Debugging system for robot programs

Details Debugging system for robot programs Debugging system for robot programs

2000-06-27

2001-09-11

Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)

Data processing: generic control systems or specific application

Specific application, apparatus or process

Robot control

C700S247000, C700S249000, C700S255000, C700S257000, C700S259000, C700S264000, C318S568100, C901S007000, C901S008000, C029S712000, C701S023000, C345S473000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06289264

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a debugging system for robot program. More specifically, this invention relates to a debugging system which, stores in memory program information and variable information when any variable is defined or referred to during debugging of a robot program, and displays the stored program information and variable information on a monitoring device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 16
is a block diagram showing a conventional programmable controller disclosed in Japanese patent application laid open No. 07-334211. As shown in this figure, the programmable controller
10
comprises a processor
11
and memory
13
, and is connected to a monitoring device
20
. The monitoring device
20
is used for setting data required by the programmable controller
10
and also displaying the data. The processor
11
is connected to the memory
13
. The processor
11
has a debugging interruption function like Intel-produced 80486, and also has a built-in debugging register
19
. The debugging register
19
can generate debugging interruption, if an arbitrary address of data is set, immediately after the address is accessed. The memory
13
stores program in a program area
14
, variables in a variable area
15
, and trace data in a trace area
17
.
The operation of the controller is explained below with reference to FIG.
17
.
FIG. 17
shows a frame example of the monitoring device
20
. Reference numeral PN
1
to PN
4
represent program numbers, PS
1
to PS
4
represent step numbers, and D
1
to D
4
represent values of a variable.
FIG. 17
shows the case where four types of trace data (which are indicated by trance numbers
1
to
4
) are included in one variable name A. The user of the programmable controller sets a variable name while viewing the screen of the monitoring device
20
. The set variable is converted into an absolute address that is processor
11
-recognizable by the operating system, and set in the debugging register
19
. The program are repeatedly executed by the operating system at constantly cycled time intervals. When the access is made to the address set in the debugging register
19
during execution of the program, the processor
11
generates debugging interruption. The operating system reads out the program number (PN
1
to PN
4
) of the program that is currently operating, the program step number (PS
1
to PS
4
), and the values (D
1
to D
4
) of the accessed variable within the debugging interrupt handler, and stores the read-out data in the trace buffer
17
. The monitoring device
20
reads out the data in the trace area
17
of the memory
13
, and displays the data on the screen of the monitoring device
20
.
Even if the programmable controller technology disclosed in the Japanese patent application laid open No. 07-334211 is employed for a robot controller having a large number of variables as explained above, it is required to repeat debugging a plurality of times according to the variables if there are many specific variables that have trouble. Therefore, a lot of time is required for trouble shooting.
Like the program debugging method disclosed in Japanese patent application laid open No. 04-332052, there is another technology that compiles a source program to create a load module file and pursuit information file and specifies a plurality of variables to be displayed. According to this method, however, various types of file and table are created once. Therefore, there is a problem that a large memory capacity is required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a debugging system that is excellent in efficiency based on a smaller number of iterations of debugging, as compared to the conventional technology disclosed in Japanese patent application laid open No. 07-334211.
It is another object of this invention to provide a debugging system that can debug with a smaller amount of memory space without preparation of a plurality of files and tables, as compared to the debugging method disclosed in Japanese patent application laid open No. 04-332052.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a debugging system that is excellent in the efficiency for memory by enabling controls of writing in a trace area when there is a syntax (for-or next-statement) which is repeatedly executed a plurality of times in the robot program.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a debugging system that is excellent in the efficiency of memory by specifying line numbers or program numbers and step numbers in the robot program as a range where debugging is omitted.
According to one aspect of this invention, any variable, as an object to be debugged, other than a specific variable can also be specified as a reference variable. When the specific variable is accessed, the values of the specific variable and the reference variable are read out from memory. The values are then stored as trace information in memory together with robot program information. A display unit refers to and displays the stored trace information.
Further, when access is made to any one of a plurality of specific variables, the values of the specific variable and the reference variable are read out from the memory. The values are then stored as trace information in the memory together with the robot program information. The display unit refers to and displays the stored trace information.
Further, when access is made to a specific variable, the values of the specific variable and the reference variable are read out from the memory. When the robot program information and the values of the specific variable and the reference variable are the same as those acquired in the previous reading, the data is stored in the memory as trace information by using character strings each with a short data length. The display unit refers to and displays the stored trace information.
Further, a reconstruction unit reconstructs the trace information, that has been stored in the memory by using the character strings each with a short data length in the above invention, to the values which are not abbreviated, and displays the values.
Further, an iteration-omission selection unit selects whether tracing the robot program for the iteration part is executed or omitted.
Further, a line selection unit specifies a range from a start line to an end line of the robot program, and selects whether tracing the range is executed or omitted.
Further, a program selection unit specifies a range of program numbers and step numbers of the robot program, and selects whether tracing the range is executed or omitted.
Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: HEI 4-332052 (1992-11-01), None
patent: HEI 7-224211 (1995-12-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Debugging system for robot programs does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Debugging system for robot programs, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Debugging system for robot programs will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2464093