Generation and distribution of motion commands over a distributed network

• US 6,542,925 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Automation Middleware Solutions, Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: ROY-G-BIV Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, David W., Clark, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Hiem
• Application Number:
  US09/790,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20010020944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201-203, 709/208-211, 709/217-219, 709/231-232, 700/56, 700/230, 700/83, 700/1, 700/17, 707/10, 707/501, 345/733-734, 345/700, 345/474
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/408 characterised by data handling or data format, e.g. reading, buffering or conversion of data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31156 Network structure, internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31422 Upload, download programs, parameters from, to station to, from server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31457 Factory remote control, monitoring through internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32129 Select program for specified machine from library, file server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32137 Configure, connect, combine different program modules
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33116 Configuration of motion control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/43167 Distributed motion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A control software system for generating and distributing motion media for operating a target motion device. The control software system generates the motion media based on a motion program generated at a content server. The control software system distributes the motion media to a client browser associated with the target motion device.

Claims

1. A system for communicating motion data through a distributed network, comprising:

a target motion device that moves under control of motion media;

a content server connected to the network, where the content server stores at least one motion program defining a desired sequence of movements;

a control software system connected to the network, where the control software system generates motion media based on motion programs; and

a browser connectable to the network and to the target motion device, where the browser allows an operator of the target motion device to identify the target motion device,

identify a selected motion program from the at least one motion program stored on the content server,

cause the content server to pass the selected motion program from the content server to the control software system, where the control software system generates a motion media data set for the target motion device based on the selected motion program, and

cause the control software system to pass the motion media data set to the target motion device through the network to cause the target device to perform the desired sequence of movements defined by the motion program.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, in which:

the content server stores a plurality of motion programs; and

the browser allows the operator to identify one of the plurality of motion programs as the selected motion program.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the control software system comprises a meta engine for arranging motion media into motion packets for transmission to the target device.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, in which the meta engine further arranges the motion packets into motion frames that group motion packets that must execute together.

5. A system as recited in claim 4, in which the meta engine further arranges the motion frames into motion scripts that correspond to the desired sequence of motion operations defined by the selected motion program.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, in which:

the control software system comprises an interleaving engine for merging motion media with non-motion media; and

the browser further allows the operator to

combine the motion media data set generated based on the selected motion program with non-motion media using the interleaving engine to obtain an enhanced motion media data set; and

cause the control software system to pass the enhanced motion media data set to the target motion device through the network.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, in which:

the control software system comprises a filtering engine for merging motion media with rating data to obtain a rated motion media data set; and

the browser further compares the rating data of the rated motion media data set with rating rules before allowing motion media to pass to the target motion device.

8. A system as recited in claim 6, in which:

the control software system comprises a filtering engine for merging enhanced motion media with rating data to obtain a rated enhanced motion media data set; and

the browser further compares the rating data of the rated enhanced motion media data set with rating rules before allowing enhanced motion media to pass to the target motion device.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, in which the control software system comprises a streaming engine for transmitting motion media to the target device over the network.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, in which the streaming engine transfers the motion media to the target device through the browser.

11. A system as recited in claim 9, comprising a group of target devices, in which the browser causes the motion media data set to be to passed through the network to a plurality of the target motion devices in the group of target devices.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, in which the motion media data set is broadcast to all of the target devices simultaneously.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, in which the motion media data set is sent to individual target devices in the group of target devices based on requests generated by the target devices.

14. A system as recited in claim 9, in which:

characteristics of the target device are registered with the browser; and

the browser causes only motion media data sets appropriate for the characteristics of the target device to be passed to the target device.

15. A system as recited in claim 1, in which:

the target device is selected from a group of supported target devices;

the browser allows the operator to identify a selected target device from the group of supported target devices; and

the control software system generates motion media specific for the selected target device based on the selected motion program.