JP2024057966A - Robot Control System - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve safety of a robot at the time of cooperation while improving productivity by cooperation of the robot.

SOLUTION: A control device of a robot stores a plurality of scenes as a safety-related parameter group, and a logic part of a safety relation part performs operation determination of the robot by referring to any one of the scenes. When motion deviated from a reference is specified by the operation determination, the robot is forcibly stopped. When "CHANGE SCENE" command included in a control program is reached during robot driving control based on the control program, a scene as a reference object based on establishment of a switching condition including the position condition of the robot is switched. When a container and a workpiece are conveyed in a linearly movable manner by making two robots cooperative with each other, the same scene for cooperative operation is referred to in operation determination of a leader robot and operation determination of a follower robot.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 45

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a robot control system.

Some robot control systems applied to industrial and other robots have a safety-related part that realizes the robot's safety functions, and a non-safety-related part that performs drive control of the robot. For the safety-related part, there have been proposals to forcibly stop the robot if it collides with an obstacle such as a person (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or to monitor the force (thrust) and speed of the robot while it is moving and forcibly stop the robot if the movement deviates from safety standards.

Japanese Patent No. 4240517

In recent years, advances in robotics technology have led to an increase in the types of tasks that robots can perform. When robots are used for a variety of tasks, it may be difficult to improve both the safety of the robot and the productivity (work efficiency) of the robot if the safety functions are uniform. In light of this situation, the inventor of the present invention has devised a configuration for switching the safety functions of the robot depending on the type of work, for example, a configuration for changing the reference value for determining operation to a different reference value. As such, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to safety functions in order to improve the safety and productivity of robots.

In addition, automation can be promoted by cooperative control that synchronizes the movements of multiple robots even for tasks that are impossible or difficult to handle with a single robot (e.g., transporting and assembling heavy or long objects). This is preferable in terms of achieving further improvements in productivity. Here, when synchronizing the movements of multiple robots, the following problems may occur because the safety functions limit the movements of the robots with different standards (e.g., reference values). For example, when attempting to synchronize one robot with another robot, an event may occur in which the synchronous tracking becomes difficult because the safety standards (e.g., speed limits) for one robot and the safety standards (e.g., speed limits) for the other robot are different. In this way, when combining the cooperation of multiple robots with the safety functions, new problems may arise that do not arise when the safety functions are applied to a robot that operates alone. In this way, there is still room for improvement in the configurations related to the robot cooperation and safety functions in order to improve productivity by the cooperation of the robots while improving the safety of the robots with the safety functions described above.

The present invention was made in consideration of the problems exemplified above, and its main objective is to improve the safety of robots when they cooperate while improving productivity through cooperation between robots.

The following describes the means to solve the above problems.

First means: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during motion and a judgment criterion for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
A plurality of scenes each having a safety-related parameter to be used as the judgment criterion can be stored,
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command constituting a control program for the robot is provided as a control mode of the robot;
During the autonomous driving mode, when a scene switching command included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition,
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
When the control mode becomes the second mode and the individual tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to individual scenes corresponding to the movements of each robot, and when the control mode becomes the first mode and the specified tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to the same scene.

As shown in Means 1, by incorporating a scene switching command into the control program of the robot and making it possible to switch scenes during drive control (automatic operation), it is possible to contribute to the realization of a configuration that appropriately exercises safety functions in accordance with various circumstances such as the surrounding environment and the work content. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity by the robot. In particular, when a switching command in the control program is reached, scene switching is performed on the condition that a specified switching condition is met. In other words, the configuration is such that the scene switches in response to the switching command after confirming that a specified switching condition is met. This is preferable in terms of suppressing inappropriate switching and promoting automation or semi-automation of scene switching.

In addition, in the present means 1, since the first robot and the second robot are configured to perform a predetermined task by cooperation, it is possible to promote automation of tasks that are difficult to handle with one robot (for example, transporting and assembling heavy or long objects, etc.). This is preferable in terms of improving productivity. Here, if the safety function of any of the robots that are synchronized during cooperation is activated and the robot slows down/stops, the synchronization may be broken. For example, while one workpiece is held by multiple robots, the robots are driven so that the robots' hands move at the same speed and in the same direction while keeping the distance between the robots constant, and the workpiece can be moved in parallel, but there is a concern that the loss of synchronization during this process may cause the workpiece to shift in its gripping position or fall off. More specifically, when the robots are operating at the same speed, if only the speed of one robot exceeds the judgment criterion (upper limit of speed), the above-mentioned inconvenience may occur. The occurrence of such an event may be an obstacle to improving productivity through cooperation. On the other hand, if the safety function is temporarily turned off during synchronization, it is possible to avoid the safety function becoming an obstacle to improving productivity, but this is disadvantageous in improving safety during automatic operation. In this regard, in the configuration shown in Means 1, when the robots are operated in individual mode, individual scenes are referenced according to the movement of each robot, and when the robots are operated in cooperative mode to perform a specified task, the same scene is referenced for each robot. Such a configuration is preferable in reducing the chance of an event occurring during the above-mentioned parallel movement, etc., in which the safety function is activated in one robot and the synchronization between the robots is lost, and in allowing the safety function to be properly exercised even during cooperation. For the above reasons, the configuration shown in Means 1 can contribute to improving productivity through the cooperation of multiple robots and improving the safety of those robots.

Second means: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during motion and a judgment criterion for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
A plurality of scenes each having a safety-related parameter to be used as the judgment criterion can be stored,
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command constituting a control program for the robot is provided as a control mode of the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition including a position condition that specifies a position of the robot,
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to execute a predetermined task, and a second mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to execute an individual task for each robot without coordinating with each other,
The actions of the plurality of robots in the predetermined task include a special action in which the robots are synchronized and the movement patterns of the hands of the respective robots are the same;
When the control mode becomes the second mode and the individual tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to individual scenes corresponding to the movements of each robot, and when the control mode becomes the first mode and the special operation of the specified task is performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to the same scene.

The configuration shown in Means 2 can contribute to improving productivity through the cooperation of multiple robots and improving the safety of those robots.

Third means: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during motion and a judgment criterion for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
A plurality of scenes each having a safety-related parameter to be used as the judgment criterion can be stored,
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command constituting a control program for the robot is provided as a control mode of the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition,
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
The scenes include a scene to be referred to when the control mode is the second mode, and a scene to be referred to when the control mode is the first mode.

The expected situation is significantly different when the autonomous driving mode is the second mode and when the autonomous driving mode is the first mode, and various safety-related parameters may differ in order to properly exercise the safety functions. In other words, if the same scene is configured to be referenced in the first mode and the second mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity in the second mode while also improving safety and workability in the first mode. In this regard, the configuration shown in Means 3 provides a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated in the second mode, and a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated in the first mode. This allows the safety functions to be properly exercised in both the individual mode and the cooperative mode.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a factory according to a first embodiment. Side view of the robot. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the robot system. Schematic diagram showing the robot's work routine. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between a safety-related part and a non-safety-related part. 1A is a flowchart showing a motion monitoring process; FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram comparing judgment criteria set for each work scene; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a control device for instructing switching of a safety function. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating switching positions of safety functions. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of a scene change sequence. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing items of safety-related parameters in a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a main scene setting screen. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a main scene setting screen. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a setting screen for special scene 1; FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a setting screen for special scene 2; FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a simulation screen in the third embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a program creation flow. 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams comparing methods of dealing with the case where a position condition is not satisfied during a scene change. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of a scene change sequence in a simulation. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a part of a simulation flow. 11 is a flowchart showing a modified example of a scene change sequence in a simulation. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example related to a simulation. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a problem. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a setting screen according to the fourth embodiment. 13 is a flowchart showing a transmission process. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a message box for confirming transmission. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration related to the display of a name. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration related to setting of names in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing types of unique information. 13 is a flowchart showing a transmission process. 13A is a schematic diagram comparing serial numbers and names, and FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram showing a name structure in a sixth embodiment. A schematic diagram to explain the role of each part that makes up the name. FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing a scene for manual operation in the seventh embodiment. FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing a control mode; FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram showing a state of a safety-related part; FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of scene switching when an error is resolved. FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a factory in an eighth embodiment. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the types of automatic control modes and applicable areas. Schematic diagram of the robot system. 1 is a schematic diagram comparing an individual control mode and a cooperative control mode. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a flow of switching between an individual control mode and a cooperative control mode. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a flow of switching between an individual control mode and a cooperative control mode. Schematic diagram showing the robot's work routine. Schematic diagram showing the work content. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of a scene change sequence in a cooperative control mode. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a problem. FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing types of scenes for cooperative operation, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing switching of scenes for cooperative operation. Schematic diagram showing the relationship between the robot's movements and the scene. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the robot system. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the robot system.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a robot system used in a factory or the like will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a factory to which this robot system is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

In one section of the factory 10, there is a stock area E1 with shelves 12 for storing materials transported to that section by the conveyor 11 and shelves 13 for storing empty containers B, a processing area E2 with various processing machines 14 for forming workpieces, an accumulation area E3 for accumulating formed workpieces, a receiving area E4 for receiving materials transported by the conveyor 11, and a passage E5 connecting these areas E1 to E4. The industrial robot 16 (hereinafter referred to as robot 16) shown in this embodiment moves between areas E1 to E4 through the passage E5 and engages in predetermined tasks at each location.

As shown in FIG. 2, the robot 16 includes an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) 21, a vertically articulated (specifically, six-axis) robot arm 31 mounted on the AGV 21, and a control device 51 (see FIG. 3) that controls the AGV 21 and the robot arm 31.

The AGV 21 is provided with a travel motor 25 and a magnetic sensor 26 that detects magnetism from a magnetic guidance guide tape provided on the floor (see FIG. 3), and the control device 51 performs travel control of the AGV 21, such as drive control and steering control of the travel motor 25, based on the magnetism detected by the magnetic sensor 26. In this embodiment, guide tapes are placed in areas E1 to E4 and passage E5 to connect areas E1 to E4, and the movement path (travel route) of the robot 16 is determined by the guide tapes.

A table 22 on which a container B is placed is formed on the top surface of the body of the AGV 21, and the AGV 21 can move within the factory 10 with the container B placed on the table 22. The AGV 21 is also provided with a scanner 27 capable of detecting obstacles in the path of the robot 16, and an emergency stop switch 28 that is operated by a worker or the like in the event of an emergency. The scanner 27 and emergency stop switch 28 function as input units for a safety-related unit described below, and are configured to bring the robot 16 to an emergency stop (so-called protective stop) when an obstacle is detected or an emergency stop operation is detected.

The robot arm 31 has a base 32 fixed to the top surface of the body of the AGV 21 (next to the table 22), an arm body 33 attached to the base 32, and a hand 34 provided at the tip (hand tip) of the arm body 33. The hand 34 is replaceable with other end effectors such as tools depending on the work the robot 16 is engaged in.

The arm body 33 is made up of multiple connected movable parts, and each joint is provided with a drive motor 35 for driving the movable parts, a rotary encoder 36 for detecting the rotation angle of each joint (axis), and a torque sensor 37 for detecting the rotation torque of each joint (axis) (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 3, the drive motor 35, rotary encoder 36, and torque sensor 37 are connected to a control device 51, and a drive control unit 52 of the control device 51 controls each drive motor 35 based on the rotation angle detected by the rotary encoder 36, etc.

A personal computer (hereinafter referred to as PC 60) and a teaching pendant 70 can be connected to the control device 51 by wire or wirelessly. The control unit 62 of the PC 60 is installed with software for creating a control program for the robot 16, backing up the data of the control device 51, and simulating the control program using a 3D model of the robot 16, and the teaching pendant 70 is installed with a setting support application for supporting the user in setting the movement of the robot 16 (including so-called teaching). For example, a control program created by the PC 60 is sent to the control device 51, and the drive control unit 52 of the control device 51 controls the drive of the AGV 21 and the robot arm 31 based on the control program. In other words, the work content and work order of the robot 16 are specified by this control program. Below, the work content and work flow (routine) handled by the robot 16 shown in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 4.

The robot 16 first sets an empty container B on itself in the stock area E1 (work scene SCN1). Specifically, it extends the robot arm 31 to grab an empty container B stored on the shelf 13, and places the container B on its own table 22. Thereafter, the robot arm 31 returns to the standby position, and moves through the passage E5 to the processing area E2 (work scene SCN2). Note that the robot arm 31 in the standby position is configured to avoid protruding from the AGV 21 when the robot 16 is viewed from above.

In the processing area E2, the completed workpieces are collected from the various processing machines 14 arranged in the processing area E2 (work scene SCN3). Specifically, the robot arm 31 is extended to grasp the workpiece held in the chuck or the like of the processing machine 14 with the hand 34, remove the workpiece, and place it in the container B on the table 22. This picking operation is repeated, and collection is completed when the number of collected workpieces reaches a predetermined number. After collection is completed, the robot arm 31 is returned to the standby position, and the container B containing the workpieces is transported to the accumulation area E3 through the passage E5 (work scene SCN4).

In the accumulation area E3, the containers B are unloaded. Specifically, the containers B are stacked on pallets 15 (so-called palletizing) (work scene SCN5). The group of containers B stacked on the pallets 15 are transported sequentially to the next process (e.g., another processing process).

Incidentally, if workpieces pile up in container B due to an accidental factor or the like in the above work scene SCN3, it is assumed that stacking container B in work scene SCN5 will become difficult. The robot arm 31 shown in this embodiment is equipped with a camera (not shown), and the control device 51 can check the state of the workpieces stored in container B from an image taken inside container B. In work scene SCN4, the robot arm 31 performs the task of leveling the piled up workpieces in container B as necessary.

After completing unloading in the accumulation area E3, the robot 16 returns the robot arm 31 to the standby position and moves through the passage E5 from the accumulation area E3 to the receiving area E4 at the end of the conveyor 11 (work scene SCN6). The robot 16 then receives a container B containing the work materials from the conveyor 11 (work scene SCN7). More specifically, the container B is set on the table 22 by a crane attached to the conveyor 11. At this time, the robot arm 31 temporarily changes direction to avoid a collision with the crane or container B.

After receiving container B, the robot 16 transports container B through passage E5 to stock area E1 (work scene SCN8). After arriving at stock area E1, the robot 16 stores the set container B on the shelf 12 (work scene SCN9).

After storage is complete, work scenes SCN1 to SCN9 are repeated. In this way, the work routine of the robot 16 in this embodiment is constructed from work scenes SCN1 to SCN9. Note that work scenes SCN7 to SCN9 may be skipped depending on the operating status of the conveyor 11.

In the work scenes SCN1 to SCN9, not only the area where the robot 16 is located and the specific work content, but also the relationship with people (whether or not there is collaboration, etc.) differ. For example, the stock area E1 corresponding to the work scene SCN1 (obtaining a container) and the processing area E2 corresponding to the work scene SCN3 (picking) are collaboration areas where the area staff (people) work together with the robot 16. Specifically, the area staff of the stock area E1 and processing area E2 are responsible for the work of taking out materials from the container B stored on the shelf 12 and feeding them into the processing machine 14, setting up each processing machine 14, and checking the operation of each processing machine 14, while the robot 16 is responsible for the collection work of collecting the workpieces after processing, including the work of obtaining empty containers B. In other words, in the stock area E1 and processing area E2, the work is shared between the area staff and the robot 16.

For work scenes SCN2, SCN4, and SCN6, the work area is specified to be the aisle E5, and for work scene SCN5 (palletizing), the work area is specified to be the accumulation area E3. Work scenes SCN2, SCN4, SCN5, and SCN6 differ from work scenes SCN1 and SCN3 in that the robot 16 is performing a solo task (non-collaborative task) in all of them. However, while people (such as area personnel) are allowed to pass through the aisle E5, people are basically prohibited from entering the accumulation area E3. In other words, there is a difference in the possibility of contact between the robot 16 and people between work scenes SCN2, SCN4, and SCN6 and work scene SCN5 due to differences in the operation of the areas. Specifically, the possibility of contact between people and the robot 16 is higher in work scenes SCN2, SCN4, and SCN6 than in work scene SCN5.

As such, the robot 16 may come into contact with humans during its work routine, and one of its features is that it is equipped with configurations that enhance the safety of the robot 16 in addition to the scanner 27 and emergency stop switch 28. Below, we will provide additional information on the configuration related to the safety functions of the robot 16 with reference to Figure 5.

The control system CS applied to the robot 16 is classified into a safety-related part PX that realizes the safety function of the robot 16 by outputting a safety-related output signal in response to a safety-related input signal, and a non-safety-related part PY that controls the drive of the AGV 21 and the robot arm 31 when safety is confirmed by the safety-related part PX and the operation of the AGV 21 and the robot arm 31 is permitted.

The safety-related part PX is composed of an input part X1 that inputs the above-mentioned safety-related input signal, a logic part X2 that performs safety checks, and an output part X3 that outputs a safety-related output signal. In this embodiment, the scanner 27, emergency stop switch 28, etc. correspond to the input part X1, the monitoring control part (safety controller) 53 provided in the control device 51 corresponds to the logic part X2, and the safety contactor attached to the control device 51 corresponds to the output part X3.

The safety contactor is connected to a switch provided in the drive circuit for the travel motor 25 of the AGV 21 and a switch provided in the drive circuit for the drive motor 35 of the robot arm 31. When a safety-related output signal is output from the safety contactor to these switches, the power supply to each motor 25, 35 is cut off and the robot 16 is forcibly stopped. Note that this is not limited to this, and it is also possible to reverse the movement of the robot 16 based on the safety-related output signal, to decelerate the robot 16 to a predetermined speed, or to retreat to a predetermined position.

The safety-related unit PX shown in this embodiment includes the rotary encoder 36 and torque sensor 37 in addition to the scanner 27 and emergency stop switch 28. That is, detection signals from the rotary encoder 36 and torque sensor 37 are input to the logic unit X2 as the safety-related input signals. The logic unit X2 monitors the operation of the robot 16 based on the detection signals from the rotary encoder 36 and torque sensor 37. Here, with reference to FIG. 6(A), the operation monitoring process executed as part of the regular processing in the logic unit X2 (monitoring control unit 53 of the control device 51) will be described.

In the operation monitoring process, first, the speed, force (thrust), and position (coordinates) of the tip of the robot 16 (robot arm 31) (so-called tool center point) are determined based on the detection signal from the rotary encoder 36 and the detection signal from the torque sensor 37 (step S101).

Next, it is determined whether the current hand speed value is smaller than the speed monitoring reference value (speed threshold or upper limit value) stored in the memory of the control device 51 (step S102). If the hand speed value is smaller than the monitoring reference value, it is determined whether the current hand force value is smaller than the force monitoring reference value (force threshold or upper limit value) stored in the memory of the control device 51 (step S103). If the hand force value is smaller than the monitoring reference value, it is determined whether the current hand position is within the monitoring reference area (within the operation tolerance range) stored in the memory of the control device 51 (step S104). If the hand position is within the monitoring reference area, that is, if all the above three judgment criteria are met, it is determined that the operation is performed properly, and this operation monitoring process is terminated. In the following description, each monitoring reference value and monitoring reference area is also referred to as a "judgment criterion".

