element of said first group of physical operating conditions.

26. The programming pendant according to claim 19, wherein positional data of said robot are written as three-dimensional data of a reference point in said operating program, and said language processing means displays the three-dimensional data of the reference point stored in said storage means on said display means.

27. The programming pendant according to claim 19, wherein said language processing means calculates an angle through which a workpiece rotates about an axis as a straight line passing through two successive teaching positions of the motion commands on said workpiece, from said two successive teaching positions and three-dimensional data of a reference point stored in said storage means, and registers the calculated angle as an element of said first group of physical operating conditions.

28. The programming pendant according to claim 19, wherein said language processing means automatically establishes a shape and dimensions of a workpiece based on said first group of physical operating conditions and said second group of physical operating conditions, and three-dimensionally displays the shape of the workpiece between two successive teaching positions of the motion commands on said display means.

34. The programming pendant according to claim 21, wherein, for automatically adding an orientation changing point, said language processing means stores information related to a motion command which is already taught, in said storage means in association with a motion command of the orientation changing point to be added.

35. The programming pendant according to claim 34, wherein, for deleting a motion command which is already taught, after said motion command is deleted, said language processing means searches said storage means, and deletes a motion command of an orientation changing point with which information related to the deleted motion command is associated.

36. The programming pendant according to claim 34, wherein for modifying the position of a motion command which is already taught, after said position of the motion command is modified, said language processing means searches said storage means, and corrects positional information of a motion command of an orientation changing point with which information related to the modified motion command is associated, at an appropriate position.

22. A programming pendant for teaching an industrial robot, comprising:

display means for graphically displaying a picture and capable of designating a position in the displayed picture with pointing means;

storage means for storing operating programs which contain target positional data for the robot described as motion commands; and

language processing means for displaying symbols representing said operating programs on said display means, storing an associating relationship between said symbols and said operating programs in said storage means, and processing one of the operating programs which corresponds to either one of the symbols when said either one of the symbols is designated by said pointing means.

23. The programming pendant according to claim 22, wherein said symbols are handwritten in a screen on said display means with said pointing means.