AU2016102107A4

AU2016102107A4 - Robot control system

Info

Publication number: AU2016102107A4
Application number: AU2016102107A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Weifeng Gao
Original assignee: Gao Weifeng Dr
Current assignee: Gao Weifeng Dr
Priority date: 2016-12-13
Filing date: 2016-12-13
Publication date: 2017-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-13

Abstract

Abstract: The present invention provides a control system for a robot, including: a memory module, being adapted for storage of at least one variable representing at least one piece of robot information; a soft PLC module, being adapted for controlling motion of the robot based on the piece of robot information represented by the variable. By having the configuration of the robot control system, it is helpful for reaching at least one of the advantages: 1. providing an interface with input functions as a library in combination with robot-control-related components; 2. convenience for user to develop his own application for setting robot-control-related variable.

Description

2016102107 13 Dec 2016

EDITORIAL NOTE 2016102107

There are six pages of description only

Description 2016102107 13 Dec 2016

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a control system for robot and the method thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to a control system for robot with memory access and the method thereof.

Background Art

When a soft PLC is used for a robot control system, the integrator or machine builder needs to make robot information visible for the operator. The user needs to request data from the controller and the path planner and then extract the data to present the value on the HML.

Besides, the integrator or machine builder needs to set certain variable and make the control system to operate based on the newly set data. The user needs to set data to the path planner.

To perform above operations, the integrator or machine builder needs to develop software modules that extract data from the feedback from the drive units, perform necessary calculation either in the PLC or externally in other program languages, make the data available for the world outside the PLC and finally present the data in a comprehensive manner. Inversely, the input from the user must be gathered in an organized way, translated into a code understandable for the PLC and finally write a PLC program to transfer the user input into data that the robot controller can understand. Both of these two conventional approaches are not efficient.

Brief Summary of the Invention

It is therefore an objective of the invention to provide a control system for a robot, including: a shared memory module, being adapted for storage of at least one variable representing at least one piece of robot information; a robot motion control programming interface module, being adapted for providing at least one input function for receiving robot instruction data supplied from an external unit and setting at least one variable stored in the shared memory module accordingly; and a soft PLC module, being adapted for controlling motion of the robot based on the piece of robot information represented by the variable.

According to another objective of the invention, it is provided a control system for a robot, including: a shared memory module, being adapted for storage of at least one variable representing at least one piece of robot information; a soft PLC module, being adapted for controlling motion of the robot based on the piece of robot information; and a robot motion control programming interface module, being adapted for providing at least one output function for reading at least one of the variables stored in the shared memory module and outputting the robot information data to an external unit.

By having the configuration of the robot control system, it is helpful for reaching at least one of the advantages: 1. providing an interface with input functions as a library in combination with robot-control-related components; 2. convenience for user to develop his own application for setting robot-control-related variable; 3. function of PLC and robot motion control programming interface being integrated and implemented by a central processing unit. Brief Description of the Drawings 2016102107 13 Dec 2016

The subject matter of the invention will be explained in more detail in the following text with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 A is a schematic diagram of a robot control system according to an embodiment of present invention;

Figure IB is a schematic diagram of a robot control system according to another embodiment of present invention; and

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a robot control system according to an embodiment in combination of those according to figures 1 A and IB.

The reference symbols used in the drawings, and their meanings, are listed in summary form in the list of reference symbols. In principle, identical parts are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Detailed reference will now be made to the drawings in which examples embodying the present invention are shown. Repeat use of reference characters in the drawings and detailed description is intended to represent like or analogous features or elements of the present invention.