On the other hand, if any of the three above-mentioned criteria is not met, the respective processes for emergency stop and abnormality notification are executed (step S105), and this operation monitoring process is terminated. In the emergency stop process, the power supply to the motors 25 and 35 is forcibly cut off to stop the robot 16 (hereinafter also referred to as emergency stop). Then, in the abnormality notification process, a warning lamp provided on the robot 16 is turned on, and information that an abnormality has occurred is sent to the management system of the factory 10. Thus, in this embodiment, the force, speed, and position of the hand of the robot 16 are parameters for monitoring the operation of the robot 16. In the following description, the force, speed, and position parameters, specifically the parameters input to the logic unit X2 from the rotary encoder 36 and the torque sensor 37, are also referred to as "monitoring parameters".

The monitoring parameters are not limited to the parameters of the force, speed, and position of the hand of the robot 16. Instead of or in addition to these, parameters indicating the force (rotational torque), speed (rotational speed), and position of each joint (axis) can also be used as monitoring parameters.

In addition, in this embodiment, the judgment criteria for the monitoring parameters also function as targets for suppressing (limiting) the movement of the robot arm 31 (specifically, the hand). For example, when a user directly touches the robot arm 31 or the like to teach the robot 16 a movement, the robot arm 31 may be pushed and pulled by force, resulting in a movement that exceeds the judgment criteria. Even in such a case, the movement of the robot arm 31 is restricted so as to stay within a range that does not exceed the judgment criteria, thereby preventing frequent emergency stops caused by the judgment criteria being exceeded during work.

As described above, when the robot 16 is used for various tasks, it is assumed that it will be difficult to improve both safety and productivity if the safety functions become uniform. In this embodiment, taking such circumstances into consideration, the safety functions of the robot 16, specifically the judgment criteria for each monitoring parameter, are made switchable according to the work scene. In other words, the judgment criteria shown in this embodiment are variable parameters (also referred to as safety-related parameters in the following explanation).

For example, as shown in FIG. 6(B), in the "picking" task scene SCN3, the criterion for the speed monitoring parameter is 150 mm/s, the criterion for the force monitoring parameter is 100 N, and the criterion for the position monitoring parameter is the upper area of the AGV 31 + the outer area of the AGV 31 taking into account the workpiece removal operation (the outer area in a plan view of the robot 16). In this case, the robot 16 will be brought to an emergency stop if the hand speed exceeds 150 mm/s, the hand force exceeds 100 N, or the hand position falls outside the upper area + outer area of the AGV 31.

In contrast, in work scene SCN4 "Transport (1)", the speed monitoring parameter judgment criteria are 200 mm/s, the force monitoring parameter judgment criteria are 150 N, and the position monitoring parameter judgment criteria are the upper region of the AGV 31. In this case, the robot 16 will be brought to an emergency stop if any of the following conditions occur: the hand speed exceeds 200 mm/s, the hand force exceeds 150 N, or the hand position falls outside the upper region of the AGV 31 (the robot arm 31 extends beyond the AGV 31 in a plan view).

In addition, in the "palletizing" task scene SCN5, the criterion for the speed monitoring parameter is 100 mm/s, the criterion for the force monitoring parameter is 300 N, and the criterion for the position monitoring parameter is the upper area of the AGV 31 + the outer area of the AGV 31 taking into account the palletizing operation (the outer area in a plan view of the robot 16). In this case, the robot 16 will be brought to an emergency stop if the hand speed exceeds 100 mm/s, the hand force exceeds 300 N, or the hand position falls outside the upper area + outer area of the AGV 31.

Three control devices that can switch safety functions by the safety-related unit PX are provided: (1) a teaching pendant 70, (2) a drive control unit 52 (pack script in detail), and (3) an external general-purpose input/output 80 (hereinafter referred to as IO80) (see FIG. 5). All three of these control devices correspond to the non-safety-related unit PY. Here, the configuration related to switching of safety functions will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

An application for switching safety functions is installed on the teaching pendant 70, and when the user switches the safety functions, i.e., switches the work scene, a scene change sequence is executed to switch the safety functions by the teaching pendant 70, which is the safety non-related unit PY, and the safety FPGA (Field ProgramAmmABLE GAte ArrAy) of the safety related unit PX. Details will be described later, but in this scene change sequence, a command (request command) to switch the safety functions and diagnostic information (CRC) to diagnose whether the command was transmitted and received normally are sent to the safety FPGA of the safety related unit PX. The safety FPGA switches the judgment criteria for the monitoring parameters based on this command. Note that the specific configuration of the logic unit X2 of the safety related unit PX is not limited to a safety FPGA, and it can also be a microcomputer or a CPU.

The IO 80 is connected to sensors and the factory 10 control center so that they can communicate with each other, and safety functions can be switched from external devices other than the teaching pendant 70. In other words, a scene change sequence is started in response to a signal from the IO 80.

The control system CS shown in this embodiment is configured to be able to actively switch safety functions based on the judgment of the control device 51. Specifically, during automatic operation of the robot 16, the criteria for the monitoring parameters are switched according to the work scene. Specifically, in the control program for the robot 16, the movement of the robot 16 in the work scene is regulated by a combination of a plurality of operation control commands. In addition to these operation control commands, a safety function switching command for switching the safety function, more specifically, a "CHANGE SECEN" command for executing a scene change sequence, is provided. This "CHANGE SECEN" command is configured to include information indicating the work scene to be switched to (a scene number to be described later) as information on how to set the safety function. In other words, the user can specify the work scene to be switched to by the "CHANGE SECEN" command when creating the control program. After the scene change sequence is started, the execution of the next task, i.e., the progress of the control program, is suspended until the scene change sequence is completed.

The motion control command includes a command that specifies the destination of the robot 16, and this command moves the robot 16 to a specified control point in the next work area (the first control point in this embodiment). In the control program, the above-mentioned "CHANGE SECEN" command is entered after this command, and after the process of moving the robot 16 to the specified control point is executed, the "CHANGE SECEN" command starts the sea change sequence.

For example, in the example shown in Figure 8, the robot 16 moves in the order of processing area E2 → aisle E5 → accumulation area E3. The scene change sequence is initiated at control point PT4 (corresponding to the above-mentioned specified control point) in aisle E5, where the robot 16 first moves from processing area E2. The robot arm 31 is driven and controlled so that it returns to the standby position when picking is completed in processing area E2, and basically the robot 16 moves to control point PT4 with the robot arm 31 in the standby position. Then, after the scene change sequence is completed, the robot arm 31 performs load leveling as necessary.

In addition, a sea change sequence is initiated at control point PT5 (corresponding to the above-mentioned specified control point) to which the robot 16 first moves from aisle E5 in the accumulation area E3. The robot arm 31 is controlled and driven to return to the standby position when it has finished leveling the load in aisle E5, and the robot 16 basically moves to control point PT5 with the robot arm 31 in the standby position. Then, after the sea change sequence is completed, the robot arm 31 begins unloading the load.

Next, referring to Figure 9, we will explain the scene change sequence executed by the non-safety-related part PY and the safety-related part PX (specifically, the safety FPGA).

In the scene change sequence, first, the non-safety related part PY confirms that the robot 16 (AGV 21 and robot arm 31) is stopped (stationary) (first process P1). Note that the safety function switching is basically configured to be executed when the robot 16 is stopped, taking safety into consideration. If the robot 16 is not stopped due to a delay in operation, etc., the sequence will proceed after waiting for the robot 16 to stop.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the scene change sequence is advanced when it is confirmed that both the AGV 21 and the robot arm 31 are stopped (stationary), but this may be modified so that when it is confirmed that the robot arm 31 is stopped, the scene change sequence is advanced even if the AGV 21 is moving.

When it is confirmed that the robot 16 has stopped, the position of the robot 16 is confirmed (second process P2). Specifically, the robot 16 is provided with a locator 41 capable of identifying the position of the robot 16 in the factory 10, and based on the position information (e.g., coordinates) of the robot 16 acquired from this locator 41, it is confirmed that the robot 16 is located at the above-mentioned predetermined control point in the designated area. Note that the robot 16 has a certain size, and the above-mentioned position confirmation is configured to determine whether a specific part of the robot 16 (the tip of the robot arm 31 in this embodiment) is located at a predetermined control point in the designated area.

In addition, in the position confirmation in the second process P2, it is confirmed that the tip of the robot arm 31 is located at a preset position (a standby position that corresponds to the above-mentioned standby posture in this embodiment) based on the encoder information acquired from the rotary encoder 36. In other words, in this embodiment, the condition for switching the safety function is that the position of the robot 16 and the position of the tip of the robot arm 31 are at preset positions.

When the above-mentioned stop conditions and position conditions (switching conditions) are met, the non-safety-related unit PY instructs the safety-related unit PX to switch the safety function of the safety-related unit PX, i.e., to switch the monitoring parameters (judgment criteria) (see the third process P3). Specifically, a request command requesting the safety FPGA of the safety-related unit PX to switch the safety function and a CRC, which is diagnostic information for diagnosing whether the transmission and reception of the request command were performed normally, are sent to the safety FPGA of the safety-related unit PX.

In this embodiment, the safety functions are defined for each work scene (work scenes SCN1 to SCN9) of the robot 16, and the request command is composed of a command ID including information for identifying the control device that sent the command, information indicating that the current request is to switch a safety function, and data (scene number) indicating the judgment criteria to be referenced in subsequent judgments. If the sender of the request command for switching a safety function is the teaching pendant 70, the command ID is "11", if the sender is the drive control unit 52 (pack script in more detail), the command ID is "12", and if the sender is the IO 80, the command ID is "13".

When a request command for switching safety functions is set, the data will be one of nine numbers from "1" to "9". For example, if the next work scene is SCN3 (picking), the data will be "3", if the next work scene is SCN4 (transport (1)), the data will be "4", and if the next work scene is SCN5 (palletizing), the data will be "5". The CRC is a checksum of the command ID and the data number. For example, if the drive control unit 52 is the sender and the next work scene is picking in SCN3, the CRC will be "12" + "3" = "15".

Based on the instruction received from the non-safety-related unit PY, the safety-related unit PX diagnoses whether or not there is any abnormality such as corruption in the current request command and CRC (fourth process P4). Specifically, it is determined whether the sum of the command ID number of the request command and the data number matches the CRC. If they match, it is assumed that the current instruction was sent and received normally, and it is then diagnosed whether or not the request command itself is normal. Specifically, it refers to the command ID to identify that the current instruction is to switch a safety function, and it is determined whether or not the data is within the range corresponding to the current command ID. As described above, if the command ID is "11" to "13", the data will be any of "1" to "9". If the current data is any of "1" to "9", it is diagnosed that the request command is normal.

Next, it is confirmed that the robot 16 is located in the specified area, more specifically, the above-mentioned predetermined control point, based on the position information (e.g., coordinates) of the robot 16 obtained from the locator 41, and it is confirmed that the tip of the robot arm 31 is located in the above-mentioned waiting position based on the encoder information obtained from the rotary encoder 36 (fifth process P5). The position confirmation in the fifth process P5 is the same as the position confirmation in the second process P2.

If the request command is diagnosed as abnormal or if it is determined that the robot 16 or the robot arm 31 is not in the specified position, a notification is sent to the factory 10 control center or the like that an abnormality such as a communication error has occurred, and the scene change sequence is terminated.

If the current request command is normal and the robot 16 or the robot arm 31 is at the specified position, the request command is accepted and the safety function, i.e., the judgment criteria for the monitoring parameters, is switched in response to an instruction from the non-safety-related unit PY (sixth process P6). Specifically, the memory of the control device 51 stores the correspondence between the data number and each monitoring parameter and judgment criteria. The safety function (judgment criteria) is switched based on the specified data number and the correspondence stored in the memory. In other words, the value of the safety-related parameter is changed.

After the switching of the safety functions is completed, the safety-related unit PX transmits information to the non-safety-related unit PY to identify the settings of the safety functions after the switching (seventh process P7). Specifically, after the switching of the safety functions is completed, an acknowledge signal is sent to the non-safety-related unit PY to notify the non-safety-related unit PY that the request command has been accepted. When the acknowledge signal arrives from the safety-related unit PX, the non-safety-related unit PY requests information from the safety-related unit PX to identify the settings of the safety functions after the switching, that is, information to identify the judgment criteria currently set as the reference target. A CRC may also be added to this request.

In response to a confirmation request from a non-safety-related part PY, the safety-related part PX sends to the non-safety-related part PY a request command (more specifically, a command simulating the request command) and a CRC, which is diagnostic information for diagnosing whether the transmission and reception of the request command was performed normally. The request command from the safety-related part PX, like the request command from the non-safety-related part PY, is composed of information for identifying that the sender is the safety-related part PX, a command ID including information indicating that the current request is to switch a safety function, and data (scene number) indicating the judgment criteria to be referred to in subsequent judgments. The CRC is the sum of the command ID number and data number of the command to be returned this time. For example, if the current setting corresponds to "picking" of the work scene SCN3 in response to a request from the non-safety-related part PY, the safety-related part PX (safety FPGA) returns command ID = "19", data number = "3", and CRC = "22". Incidentally, it is sufficient for the CRC to be determined based on the command ID and data number, and the specific calculation method is arbitrary.

The non-safety-related part PY that has received a response from the safety-related part PX judges whether the safety function of the safety-related part PX has been switched normally in response to the request from the non-safety-related part PY (eighth process P8). Specifically, it first diagnoses whether the current response was transmitted and received normally based on the request command and CRC. More specifically, it judges whether the sum of the command ID number and the data number of the request command matches the CRC. If they match, it considers that the current response was transmitted and received normally. The non-safety-related part PY stores the relationship between the command ID and data of the request command from the safety-related part PX, and based on this relationship, it judges whether the command ID and data of the request command that it sent to the safety-related part PX match. If it is confirmed that the response from the safety-related part PX matches its own instructions, the scene change sequence is completed.

The first embodiment described above is expected to have the following excellent effects:

Having one robot take on multiple different tasks is preferable in terms of facilitating the automation of manufacturing processes, etc. However, if a uniform configuration is used in which the same level of safety functions (judgment criteria for motion monitoring) are applied to multiple work scenes with different work content, etc., it becomes difficult to achieve both improved safety and improved productivity. In this regard, if the configuration shown in this embodiment is such that the safety functions are switched for each work scene (judgment criteria for motion monitoring are changed), this can contribute to improving the safety of the robot and improving work efficiency.

As described above, making the safety function switchable has various technical significances. However, providing such a switching function gives rise to the following new concerns. That is, if the safety function is suddenly switched due to an accidental reason while the robot 16 is operating, an event may occur in which a movement that would not be problematic is caught by monitoring. This unnecessarily increases the number of occasions when the robot is forcibly stopped, etc., and is a factor in reducing productivity. Therefore, as shown in this embodiment, if a configuration is adopted in which the safety function can be switched when one work scene is completed and the robot 16 is stopped during automatic operation of the robot 16, the above concerns can be suitably alleviated.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned stop conditions and position conditions are used as switching conditions for the safety functions. In other words, the configuration is such that the safety functions are switched after the positions of the robot 16 and the robot arm 31 are confirmed. Considering that the work content differs depending on the area in which the robot 16 works, and the appropriate safety functions differ accordingly, it is preferable to switch the safety functions after confirming the position in order to improve the reliability of the switching.

When switching between multiple types of judgment criteria (force judgment criteria, speed judgment criteria, etc.), instead of specifying each judgment criterion individually, by specifying a predefined combination of those judgment criteria (scene number), it is possible to prevent the instructions from the non-safety-related part PY to the safety-related part PX from becoming complicated. This is a preferable configuration for increasing the number of tasks that the robot can perform while taking into consideration safety functions.

When switching safety functions, a switching instruction is sent from the non-safety-related unit PY to the safety-related unit PX. This instruction is composed of a request command and a CRC, and the safety-related unit PX diagnoses whether the instruction has been received normally based on the request command and CRC, and whether the instruction itself is normal. If the diagnosis shows no abnormality, the instruction from the non-safety-related unit PY is accepted, and the safety-related unit PX switches the judgment criteria to be referenced in accordance with the instruction. In other words, even if the instruction comes from the non-safety-related unit PY, if it is determined that there is no abnormality in the instruction due to a transmission error or the like, the judgment criteria are switched. In this way, by realizing safe switching from the non-safety-related unit PY, it is possible to suitably improve the operability of changing safety functions in the control system CS.

According to the configuration shown in this embodiment, even when switching the safety function of the safety-related part PX from the non-safety-related part PY, it is possible to suppress a decrease in reliability with respect to the change of the safety function, and it is possible to avoid stricter restrictions on the change compared to the case where the input for changing the safety function is an input from the input part X1 (so-called safety input). This makes it possible to suitably improve the operability of changing the safety function.

As shown in this embodiment, if the configuration is such that the safety-related unit PX verifies whether the instruction from the non-safety-related unit PY itself is normal by comparing the current instruction with the type of instruction previously stored in the safety-related unit PX, when the instruction is damaged due to a stuck bit, a communication error, or the like, it is possible to suitably prevent the safety function from being switched based on the damaged instruction.

<Modification 1>
In the first embodiment, the position of the tip of the robot arm 31 (position in the robot 16), which is one of the switching conditions of the safety function, is set as a common position corresponding to the standby posture of the robot arm 31 regardless of the work scene, but this is not limited to this. The position of the tip of the robot arm 31 (position in the robot 16), which is a switching condition of the safety function, may be set differently depending on the work scene (e.g., the work area) in which the safety function is switched. In addition, the tip of the robot arm 31 is used as a reference for checking the position of the robot 16, but this is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to use the base 32 of the robot arm 31 as a reference for checking the position, the center of the robot 16 as a reference for checking the position, or the center or tip of the AGV 21 as a reference for checking the position.

<Modification 2>
In the first embodiment, the position of the robot 16 is identified based on information from the locator 41 mounted on the robot 16, and the position of the tip of the robot arm 31 is identified based on information from the rotary encoder 36, but the specific configuration for identifying these positions is arbitrary. For example, the position of the robot 16 and the position of the tip of the robot arm 31 may be identified based on images captured by a monitoring camera installed in the factory 10. Alternatively, an electronic tag may be placed in each area, and the position may be identified by reading the electronic tag with a reader mounted on the robot 16.

<Modification 3>
In the first embodiment, when a scene change sequence is executed, the non-safety-related unit PY (drive control unit 52) transmits a request command and a CRC to the safety-related unit PX (safety FPGA), but does not transmit position information of the robot 16 or the hand of the robot arm 31. In other words, the safety-related unit PX acquires the position information independently from the input unit X1. This may be changed so that when a scene change sequence is executed, the non-safety-related unit PY (drive control unit 52) transmits the position information of the robot 16 or the hand of the robot arm 31 together with the request command and the CRC to the safety-related unit PX (safety FPGA). In this case, it is preferable to set the CRC taking into account the position information.

<Modification 4>
In the first embodiment, picking and palletizing are exemplified as tasks for which the robot 16 is engaged, but the tasks are not limited to these. The robot 16 can also be engaged in tasks such as processing, assembly, welding, and inspection.

