Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Robot control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-26
2002-10-15
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Robot control
C700S247000, C700S257000, C318S565000, C318S568140, C318S568230, C901S001000, C901S046000, C901S047000, C701S023000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06466844
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a robot, a robot system, and a robot control method in which a robot is connected to a network, and the functions of robot input/output, robot control, failure diagnosis, maintenance, etc., are performed via the network.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, one or more industrial robots have been installed in a factory or in other similar buildings so as to perform the welding, conveyance, and assembly of components of products. In recent years, with the systematization and efficiency improvements in manufacturing environments such as that of a factory, cases have increased in which a medium-or large-scale production line is formed, and a plurality of industrial robots are installed as equipment for carrying out manufacture and inspection so as to construct a 24-hour operation of a mechanized production line in a manufacturing environment. In that case, as a robot-installing method, a method is employed in which the robot is installed in the vicinity of the production line of a belt conveyer, and is operated synchronously with the belt conveyer and with other equipment or is controlled synchronously with the operation of other robots and in a working condition.
In order to synchronize the robot with other robots or with a production line of a belt conveyer or the like, there has been employed a method of connecting a robot sequencer by which an input/output function of the robot is performed directly to input/output portions of the other robots or the conveyer, or a method of installing one or more controllers, such as programmable logic controllers, in the factory, thereafter connecting the input/output portions of the robots or the belt conveyer to the input/output portions of the controllers by means of lines, and allowing the controller to centrally control the equipment installed in the factory.
In the conventional technique, there is a need to physically connect the robot sequencer to the input/output portion of the equipment in the factory by means of lines, and, in order to connect a plurality of input/output terminals to each other, there is a need to connect the input/output portions by use of, for example, parallel cables that are made up of lines corresponding to the number of terminals. However, disadvantageously, if the number of pieces of equipment to be connected increases, the number of cables increases correspondingly, and, if the distance between pieces of equipment increases, that, of the cables increases correspondingly. Accordingly, a problem resides in that a space is required to dispose the cables in the factory, and the cost of preparation of the cables rises.
Further, in order to perform a logical operation for input/output information from one or more pieces of equipment and determine a command to control the one or more pieces of equipment on the basis of its result, a method is employed in which all the pieces of equipment are connected to a controller such as a programmable logic controller, and a logical operation is performed by the controller, and the result is output to the equipment to be controlled. Accordingly, a problem resides in that the cost of connection between the pieces of equipment goes up, or much time is consumed in programming the programmable logic controller.
Further, information exchanged between the input/output portions is only information for ON/OFF of input/output. Accordingly, a problem resides in that, when a large amount of data information is exchanged between the pieces of equipment of the production line or when information about the factors of errors caused by, for example, the breakdown of the equipment is exchanged between the pieces of equipment, a dedicated apparatus and a dedicated cable are required, and the installation cost rises.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot, a robot system, and a robot control method, which is capable of synchronizing with other robots, capable of performing a logical operation for input/output information, and capable of exchanging data information without raising costs.
As a method for solving the aforementioned problems, the function of connecting a robot to a network is realized. The term “network” mentioned here is to, as a method for connection between apparatuses of a production line, carry out data communications according to a predetermined communications method by use of information transmission cables for serial communications not by the use of parallel cables made up of a plurality of lines as mentioned above.
A robot according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a storage portion in which an operating program for the robot is stored, a main arithmetic portion for analyzing the operating program stored in the storage portion, a sequencer portion from which a signal from the main arithmetic portion is output, a driving portion for driving the robot to which the signal from the main arithmetic portion is input, and a communications portion for communicating with apparatuses connected to a network, and is characterized in that a signal input from an apparatus connected to the sequencer portion to the sequencer portion and a signal input to the communications portion are input to the main arithmetic portion, and a calculation is performed by the main arithmetic portion, and, based on the calculation, a signal is output from the main arithmetic portion to the sequencer portion or to the driving portion.
According to the thus constructed robot, since the robot can be connected to the network, a signal (input information) transmitted from the network and a signal (input information) input from the sequencer portion are calculated, and, by determining the operations of the robot and the external apparatuses while reflecting its calculation result, the operations of the robot and the external apparatuses can be determined in accordance with the usage in the production line. Accordingly, the robot can work as an excellent industrial robot capable of synchronizing with other robots and the belt conveyer of the production line.
Further, since the robot can be connected to the network, communications can be carried out merely by joining only one information transmission cable to the robot even when a plurality of pieces of input/output information necessary to synchronize the robot with other apparatuses are exchanged with the apparatuses. Therefore, costs do not rise. Further, it becomes possible to transmit and receive not only ON/OFF information for input/output but also a large amount of data for an operating program of the robot and the error factor obtained when an error occurs through the network.
Further, in the thus constructed robot, the main arithmetic portion performs a calculation including “AND” and “OR” on the basis of a signal input from the apparatus connected to the sequencer portion to the sequencer portion and a signal input to the communications portion.
According to this structure, it is possible to construct a safer system or a production line in correspondence with actual usage in a factory.
A robot according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a storage portion in which an operating program for the robot is stored, a main arithmetic portion for analyzing the operating program stored in the storage portion, a sequencer portion from which a signal from the main arithmetic portion is output, a driving portion for driving the robot to which the signal from the main arithmetic portion is input, and a communications portion for communicating with apparatuses connected to a network, and is characterized in that a message signal input from an apparatus connected to the sequencer portion to the sequencer portion and a message signal input to the communications portion are input to the main arithmetic portion, and a calculation is performed by the main arithmetic portion, so that a signal output from the main arithmetic portion to the sequencer portion or a signal output to the driving portion is controlled on the basis of the calculation.
According
Fujiki Hisatomi
Ikeda Tatsuya
Shindo Akio
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Marc McDieunel
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
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