The drawings and detailed description provide a full and detailed written description of the invention and the manner and process of making and using it, so as to enable one skilled in the pertinent art to make and use it. The drawings and detailed description also provide the best mode of carrying out the invention. However, the examples set forth herein are provided by way of explanation of the invention and are not meant as limitations of the invention. The present invention thus includes modifications and variations of the following examples as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Figure 1 A is a schematic diagram of a robot control system according to an embodiment of present invention. As shown in Figure 1 A, the robot control system 1 includes a shared memory module 10, a robot motion control programming interface module 11, and a soft PLC module 12. The soft PLC module 12 is adapted for controlling motion of the robot based on the piece of robot information represented by a variable stored in the shared memory module 10. "Soft PLC" is a software module that functions as a PLC to execute programs to control plug-in devices such as drive units and I/O modules for communicating signals. The soft PLC module 12 includes a PLC code module 120 and a PLC set of variable represented in module 121. A code for control program for robot system is stored in the PLC code module 120. When the code is executed and thus the control program is running, variables are used for communication between different parts of the control program and finally to control the robot system. The data is stored in the variables in the memory. The data that is expected to be communicated to other modules outside the PLC is stored in a specifically defined section of memory, called shared memory module 10. The shared memory module 10 is adapted for storage of at least one variable representing at least one piece of the robot information. For example, the shared memory module 10 may include at least one dedicated memory section for storing various variables representing various robot information. The robot motion control programming interface module 12 is adapted for providing at least one input function for receiving robot instruction data supplied from an external unit and setting at least one variable stored in the shared memory module 10 accordingly. The robot motion control programming interface module 11 includes an input function module 110 and an input variable module 111. A code for such input function is stored in the input function module 110. When the code is executed and thus the input function program is running, variables are used for communication between different parts of the input function program and finally to be written to the input variable memory module 100 of the shared memory module 10. 2016102107 13 Dec 2016

For example, the robot control system 1 may be implemented by means of a central processing unit with at least two cores, a first core and a second core. A multi-central processing unit is a single computing component with two or more independent actual central processing units which are the units that read and execute program instructions. The multiple processing units can run multiple instructions at the same time, increasing overall speed for programs amenable-to parallel computing. The robot motion control programming interface module 1 1 and the soft PLC module 12 respectively run on the first core and the second core of the central processing unit. The shared memory module 10 may be external to the central processing unit or be on-chip memory and if necessary, a third core of the central processing unit may be allocated for other functions like handling of communication with other systems.

By having the configuration of the robot control system, it is helpful for reaching at least one of the advantages: 1. providing an interface with input functions as a library in combination with robot- control-related components; 2. convenience for user to develop his own application for setting robot-control-related variable; 3. function of PLC and robot motion control programming interface being integrated and implemented by a central processing unit.

Here is an exemplary process of the robot control system according to Figure 1 A. For example, an application on an external unit, such as a human-machine-interface (HMI), sends a soft stop instruction as one piece of the robot information to the robot control system 1. The robot motion control programming interface module 11 receives the stop instruction. The robot motion control programming interface module 1 1 calls the input function. The input function module 110 and the input variable module 111 process the stop instruction and execute the input function for writing to a first memory unit 100 of the shared memory 10 for recording the variable representing a soft stop instruction. The soft PLC module 12 reads the variable in the first memory unit 100, and further calls for the control program executed by the PLC code module 120 and PLC variable module 121 to softly stop the robot. 2016102107 13 Dec 2016

Such process provides the advantage as: sending an instruction to the control program by a function call because the input function is programmed in the robot control system, and thus reduction of the efforts at integration time.

Preferably, the robot motion control programming interface module 11 is further adapted for respecting the access right of the application. Therefore, unacceptable events can be avoided. Examples of such are all robot parameters like lengths of the arms, characteristics of the gears and motor parameters. Further, some parameters, like control parameters that are not of interest for the user will be hidden and not readable.

Besides HMI, the external unit may be an external controller, an external computer or drive unit. In addition to stop instruction, the robot information to the control program may be concerned with current robot motion consisting of joint and end point position, speed and acceleration, maximum allowed speed and acceleration, new target points, limits for restriction area, and/or start or stop instruction.

In the following description, details of the elements and structures that have been previously described will be omitted or simplified to avoid redundancy.