Second Embodiment
In the first embodiment, the safety function, specifically, the judgment criteria for the three monitoring parameters, "speed", "force", and "position", are switched for each work scene (work scenes SCN1 to SCN9), thereby improving both the safety and productivity of the robot 16. Here, for example, when focusing on "speed" and "force", the speed and force that are permissible from the viewpoint of safety may differ between a movement in one direction and a movement in another direction. In addition, when the judgment criteria are set for "speed", "force", and "position", the coordinate system to be used as the reference may differ depending on the work scene. Furthermore, by providing a safety-related parameter that can be set for each work scene other than the judgment criteria for the above three monitoring parameters, it is possible to contribute to further improvement of safety and productivity. In this embodiment, taking these circumstances into consideration, various settable safety-related parameters are provided in addition to the judgment criteria. Below, a characteristic configuration of this embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. In the following description, the judgment criteria (values) of the monitoring parameters set by the user and the set values of the safety-related parameters other than the judgment criteria will be collectively referred to as "set values" or simply "values". In the following description, the safety-related parameter group is also referred to as a "scene" to distinguish it from the "work scene" in which the robot 16 is engaged as described in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 10, the safety-related parameters in this embodiment are broadly categorized into basic items (basic parameters), items related to monitoring of the range of motion (monitoring criterion parameters), items related to monitoring of speed (monitoring criterion parameters), items related to monitoring of force (monitoring criterion parameters), items related to scene switching conditions (switching criterion parameters), and items related to sensor input (sensor input parameters).

The basic items include "Collaborative operation setting (collaborative/non-collaborative)," which indicates whether the scene corresponds to collaboration or non-collaboration, "Tool number," which indicates the type of end effector (tool) to be used, "Work number," which indicates the type of work, and "Object number," which indicates the type of object with a number. For example, for "Collaborative operation setting (collaborative/non-collaborative)," a setting value of "0" indicates collaboration, and a setting value of "1" indicates non-collaboration.

During collaborative operations, speed and force must be suppressed, and there are limits set for the reference values of speed and force in consideration of safety. By specifying collaboration in the above-mentioned "collaborative operation settings (collaborative/non-collaborative)", the settable range is restricted so that the user can set the reference values of speed and force within a range that takes the above-mentioned limits into consideration. During automatic operation of the robot 16, the IO 80 is switched according to the setting value of the "collaborative operation settings (collaborative/non-collaborative)" to notify the outside whether or not collaborative operation is in progress. The "tool number", "workpiece number", and "object number" are parameters that specify a specific coordinate system. Basically, a scene (a group of safety-related parameters) is linked to a specific task, so that various coordinate systems such as the tool coordinate system are configured to switch accordingly, improving the convenience of setting the group of safety-related parameters.

The robot 16 (specifically, the robot arm 31) has the function of decelerating or stopping when a worker approaches. For example, by switching the distance at which the deceleration starts and the strength of the deceleration depending on the setting of collaboration/non-collaboration, it is possible to favorably improve both safety and productivity. In addition, since the weight of the tip of the robot arm 31 differs depending on the type of tool, workpiece, and object, the appropriate timing to start decelerating the robot arm 31 as it approaches a worker, etc. and the appropriate degree of deceleration also differ. By setting the "tool number," "workpiece number," and "object number" as parameters, it is possible to respond in accordance with reality. In other words, these basic items can contribute to improving safety not only by the operation monitoring shown in the first embodiment but also by avoiding collisions with obstacles, etc.

Items related to monitoring of the operating range include "RLO enable setting (enable/disable)", which specifies whether to enable/disable RLO (RoBot Limited Orientation) monitoring, "RLO monitoring attitude Rx (deg)", "RLO monitoring attitude Ry (deg)", "RLO monitoring attitude Rz (deg)", which specify the monitoring attitude (angle) on each coordinate axis as a judgment criterion, and "RLO monitoring allowable angle (deg)", which specifies the monitoring allowable angle. Items related to monitoring of the operating range also include "Positive direction software limit J1 (deg)" to "Positive direction software limit J8 (deg)", "Negative direction software limit J1 (deg)" to "Negative direction software limit J8 (deg)", which specify the limit angles on each of the J1 to J8 axes. For "RLO enable setting (enabled/disabled)," a setting of "0" disables it, and a setting of "1" enables it.

Items related to speed monitoring include "RLS enable setting (enable/disable)," which specifies whether to enable/disable RLS (RoBot Limited Speed) monitoring, "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s)," which specifies speed as a judgment criterion without limiting direction, and items to specify the speed for each axis direction in the hand coordinate system individually. "RLS enable setting (enable/disable)" is disabled by setting it to "0," and enabled by setting it to "1."

Items related to force monitoring include "RLF enable setting (enable/disable)," which is an item that specifies the enable/disable setting of RLF (RoBot Limited Force) monitoring with a number, "RLF monitoring force (N)," which is an item that specifies force as a judgment criterion without limiting the direction, and items that specify the force in each axial direction in the hand coordinate system. For "RLF enable setting (enable/disable)," a setting value of "0" disables it, and a setting value of "1" enables it.

Items related to scene change conditions include "Scene change condition <position> setting", which is an item for selecting whether the position condition, which is one of the execution conditions for a scene change sequence, is a control point or an area including that control point, "Scene change condition <Point> number", which is an item for specifying the control point for switching, and items for specifying the area: "Scene change condition <area> X (mm)", "Scene change condition <area> Y (mm)", "Scene change condition <area> Z (mm)", "Scene change condition <area> RX (deg)", "Scene change condition <area> RY (deg)", "Scene change condition <area> RZ (deg)", "Scene change condition <area> DX (mm)", "Scene change condition <area> DY (mm)", and "Scene change condition <area> DZ (mm)". Additionally, the items related to the scene change conditions include various items that specify the position or area of the robot 16 where the position condition is met, and an item called "Scene change condition <stopped state> enabled setting (enabled/disabled)" that specifies by a number whether to enable or disable the stop condition (stop of the robot arm 31), which is one of the execution conditions of the scene change sequence.

The items related to sensor inputs are items that link the sensor input numbers and their states of IO80 with the reference values of speed and force, and have the function of switching the reference values of speed and force depending on the state of IO80 (a function similar to the subscenes described below).

As described above, if the number of items that the user can set is increased, the safety functions can be set more appropriately to suit the work scene, but increasing the number of configurable items raises the following new concerns. That is, compared to when there are fewer configurable items, the user may be more likely to make setting errors or find it more difficult to identify necessary items. This is an obstacle to effectively achieving the effect of improving safety. One of the features of this embodiment is that it has been devised to address these new issues.

Software for supporting the user in setting each safety-related parameter for each scene is installed in the control unit 62 of the PC 60. By executing this software, a setting screen for safety-related parameters (hereinafter referred to as a scene parameter setting screen) is displayed on the display 61 of the PC 60. As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the scene parameter setting screen WD has a scene display section D1 that displays registered scenes and a parameter display section D2 that displays various parameters. When a user selects one scene from the scenes displayed in the scene display section D1, a group of parameters corresponding to the one scene is displayed in the parameter display section D2 together with the set values. In this embodiment, the scenes are mainly divided into main scenes corresponding to various work scenes during automatic driving and special scenes that are other scenes, and multiple main scenes (specifically, nine) are prepared.

The number of main scenes may be fixed, or may be able to be added or deleted. However, having an excessive number of main scenes can make scene management difficult. Therefore, as will be described in detail later, in this embodiment, the number of main scenes is fixed, and a sub-scene can be set for each main scene, realizing a practically preferable configuration.

In the examples shown in Figs. 11 and 12, main scenes 1 to 9 are prepared as main scenes. The display mode (type of parameters displayed, order of arrangement, layout) of the parameter display section D2 is common to these main scenes 1 to 9. In this embodiment, the display of the parameter display section D2 can be switched between multiple patterns, specifically, all items display and main items display. The display is switched between all items display and main items display by the user operating the display switching tabs (tab for all items display and tab for main items display) provided at the top of the parameter display section D2. In this embodiment, the scene numbers of main scenes 1 to 9 are specified as "1" to "9", and the scene numbers of special scenes 1 to 2 are specified as "11" to "12".

In the all-item display shown in FIG. 11, all safety-related parameters are displayed, and are listed vertically in the following order: basic items, items related to monitoring of motion range, items related to speed monitoring, items related to force monitoring, items related to scene switching conditions, and items related to sensor input. Note that, since there are a large number of safety-related parameters, those that do not all fit within the frame of the parameter display section D2 can be displayed in the parameter display section D2 by scrolling the list.

In the main item display shown in FIG. 12, the display targets are limited so that a portion of the parameters extracted from all safety-related parameters are displayed. Specifically, at least a portion of the parameters are extracted from each of the basic items, items related to speed monitoring, items related to force monitoring, items related to scene switching conditions, and items related to sensor input, and the extracted parameters are displayed according to their intended use. More specifically, while all safety-related parameters are displayed for each of the basic items, items related to scene switching conditions, and items related to sensor input, none of the safety-related parameters are displayed for the items related to monitoring of motion range, and only the main safety-related parameters for each of the remaining items (items related to speed monitoring, items related to force monitoring) are displayed.

For items related to speed monitoring and items related to force monitoring, safety-related parameters that set judgment criteria regardless of direction and safety-related parameters that set each for multiple directions are extracted as the main parameters. For example, "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s)" is extracted from the group of items related to speed monitoring, and "RLF monitoring force (N)" is extracted from the group of items related to force monitoring. The extracted safety-related parameters are then displayed according to their intended use. Here, we provide additional explanation about the display of the parameter display section D2 when the main items are displayed.

When displaying the main items, the parameter display section D2 is divided into three display sections G1 to G3. The first display section G1 displays a group of safety-related parameters belonging to basic items, the second display section G2 displays a group of safety-related parameters belonging to items related to sensor input, and the third display section G3 displays a group of safety-related parameters extracted from items related to speed monitoring, safety-related parameters extracted from items related to force monitoring, and safety-related parameters belonging to items related to scene switching conditions.

In this embodiment, scenes derived from a main scene, specifically scenes in which only the setting values of the safety-related parameters displayed on display unit G3 differ, can be registered as subscenes. This is a measure to prevent the proliferation of main scenes and to prevent the user from having to manage scenes in a cumbersome manner, and is effective in preventing incorrect settings. For example, when the setting values of the parameters displayed on display unit G1 are the same but you want to change at least one of the settings of "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s)" and "RLF monitoring force (N)" or when you want to change the setting values related to the scene switching conditions, you can use the registration function for the subscene.

More specifically, in the transport (1) of the work scene SCN4 shown in the first embodiment, the robot 16 passes through the passage E5, but the passage E5 is bent (see FIG. 1). Since the external force acting on the robot arm 31 differs when going straight and when turning, the appropriate "RLF monitoring force (N)" may differ. Therefore, it is recommended to set the main scene = transport (1), register subscene 1 for going straight, and register subscene 2 for turning, and set the judgment criteria for "RLF monitoring force (N)" individually. In addition, it is assumed that the number of people passing through the passage E5 increases during a specific time period, such as during a break such as a lunch break, in the factory 10, and the appropriate "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s)" and "RLF monitoring force (N)" may differ. Therefore, it is recommended to set the main scene = transport (1), register subscene 1 for times other than the specific time period, and register subscene 2 for the specific time period, and set the judgment criteria for "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s)" and "RLF monitoring force (N)" individually.

If multiple sub-scenes are registered for the selected main scene, you can switch between them by operating the tabs at the top of the display section G3.

When multiple subscenes are registered for one main scene, displaying all items will display all of the parameter groups corresponding to each subscene. Specifically, for example, when subscene 1 and subscene 2 are registered, "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s) subscene 1" and "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s) subscene 2" will be displayed one above the other. In other words, as the number of subscenes for one main scene increases, the number of parameters displayed in a list in the all items display (the number of parameters to be displayed) will also increase. In contrast, in the main items display, even if the number of registered subscenes increases, the number of parameters displayed together in the parameter display section D2 (the number of parameters to be displayed) remains constant because it is possible to switch the display of subscenes.

Here, the flow of parameter setting by the user will be described. When the scene parameter setting screen WD is opened on the display 61 of the PC 60, the display of the parameter display section D2 is configured to display the main items. The priority of the main item display over the all items display is the same even when the selected scene is changed to another main scene or special scene. By setting each safety-related parameter under the main item display, the setting of the main parameters related to the safety function is completed. After that, detailed settings are performed as necessary. When detailed settings are performed, the display of the parameter display section D2 is switched from the main item display to the all items display. At this time, the contents set in the main item display are carried over to the all items display. In other words, since some safety-related parameters have already been set when the all items display is selected, the user can narrow down the settings to the unset safety-related parameters. Note that when the "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s)" or "RLF monitoring force (N)" is set in the main item display, the "RLS enable setting (enable/disable)" and "RLF enable setting (enable/disable)" are automatically set to "enable".

As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the main scene, special scene 1 and special scene 2 are registered. Special scene 1 is assumed to be the default during automatic operation (automatic control), and for example, when the robot 16 is started and automatic operation is started, the scene = this special scene 1 until the first work scene. As shown in FIG. 13, when special scene 1 is selected by the user in the scene display section D1, the display of the parameter display section D2 becomes the main item display. In this main item display, the number of parameters displayed is smaller than that in the main scene. In this embodiment, "collaboration operation setting (collaboration/non-collaboration)", "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s)", and "RLF monitoring force (N)" are displayed, and other parameters such as the parameter group belonging to the basic items are not displayed. Even if a parameter is required in the main scene, which is a scene assuming automatic operation, a parameter that is substantially unnecessary or of low importance in special scene 1 is excluded from the display of the main item. This slims down the display target in the main item display.

Special scene 2 is intended for cases where the user manually moves the robot 16 (robot arm 31), and is applied to a scene where, for example, the robot 16 moves outside the area and is forced to stop, and the user manually returns the robot 16 to the area. As shown in FIG. 14, when special scene 2 is selected by the user in the scene display section D1, the display in the parameter display section D2 becomes the main item display. In this main item display, the number of parameters displayed is smaller than in the main scene. Specifically, "RLS monitoring speed (mm/s)" and "RLF monitoring force (N)" are displayed, and other parameters are not displayed.

In special scene 1 and special scene 2, there is no need to set the safety-related parameters that belong to the items related to scene switching conditions or the safety-related parameters that belong to the items related to sensor input. If all items are displayed, these safety-related parameters are also displayed, but are restricted so that input of settings is not possible.

If the number of safety-related parameter items that the user can set for each scene increases, the safety functions can be changed in detail according to the work content, etc. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety and improved productivity. However, if the number of configurable items increases, it becomes difficult for the user to identify the items that are required. This can lead to incorrect settings. In this regard, according to the configuration shown in this embodiment, the display pattern (corresponding to the "display mode") of the safety-related parameter group in the parameter display section D2 of the scene parameter setting screen WD (corresponding to the "parameter setting screen") can be switched between all item display (corresponding to the "first display mode") and main item display (corresponding to the "second display mode"). In the main item display, the display targets are limited to some safety-related parameters, making it easier for the user to narrow down the required items. On the other hand, in the all item display, all safety-related parameters are displayed (set), making it possible to set and check each safety-related parameter. In this way, providing two display patterns, all item display/main item display, for the parameter display section D2 is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety and improved productivity while suppressing user setting errors.

If you wish to make detailed settings for a specific safety-related parameter displayed in the main item display, you can do so by switching from the main item display to the all item display. Such detailed settings may or may not be necessary depending on various circumstances. In order to prevent important parameters from being overlooked, it is preferable to narrow the display by excluding the detailed setting parameters from the main item display.

In this embodiment, the number of safety-related parameter items displayed in the main item display < the number of safety-related parameter items displayed in the all item display - the number of safety-related parameter items displayed in the main item display, greatly narrowing down the items extracted for the main item display. This allows the main item display and all item display to coexist in an appropriate manner according to the purpose.

In the main item display, safety-related parameters are displayed categorized into several groups. This makes it easier for the user to find the item they are looking for when it is included among the items displayed in the main item display. In addition, encouraging users to set parameters together by category is also preferable in preventing users from setting parameters incorrectly.

When the user opens the scene parameter setting screen WD, the safety-related parameters are displayed as the main items first. This allows the user to be prompted to set items that are narrowed down to a certain extent. After that, the display pattern can be switched to display all items, ensuring an opportunity to set other items that are not displayed when the scene parameter setting screen WD is launched.

When a main scene is specified by the user, the safety-related parameters corresponding to that main scene are displayed in the main item display. Even when setting safety-related parameters for multiple main scenes, the safety-related parameters are displayed in the main item display only for the specified main scene, which can effectively prevent the user from becoming overwhelmed with information.

For each main scene for autonomous driving, the items displayed in the main item display for that main scene match. With this configuration, when you set a group of parameters for one main scene in the main item display, and then set a second group of parameters for another main scene in the main item display, you can perform the setting work while keeping the image of the previous setting intact. This is preferable for reducing setting errors.

Depending on the main scene, only some of the safety-related parameters may differ. In such cases, if only those safety-related parameters can be adjusted using the sub-scene, the proliferation of main scenes can be reduced, and users can be prevented from confusing the main scenes.

As shown in this embodiment, by displaying items that are set for each subscene and items that are common between subscenes in a distinguished manner, the items that are set for each subscene can be clearly suggested to the user. In addition, displaying items that are common between subscenes in a distinguished manner is preferable in terms of preventing the settings of the common items from being erroneously changed when setting up subscenes.

<Modification 1>
In the above second embodiment, a configuration for providing setting assistance when safety-related parameters are set by the PC 60 has been described, but if safety-related parameters can be set by the teaching pendant 70, the configuration relating to setting assistance may be applied to the teaching pendant 70. In addition, in the present embodiment, a case has been exemplified in which setting assistance software is pre-installed in the control unit 62 of the PC 60, but this software may be distributed via an Internet line or the like, and the user may install the software in the control unit 62 of the desired PC 60 at any time.

<Modification 2>
In the second embodiment described above, when the scene parameter setting screen WD is opened or when each scene is selected, the safety-related parameters are first displayed in a main item display format. However, this can be changed so that all items are first displayed.

<Modification 3>
In the second embodiment, when all items are displayed in special scene 1 and special scene 2, the safety-related parameters belonging to the items related to scene switching conditions and the safety-related parameters belonging to the items related to sensor input are displayed and the input of setting values is restricted so that it is not possible to input the setting values, but it is also possible to exclude these parameter groups from the display even when all items are displayed. However, it is preferable to unify the items displayed in the all items display in each main scene and each special scene in order to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable when some items are not displayed.

Third Embodiment
In the robot systems shown in the first and second embodiments, a control program created by a user on a PC 60 is transmitted to a control device 51 of the robot 16, and the robot 16 operates according to the control program. The PC 60 executes the created control program on the PC 60, and a simulation is possible to check the operation, posture, interference, etc. of the robot 16 without operating the robot 16. The configuration related to this simulation is a characteristic of this embodiment. The characteristic configuration of this embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the second embodiment.

