Robot controller

• US 6,434,448 B1
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hiromitsu, Kosaka, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/944,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245-251, 700/254, 700/264, 700/177, 700/212, 700/260, 700/257, 318/568.14, 318/568.11, 318/568.17, 318/561, 318/568.16, 901/9, 901/4, 901/49, 901/46, 701/23, 219/109, 219/86.7
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1674 characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34399 Switch between synchronous and asynchronous mode of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34402 Synchronize programs for machines, processes, tasks, if one stops other also
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39139 Produce program of slave from path of master and desired relative position
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40221 Individual and common power cutoff switch for several robots
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50195 Emergency stop stops drives and spindle, stored program remains in memory
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50198 Emergency stop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50224 Synchronize feed and spindle speed during slow down, stopping

Abstract

A robot controller for use in a robot control system with a plurality of robots connected one another through a communication path. When a cause for stopping occurs in one or more robots, other robots are also stopped in the same type of stopping procedure. A priority of execution on a plurality of stop procedure types is determined. When a cause for stopping occurs in one or more robots in the robots connected through the communication line or in the robots in synchronously cooperative operation, all of the robots connected through the communication line or the robots in synchronously cooperative operation are stopped in the same type of stopping procedure. If different causes for stopping occur in the robots, a stopping procedure type having higher priority in the stopping procedures determined in accordance with the different causes of stopping is adopted to stop all of the robots in the same type of stopping procedure. Since the robots are stopped in the same type of stopping procedure, displacement of relative positions of the robots in synchronously cooperative operation is made small.

Claims

1. A robot controller for use in a robot control system in which a plurality of robot controllers each for controlling an associated robot are connected with one another through a communication path, said robot controller comprising:

storing means for storing assignment information on types of stopping procedure assigned for each of a plurality of causes for stopping the robot;

detecting means for detecting a first cause for stopping occurred in the robot associated with the robot controller;

designating means for designating a first type of stopping procedure based on the detected first cause for stopping and the assignment information stored in said storing means;

sending means for sending identification information on the designated first type of stop procedure to another robot controller through the communication path;

receiving means for receiving identification information on a second type of stop procedure sent from another robot controller through the communication path; and

determining means for determining a type of the procedure of stopping the associated robot based on the identification information on the first type of stopping procedure or the identification information on the second type of stopping procedure.

2. A robot controller according to claim 1, further comprising means for sending and receiving information for performing a synchronized or cooperative operation through the communication path.

3. A robot controller according to claim 2, further comprising means for enabling said determining means only when the associated robot is in performing a synchronized or cooperative operation with another robot.

4. A robot controller according to claim 1, wherein said causes for stopping the robot include an emergency stop command inputted in the robot and an alarm occurred in the robot.

5. A robot controller according to claim 1, wherein said types of stopping procedure are classified by whether or not a power supply is shut off and/or whether or not motors for driving the robot are subjected to acceleration/deceleration processing.

6. A robot controller for use in a robot control system in which a plurality of robot controllers each for controlling an associated robot are connected with one another through a communication path, said robot controller comprising:

storing means for storing assignment information on types of stopping procedure assigned for each of a plurality of causes for stopping the robot;

detecting means for detecting a first cause for stopping occurred in the robot associated with the robot controller;

designating means for designating a first type of stopping procedure based on the detected first cause for stopping and the assignment information stored in said storing means;

sending means for sending identification information on the detected first cause for stopping to another robot controller through the communication path;

receiving means for receiving identification information on a second cause for stopping occurred in a robot associated with another robot controller sent from another robot controller through the communication path and designating a second type of stop procedure based on the assignment information stored in said storing means; and

determining means for determining a type of the procedure of stopping the associated robot based on the identification information on the first type of stopping procedure or the identification information on the second type of stopping procedure.

7. A robot controller according to claim 6, further comprising means for sending and receiving information for performing a synchronized or cooperative operation through the communication path.

8. A robot controller according to claim 7, further comprising means for enabling said determining means only when the associated robot is in performing a synchronized or cooperative operation with another robot.

9. A robot controller according to claim 6, wherein said causes for stopping the robot include an emergency stop command inputted in the robot and an alarm occurred in the robot.

10. A robot controller according to claim 6, wherein said types of stopping procedure are classified by whether or not a power supply is shut off and/or whether or not motors for driving the robot are subjected to acceleration/deceleration processing.

11. A robot controller for use in a robot control system in which a plurality of robot controllers each for controlling an associated robot are connected with one another through a communication path, said robot controller comprising:

storing means for storing assignment information on types of stopping procedure assigned for each of a plurality of causes for stopping the robot;

detecting means for detecting a first cause for stopping occurred in the robot associated with the robot controller;

specifying means for specifying one or more other robots to be stopped simultaneously with the associated robot when the first cause occurs;

designating means for designating a first type of stopping procedure based on the detected first cause for stopping and the assignment information stored in said storing means;

sending means for sending identification information on the designated first type of stop procedure to the one or more other robot controllers of the specified one or more other robots through the communication path;

receiving means for receiving identification information on a second type of stop procedure sent from the one or more other robot controllers through the communication path; and

determining means for determining a type of the procedure of stopping the associated robot based on the identification information on the first type of stopping procedure or the identification information on the second type of stopping procedure.

12. A robot controller according to claim 11, wherein said causes for stopping the robot include an emergency stop command inputted in the robot and an alarm occurred in the robot.

13. A robot controller according to claim 11, wherein said types of stopping procedure are classified by whether or not a power supply is shut off and/or whether or not motors for driving the robot are subjected to acceleration/deceleration processing.

14. A robot controller for use in a robot control system in which a plurality of robot controllers each for controlling an associated robot are connected with one another through a communication path, said robot controller comprising:

storing means for storing assignment information on types of stopping procedure assigned for each of a plurality of causes for stopping the robot;

detecting means for detecting a first cause for stopping occurred in the robot associated with the robot controller;

specifying means for specifying one or more other robots to be stopped simultaneously with the associated robot when the first cause occurs;

designating means for designating a first type of stopping procedure based on the detected first cause for stopping and the assignment information stored in said storing means;

sending means for sending identification information on the detected first cause for stopping to the one or more other robot controllers of the specified one or more other robots through the communication path;

receiving means for receiving identification information on a second cause for stopping occurred in the specified one or more robots sent from the one or more other robot controllers through the communication path and designating a second type of stop procedure based on the assignment information stored in said storing means; and

determining means for determining a type of the procedure of stopping the associated robot based on the identification information on the first type of stopping procedure or the identification information on the second type of stopping procedure.

15. A robot controller according to claim 14, wherein said causes for stopping the robot include an emergency stop command inputted in the robot and an alarm occurred in the robot.

16. A robot controller according to claim 14, wherein said types of stopping procedure are classified by whether or not a power supply is shut off and/or whether or not motors for driving the robot are subjected to acceleration/deceleration processing.