Figure IB is a schematic diagram of a robot control system according to another embodiment of present invention. As shown in Figure IB, the robot control system 1 includes a shared memory module 10, a robot motion control programming interface module 11, and a soft PLC module 12. The robot motion control programming interface module 12 is adapted for providing at least one output function for reading at least one of the variables stored in the shared memory module 10 and outputting the robot information data to an external unit. The robot motion control programming interface module 11 includes an output function module 112 and an output variable module 113. A code for such output function is stored in the output function module 112. When the code is executed and thus the output function program is running, variables are used for communication between different parts of the output function program and finally to be output to the external unit.

By having the configuration of the robot control system, it is helpful for reaching at least one of the advantages: 1. provision of an interface with output functions as a library in combination with robot-control-related components; 2. convenience for user to develop his own application for reading robot-control-related variable.

Here is an exemplary process of the robot control system according to Figure IB. For example, an application on an external unit, such as a human-machine-interface (HMI), sends a reading instruction as one piece of the robot information to the robot control system 1, for example for reading the data of variable representing a joint position. The robot motion control programming interface module 11 receives the reading instruction. The robot motion control programming interface module 11 calls the output function. The output function module 112 and the output variable module 113 process the reading instruction and execute the output function to read a second memory unit 101 of the shared memory 10 recording the variable representing the joint position. The robot motion control programming interface module 11 outputs the value of the variable to the HMI. 2016102107 13 Dec 2016

Such process provides the advantage as: sending an instruction to the control program by a function call because the output function is programmed in the robot control system, and thus reduction of the efforts at integration time.

Preferably, the robot motion control programming interface module 11 is further adapted for respecting the reading right of the application. Therefore, unacceptable events can be avoided. Examples of such are all robot parameters like lengths of the arms, characteristics of the gears and motor parameters. Further, some parameters, like control parameters that are not of interest for the user will be hidden and not readable.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a robot control system according to an embodiment in combination of those according to figures 1 A and IB. With particular reference to figure 2, two parallel streams of setting and reading variable stored in the shared memory module 10 may be respectively initiated by external applications. For example, a first external application may calls the input function for setting a new value to the variable representing speed in a third memory unit 102 of the shared memory module 10, while the second external application calls the output function for reading the value of another variable representing acceleration in the fourth memory unit 103 of the shared memory module 10. Preferably, the robot motion control programming interface module and the soft PLC module may run on the same core of the central processing unit. The control system may further include a robot handler module, being adapted for path planning according to instructions by the soft PLC module, and the robot handler module and the soft PLC module may run on different cores of the central unit.

Preferably, the control system for a robot includes a communication module, being adapted for communicating with the external unit via bus, and the communication may run on a core of the central processing unit.

Though the present invention has been described on the basis of some preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should appreciate that those embodiments should be no way limit the scope of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and concept of the present invention, any variations and modifications to the embodiments should be within the apprehension of those with ordinary knowledge and skills in the art, and therefore fall in the 2016102107 13 Dec 2016 scope of the present invention which is defined by the accompanied claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A control system for a robot, including: a shared memory module, being adapted for storage of at least one variable representing at least one piece of robot information; and a soft PLC module, being adapted for controlling motion of the robot based on the piece of robot information represented by the variable.
2. A control system for a robot, including: a shared memory module, being adapted for storage of at least one variable representing at least one piece of robot information; a soft PLC module, being adapted for controlling motion of the robot based on the piece of robot information; and a robot motion control programming interface module, being adapted for providing at least one output function for reading at least one of the variables stored in the shared memory module and outputting the robot information data to an external unit.
3. The control system for a robot according to claim 1, wherein: the soft PLC module is further adapted for controlling motion of the robot based on the piece of robot information; and the robot motion control programming interface module is further adapted for providing at least one output function for accessing at least one of the variable stored in the shared memory module and outputting the robot information data to an external unit.