When the simulation software installed in the control unit 62 of the PC 60 is launched, a simulation screen is displayed on the display 61 of the PC 60. As shown in FIG. 15, the simulation screen has a program display section WP in which a control program created by the user is displayed, and a 3D view WV in which 3D models of the robot 16, peripheral devices, factory 10 equipment, etc. can be displayed in a virtual space. Note that the 3D view can be switched between displaying and not displaying each 3D model, and FIG. 15 shows an example in which only the model RM of the robot arm 31 is displayed.

When the user specifies a control program and starts a simulation, the control program is executed on the PC 60. This causes the model RM displayed in the 3D view WV to move in accordance with the progress of the control program. The user can check from the movement of the model RM whether the control program is configured as the user imagines it. The program display section WP is configured so that the line currently being executed in the control program is highlighted, making it easy for the user to understand which line in the control program the movement of the model RM corresponds to.

The simulation screen also includes a scene setting monitor WM, which displays various safety-related parameters. This allows the user to check the settings of various parameters as appropriate. Since there are many items for safety-related parameters (see Figure 10), the scene setting monitor WM limits what is displayed so that only some of the main safety-related parameters are displayed.

The control program for the robot 16 shown in this embodiment is designed to have the robot 16 engaged in a number of different tasks, and multiple "CHANGE SCENE" commands are provided to switch safety functions for each task. As already explained, the "CHANGE SCENE" command will trigger a scene change sequence in the robot 16, but a pseudo scene change sequence is also executed in the simulation.

In the scene change sequence, when it is confirmed that the robot 16 is stopped (stationary) (stop condition) and that the robot 16 and the robot arm 31's hand tips are in a specified position (position condition), safety function switching is performed between the non-safety-related part PY and the safety-related part PX. Similarly, in the simulation shown in this embodiment, safety function switching is basically performed when the stop condition and position condition are met.

Next, a general procedure for a user to create a control program is illustrated. In pattern A shown in FIG. 16(A), the outline of the robot 16's movement is determined in the first phase (PA1), and a control program is created based on the outline (PA2). However, at this point, priority is given to determining the movement of the robot 16, and the scene is set provisionally before sufficient verification. After the control program is created, the process moves to the second phase, where the control program is created by repeatedly checking the movement by simulation (PA3) and correcting the control program based on the result (PA4). Then, when the control program is somewhat solidified, the process moves to the third phase, where the scene is set up (PA5). Then, the movement is checked again by simulation and the scene setting is checked (PA6). The scene setting and the control program are corrected as necessary. The above procedure completes the setting of the control program and the scene. On the other hand, in pattern B shown in FIG. 16(B), the outline of the robot 16's movement and the outline of the scene are determined in the first phase (PB1), and the control program is created based on the outline and the scene is set (PB2). After that, the process moves to the second phase, where operation is checked by simulation and scene settings are checked (PB3), and the control program and scene settings are revised based on the results (PB4). In the second phase, confirmation and revision are repeated until the control program and scene settings are complete. In most cases, the control program is created and the scenes are set in one of the above two ways.

When the control program is completed and the scenes have already been set appropriately (especially the scene change position), the above position conditions for switching the safety functions are met without any problems, and the simulation proceeds smoothly. On the other hand, in order to efficiently create a control program and check at any time whether the program is appropriate, there may be cases where the user wishes to run a simulation before the creation of the control program or the setting of the scenes is complete (intermediate stage), as shown in the examples of Figures 16 (A) and (B). In addition, there is a possibility that the operation after switching the safety functions may need to be checked, and if the scene setting is not complete, the scene change sequence cannot be completed, and it may not be possible to run a simulation for the part (row) that one would normally want to check. This is a new issue that arises when attempting to run a simulation for a control program that includes switching of safety functions.

If the position condition is not satisfied due to an accidental reason or the like during the automatic operation of the robot 16, the robot 16 will stop as an error has occurred. In this case, the user can check the state of the robot 16 and then return the robot 16 to the appropriate position to resume the automatic operation (see FIG. 17). On the other hand, in the stage of creating a control program, etc., a simulation may be performed knowing that the scene setting is not appropriate, and it is not preferable that the simulation cannot be continued in such a situation or that the effort required to resolve the position condition not being satisfied becomes large. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the position condition is not satisfied during the simulation, a simple response different from that during the automatic operation of the robot 16 is devised to enable the simulation to be continued. Below, with reference to FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, a rough flow of the scene change sequence executed during the simulation will be described. In the simulation, a virtual safety non-related part (virtual drive control part) and a virtual safety related part (virtual safety FPGA) are set in the PC 60 by software, and a flow similar to that shown in FIG. 9 is reproduced between the virtual safety non-related part and the virtual safety related part. In other words, the scene change sequence is also executed as part of the simulation.

As shown in FIG. 18, in the scene change sequence during the simulation, first, it is confirmed that the model simulating the robot 16, i.e., the model simulating the AGV 21 and the model RM simulating the robot arm 31 (see FIG. 15) are stopped (S201). Then, if it is confirmed that they are stopped, the position of the model simulating the robot 16 and the position of the hand of the model RM simulating the robot arm 31 are confirmed (S202). This confirmation is first performed on the virtual non-safety related part side, and then on the virtual safety related part side. If both the stop condition and the position condition are met and the virtual request command, etc. are confirmed, and if both conditions are met (S203: YES), the safety function is switched. That is, each safety related parameter is changed to one corresponding to the next scene (S204). Then, each safety related parameter displayed on the scene setting monitor WM is changed to a value corresponding to the next scene (S205).

On the other hand, if the scene setting is not appropriate, the position condition is not satisfied by the position confirmation on the virtual safety non-related part side (S203: NO). If the position condition is not satisfied, the simulation is interrupted (S206), and a message indicating that the position condition is not satisfied in the scene change sequence is displayed (S207). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 19(A), a message box MB1 is popped up so as to overlap with the 3D view WV in which the model RM and the like are displayed. In this message box MB1, a title "CHANGE SCENE" indicating that this message is related to the scene change sequence and a message "The current state does not satisfy the switching condition (position condition). Do you want to resume the program?" indicating that the position condition is not satisfied and confirming the program resumption are displayed. Then, a "Resume" button for instructing the continuation of the simulation and a "Cancel" button for instructing the end of the simulation are displayed as icons that the user can select. The 3D view WV is configured to display information indicating the current scene, but the message box MB1 is displayed in a position that does not overlap with that information, ensuring the visibility of that information even while the message box MB1 is displayed. Also, in the program display section WP, the "CHANGE SCENE" command is kept highlighted to clearly indicate the current program progress position (line).

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 18, after the message box MB1 is displayed, it is determined whether or not the user has operated to continue the simulation, i.e., pressed the "Resume" button (S208), and if so, the simulation is resumed (S209). In other words, the result of the position condition determination is invalidated and the simulation is continued as is. Then, the safety function is switched in the same way as when various stop conditions and position conditions are satisfied. That is, each safety-related parameter is changed to a value corresponding to the next scene (S204). Then, each safety-related parameter displayed on the scene setting monitor WM is changed to a value corresponding to the next scene (S205). When the simulation is resumed, the message box MB1 is hidden, and the highlight of the program display section WP moves from the "CHANGE SCENE" command to the next command (the "APPROACH" command in the example shown in FIG. 19(B)).

Incidentally, if the user performs an operation to end the simulation, i.e., presses the "Cancel" button (S210: YES), the simulation ends (S211). If the user then performs an operation to start the simulation, the simulation will be executed again from the beginning of the control program.

The configuration related to the simulation detailed above can also be applied to the robot system shown in the first embodiment.

According to the configuration shown in this embodiment, the simulation can be continued not only when the scene switching conditions are met, but also when the scene switching conditions are not met. Since the robot does not actually operate in the simulation, continuing the simulation does not affect safety. Therefore, this configuration can favorably support the creation of a control program that takes into account both the safety and productivity of the robot.

In this embodiment, when the "CHANGE SCENE" command in the control program is reached, the user is notified of this fact. This reduces the chances that the user will miss the scene change. Also, a configuration in which the simulation is temporarily stopped and awaits the user's operation to resume is preferable in terms of ensuring an opportunity to pay attention to the display of safety-related parameters, etc., compared to a configuration in which the simulation is not temporarily stopped.

<Modification 1>
In the third embodiment, when a scene change sequence is executed in a simulation, even if a switching condition (specifically, a position condition) for switching a safety function is not satisfied, the result is invalidated to continue the simulation, specifically, the safety function is switched and then the simulation is continued. This may be changed so that the position condition is not judged (the judgment function itself is invalidated) in order to enable the simulation to continue even if the position condition is not satisfied. A specific example will be described below with reference to Figs. 20 and 21(A). Fig. 20 shows a modified example of a scene change sequence in a simulation.

In the scene change sequence during the simulation, first, it is confirmed whether the model RM simulating the robot arm 31 is stopped. If the model is stopped, a virtual request command is sent from the virtual non-safety related part to the virtual safety related part, and the virtual safety related part diagnoses the request command. If the command is confirmed to be appropriate by the diagnosis, the setting of the safety function is switched without checking the position condition. That is, each safety related parameter is changed to a value corresponding to the next scene (S302). Then, each safety related parameter displayed on the scene setting monitor WM is changed to a value corresponding to the next scene (S303). After that, the simulation is temporarily stopped (S304), and a message indicating that the scene change sequence has been executed is displayed (S305). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 21(A), a message box MB2 is popped up so as to overlap the 3D view WV in which the model RM is displayed. In this message box MB2, a title "CHANGE SCENE" indicating that this message box MB2 is related to the scene change sequence and a message "Do you want to resume the program?" to confirm the program resumption are displayed. Then, a "Resume" button for instructing the continuation of the simulation and a "Cancel" button for instructing the end of the simulation are displayed as icons that the user can select. Note that the 3D view WV is configured to display information showing the scenes before and after the switch, but the message box MB2 is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the information, ensuring the visibility of the information. In addition, in the program display section WP, the "CHANGE SCENE" command is kept highlighted to clearly indicate the current program progress position (line). Returning to the explanation of FIG. 20, after the message box MB2 is displayed, if the user operates the "Resume" button (S306: YES), the simulation is resumed (S307). On the other hand, if the user operates the "Cancel" button (S308: YES), the simulation is terminated (S211).

It is also possible to configure the scene change sequence (the "CHANGE SCENE" command) itself to be disabled during simulation, for example by allowing the user to select whether to enable or disable the scene change sequence.

<Modification 2>
As execution modes of the simulation, a condition check avoidance mode (see FIG. 21(A)) in which the switching conditions of the safety functions (particularly the position condition) are not judged, and a condition check implementation mode (see FIG. 21(B)) in which the switching conditions are judged may be provided, allowing the user to select whether or not the switching conditions need to be judged. Note that in the condition check implementation mode, if the conditions are not met, it is preferable to display the same error message (message box MB3) as when the robot 16 is operating automatically.

<Modification 3>
In the third embodiment, when the position condition is not satisfied in the scene change sequence during the simulation and the simulation is interrupted, the safety-related parameters are changed to values corresponding to the next scene and the safety-related parameters displayed on the scene setting monitor WM are changed to values corresponding to the next scene by the user performing an operation to continue the simulation. This may be modified so that when the condition is not satisfied and the simulation is interrupted, the values of the safety-related parameters corresponding to the next scene are notified in advance of the user's operation. For example, the values of the safety-related parameters corresponding to the next scene may be displayed in a message box, or the safety-related parameters displayed on the scene setting monitor WM may be changed to values corresponding to the next scene in advance.

<Modification 4>
As shown in the third embodiment and the modified example, when the simulation is continued by invalidating the judgment of the switching condition (position condition) or invalidating the judgment result of the switching condition, the safety function may be switched and the simulation may be continued without confirming the user's intention to continue. Even in such a configuration, it is preferable to notify the user that the safety function has been switched.

<Modification 5>
In a scene change sequence during a simulation, a specific configuration for notifying a user that a switching condition such as a position condition has not been satisfied in a manner other than an error is arbitrary. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the fact that a switching condition such as a position condition has not been satisfied is output to a simulation log.

<Modification 6>
During the simulation, it is preferable to devise a display method that allows easy identification of safety-related parameters whose values are changed due to a scene change from safety-related parameters whose values are not changed. For example, it is preferable to support visual identification by displaying safety-related parameters whose values are changed in a color different from that of safety-related parameters whose values are not changed, or by highlighting one of the safety-related parameters whose values are changed and the other safety-related parameters whose values are not changed.

<Modification 7>
In the simulation shown in the third embodiment, a stop check is performed when a scene change sequence is executed, but the present invention is not limited to this. A stop check may not be performed in the scene change sequence in the simulation.

Fourth Embodiment
As shown in the first to third embodiments, making it possible to switch safety functions according to the work scene is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety of the robot 16 and improved productivity by the robot 16. Software that supports the setting of various safety-related parameters related to the safety functions is installed in the control unit 62 of the PC 60, and the efficiency of the setting of the safety-related parameters is improved. In particular, as shown in the second embodiment, etc., if there are more safety-related parameters to be set, further improvements in safety and productivity can be expected, but the load of the setting work also increases, so that the support effect becomes more remarkable by collectively managing the safety-related parameter groups for each scene on the PC 60.

The safety-related parameter group set by the PC 60 is transmitted from the PC 60 to the robot 16 and stored in the memory of the robot 16 (control device 51). The safety-related parameter group stored in the memory is then referenced when controlling the robot 16. If a user mistakenly transmits a safety-related parameter group set for a specific work scene using a specific robot to another robot, there is a concern that the mistakenly transmitted safety-related parameter group will be applied to the other robot, making it difficult to achieve both safety and productivity.

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 22, the robot 16X arranged in the first area EX of the factory and the robot 16Y arranged in the second area EY are the same type, but the tasks performed in each area are different, and the tasks are not overlapped. Specifically, the main scene 1 in the robot 16X is different from the main scene 1 in the robot 16Y. The user sets a safety-related parameter group for the robot 16X assuming the main scene 1 on the PC 60. There is no problem if the safety-related parameter group is sent to the target (robot 16X) and stored in the memory 55X of the control device 51X as the safety-related parameter group corresponding to the main scene 1, but the above-mentioned inconvenience occurs when the safety-related parameter group is erroneously sent to the robot 16Y and stored in the memory 55Y of the control device 51Y as the safety-related parameter group corresponding to the main scene 1. The teaching pendant 70X connected to the robot 16X displays the safety-related parameters stored in the memory 55X on the display 71X, allowing visual confirmation, and the teaching pendant 70Y connected to the robot 16Y displays the safety-related parameters stored in the memory 55Y on the display 71Y, allowing visual confirmation.

However, although a user can discover that a set of safety-related parameters is not appropriate for main scene 1 of robot 16Y by checking each safety-related parameter one by one, if the number of safety-related parameters is large, visually checking each set safety-related parameter becomes a significant effort, and discovery may become practically difficult. Furthermore, when transmitting from PC 60, it cannot be denied that there is a possibility that a set of safety-related parameters for the same main scene 1 that was created with a different robot in mind may be mistakenly selected as the target for transmission.

One of the features of this embodiment is that it is designed to prevent operational errors, such as sending a safety-related parameter set to the wrong destination or sending the wrong safety-related parameter set. The following describes these improvements, focusing on the differences from the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 23, the scene parameter setting screen WD displayed on the display 61 of the PC 60 has a name display section D3 that displays the name of the selected scene, i.e., the name of the currently displayed safety-related parameter group. The user can set or change the name in the name display section D3 as desired. In other words, a name that can be set or changed by the user can be set (arbitrary name) separately from the unchangeable name (fixed name) set for identification by the software of the PC 60, i.e., the name displayed in the scene display section D1. The arbitrary name can be set or changed by clicking the name display section D3, and the set name is stored in association with the parameter group. Incidentally, the names displayed in the scene display section D1 (main scene 1 to main scene 9, special scene 1 to special scene 2) are displayed in the same way even when setting scenes (safety-related parameter groups) for other robots.

In the example shown in FIG. 23, a name that combines the name of the destination robot and the area covered by that robot (composite name), specifically "Robot X - parameters for first area", is set as the arbitrary name. If an arbitrary name has not been set, a message is displayed in the name display section D3 to prompt the user to set a name. Note that FIG. 23 shows an example in which the main items are displayed, but when the scene parameter setting screen WD is open, the name display section D3 remains displayed regardless of whether the main items or all items are displayed.

The scene parameter setting screen WD also displays a send button SB, which is an operation icon for sending the current parameter group to the robot 16. This send button SB is displayed when the main items are displayed, and when the user operates the send button SB, the safety-related parameter group for the selected scene is sent to the robot 16.

Next, referring to FIG. 24, we will explain the transmission process that is executed as part of the periodic processing on the PC 60 when the software related to the above-mentioned setting support is running.

In the transmission process, first, in step S401, it is determined whether confirmation (confirmation of transmission destination and final confirmation) is being performed with the user before transmitting the parameter group. If confirmation is not being performed, the process proceeds to step S402. In step S402, it is determined whether the Send button SB on the scene parameter setting screen WD has been operated. If the Send button SB has not been operated, the transmission process ends as is. If the Send button SB has been operated, a positive determination is made in step S402 and the process proceeds to step S403.

In step S403, it is determined whether the arbitrary name has been set. If an arbitrary name has not been set, in step S404, a teaching process is executed to teach the user how to set an arbitrary name, and then the transmission process is terminated. In this teaching process, a message such as "Name setting is required for transmission" is displayed near the send button SB on the scene parameter setting screen WD. This message is hidden when an arbitrary name has been set.

On the other hand, if an arbitrary name is set, the transmission confirmation process is executed in step S405, and then this transmission process is terminated. In the transmission confirmation process, a message box is displayed in the center of the scene parameter setting screen WD. As shown in FIG. 25(A), this message box MB3 first displays a list of robots to which the PC 60 is connected. Specifically, unique information (e.g., robot name, controller name, serial number, etc.) for identifying the connected robot is acquired, and the acquired unique information is displayed as a candidate for the transmission destination. When the user specifies a transmission destination from the list of candidates, the message box MB3 switches to a display for final confirmation of transmission. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 25(B), a title indicating that this is the final confirmation before transmission, a message for final confirmation, and an execute button and a cancel button, which are operation icons, are displayed. The message for final confirmation includes the unique information for identifying the destination robot and the arbitrary name that has been set. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 25(B), "Destination: Robot X" is displayed as the unique information, and "Robot X_First Area Parameters" is displayed as the arbitrary name.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 24, if the message box MB3 is displayed, the process proceeds to step S406, where it is determined whether or not a final confirmation operation has been performed. In other words, it is determined whether or not the execute button has been operated in a situation where the destination and arbitrary name are displayed in the message box MB3. If a negative determination is made in step S406, the process proceeds to step S407, where it is determined whether or not a cancel operation has been performed. If a cancel operation has been performed, a cancel process is executed in step S408 to stop the transmission of parameters, and then this transmission process is terminated.

If a positive judgment is made in step S406, the transmission process is executed in step S409, and then this transmission process is terminated. In the transmission process in step S409, the scene number, the safety-related parameter group, and the arbitrary name set by the user are transmitted to the robot specified as the transmission destination. In other words, when the user carries out the transmission procedure, an opportunity is provided for the user to confirm the main safety-related parameter group, the arbitrary name, and the transmission destination. This is a measure to reduce the occurrence of the above-mentioned operational mistakes when transmitting.

