Electricity: motive power systems – Positional servo systems – Program- or pattern-controlled systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2001-01-16
Masih, Karen (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Positional servo systems
Program- or pattern-controlled systems
C701S216000, C701S216000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175206
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to a robot information processing apparatus which can be favorably utilized to observe the operating state of a robot body at a remote place and to remotely operate the robot body.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, a robot controller is provided as a system integrated with a robot body. Therefore, even if a network corresponding function is intended to be added, a dedicated network system must be constructed, so that the development thereof requires a vast amount of man-hours and takes a long period of time. In addition, it is next to impossible for the user to change a robot control software on the basis of an individual specification.
As the typical prior art, there is Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-64618, which discloses a construction for displaying the operating state of a robot body via a network. However, in this prior art, there is no device for decreasing the amount of transmission information of the network serving as a communication line and for managing an application program.
A typical robot control software is supplied as a dedicated system integrated with a robot controller, and does not operate on any general-purpose personal computers and/or any general-purpose operating system (OS). For that reason, there are the following problems (1) and (2). That is, (1) since the software is supplied as the integrated dedicated system, it is impossible for the user to develop the software on the basis of the individual specification. In addition, (2) since the dedicated system is used, when the software operating on the network is developed, the network system itself must be newly developed, so that it is very difficult to develop the software.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to realize a software supply form, in which the user is free to construct an application program, to provide a robot information processing apparatus capable of developing a network corresponding application program using the same.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a robot information processing apparatus comprises: a server processing unit; and a client processing unit connected to the server processing unit via a communication line. The server processing unit includes detecting means for detecting the positions of a plurality of axes of a robot body, which serves as an object to be driven, and for outputting detection data, and first communication means for transmitting the detection data outputted from the detecting means. On the other hand, the client processing unit includes display means for carrying out a visual display, second communication means for communicating with the first communication means via the communication line, and processing means for displaying the detection data, which are received by the second communication means, on the display means.
In recent years, in the FA (Factory Automation) industry, a man machine interface is constructed as an application program operating on a general-purpose OS, such as Windows (trade name), and an application program capable of being easily utilized by end users is constructed by a graphical user interface. In addition, application development tools on the general-purpose OS are enriched year by year, and the standard of software components available to the application development tools are in the process of being defined. Moreover, as network techniques are rapidly developed in recent years, the software operating on a network can be easily developed.
The present invention is favorably utilized particularly in the above described circumstances. According to the present invention, a real time processing part for controlling a robot is separated from a network part for providing a network connection function, the network part utilizing a general-purpose computer wherein a general-purpose OS, such as Windows, operates, and the network part being connected to the real time processing part via a standard bus. Thus, general-purpose network apparatus and materials can be utilized for the network part, and general-purpose development tools can be utilized to develop programs.
For example, the present invention is applied to a robot control unit comprising: a server processing unit which includes control means for carrying out a real time processing for operating a robot body and which is a general-purpose computer for providing a network connection function; and a client processing unit which is a general-purpose computer connected to the server processing unit via a network serving as a communication line.
Specifically, the present invention comprises a server robot control program operating on the server processing unit, and a client robot control program unit and a robot monitor program unit which operate on a general-purpose browsing program operating on the client processing unit.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, detection data detected by the detecting means of the server processing unit are transmitted to the communication line, and visually displayed on the display means in the client processing unit. Therefore, as described above, only the detection data are transmitted to the communication line, and the pixel information on the whole screen to be displayed on the display means are not always transmitted, so that it is possible to reduce the amount of transmitted information.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a robot information processing apparatus comprises: a server processing unit; and a client processing unit connected to the server processing unit via a communication line. The server processing unit includes detecting means for detecting the positions of a plurality of axes of a robot body, which serves as an object to be driven, and for outputting detection data, server storage means for storing a monitor program for displaying the detection data, and first communication means for transmitting the detection data, which are outputted from the detecting means, and the monitor program stored in the server storage means. On the other hand, the client processing unit includes display means for carrying out a visual display, second communication means for communicating with the first communication means via the communication line, and processing means for executing the monitor program, which is received by the second communication means, to display the detection data on the display means.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the monitor program stored in the server storage means is transmitted to the client processing unit via the communication line, and the monitor program is executed by the processing means in the client processing unit to visually display the detection data on the display means. Thus, it is possible to reduce the amount of information transmitted through the communication line, and it is possible to carry out the unified management of the monitor program on the server processing unit side. In particular, when there are a plurality of client processing units, it is possible to easily change the application program.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a robot information processing apparatus comprises: a server processing unit; and a client processing unit connected to the server processing unit via a communication line. The server processing unit includes control means for driving and controlling a robot body having a plurality of axes, which is an object to be driven, in response to command data at real time, server storage means for storing a robot control program for operating the robot body, and first communication means for transmitting the robot control program, which is stored in the server storage means, and for providing command data to the control means. On the other hand, the client processing unit includes second communication means for communicating with the first communication means via the communication line, input means for inputting command data, and processing means for executing the robot control program,
Takatori Takashi
Ueno Takahiro
Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Masih Karen
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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