Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Robot control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-26
2001-11-27
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 2762)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Robot control
C700S247000, C700S249000, C709S241000, C318S568240, C710S260000, C345S440000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324443
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot control apparatus for controlling a robot, and in particular to an operation control panel of the robot control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A robot control apparatus is constituted by a robot controller for drivingly controlling a robot and a teaching operation panel for driving the robot by manual input command and for teaching operations of the robot to the robot controller. The teaching operation panel is made portable and connected to the robot controller by a cable or other means.
Since the teaching operation panel is handled by an operator, it is preferable that the number of hardware means equipped with the teaching operation panel is small and the hardware means are light-weighted. From the other aspect, as the teaching operation panel is used for teaching control data to the robot controller, teaching operation would be facilitated if teaching points are graphically displayed in a diagram.
According to a teaching operation panel described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-166814, the graphic display is made possible on a display device provided on the teaching operation panel so as to achieve the above mentioned requirement.
FIG. 14
is a schematic block diagram of a robot controller and a teaching operation panel known from Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-166814. A robot controller
50
is provided with a personal computer
60
and a graphic display can be made on a display device
71
of a teaching operation panel
70
under the control of the personal computer
60
.
In
FIG. 14
, numeral
51
designates a control unit for controlling a robot main body and the control unit
51
and the personal computer
60
are connected by a bus. The personal computer
60
comprises a processor
63
, a bus interface
61
for connection with the control unit
51
, a VGA (Video Graphics Adaptor)
62
connected to the display device
71
in the teaching operation panel
70
and an interface
66
connected to input means
73
such as a keyboard in the teaching operation panel
70
which are mounted a base board, as well as a hard disk
64
connected to the card PC and a floppy disk
65
.
The teaching operation panel
70
comprises the display device, the input means
73
such a keyboard and an emergency key
72
. An operational signal thereof is transmitted to the control unit
51
via the personal computer
60
by operating the input means
73
to thereby operate the robot and teach a robot operation program. Further, in graphically displaying taught points of the taught operation program, the personal computer
60
analyzes robot control data, converts it into graphic data and makes graphic display on the display device of the teaching operation panel
70
.
Thus, according to the conventional robot control apparatus, the personal computer is necessary for making a graphic display on the display device of the teaching operation panel. Further, the personal computer requires the hard disk and the floppy disk for making graphic display.
If the personal computer is provided at the teaching operation panel in order to display graphics in the teaching operation panel, the teaching operation panel becomes heavy and operational performance is deteriorated. Further, the hard disk is weak at shock and if it is disposed in the teaching operation panel, reliability is deteriorated. Further, there is a problem that the processor for the personal computer generates significant heat and is not suitable for installing in the teaching operation panel. Accordingly, in the prior art, as described above, the personal computer is provided in the robot controller.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a robot control apparatus with a teaching operation panel capable of displaying graphics without using a separately provided personal computer.
A robot control apparatus of the present invention comprises: a robot controller; and a portable teaching operation panel having a display device, a data input device, a microprocessor, a semiconductor memory, an operating system stored in said semiconductor memory and operable on said semiconductor memory. The microprocessor operates by the operating system to make a graphic display on the display device based on data inputted through the data input device.
The operating system includes a creating/editing program for creating or editing robot control data and the microprocessor makes a graphic display on the display device based on the robot control data created or edited by the creating/editing program.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the portable teaching operation panel further comprises a control data storage memory for storing the robot control data created or edited by the creating/editing program. The control data storage memory is connected with the external memory to input and output data through data interface. The robot control data to be edited is inputted from the external memory, and the robot control data created or edited is sent from the control data storage memory to the external memory. Further, the robot control data created or edited is sent to a memory in the robot controller from the control data storage memory. Also, the robot control data stored in the memory of the robot controller may be sent to the teaching operation panel and stored in the control data storage memory.
With the above architecture, since taught points and/or various parameters are graphically displayed, an operator can grasp contents of the operation program easily and explicitly.
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Hashimoto Yoshiki
Kurakake Mitsuo
Terada Tomoyuki
Watanabe Atsushi
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Fanuc Ltd.
Marc McDieunel
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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