The control device 51 of the robot 16 stores the various information received from the PC 60 in the memory of the control device 51. Then, by connecting the teaching pendant 70 to the robot 16, the various information stored in the memory can be displayed on the display 71 of the teaching pendant 70. In other words, the user can check the arbitrary name displayed on the display 71 of the teaching pendant 70 on-site. The display of the arbitrary name helps the user to check whether the parameters are appropriate for the robot 16.

In the example shown in FIG. 26, similar to the example shown in FIG. 22, a set of safety-related parameters for robot 16X set on PC 60 is erroneously sent to robot 16Y. However, the user can recognize the possibility that the set of safety-related parameters has been erroneously sent by checking the arbitrary name displayed on display 71Y of teaching pendant 70Y for robot 16Y. Providing an opportunity for erroneous transmission to be discovered in this way is preferable in reducing the opportunities for robot 16 to be operated with inappropriate parameters.

If the number of safety-related parameter items that can be set according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content increases, the safety function can be finely adjusted (changed) according to the situation. This is advantageous in achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity by the robot. However, if the number of configurable items increases, the number of items that the user must check when transmitting a safety-related parameter group (scene) from the PC 60 to the control device increases, and it becomes practically difficult to check all of the items each time. As a result, the user is more likely to make a work error, such as selecting the wrong safety-related parameter group to be transmitted and transmitting it without noticing. If the wrong safety-related parameter group is stored in the control device as is, there is a concern that the safety function of the robot will not be properly performed by applying the parameter group. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this embodiment, an arbitrary name (corresponding to a "scene name") for each scene can be set, and the arbitrary name is notified for the scene during the setting support. By using such a function, a configuration can be realized in which the type of safety-related parameter group can be easily understood without checking each safety-related parameter. For example, the user can determine whether his or her work is appropriate by checking the arbitrary name without checking each safety-related parameter when transmitting. In other words, being able to set any name for the safety-related parameter group is effective in preventing the above-mentioned work mistakes. For the above reasons, by switching between scenes consisting of safety-related parameter groups, it is possible to improve both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot, while preventing an increase in work mistakes caused by them.

In the PC 60, scenes can be appropriately managed by using scene numbers. However, it is unclear whether a user can appropriately identify a scene (a group of safety-related parameters) by looking at the scene number. For example, if the identification information is simply a number or a string of numbers, it is difficult to intuitively understand the corresponding scene from the scene number and the robot to which the scene is applied. In this regard, by configuring the scene so that the user can set an arbitrary name for the scene in addition to the scene number for the system, the user can easily intuitively understand the corresponding scene from the arbitrary name. Therefore, it is easy to understand what the scene is like without checking each item of the safety-related parameters that make up the scene. As mentioned above, this is preferable in terms of reducing the effort of checking each safety-related parameter when sending the scene to the control device.

As shown in this embodiment, if the arbitrary name set by the user is configured to be displayed on the display 61 together with the scene (safety-related parameter group) to which the arbitrary name corresponds, the user can easily check the relationship between the safety-related parameter group and the arbitrary name. This is preferable in terms of reducing the above-mentioned work errors. In addition, since the arbitrary name set by the user is displayed on the scene parameter setting screen WD, the user can appropriately check the arbitrary name when setting safety-related parameters for each scene, thereby reducing setting errors (work errors) due to confusion with other scenes (including scenes for other control devices).

When sending a scene to a control device, the opportunity for erroneous sending or incorrect setting of the scene can be reduced by informing the user of the arbitrary name at least before the sending operation is performed.

By connecting a device (such as a teaching pendant) other than the device from which the scene or arbitrary name was sent to the control device, the scene and arbitrary name can be displayed on the other device, allowing the user to check after the fact on the other device whether the scene was sent in error, etc.

<Modification 1>
In the fourth embodiment, the PC 60 capable of setting and changing safety-related parameters allows the setting and changing of arbitrary names, whereas the teaching pendant 70 incapable of setting and changing the safety-related parameters does not allow the setting and changing of arbitrary names. When the teaching pendant 70 is configured to allow the setting and changing of safety-related parameters, the teaching pendant 70 may allow the setting and changing of names. When multiple devices capable of setting and changing parameters and setting and changing arbitrary names are provided, it is preferable to share the latest setting values and the latest arbitrary names of the safety-related parameters between the devices. To realize such a configuration, for example, it is preferable to instruct the arbitrary names to include version information and date information of the setting values, or to add such information to the arbitrary names on the device side.
<Modification 2>
In the fourth embodiment, the user directly inputs an arbitrary name, but a pull-down menu may be used to display arbitrary name candidates, from which the user may select one arbitrary name. As shown in the fourth embodiment, the arbitrary name may be formed by combining a plurality of pieces of information, which makes it easier to strengthen the distinctiveness of the name. In this way, when forming a name by combining a plurality of pieces of information, each piece of information may be selected from a pull-down menu provided separately.

<Modification 3>
In the fourth embodiment, the arbitrary name is configured by combining two pieces of information, the robot name and the area name (compound name), but this is not limited to the above. The arbitrary name may be configured by one piece of information, or may be configured by a combination of three or more pieces of information. For example, the arbitrary name may be "parameters for the first area."

In the fourth embodiment, the user can set the name as a whole, but this is not limited to the above. As shown in the first modification, the name can be configured with a part that the user can set as a part and a part that is forcibly determined by the device.

<Modification 4>
In the fourth embodiment, the send button is displayed when the main items are displayed, that is, the safety-related parameter group can be sent when the main items are displayed, but the present invention is not limited to this. The send button may be displayed when all items are displayed, or the send button may be displayed whether the main items are displayed or all items are displayed.

<Modification 5>
When at least one value of the safety-related parameter group is changed due to a review of the safety-related parameter value, etc., it is possible to configure so that the arbitrary name before the change cannot be carried over and the user must change the arbitrary name (for example, a configuration in which saving or transmission is not possible unless the arbitrary name is changed). In particular, for the values of the safety-related parameter group that have already been transmitted to the robot 16, by making it mandatory to change the arbitrary name when the safety-related parameter value is reviewed, it is possible to prevent it from becoming difficult to determine whether the values of the safety-related parameter group stored in the robot 16 have been updated to the latest ones. For example, it is preferable to include the date and time of change in the name, information that can identify an individual, such as a login user ID or a user name, or version information.

<Modification 6>
In this embodiment, too, an example has been given of a case in which configuration assistance software is pre-installed on PC 60, but this software may also be distributed via an Internet line or the like, allowing the user to install the software on the desired PC 60 at any time.

Fifth embodiment
In the fourth embodiment, an arbitrary name that can be arbitrarily set by the user is provided as the name of the safety-related parameter group, and an opportunity is provided to display the arbitrary name when the safety-related parameter group is transmitted from the PC 60 or after the safety-related parameter group is received by the robot 16. Such a configuration can contribute to suppressing erroneous transmission of the safety-related parameter group and early detection of erroneous settings. One of the features of this embodiment is that the system more actively intervenes in the use of the arbitrary name to improve the above-mentioned effect. Below, a description is given of the characteristic configuration of this embodiment, focusing on the differences from the fourth embodiment.

First, in this embodiment, the arbitrary name is composed of a first half part and a second half part, and the user is prompted to set an arbitrary character string for one of the two parts (the second half part), while guidelines are provided for the other of the two parts (the first half part). Specifically, one of the parts (the first half part) is configured to prompt the user to input unique information about the destination robot.

As shown in FIG. 27, when an arbitrary name has not been set, the name display section D3 of the scene parameter setting screen WD displays the message "Destination unique information - arbitrary character string" to prompt the user to set a name in accordance with the above guidelines. This message can be made invisible by the user clicking on the name display section D3 and starting to input. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 27, the arbitrary name is made up of the combination of unique information = "Robot X" and arbitrary character string = "Parameters for first area".

The unique information is broadly divided into fixed information (e.g., ID, serial number, etc.) that is set for each individual robot and cannot be changed, and optional setting information (e.g., controller name, robot name, etc.) that can be set by the user using the teaching pendant 70, etc. (see Figure 28). Note that the unique information is information that the user can confirm from the manufacturing plate of the robot 16 or the teaching pendant 70.

In this embodiment, the occurrence of erroneous transmission is suppressed by comparing the unique information included in the arbitrary name set by the user with the unique information stored in the robot 16 when transmitting safety-related parameters. Below, the transmission process in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 29, focusing on the differences from the transmission process shown in the fourth embodiment.

In the transmission process of this embodiment, if it is determined in step S406 that a final confirmation operation has been performed, the process proceeds to step S501. In step S501, unique information is obtained from the robot designated as the destination by the user. Specifically, fixed information such as the ID and serial number stored in the robot, and optional setting information such as the controller name and robot name are each obtained. Note that the configuration related to the designation of the destination is the same as in the fourth embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

After acquiring the unique information from the destination robot, the process proceeds to step S502, where the unique information included in the arbitrary name set by the user is compared with the unique information acquired from the destination. If, in this comparison, the unique information included in the arbitrary name set by the user matches any of the unique information acquired from the destination, a positive judgment is made in step S503, and the process proceeds to step S409, where the transmission process is executed and then this transmission process is terminated. In the transmission process, the scene number, the safety-related parameter group, and the arbitrary name set by the user (the unique information of the destination and an arbitrary character string) are transmitted to the robot designated as the destination. Note that, in the transmission process, it is also possible to configure the process to send only the arbitrary character string from the arbitrary name.

If, in the comparison in step S502, the unique information included in the arbitrary name set by the user does not match any of the unique information acquired from the destination, a negative judgment is made in step S503 and the process proceeds to step S506, where a process for canceling the transmission of safety-related parameters (similar to step S408) and a process for instructing the name setting (similar to step S403) are executed, and then the transmission process is terminated.

By including unique information that is unique to the destination control device in the arbitrary name set by the user, matching using that unique information becomes possible. In this way, if the system is configured to be able to identify erroneous transmissions, human error can be significantly reduced.

<Modification 1>
In the fifth embodiment, the PC 60 compares the unique information included in the arbitrary name set by the user with the unique information of the destination robot 16, and if the unique information included in the arbitrary name set by the user is not included in the unique information of the destination robot 16, the transmission is stopped (i.e., the safety-related parameter set and the like are not transmitted), but this may be modified as follows: The robot 16 may compare the unique information included in the arbitrary name set by the user with the unique information of the destination robot 16, and if the unique information included in the arbitrary name set by the user is not included in the unique information of the destination robot 16, the robot 16 may refuse to receive the safety-related parameter set and the like.

<Modification 2>
Information to be included in the arbitrary name may be specified on the robot 16 side, and the transmission and reception of a safety-related parameter group, etc. may be permitted only when the specified information is included in the arbitrary name, and transmission or reception may be prohibited if the specified information is not included. Also, an arbitrary name may be specified on the robot 16 side, and the transmission and reception of a safety-related parameter group, etc. may be permitted only when the specified arbitrary name matches an arbitrary name set by the user in the PC 60, and transmission or reception may be prohibited if they do not match.

<Modification 3>
A unique value may be created from the safety-related parameter group by CRC calculation, and the result of the CRC calculation performed on the sending side (PC 60 side) may be compared with the result of the CRC calculation performed on the receiving side (robot 16 side) to monitor for data loss or tampering. Also, a configuration may be adopted in which a part or all of an arbitrary name is included in the CRC calculation of the safety-related parameter group.

Sixth embodiment
Regarding the unique information shown in the fifth embodiment, there is a large difference in characteristics between fixed information (e.g., ID and serial number) and arbitrarily set information (e.g., robot name and controller name). It is assumed that IDs and serial numbers are set so that there will be no duplication (collision) when identifying other devices. In other words, since there are basically no robots or almost no robots with the same fixed information, the possibility of a match (risk of confusion) is low when comparing fixed information with other fixed information. However, since most fixed information is meaningless, such as a combination of alphanumeric characters, it is difficult for a user to identify which robot the fixed information corresponds to by looking at it (see the example in Figure 30 (A)).

On the other hand, for optional setting information such as controller names and robot names, it is possible to give the user meaningful names (easy-to-understand names) that the user himself can understand. Therefore, it is easier for the user to look at an optional name and determine which robot it corresponds to from the optional setting information compared to determining it from fixed information (see the example in Figure 30 (A)). However, by leaving the setting of optional setting information to the user, the possibility that the same optional name will be set for multiple robots is higher than with the above-mentioned fixed information.

One of the features of this embodiment is that it focuses on these differences in characteristics and defines guidelines for setting arbitrary names as follows. Below, we will explain the characteristic configuration of this embodiment, focusing on the differences from the fifth embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 30(B), in the name display section D3 shown in this embodiment, if an arbitrary name has not been set, a message is displayed that instructs how to set an arbitrary name (specifically, "Fixed information (serial number, etc.) _ Arbitrary setting information (controller name, etc.) _ Arbitrary character string"). In other words, in this embodiment, it is instructed to configure the arbitrary name by combining three pieces of information. Note that when the user places the cursor on the name display section D3, a more detailed guideline (for example, other examples of fixed information and arbitrary setting information and how to check each of these pieces of information) is displayed in a pop-up.

For example, when setting an arbitrary name for a parameter group for a robot with serial number = "0001" and controller name = "RoBotX", if the user sets the arbitrary character string = "Parameters for first area", the arbitrary name can be set according to the guidelines, resulting in the arbitrary name = "0001_RoBotX_Parameters for first area" (see Figure 31). Here, with reference to Figure 31, the handling of each piece of information that makes up the arbitrary name in this embodiment will be explained.

In the example shown in FIG. 31, the robot 16X placed in the first area EX of the factory and the robot 16Y placed in the second area EY are the same type, but the tasks they perform in each area are different. In other words, the tasks they perform do not overlap. Specifically, main scene 1 for robot 16X and main scene 1 for robot 16Y are assumed to be different tasks.

The user then sets the parameter group for main scene 1 for robot 16X on PC 60, and sets as an arbitrary name "0001_RoBotX_parameters for first area", which is a combination of the fixed information of the serial number of robot 16X, "0001", the arbitrary setting information of the controller name "RoBotX", and the arbitrary character string "parameters for first area". When this parameter group is sent to robot 16X, information is collated between PC 60 and robot 16X, as in the fifth embodiment described above.

In this embodiment, the object of the comparison is "fixed information". In other words, the fixed information (serial number) included in the arbitrary name is compared to see if it matches the fixed information (serial number) stored in the robot 16X. In the example of FIG. 31, since the serial numbers match, the safety-related parameter group, scene number, and arbitrary name set by the PC 60 are transmitted to the robot 16X, and the transmitted safety-related parameter group is stored in the memory of the robot 16X as a safety-related parameter group corresponding to the main scene 1. As a result, the teaching pendant 70X connected to the robot 16X can display and confirm the safety-related parameter group corresponding to the main scene 1 stored in the memory 55X on the display 71X. In addition, when the safety-related parameter group is displayed on the display 71X, not only the safety-related parameter group but also the arbitrary name is displayed. Specifically, the arbitrary name is displayed as "Current parameters <0001_RoBotX_parameters for the first area>". In other words, the displayed arbitrary name includes "RoBotX", which is the arbitrary setting information (controller name), and "parameters for the first area", which is an arbitrary character string. "RoBotX" and "parameters for the first area" displayed on the display 71X can be used as an aid when the user visually checks whether the set of safety-related parameters applied to the robot 16X are those intended for this robot 16X.

Here, the above-mentioned comparison is also performed if an attempt is made to erroneously send the above-mentioned safety-related parameter group to the robot 16Y. In the example of FIG. 31, the fixed information (serial number) included in the arbitrary name does not match the fixed information (serial number) stored in the robot 16Y. Therefore, as a result of the comparison, the safety-related parameter group cannot be sent from the PC 60 to the robot 16Y, and erroneous transmission is avoided. In other words, the parameters are not overwritten in the robot 16Y, and the parameters and name displayed on the display 71Y of the teaching pendant 70Y remain the same.

<Modification 1>
In the sixth embodiment, the displays 71X, 71Y of the teaching pendants 70X, 70Y are configured to display arbitrary names of the safety-related parameter groups, but the displays 71X, 71Y may display unique information stored in the robots 16X, 16Y together with the arbitrary names. By visually comparing these, the user can easily check whether an incorrect safety-related parameter group has been applied, which contributes to facilitating the checking work.

<Modification 2>
In the sixth embodiment, the displays 71X and 71Y of the teaching pendants 70X and 70Y are configured to display all of the fixed information, the optional setting information, and the optional character strings that constitute the optional names of the safety-related parameters, but it is sufficient to display at least the optional setting information, and preferably the optional setting information and the optional character strings. In other words, it is possible to exclude the fixed information included in the optional names from the display targets.

<Modification 3>
In the sixth embodiment described above, when a set of safety-related parameters or the like is transmitted from the PC 60 to the robots 16X, 16Y, only fixed information is checked. However, in addition to this, arbitrarily set information may also be checked.

Seventh embodiment
In each of the first to sixth embodiments, when the safety-related unit PX detects a force or speed exceeding a reference value or a movement to a position outside a reference area, the robot 16 is stopped as an error, thereby contributing to improving the safety of the robot 16. Here, for example, if the robot 16 is stopped during automatic operation due to an error related to the force or position, the user can manually move the robot 16 to eliminate the error, thereby allowing the automatic operation of the robot 16 to be resumed. In addition, when setting a motion trajectory for the robot 16, the robot 16 may be operated by a jog operation or the robot 16 may be pushed and pulled by hand to teach the motion trajectory, etc., as shown in the first embodiment, etc., in order to improve the safety of the robot 16, it is preferable to configure the safety-related unit PX to monitor not only during automatic operation but also during manual operation, but it is highly likely that the appropriate values of each safety-related parameter will differ depending on the situation in which the manual operation is performed and the work content. Furthermore, in order to achieve both improved convenience and improved safety when utilizing the manual operation function, the appropriate values of each safety-related parameter will be even more likely to differ.

In consideration of these circumstances, one of the features of this embodiment is that it is designed to improve both safety and convenience during manual operation. Below, with reference to FIG. 32, this design will be explained, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. Note that in the following explanation, the safety-related parameter group will also be referred to as a "scene", to distinguish it from the "work scene" in which the robot 16 is engaged, as shown in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, instead of the special scene 2 shown in the first embodiment, manual operation scene D, manual operation scene R, and manual operation scenes 1 to 3 are provided. In other words, these five scenes are registered as scenes for manual operation, and during manual operation, monitoring by the safety-related unit PX is performed based on one of these five scenes depending on the situation, work content, etc.

The manual operation scene D is a default scene during manual operation, and is set when the control mode in the drive control unit 52 is switched to the manual operation mode, or when an error is resolved or teaching is completed, as described later. In the manual operation scene D, the speed and force are monitored (reference value setting = "enabled"), and the position is not monitored (reference area setting = "disabled"). In the example shown in FIG. 32, the speed and force restriction levels are set to HI level, and the speed and force are greatly restricted, but this is not limited. The restriction levels are arbitrary. Force may also be excluded from monitoring. Excluding force from monitoring is effective in reducing the effort of switching the state of the safety-related part PX to recovery or to the manual operation scene R every time the jog operation comes into contact with equipment, etc., and stops due to the application of force.

