Robot control apparatus

• US 6,324,443 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Atsushi, Terada, Tomoyuki, Hashimoto, Yoshiki, Kurakake, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/258,078
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/247, 700/249, 700/95, 700/86, 700/257, 700/259, 700/260, 700/251, 700/253, 700/186, 709/1, 318/568.24, 318/568.1, 318/573, 318/568.13, 710/260, 710/63, 345/440, 701/23
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1656 characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/425 Teaching successive positions by numerical control, i.e. commands being entered to control the positioning servo of the tool head or end effector
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36159 Detachable or portable programming unit, display, pc, pda
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36168 Touchscreen

Abstract

An robot control apparatus with a teaching operation panel capable of making graphic display. The teaching operation panel comprises a processor, a flash memory, a DRAM, a communication port, a touch panel, a graphic controller for controlling a display device, a key control circuit for jog keys. The flash memory stores an operating system having small data size storable in the flash memory and supporting a graphic interface. The processor reads a robot operation program stored in a memory of the robot controller or in an external memory of the teaching operation pane and makes a graphic display on the display device. The graphic display is easily comprehended by an operator and editing and creation of the robot control program is made easy.

Claims

1. A robot control apparatus, comprising:

a robot controller; and

a portable teaching operation panel communicating with said robot controller, the portable teaching operation panel comprising a display device, a data input device, a microprocessor, a semiconductor memory and an operating system stored in and operable on said semiconductor memory,

wherein said microprocessor is controlled by the operating system to generate a graphic display on said display device based on data input through said data input device.

2. A robot control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating system comprises a creating/editing program for creating or editing robot control data.

3. A robot control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said portable teaching operation panel further comprises a control data storage memory storing the robot control data created or edited by said creating/editing program.

4. A robot control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said portable teaching operation panel further comprises an external memory, and said control data storage memory and said external memory are connected with each other to input and output data through data interface.

5. A robot control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the robot control data is sent and received between said control data storage memory and said robot controller.

6. A robot control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said microprocessor generates a graphic display on said display device based on the robot control data created or edited by said creating/editing program.

7. A robot control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said microprocessor creates or edits the robot control data, and said portable teaching operation panel communicates the robot control data to said robot controller.