Uniform synchronizing robot control and deadlock detection in uniform synchronization

• US 9,086,690 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KUKA Robotics Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Stoddard, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sivanesan, Sivalingam
• Application Number:
  US14/156,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20140128995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 700/14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1669 characterised by special application, e.g. multi-arm co-operation, assembly, grasping
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41815 characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34348 Coordination of operations, different machines, robots execute different tasks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34398 Channel stops and waits for marker until other channel puts that marker
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Control programs for robotic systems are synchronized through the use of synchronization objects which control access to shared resources and allow for sequencing of events in separate program threads. Where necessary, partner objects generate between control programs and synchronization objects to assure uniform interaction between control program threads and synchronization objects. As all synchronization objects contain searchable partner lists, actual simulated and runtime deadlocks including any type of synchronization object can be detected, and the full system can be analyzed to identify potential deadlocks.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing control program execution in synchronization objects for a robotic system, the method comprising:

analyzing a control program for a robot, with at least one processor, to identify a synchronization object that will be utilized by the control program during execution of the program by a controller of the robot, the synchronization object including predefined operations, wherein the synchronization object corresponds to a resource used by the robot;

generating, with the at least one processor, a partner object associated with the control program, the partner object including execution instructions based at least in part on the predefined operations of the synchronization object; and

modifying the execution of the control program with the controller of the robot in response to the execution instructions of the partner object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the execution of the control program in response to the execution instructions of the partner object includes interrupting the execution of the control program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the execution instructions of the partner object include transmitting data to the synchronization object, and waiting for a response from the synchronization object.

4. A method of synchronizing the execution of a plurality of control programs of robots of a robotic system, the method comprising:

generating a synchronization object, with at least one processor, for a resource used by the robots having predefined operations;

generating, with the at least one processor, control program data associated with the synchronization object, the control program data identifying control programs that interact with the synchronization object during execution;

generating a partner object associated with each control program identified by the control program data of the synchronization object, the partner object having execution instructions based at least in part on the predefined operations of the synchronization object; and

modifying the execution of each identified control program with the controller of the robot based at least in part on the execution instructions of the partner object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying the execution of the control program is based at least in part on the execution instructions of the partner object includes interrupting the execution of the control program.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein modifying the execution of the control program is based at least in part on the execution instructions of the partner object includes resuming execution of the control program.