The manual operation scene R is a scene that is assumed to be selected when performing recovery work for the robot 16 that has stopped due to an error. In the manual operation scene D, the speed, force, and position are all monitored, but the limit level for all is LOW. For example, when performing recovery work under a situation in which the robot 16 is stuck on equipment or the like and stopped, the force required to separate the robot 16 may be large. By lowering the force monitoring level as described above, the recovery work is prevented from becoming difficult. In addition, since the manual operation scene R is set even when the robot 16 goes outside the reference area, the position monitoring level is also lowered to prevent the position monitoring function from interfering with the recovery work. Note that, as described later, this manual operation scene R is set when the safety-related part PX is in the "recovery state," but in this "recovery state," force and position monitoring are disabled. Therefore, at least in combination with the "recovery state," the movement of the robot 16 is not impeded even if the above-mentioned force and position judgment criteria are met.

Manual operation scene 1 is a scene that is assumed to be selected when teaching by jog operation on the teaching pendant 70 or the like. Although it assumes manual operation, since the user does not directly touch the robot 16, the speed, force and position restrictions are at the minimum (MIN) level. In other words, it has the least restrictive levels among manual operation scenes 1 to 3.

Manual operation scene 2 and manual operation scene 3 are scenes that are assumed to be selected when performing so-called direct teaching. They are similar to manual operation scene 1 in that speed, force, and position are all monitored. However, in direct teaching, unlike teaching by jog operation, the user directly touches the robot 16. For this reason, the monitoring levels of speed, force, and position are all higher than in manual operation scene 1.

Manual operation scene 2 and manual operation scene 3 differ from each other in at least some safety-related parameters (e.g., at least one of speed, force, and position). In the example shown in FIG. 32, the speed limit level of manual operation scene 3 is set higher than the speed limit level of manual operation scene 2, and the two manual operation scenes 2 and 3 can be selected depending on the situation in which direct teaching is performed. Since the robot 16 is engaged in various tasks in various areas, it is preferable to configure direct teaching to be selectable depending on the situation in order to improve work safety and work efficiency.

Now, with reference to Figure 33, we will provide additional explanation on the control mode in the drive control unit 52 and the state of the safety-related unit PX.

As shown in FIG. 33(A), the drive control unit 52 has an automatic control mode for automatic operation and a manual operation mode for manual operation as control modes. In the automatic control mode, drive control is performed according to the progress of an operation program created by the user, and the scene is switched to the scene specified by the "CHANGE SCENE" command, which is a command for switching scenes in the operation program, as a trigger. In contrast, in the manual operation mode, the scene is switched according to the user's operation. In other words, the user can freely determine the switching timing and the switching destination. In this way, the trigger for scene switching differs between the automatic control mode and the manual operation mode. In addition, scene switching in the manual operation mode is also related to the state of the safety-related part PX. Below, a supplementary explanation of the state of the safety-related part PX will be given with reference to FIG. 33(B).

The state of the safety-related part PX is roughly classified into the following three states. That is, "normal state", "safe state", and "recovery state". The normal state is a state in which the operation of the robot 16 is permitted, and the drive control part 52 can execute the operation program when the safety-related part PX is in the normal state and in the automatic operation mode. If the above error occurs in the normal state, the robot is forcibly stopped, and the state of the safety-related part PX is switched from the normal state to the safe state. In other words, the safe state can also be said to be a state in which the robot 16 is held in a stopped position with the robot's operation being disabled. In this safe state, the safety-related part PX continues to monitor the robot 16, so it is difficult to move the robot 16 from that position. Therefore, in order to recover the robot 16, it is necessary to switch the state of the safety-related part PX to the recovery state. In the recovery state, the monitoring of the force and position is disabled, so the monitoring function does not hinder the robot 16 from returning to the correct position and resolving the error.

Here, with reference to Figure 34, the flow of error resolution will be explained taking into account the relationship between the control mode, the state of the safety-related unit PX, and the scene to be set.

When the safety-related unit PX is in the "normal state," the user starts the operation to start the operation, and the automatic operation starts with the operation program specified by the user (see tA1). When automatic operation starts, the scene set is "Special Scene 1," which is the default in automatic control mode, and it switches to one of "Main Scene 1 to Main Scene 9" depending on the progress of the operation program.

During automatic operation, the control mode is "automatic control mode", the state of the safety-related unit PX is "normal state", and the scene is one of "main scene 1 to main scene 9" and "special scene 1". If an error occurs during automatic operation, such as when the robot 16 moves outside the reference area, the safety-related unit PX switches from "normal state" to "safe state", the robot 16 is forcibly stopped, and the scene automatically switches to "special scene 1" (see tA2).

After that, the user switches the control mode from "automatic control mode" to "manual operation mode" by operating the teaching pendant 70, etc., and the scene switches from "special scene 1" to "manual operation scene D", which is the default in "manual operation mode" (see tA3). When the switch to "manual operation mode" is completed and the "manual operation mode" and "safe state" are achieved, a switch button for switching to the "recovery state" is displayed on the display 71 (more specifically, the top screen) of the teaching pendant 70 (see tA4). In other words, the switch button is not generally displayed on the top screen of the display 71, and is displayed only when the above-mentioned conditions of "manual operation mode" and "safe state" are met. This is a device to prevent the user from accidentally switching to recovery during automatic operation.

When the user operates the switch button, the safety-related unit PX switches from the "safe state" to the "recovery state" and the set scene switches to the "manual operation scene R" (see tA5). This enables recovery work of the robot 16. When the user is manually moving the robot 16 to perform recovery work, the safety-related unit PX is in the "recovery state" and the monitoring of the force and position is disabled (see tA6). Note that, although monitoring is performed using the scene judgment criteria (reference values and reference areas) due to the disabling in the "recovery state", the result (stop decision) is invalidated. However, this does not deny the possibility of not performing monitoring altogether instead. Incidentally, if the safety-related unit PX is left in the "recovery state" for a certain period of time, it automatically returns to the state before it became the "recovery state", i.e., the "safe state".

When the recovery work is completed and the error is resolved, the safety-related part PX returns from the "recovery state" to the "normal state", and accordingly the scene switches from the recovery "manual operation scene R" to the default "manual operation scene D" (see tA7). After that, when the user performs a switch operation to the automatic control mode, the control mode switches from the "manual operation mode" to the "automatic control mode", and accordingly the scene switches from "manual operation scene D" to "special scene 1", which is the default in the automatic control mode (see tA8).

After that, automatic operation will resume from the part of the operation program where it was interrupted due to the error (see tA9). At this point, the scene that was set when the operation program was resumed will be reset, and from then on the scenes will be switched in order according to the "CHANGE SCENE" command in the operation program.

As shown in this embodiment, it is preferable to provide an automatic control mode for automatic operation (corresponding to an "automatic operation mode") and a manual operation mode for manual operation as control modes of the robot, and to take into consideration the manual operation as described above, in order to improve safety and workability when performing the manual operation. However, the expected situations are significantly different between the automatic control mode and the manual operation mode, and various safety-related parameters may differ in order to properly exercise the safety function. In other words, if the same scene is configured to be referenced in the automatic control mode and the manual operation mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity during automatic operation, and to improve safety and workability during manual operation. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this embodiment, a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated automatically and a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated manually are provided. This allows the safety function to be properly exercised during automatic operation and manual operation.

In addition, while during autonomous driving, the scene changes automatically in response to switching instructions from the control program as described above, the scene for manual operation changes in response to user operation. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the scene from suddenly switching at a time not intended by the user. This is preferable for further improving safety.

If the robot stops by moving to a position outside the monitoring reference area specified by the user, work is performed to return the robot to within the monitoring reference area. In the configuration shown in this characteristic, the position of the robot does not matter when switching to a manual operation scene, so there is no inconvenience in that switching to a manual operation scene becomes difficult depending on the robot's position. This is preferable for smooth recovery operations to resume the robot's operation.

The seventh embodiment described above in detail can improve the safety of the robot, while contributing to improved productivity by the robot during automatic operation and improved workability for the user during manual operation.

<Modification 1>
During automatic driving, it is also possible to disable switching to a scene for manual operation. For example, during automatic driving, when safety-related parameters are automatically switched, inappropriate scene switching is avoided by checking the position of the robot 16. In contrast, switching to a scene for manual operation is performed by a user operation, but position checking is not performed at that time. If a scene for manual operation is set as a scene for automatic driving, the reliability of the safety function may decrease due to the lack of position checking. Therefore, as shown in this modified example, there is technical significance in suppressing a decrease in reliability by disabling switching to a scene for manual operation during automatic driving.

<Modification 2>
In the seventh embodiment, the manual operation scene R for recovery is provided separately from the manual operation scene D for default, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible that the manual operation scene D doubles as the manual operation scene R. It is also possible that the manual operation scene D and the manual operation scene R double as the manual operation scene 1 for teaching by jog operation. The number of manual operation scenes is not limited to five. As long as at least a plurality of scenes including the manual operation scene for default are provided as the manual operation scene, the number is arbitrary. For example, the number may be two, three, four, or six or more.

<Modification 3>
In the seventh embodiment, when the safety-related part PX is in the safe state and the control mode is in the manual operation mode, the recovery button is displayed on the display 71 of the teaching pendant 70, and when the user operates the recovery button, the state is switched to the recovery state and the manual operation scene R. However, it is also possible to configure the operation of switching to the recovery state and the operation of switching to the manual operation scene R separately. Note that it is also possible to configure the state such that switching to the recovery state or the manual operation scene R is permitted when the safety-related part PX is in the safe state and the control mode is in the automatic control mode.

<Modification 4>
It is also possible to configure the robot 16 to switch to the manual operation mode when the robot 16 is stopped by a safety function, so that the scene R for manual operation is switched to in response to the switching operation.

<Modification 5>
It is preferable that the manual operation scene 1 to the manual operation scene 3 are configured so that when the user performs a scene selection operation in the manual operation mode, the scene is switched to the selected scene.

<Modification 6>
The manual operation scene 2 and the manual operation scene 3 shown in the seventh embodiment can also be defined as sub-scenes of the manual operation scene.

Eighth embodiment
The robot system shown in this embodiment differs from the robot systems shown in the above embodiments in that it automates tasks that are difficult for a single robot 16 to perform through cooperation between multiple (specifically, two) robots 16, thereby further improving productivity. In addition, a configuration related to the safety function is devised to switch the above-mentioned safety function even during cooperative work. The following describes the devise, focusing on the differences from the second embodiment. In the following description, the safety-related parameter group is also referred to as a "scene", as in the second embodiment, and is distinguished from the "work scene" in which the robot 16 is engaged, as in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 35, a section of the factory is provided with a processing area E6 where workpieces W are processed by the cooperation of two robots 16. The processing area E6 is composed of a stock area in which the workpieces W before processing are stored, a transport area in which the processed workpieces W are transported to the next process, and a work area provided between the stock area and the transport area.

In the stock area, a placement section on which a pallet P is placed and a conveyor C1 are arranged side by side. Containers B1 containing many unprocessed workpieces W are stacked on the pallet P, and the containers B1 are placed on the conveyor C1 in order when the workpieces W are processed. When the container B1 placed on the conveyor C1 is empty, the conveyor C1 is operated to transport the container B1 to the recovery area. The work area extends in the same direction as the placement section for the pallet P and the conveyor C1, and two robots 16 can stay lined up in the same direction. More specifically, the two robots 16 can move between a work position in front of the pallet P and a work position in front of the conveyor C1 while maintaining a side-by-side relationship. A conveyor C2 is arranged in the transport area, and the processed workpieces W are stored in the container B2 on the conveyor C2 by the robot 16.

Each robot 16 patrols areas E1 to E6 in a preset order. The patrol schedule for each robot 16 is set so that two of the robots 16 reach and stay in processing area E6 at the same time during their patrol. When the robot 16 moves between areas E1 to E6 or engages in work in areas E1 to E6, the control mode of the robot 16 becomes an automatic control mode, which is a mode corresponding to automatic operation.

As shown in FIG. 36, the automatic control modes shown in this embodiment are broadly divided into an individual control mode that is applied when the robot 16 moves between areas E1 to E6 or performs work in areas E1 to E5, and a cooperative control mode that is applied when performing work in the processing area E6, and during automatic operation, the robot 16 is configured to switch between the individual control mode and the cooperative control mode depending on the area in which it is located, etc.

When the two robots 16 reach the processing area E6, as shown in FIG. 37, the robots 16 are wirelessly connected so that they can communicate with each other. This connection state is maintained until the work in the processing area E6 is completed and the conditions for returning to the areas E1 to E5 are met. In the cooperative control mode, a temporary leader-follower relationship is created between the wirelessly connected robots 16. Specifically, one of the two robots 16 becomes the leader robot, and the other becomes the follower robot that operates to follow the leader robot. Note that the specific configuration for enabling the robots 16 to communicate is arbitrary, and for example, a configuration in which the robots 16 are connected by wire is not denied. It is also possible to configure the two robots 16 to be indirectly connected via a repeater.

Which robot 16 will be the leader robot is predefined in the control program. Specifically, the robots 16 are arranged to gather from the accumulation area E3 and the passage E5 in the processing area E6, and the robot 16 moving from the accumulation area E3 to the processing area E6 is defined as the leader robot, and the robot 16 moving from the passage E5 to the processing area E6 is defined as the follower robot. Incidentally, in the processing area E6, a stay range for the leader robot (left side of the work table TB) and a stay range for the follower robot (right side of the work table TB) are determined, and the stay range to which each robot 16 will move is also defined by the control program. In the following description, the robot 16 that will be the leader will also be referred to as the "leader robot 16A," and the robot 16 that will be the follower will also be referred to as the "follower robot 16B."

Various information such as the operating status of the follower robot 16B is transmitted from the follower robot 16B to the leader robot 16A by wireless communication, and the leader robot 16A executes drive control of the follower robot 16B based on the received various information and the cooperative control program stored in the leader robot 16A. In other words, in the cooperative control mode, the control device 51A of the leader robot 16A is responsible for both the drive control of the AGV 21A and robot arm 31A of the leader robot 16A and the drive control of the AGV 21B and robot arm 31B of the follower robot 16B. In addition, in the cooperative control mode, the functions of switching the safety function (scene switching) and monitoring the operation of the follower robot 16B in the follower robot 16B are also transferred to the leader robot 16A, and the various controls related to these functions are left to the leader robot 16A (see FIG. 38).

Here, we will provide additional explanation on the flow of switching between individual control mode and cooperative control mode with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 39 and 40.

As shown in FIG. 39, when the leader robot 16 reaches the processing area E6 (P101) and the follower robot 16 reaches the processing area E6 (P102), the robots 16 are wirelessly connected (P103). This allows the leader robot 16 to appropriately obtain various information such as the operating status of the follower robot 16. In the example of FIG. 39, after the wireless connection, the stop information and position information of the follower robot 16 are transmitted to the leader robot 16 (P104). The leader robot 16 checks whether each robot 16 is stopped (P105) and whether each robot 16 (more specifically, its hand) is located at a reference position in the above-mentioned working area (P106). When each robot 16 is stopped and located at the above-mentioned reference position, the switching conditions for the cooperative control mode (stop condition and position condition) are met, and the control mode is switched to the cooperative control mode (P107).

Specifically, the leader robot 16 sets itself as the leader and instructs the follower robots 16 to switch to cooperative control mode. Based on this instruction, the follower robot 16 switches the control mode to cooperative control mode and sets itself as the follower (P108). It then notifies the leader that the settings have been completed.

The leader robot 16 (leader robot 16A) sets and switches the safety functions for each robot based on the notification from the follower side. Specifically, it switches the scene it is referring to to a scene corresponding to the cooperative control mode (P109), starts monitoring the operation of the follower robot 16 (follower robot 16B) (P110), and sets the scene corresponding to the cooperative control mode as the scene to be referenced in monitoring the operation of the follower robot 16B (P111).

In addition, in the follower robot 16B, the scene switching function and the motion determination function are temporarily turned off until the cooperative control mode ends (P112), and some of the safety functions in the follower robot 16B (scene switching function and motion determination function) are transferred to the leader robot 16A.

After the switch to cooperative control mode and the switch to safety functions are completed as described above, work will begin in the processing area E6.

During work, the follower robot 16B transmits stop information and position information of the follower robot 16B to the leader robot 16A at any time. As shown in FIG. 40, even after work in the processing area E6 is completed, the stop information and position information of the follower robot 16B are transmitted to the leader robot 16A (P201), and the leader robot 16A checks whether each robot 16A, 16B is stopped based on its own stop information and position information and the stop information and position information of the follower robot 16B (P202), and checks whether each robot 16A, 16B (more specifically, the hand) is located at the above-mentioned reference position (P203). When each robot 16A, 16B is stopped and located at the reference position, the conditions for switching to the individual control mode (stop condition and position condition) are met, and the control mode is switched to the individual control mode (P204).

Specifically, the leader robot 16A cancels its own leader setting, and instructs the follower robot 16B to switch to individual control mode. Based on this instruction, the follower robot 16B switches the control mode to individual control mode and cancels its own follower setting (P205). Furthermore, the robot 16 that was the follower turns on the scene switching and judgment functions that were turned off. In more detail, the robot 16 switches the scene that is being referred to to a scene for individual control mode, specifically the main scene that corresponds to the area to which it will move next (P206), and resumes monitoring its own movements (P207).

The leader robot 16 also switches the scene it is referring to to a scene for individual control mode, specifically the main scene corresponding to the area it will move to next (P208), and ends monitoring the movement of the follower robot 16 (P209). After that, the wireless connection between both robots 16 is released (P210), and the robots 16 each move to a different area to engage in individual tasks. Note that the timing of the wireless connection release does not necessarily have to be after switching to the main scene, and it can also be after switching from cooperative control mode to individual control mode (for example, after P205).

Incidentally, the scene that is set when switching to individual control mode does not necessarily have to be the main scene that corresponds to the next area to which the player will move. For example, it is possible to configure it to be special scene 1, which is the default scene in individual control mode, and then switch to the main scene that corresponds to each area after moving to that area.

Here, we will provide additional explanation on the work flow in processing area E6 with reference to Figures 41 and 42.

As shown in FIG. 41, in the processing area E6, first, in the first step PC1, one container B1 is picked up from a group of containers B1 stacked on a pallet P and moved to the conveyor C1. This work involves coordinated operations by the robots 16A and 16B.

Specifically, first, the AGVs 21A and 21B are driven to move each robot 16A and 16B to a working position in front of the pallet P. In this embodiment, the short side portion forming the upper opening of the container B1 is the object to be grasped by the robots 16A and 16B, and the hands 34A and 34B of each robot 16A and 16B are moved to the center of each short side portion. Then, the container B1 is grasped by both hands 34A and 34B. After grasping the container B1, the hands 34A and 34B are raised (linearly moved vertically) to lift the container B1 above the upper surface of the conveyor C1. Then, the AGVs 21A and 21B are driven to move each robot 16A and 16B to a working position in front of the conveyor C1 (see FIG. 42A). Thereafter, the hands 34A and 34B are lowered (moved linearly vertically) to place the container B1 on the conveyor C1. After the container B1 is placed, the hands 34A and 34B release their grip. Regarding the movements of the two robots 16A and 16B involved in the movement of the container B1 in the first step PC1, the leader robot 16A and the follower robot 16B are synchronized, and the follower robot 16B operates to follow the leader robot 16A, i.e., the movement direction, movement distance, and movement speed of the two hands 34A and 34B are matched, thereby maintaining a constant distance (relative position) between the hands 34A and 34B.

As described above, the container B1 placed on the pallet P contains many workpieces W, and the weight including the workpieces W exceeds the maximum load capacity of one robot 16. In other words, the robot 16 alone cannot lift (move) the container B1. In contrast, the two robots 16A, 16B work together to divide the load between the two robots 16A, 16B, making it possible to move the container B1.

After the container B1 is moved to the conveyor C1 in the first step PC1, the workpieces W are picked up one by one from the container B1 in the second step PC2. This operation also includes coordinated operation by the robots 16A and 16B.

Specifically, the workpiece W is in the form of a long plate, and both ends (left and right ends) are in the gripping positions for the hands 34A and 34B. After the hands 34A and 34B of the robots 16A and 16B are moved to the gripping positions for the workpiece W and the hands 34A and 34B grip both ends of the second workpiece W2 from above, the hands 34A and 34B are raised (moved in a straight line in the vertical direction) to remove the workpiece W from the container B1, and the hands 34A and 34B are moved horizontally (moved in a straight line in the horizontal direction) to move the workpiece W to a position between the robots 16A and 16B (see FIG. 42B). At this time, the AGVs 21A and 21B move away from each other, changing (enlarging) the relative distance between the AGVs 21A and 21B, and realizing a natural movement of the robot arms 31A and 31B. Regarding the movements of both robots 16A and 16B related to the movement of the workpiece W in the second step PC2, the leader robot 16A and the follower robot 16B are synchronized, and the follower robot 16B operates to follow the leader robot 16A, i.e., the movement direction, movement distance, and movement speed of both hands 34A and 34B are matched, thereby maintaining a constant distance (relative position) between hands 34A and 34B.

After picking up the workpiece W in the second step, bending of the workpiece W is performed in the third step PC3. This operation also includes coordinated operation by the robots 16A and 16B.

In this bending process, the hand 34A of the leader robot 16A is rotated horizontally around the axis (sixth axis) of the joint part where the hand 34A and the arm body 33 (see Figure 2, etc.), i.e., around the tool center point CPA of the hand 34A, to change the posture of the hand 34A in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above (hereinafter referred to as the positive direction), and the hand 34B of the follower robot 16B is rotated horizontally around the axis (sixth axis) of the joint part where the hand 34B and the arm body 33 (see Figure 2, etc.), i.e., around the tool center point CPB of the hand 34B, to change the posture of the hand 34B in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above (hereinafter referred to as the reverse direction). In accordance with these posture changes, the hand 34A is rotated horizontally in the forward direction as viewed from above, and the hand 34B is rotated horizontally in the reverse direction as viewed from above, centered on the midpoint CPM of the hands 34A and 34B (see FIG. 42(c)). This causes the workpiece W to be deformed into an arc shape. The leader robot 16A and the follower robot 16B are synchronized, and the follower robot 16B operates to follow the leader robot 16A, that is, the movement distances and movement speeds of both hands 34A and 34B are made equal and the movement directions are made opposite to each other, so that the movements of the hands 34A and 34B are symmetrical. In other words, the movements of both robots 16A and 16B are synchronized with the movements of the container B1 and the workpiece W, as described above, but the movements during bending are different in that the follower robot 16B starts and stops simultaneously in accordance with the movements of the leader robot 16A, that is, the movements are timed.

After bending the workpiece W in the third step PC3, the workpiece W is packed in a box in the fourth step PC4. This work also includes coordinated operations by the robots 16A and 16B.

Specifically, while gripping the workpiece W and maintaining the distance between the hands 34A, 34B changed in the third step PC3, the hands 34A, 34B are moved horizontally (linearly in the horizontal direction) to move the workpiece W above the container B2 on the conveyor C2, specifically above the empty storage section. At this time, the AGVs 21A, 21B move toward each other, changing (reducing) the relative distance between the AGVs 21A, 21B, and realizing natural movement of the robot arms 31A, 31B. Then, the hands 34A, 34B are lowered (linearly moved vertically) to place the workpiece W in the storage section. Then, after the workpiece W is placed, the grip by the hands 34A, 34B is released.

Regarding the movements of both robots 16A, 16B related to the movement of the workpiece W in the fourth step PC4, the leader robot 16A and the follower robot 16B are synchronized, and the follower robot 16B operates to follow the leader robot 16A, i.e., the movement direction, movement distance, and movement speed of both hands 34A, 34B are matched, thereby maintaining a constant distance (relative position) between hands 34A and 34B.

In this embodiment, the operations of the second step PC2 to the fourth step PC4 are repeated until all the workpieces W are removed from the container B1 placed on the conveyor C1.

As described above in detail, work in the processing area E6 is achieved by combining various operations of the robots 16A and 16B. In the cooperative control mode shown in this embodiment, similar to the individual control mode, multiple scenes (specifically, cooperative operation scenes) that can be referenced are provided, and the cooperative operation scene to be referenced is switched depending on the operation content (task content). Below, an overview of the flow of the scene change sequence in the cooperative control mode will be explained with reference to Figure 43.

The control program for the cooperative control mode shown in this embodiment is designed to allow the robot 16 to engage in multiple different tasks, and multiple "CHANGE SCENE" commands are provided to switch safety functions for each task. In the cooperative control mode, the "CHANGE SCENE" command in the control program of the leader robot 16A triggers the start of a scene change sequence (P301).

In the scene change sequence, first, the leader robot 16A confirms that the leader robot 16A (AGV 21A and robot arm 31A) is stopped (stationary), and then confirms that the follower robot 16B (AGV 21B and robot arm 31B) is stopped (stationary) (P302). In principle, the safety function switching is configured to be performed when the robots 16A and 16B are stopped, taking safety into consideration. If the robots 16A and 16B are not stopped due to a delay in operation, etc., the sequence will proceed after waiting for the robots 16A and 16B to stop.

When the stop of the robots 16A and 16B is confirmed, the leader robot 16A confirms the position of the leader robot 16A and the position of the follower robot 16B (P303). Specifically, the robots 16A and 16B are provided with locators 41 (see FIG. 3) capable of identifying the positions of the robots 16A and 16B in the factory 10, and based on the position information (e.g., coordinates) of the robots 16A and 16B acquired from the locators 41 and the encoder information acquired from the rotary encoders 36 (see FIG. 3) mounted on the robots 16A and 16B, it is confirmed that the tips of the robots 16A and 16B are located at predetermined control points set in the processing area E6. In other words, in this embodiment as well, the condition for switching the safety function is that the positions of the robots 16A and 16B (the tips of the robot arms 31A and 31B) are in preset positions.

When the above-mentioned stop conditions and position conditions (switching conditions) are met, the safety-related unit PX (see FIG. 5) of the leader robot 16A switches the safety functions related to the leader robot 16A and the safety functions related to the follower robot 16B, i.e., switches the scenes to be referenced when monitoring the operation of each robot 16A, 16B (P304, P305).

More specifically, each safety-related part PX of each robot 16 is provided with a main part that monitors the operation of the robot 16 itself on which the safety-related part PX is mounted, and a sub-part that monitors the operation of other robots 16. The main part can be set to a scene to be referenced when monitoring its own operation, and the sub-part can be set to a scene to be referenced when monitoring the operation of other robots 16.

For each robot 16, when the control mode is the individual control mode, the monitoring function in the main part is enabled and the monitoring function in the sub part is disabled. On the other hand, when the control mode is the cooperative control mode, whether each part is enabled/disabled depends on whether the robot itself is a leader robot or a follower robot. Specifically, when the robot itself is a leader robot, both the main part and the sub part are enabled, and when the robot itself is a follower robot, both the main part and the sub part are disabled.

The "CHANGE SCENE" command allows you to specify a scene for cooperative operation set in the main part, and a scene for cooperative operation set in the sub-part. In this scene change sequence, the scene set in the main part is switched to the scene for cooperative operation specified in the "CHANGE SCENE" command, and the scene set in the sub-part is switched to the scene for cooperative operation specified in the "CHANGE SCENE" command.

In the main part and sub part, information such as the speed, force, and position of the hand is input, and the movement of the robot 16 is restricted or stopped based on this information and the set scene. For example, the speed of the robot's own hand is input into the main part, and if the actual speed is likely to exceed the monitoring standard, the speed is suppressed so that it does not exceed the monitoring standard, and if the actual speed exceeds the monitoring standard, the robot's own movement is stopped. On the other hand, the speed of the other robot 16 is input into the sub part, and if the actual speed is likely to exceed the monitoring standard, the speed is suppressed so that it does not exceed the monitoring standard, and if the actual speed exceeds the monitoring standard, the movement of the other robot 16 is stopped.

In the cooperative control mode shown in this embodiment, the operation mode of the robots 16A and 16B includes an operation mode in which the robots 16A and 16B cooperate to move the workpiece W in a straight line. In this operation mode, the speed at which the hand of the leader robot 16A moves is set to match the speed at which the hand of the follower robot 16B moves. Here, if the scenes referenced by the robots 16A and 16B are different, for example, if the scene set in the original area is also carried over to the processing area E6, an inconvenience may occur in which the synchronization of the robots 16A and 16B is lost due to the difference in the scenes. Below, this inconvenience will be explained with reference to FIG. 44. Note that for convenience, the workpiece W is not shown in FIG. 44.

Figure 44 illustrates some of the movements of the robots 16A, 16B when moving the workpiece W in a straight line. Specifically, the hand 34A (more specifically, the tool center point CPA) of the leader robot 16A moves in a straight line from control point PTA1 to control point PTA2, and the hand 34B (more specifically, the tool center point CPB) of the follower robot 16B moves in a straight line from control point PTB1 to control point PTB2 following the movement of the leader robot 16A. Note that the movement speed, movement direction, and movement distance of each hand 34A, 34B are set to be the same.

In the example shown in FIG. 44, scene XA is set as the scene to be referenced for the leader robot 16A, and scene XB is set as the scene to be referenced for the follower robot 16B. For scene XA, the monitoring standard for the hand movement speed is set to "100 mm/s", and for scene XB, the monitoring standard for the hand movement speed is set to "95 mm/s". Specifically, the scene set in the area where each robot 16A and 16B stayed before moving to the processing area E6 is inherited, resulting in the difference in the monitoring standard as described above. Here, the leader robot 16A is driven and controlled so that the movement speed of the hand 34A is set to "90 mm/s", and the follower robot 16B is similarly driven and controlled so that the movement speed of the hand 34B is set to "90 mm/s". In other words, although a certain margin is secured for the set speed in both scene XA related to the leader robot 16A and scene XB related to the follower robot 16B, a difference is generated in the margin.

In the example shown in FIG. 44(A), the leader robot 16A operates so that the actual movement speed of the hand 34A is "93 mm/s", and the follower robot 16B operates so that the actual movement speed of the hand 34B is "93 mm/s". In other words, since the movement speeds of the hands 34A and 34B are both below the monitoring standard, the movement from the control points PTA1 and PTB to the control points PTA2 and PTB2 is completed without any speed restrictions or stops due to safety functions. In other words, the synchronization of the two robots 16A and 16B is maintained, and the relative positions of the two hands 34A and 34B are maintained in a constant relationship.

On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 44(B), the actual movement speed temporarily becomes "96 mm/s" due to factors such as contact by the user while the workpiece W is moving. Here, this movement speed is lower than the monitoring standard of "100 mm/s" in scene XA referenced by the leader robot 16A, but reaches the monitoring standard of "95 mm/s" in scene XB referenced by the follower robot 16B. Therefore, while the leader robot 16A does not limit or stop its speed due to the safety function, the follower robot 16B does limit or stop its speed. This can cause the synchronization between the two robots 16A, 16B to be lost, making it difficult to maintain a constant relative position between the two hands 34A, 34B.

The disruption of synchronization as detailed above is undesirable because it can cause the gripping position of the workpiece W to shift or for the workpiece W to fall off. One of the features of this embodiment is that it has been designed to take such circumstances into consideration. The design will be described below with reference to Figure 45.

As shown in FIG. 45(A), in this embodiment, the cooperative operation scenes are provided as the cooperative operation scenes, and these cooperative operation scenes D, 1 to 3 are stored in each robot 16. Note that FIG. 45(A) illustrates the monitoring criteria for the movement speed of the hand 34, the monitoring criteria for the force, and the monitoring criteria for the position (operation range) as safety-related parameters, but does not deny the existence of safety-related parameters other than those illustrated. Also, as in other embodiments, each safety-related parameter is set in detail using numerical values, etc., but for the sake of convenience in FIG. 45(A), the safety-related parameters are roughly distinguished as "high", "medium", "low", "wide", "medium", and "narrow".

Cooperative operation scene D is the default scene in the cooperative control mode, with the moving speed monitoring standard set to "low", the force monitoring standard set to "low", and the position monitoring standard set to "unset". Cooperative operation scene 1 is a scene that assumes the transportation of a container B1, with the moving speed monitoring standard set to "low", the force monitoring standard set to "high", and the position monitoring standard set to "wide". Cooperative operation scene 2 is a scene that assumes the two robots 16 working together to pick up and box up a workpiece W, with the moving speed monitoring standard set to "medium", the force monitoring standard set to "medium", and the position monitoring standard set to "wide". Cooperative operation scene 3 is a scene that assumes the two robots 16 working together to bend a workpiece W, with the moving speed monitoring standard set to "low", the force monitoring standard set to "high", and the position monitoring standard set to "narrow".

In addition, for each of the cooperative operation scenes 1 to 3 shown in this embodiment, the position monitoring criteria are defined by the amount of displacement from the control point where the scene changes (the control point where each operation is started). How the position monitoring criteria are defined is arbitrary, and for example, they may be defined by coordinates in the processing area E6. It is also possible to omit the position monitoring criteria from the safety-related parameters that make up the cooperative operation scene.

Next, referring to FIG. 45(B), we will explain how the scenes to be referenced by the leader robot 16A and the follower robot 16B change.

As already explained, the leader robot 16A moves from the accumulation area E3 to the processing area E6. In the accumulation area E3, the scene to be referenced is main scene 5, and by moving to the processing area E6 (more specifically, by switching to cooperative control mode), the main scene 5 is switched to cooperative operation scene D. Also, the follower robot 16B moves from the passage E5 to the processing area E6. In the passage E5, the scene to be referenced is main scene 6, and by moving to the processing area E6 (more specifically, by switching to cooperative control mode), the main scene 6 is switched to cooperative operation scene D. In the following explanation, the scene to be referenced for the robot is also simply referred to as the "scene related to the robot".

First, when containers B1 stacked on pallet P are transported to conveyor C1, the scene related to leader robot 16A switches from cooperative operation scene D to cooperative operation scene 1. The scene related to follower robot 16B also switches from cooperative operation scene D to cooperative operation scene 1. In other words, the same cooperative operation scene (cooperative operation scene 1) as the cooperative operation scene (cooperative operation scene 1) set for leader robot 16A is set for follower robot 16B.

After transporting the container B1, both robots 16A and 16B cooperate to pick up the workpiece W. At this time, the scene related to the leader robot 16A switches from cooperative operation scene 1 to cooperative operation scene 2, and the scene related to the follower robot 16B switches from cooperative operation scene 1 to cooperative operation scene 2. In other words, for the follower robot 16B, the same cooperative operation scene (cooperative operation scene 2) as the cooperative operation scene (cooperative operation scene 2) set for the leader robot 16A is set.

After picking up the workpiece W, bending processing is performed on the workpiece W. At this time, the scene related to the leader robot 16A switches from cooperative operation scene 2 to cooperative operation scene 3, and the scene related to the follower robot 16B switches from cooperative operation scene 2 to cooperative operation scene 3. In other words, for the follower robot 16B, the same cooperative operation scene (cooperative operation scene 3) as the cooperative operation scene (cooperative operation scene 3) set for the leader robot 16A is set.

After bending the workpiece W, the workpiece W is packed into a box. At this time, the scene related to the leader robot 16A switches from cooperative operation scene 3 to cooperative operation scene 2, and the scene related to the follower robot 16B switches from cooperative operation scene 3 to cooperative operation scene 2. In other words, for the follower robot 16B, the same cooperative operation scene (cooperative operation scene 2) as the cooperative operation scene (cooperative operation scene 2) set for the leader robot 16A is set.

After that, when the routine in the processing area E6 is finished, the scenes related to both robots 16A and 16B switch from a cooperative operation scene to a main scene. Specifically, since the leader robot 16A returns to the accumulation area E3, the scene related to said robot 16A becomes main scene 5, and since the follower robot 16B returns to the passage E5, the scene related to said robot 16B becomes main scene 6.

Here, referring to FIG. 46, we will provide additional explanation on the relationship between the movements of the robots 16A and 16B when moving the object to be grasped in a straight line and the scene that is set. For convenience, the workpiece W is not shown in FIG. 46.

In the example shown in FIG. 46, the scene related to the leader robot 16A is scene 2 for cooperative operation, and the scene related to the follower robot 16B is also scene 2 for cooperative operation. For the safety-related parameters constituting scene 2 for cooperative operation, the monitoring standard for the hand movement speed is "95 mm/s", and for the leader robot 16A and follower robot 16B, the movement speed of the hands 34A, 34B is controlled to be "90 mm/s", similar to the example shown in FIG. 44.

In the example shown in FIG. 46(A), the leader robot 16A operates so that the actual moving speed of the hand 34A is "93 mm/s", and the follower robot 16B also operates so that the actual moving speed of the hand 34B is "93 mm/s". Although these actual moving speeds are outside the set speed of "90 mm/s", they are all lower than the monitoring standard for moving speed = "95 mm/s". Therefore, the movement speed of the leader robot 16A is not limited or forcibly stopped by the safety function, and the movement speed of the follower robot 16B is not limited or forcibly stopped. Therefore, the movement from the control points PTA1, PTB to the control points PTA2, PTB2 is completed while maintaining the synchronization of both robots 16A, 16B, that is, while maintaining a constant relative position of the hands 34A, 34B.

On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 46(B), the actual movement speed temporarily becomes "96 mm/s" due to factors such as contact by the user while the workpiece W is moving. Here, this movement speed is higher than the monitoring standard of "95 mm/s" for the collaborative operation scene 2 referenced for the leader robot 16A and follower robot 16B. For this reason, the speed is limited and stopped by the safety function in the leader robot 16A and follower robot 16B. However, since each robot 16A, 16B decelerates and then stops, the movements of both robots 16A, 16B become synchronized or approximately synchronized, and the relative positions of both hands 34A, 34B can be maintained in a constant relationship.

By suppressing the loss of synchronization as described above, it is possible to effectively prevent the gripping position from shifting or the object from falling off while the object, such as the container B1 or the workpiece W, is being moved.

The eighth embodiment described above is expected to have the following excellent effects:

As shown in this embodiment, if a scene (safety-related parameter group) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (automatic operation), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly performs safety functions according to various situations such as the surrounding environment and work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, if the scene is automatically switched as shown in this embodiment, the scene may be inappropriately switched due to disturbances in the robot's behavior or noise, resulting in a mismatch between the pre-expected scene and the actual scene. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper performance of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this actual situation, in this embodiment, the scene is switched on the condition that the switching conditions, including the position condition, are met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the scene, the above concerns can be eliminated and the scene can be switched properly.

In this embodiment, the series of operations of transporting the container B1, picking up the workpiece W, processing the workpiece W, and packing the workpiece W are automated by the cooperation of the multiple robots 16, and productivity is improved. Here, if the safety function of any of the synchronized robots during cooperation is activated and the robot slows down/stops, the synchronization may be broken. For example, when a single object (container B1 or workpiece W) is moved in parallel while being held by multiple robots, the parallel movement can be achieved by driving each robot so that the hands of the robots move at the same speed and in the same direction while keeping the distance between the hands of the robots constant. However, there is a concern that the loss of synchronization during this process may cause the gripping position of the object to shift or the object to fall off. More specifically, when the robots are operating at the same speed, if only the speed of one robot exceeds the judgment criterion (upper limit of speed), the above-mentioned inconvenience may occur. The occurrence of such an event may be an obstacle to improving productivity through cooperation. On the other hand, if the safety function is temporarily turned off during synchronization, it is possible to avoid the safety function becoming an obstacle to improving productivity, but this is disadvantageous in improving safety during automatic operation. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this embodiment, when the robots are operated in individual control mode, individual automatic operation scenes (main scenes) are referenced according to the movement of each robot, and when the robots are operated in cooperative control mode to perform cooperative work (special operation), the same cooperative operation scene is referenced for each robot. Such a configuration is preferable in reducing the chance of an event occurring during the above-mentioned parallel movement, such as when a safety function is activated in one robot, causing the synchronization between the robots to be broken, and in order to properly exercise the safety function even during cooperation. For the above reasons, the configuration shown in this embodiment can contribute to improving productivity through the cooperation of multiple robots and improving the safety of those robots.

In addition, according to the configuration shown in this embodiment, in the processing area E6, the processing and packing can be completed while still holding the workpiece W, i.e., without changing hands, so that the work efficiency in the processing area E6 can be favorably improved.

<Modification 1>
In the eighth embodiment, the safety-related unit PX of the leader robot 16A monitors the operation of the follower robot 16B during the cooperative control mode, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 47A, the safety-related unit PX of the follower robot 16B can monitor the operation of the follower robot 16B during the cooperative control mode as well as during the individual control mode. In other words, the drive control of the follower robot 16B can be transferred to the leader robot 16A during the cooperative control mode, while the follower robot 16B is responsible for operation monitoring (scene switching and operation judgment). With this configuration, the follower robot 16B can complete information acquisition and judgment without transmitting information for operation monitoring to the leader robot 16A, so that it is possible to suitably suppress the occurrence of restrictions on the moving speed and delays in judgment to stop due to the influence of communication interruption or communication delays.

Even in such a configuration, when the leader robot 16A has the initiative in drive control, the follower robot 16B may be configured to execute scene switching related to the follower robot 16B based on a switching instruction or switching permission from the leader robot 16A. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 47(B), when the "CHANGE SCENE" command is reached (P301) and the scene switching conditions are met (P302, P303), the leader robot 16A switches the scene related to the leader robot 16A (P304) and instructs the follower robot 16B to switch the scene (P401). This instruction includes information specifying the next scene, and the follower robot 16B switches the scene according to the instruction (P402) and notifies the leader robot 16A that the scene switching has been completed (P403). Upon receiving this notification, the leader robot 16A resumes drive control if it determines that the scene change is complete (P404).

<Modification 2>
The collaborative operation scene shown in the eighth embodiment above may be stored separately from the main scene for the individual control mode, and the collaborative operation scene may be made unreferenceable during the individual control mode (access to the address where the collaborative operation scene is stored), and the main scene may be made unreferenceable during the collaborative control mode (access to the address where the main scene is stored).

<Modification 3>
In the eighth embodiment, the scene to be referred to during the cooperative control mode (the cooperative action scene) is provided as a dedicated scene separate from the scene to be referred to during the individual control mode (the main scene), but this is not limited to this. At least a part of the multiple scenes may be shared between the cooperative control mode and the individual control mode.

<Modification 4>
In the above eighth embodiment, the case where the same type of robots 16 are coordinated is exemplified, but a configuration in which different types of robots having different sizes, numbers of axes, etc. are coordinated may also be used. Even when different types of robots are used in this way, there is technical significance in being able to set individual scenes for each robot.

<Modification 5>
In the eighth embodiment, a configuration in which a plurality of (two) robots 16 cooperate to move a container B1, pick up a workpiece W, bend the workpiece W, and pack the workpiece W into a box is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. The content of the work performed when the plurality of robots 16 cooperate is arbitrary. For example, when each of the plurality of robots transports a workpiece independently, the movements of the robots may be synchronized to avoid collisions between the robots.

<Modification 6>
In the eighth embodiment, the configuration in which two robots 16 cooperate with each other has been exemplified, but the number of robots 16 that cooperate with each other may be three, or four or more.

<Modification 7>
In the eighth embodiment, each robot 16 has a control device 51 which is a robot controller. However, a single robot controller may be provided for each of a plurality of robots to be coordinated.

<Modification 8>
In the eighth embodiment, the timing of switching to the cooperative control mode is the same on the leader side and the follower side, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the leader robot 16 reaches the processing area E6 first, the control mode of the leader robot 16 may be switched to the cooperative control mode before the follower robot 16. Note that, in the eighth embodiment, the timing of scene switching is the same on the leader side and the follower side, but this does not deny a configuration in which the timing of scene switching is shifted between the leader side and the follower side.

<Modification 9>
In the eighth embodiment, when it is confirmed that the scene switching related to each robot 16 is completed during the cooperative control mode, the next operation corresponding to the scene is started, but such confirmation of the switching is not essential. It is also possible to start the next operation without confirming the completion of the scene switching.

<Modification 10>
In the eighth embodiment, during the cooperative control mode, when it is confirmed that the robot 16 is stopped (stop condition) and that the robot 16 is located at a predetermined control point (position condition), the switching condition is satisfied and the scene is switched, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the stop condition may be the switching condition, or the position condition may be the switching condition. It is also possible to configure the scene switching so that the satisfaction of these conditions is not a requirement.

<Modification 11>
In the eighth embodiment, during the cooperative control mode, the monitoring function of the safety-related part PX of the follower robot 16B is disabled. Even when the monitoring function is disabled, the scene set as the reference target in the safety-related part PX of the follower robot 16B may be switched each time according to an instruction from the leader robot 16A.

<Modification 12>
In the eighth embodiment, when the movement speed of one robot 16 reaches the monitoring standard, the movement speed of that robot 16 is limited or forcibly stopped. This can be modified so that when the movement speed of one robot 16 reaches the monitoring standard, the movement speeds of both robots 16 are limited or forcibly stopped.

<Modification 13>
It is sufficient if the leader robot 16A and the follower robot 16B can cooperate with each other, and it is not necessarily required that the control device 51A of the leader robot 16A is responsible for driving control of the follower robot 16B during cooperation. Even during cooperation, it is possible to configure the control device 51A of the leader robot 16A to be responsible for driving control of the leader robot 16A and the control device 51B of the follower robot 16B to be responsible for driving control of the follower robot 16B.

<Modification 14>
In the eighth embodiment, all operations such as the movement of the container B1 in the processing area E6 are configured to be coordinated operations of the two robots 16, but the operations in the processing area E6 may be configured to be a combination of independent operations and cooperative operations. For example, the movement of the container may be the independent operation of one robot, the packing of the workpieces may be the independent operation of the other robot, and the picking up and bending of the workpieces may be the cooperative operation of both robots.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the contents of the above-mentioned embodiments, and may be implemented, for example, as follows. Each of the following configurations may be applied individually to each of the above-mentioned embodiments, or may be applied to each of the above-mentioned embodiments in a combination of some or all of them. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine all or a portion of the various configurations shown in each of the above-mentioned embodiments. In this case, it is preferable that the technical significance (effects exerted) of each of the configurations to be combined is guaranteed. Each of the following configurations may be applied individually to a new configuration consisting of a combination of the embodiments, or may be applied in a combination of some or all of them.

- In a configuration in which the robot 16 executes a number of tasks (task routines) according to a predetermined time schedule, it is also possible to configure the progress of the task routine to be managed based on the time elapsed since the start of the routine or the current time, and to configure the safety functions to be switched based on the time or the current time. Also, in consideration of cases in which delays occur in the schedule, it is also possible to configure the safety functions to be switched based on the time or the time and information indicating the delay time. Furthermore, in addition to the configuration in which the safety functions are switched in accordance with the tasks of the robot 16 as shown in each of the above embodiments, it is also possible to configure the safety functions to be switched based on the time elapsed or the current time.

- In the above embodiments, the AGV 21 and the robot arm 31 are combined to form the robot 16, which moves between areas by self-propelling, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 48, a pedestal 19 is installed between two lines L1 and L2, and the base 32 of the robot arm 31 is fixed to the pedestal 19. The arm body 33 of the robot arm 31 may then rotate horizontally to change its orientation, thereby making it possible to switch between a state in which the robot is engaged in a first task in the first work area LE1 of the first line L1 and a state in which the robot is engaged in a second task different from the first task in the second work area LE2 of the second line L2. In this case, when the tip of the robot arm 31 moves from the second working area LE2, etc. to the reference position LP1 of the first working area LE1, the safety function of the robot arm 31 (e.g., the judgment criteria for the operation monitoring parameters) is switched to the first working function, and when the tip of the robot arm 31 moves from the first working area LE1, etc. to the reference position LP2 of the second working area LE2, the safety function of the robot arm 31 is switched to the second working function.

For example, in a configuration in which a robot installed at a predetermined position on a line performs multiple different tasks depending on the type of work supplied by a conveyor or the like, it is possible to distinguish the work scene and switch safety functions (safety-related parameters) for each work scene. The work scenes may also be subdivided as described above, and safety functions may be switched for each subdivided scene.

- In the picking operation in SCN3, the scene where the workpiece is removed from the processing machine 14 and the scene where the workpiece is moved to the adjacent processing machine may be configured as separate scenes, with the safety functions being switched between them. Furthermore, the safety functions may be configured to be switched between the first half of the workpiece removal scene (until the workpiece is grasped) and the second half (until the workpiece is moved to container B).

It is also possible to subdivide the work scene 1 into scenes where the distance from people is expected to be relatively close and scenes where the distance from people is expected to be relatively far, and to configure the safety function to be switched for each of these subdivided scenes.

- The specific timing for starting a scene change sequence is arbitrary. For example, when moving from a previous work scene to the next work scene, it may be the timing when the previous work scene is completed or when moving to the next work scene. It may also be the timing immediately before or immediately after moving from one work area to another.

-Whether or not to allow the robot arm 31 to continue operating during switching of the safety function is optional. It is also possible to configure the robot arm 31 to pause when switching to a stricter judgment criterion, while allowing the robot arm 31 to continue operating when switching to a looser judgment criterion.

- In each of the above embodiments, a CRC is added as diagnostic information to diagnose whether transmission and reception between the non-safety-related unit PY and the safety-related unit PX is performed normally. The setting of this CRC is arbitrary, and does not necessarily have to be based on the command ID and data of the request command.

- In the first embodiment described above, the request commands from each non-safety-related part PY (control device) are configured to share the same number (scene number = 1 to 9) specifying the work scenes SCN1 to SCN9, but this is not limited to the above. The scene number may be individual depending on which non-safety-related part PY the request command is from. For example, the scene numbers may be 1 to 9 for the request command when the control device is the teaching pendant 70, scene numbers may be 11 to 19 for the request command when the control device is the drive control unit 52 (pack script), and scene numbers may be 21 to 29 for the request command when the control device is the IO80.

- In the control device 51 shown in each of the above embodiments, each value of the safety-related parameter group is pre-stored in association with a scene number, and each value is identified from the scene number specified by the non-safety-related unit PY, but this is not limited to the above. The non-safety-related unit PY may also be configured to send each set value to the safety-related unit PX instead of the scene number.

- In each of the above embodiments, the scene is configured by a group of safety-related parameters, but this is not limited to the above. The safety function of the robot may be realized by a simple configuration that monitors the movement of the robot based on one judgment criterion (e.g., speed or force). However, even with such a configuration, it is preferable to configure the judgment criterion to be switched depending on the situation, for example, to switch the judgment criterion based on a judgment criterion switching command during automatic operation, and to switch to a judgment criterion for manual operation based on user operation during manual operation.

- In each of the above embodiments, the robot 16 is applied to a processing line in the factory 10, but the application of the robot 16 is not limited to the processing line. The robot 16 can also be applied to an assembly line, an inspection line, or a packaging line.

<Inventions extracted from the above embodiments>
The following describes the features of the inventions extracted from the above-mentioned embodiments, while indicating, as necessary, their effects, etc. In the following, for ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations in the above-mentioned embodiments are appropriately indicated in parentheses, but the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations indicated in parentheses.

<Feature A group> Scene name The following feature A group is as follows: "Some robot control systems applied to robots such as industrial robots have a safety-related unit that realizes the safety function of the robot and a non-safety-related unit that performs drive control of the robot. As for the safety-related unit, for example, a system that forcibly stops the robot when it collides with an obstacle such as a person (see Patent Document 1, for example), or a system that monitors the force (thrust) and speed of the robot while it is moving and forcibly stops the robot when the movement deviates from a safety standard has been proposed. In recent years, with the advancement of robot technology, the types of work that a single robot can be engaged in are also on the rise. When a single robot is engaged in various works, if the safety function is uniform, it may be difficult to simultaneously improve the safety of the robot and improve the productivity (work efficiency) of the robot. In view of such circumstances, the inventor of the present application has devised a configuration for switching the safety function of the robot depending on the work content, etc. Here, in order to prevent the safety function from being impaired due to a communication error or the like when changing the function, it is preferable that the input for changing the safety function is an input from a safety-related input unit (so-called safety input). However, when the safety input is a mandatory requirement, In this case, the constraints on the change will be stronger, which is expected to hinder the improvement of operability of the safety function change. On the other hand, if the requirement is simply avoided, it is expected that the operability will be improved, but there is a concern that the trust in the safety function of the robot will be shaken. Thus, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the change of the safety function in order to improve the safety and work efficiency of the robot. In addition, in order to improve safety and productivity, it is effective to provide various safety-related parameters that affect the safety function and enable detailed consideration of the work content, etc. If a setting support system is provided to support the user in setting a safety-related parameter group (scene), and the safety-related parameter group set by the setting support system is configured to be transmitted to the robot control device, it can contribute to reducing the user's workload. However, if the number of configurable items increases, the number of items that the user must check when transmitting the safety-related parameter group to the robot control device will increase, and it will be practically difficult to check all the items each time. As a result, for example, when a user selects the wrong safety-related parameter group to be transmitted, the user is more likely to make a work mistake and transmits it without noticing. If an incorrect set of safety-related parameters were stored and referenced in the robot control device as is, there is a concern that the robot's safety functions would not be properly performed. Thus, in order to improve the safety and operability of the robot while suppressing setting errors related to the safety functions, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the setting of the safety functions. This was made in consideration of the background and issues.

Feature A1. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a setting support system that supports a user in setting each of the scenes, and that can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) when a command for switching the scene to be referenced is reached, and supports a user in setting each of the scenes,
A storage means (a storage function of the PC 60) for storing the safety-related parameters input by the user for each scene;
a transmission means (a communication function of the PC 60) for transmitting the scene stored in the storage means to the robot control device based on a transmission operation by a user,
The user can set a scene name for each scene,
A setting assistance system including a notification means (for example, a function of displaying the scene name on a display 61) for notifying the user of the scene name set by the user for the scene during setting assistance.

As shown in this feature, if a scene (a group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic driving), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly performs safety functions according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be inappropriately switched due to disturbances in the robot's behavior or noise, resulting in a mismatch between the pre-expected scene and the actual scene. This is a concern that this will hinder the proper performance of the safety function. In this regard, in this feature, when a switching instruction is reached in the control program, the scene is switched if a predetermined switching condition is met. In other words, the configuration is such that the requirements for whether or not to switch the scene can be confirmed. This is preferable in terms of suppressing scene switching that is not in line with the user's intention and suppressing the occurrence of the above-mentioned mismatch.

Here, if the number of safety-related parameter items that can be set according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content increases, the safety functions can be finely adjusted (changed) according to the situation. This is advantageous in achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity by the robot. However, if the number of configurable items increases, the number of items that the user must check when sending a safety-related parameter group (scene) from the setting support system to the robot control device increases, and it becomes practically difficult to check all of the items each time. As a result, the user is more likely to make a work error, such as selecting the wrong safety-related parameter group to send and sending it without realizing it. If the wrong safety-related parameter group is stored in the robot control device as is, there is a concern that the safety functions of the robot will not be properly performed by applying the parameter group. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this characteristic, the name of the scene (scene name) can be set for each scene, and the scene name is notified for the scene during the setting support. By using such a function, a configuration can be realized in which the safety-related parameter group can be easily understood without checking each safety-related parameter. For example, the user can determine whether his or her work is appropriate by checking the scene name without checking each safety-related parameter when sending. In other words, being able to set scene names for safety-related parameter groups is effective in preventing the above-mentioned work errors. For the above reasons, by switching between scenes consisting of safety-related parameter groups, it is possible to improve both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot, while preventing an increase in work errors caused by them.

The description "The setting support system can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command) when a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during the drive control of the robot based on the control program, and supports the user in setting each of the scenes" may be changed to "The setting support system can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command) when a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during the drive control of the robot based on the control program, and supports the user in setting each of the safety-related parameters for each of the scenes"

Incidentally, for example, if a diagnosis of a command related to a switching instruction indicates that the command is normal and it is confirmed that the robot is positioned in the correct position, then the "predetermined switching condition" should be set to "met."

Also, "the robot (robot 16) is provided with a drive control section (drive control section 52) that drives and controls the robot in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting the control program for the robot, and a safety-related section (safety-related section PX) that has a motion judgment section (logic section X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) containing correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal in accordance with the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups that contain the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the motion judgment section judges the motion of the robot based on the safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) containing correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control, and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information that is stored in advance. The description "the robot 16 is configured to perform the judgment by referring to one of the scenes from the scene" can be changed to "the robot 16 is provided with a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data (signals from the rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot in motion (robot 16) and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) is provided that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) having safety-related parameters used as the judgment criterion can be stored, and the motion judgment unit is configured to perform the judgment by using the safety-related parameters of a scene set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes." Note that similar replacements may be made for other feature groups as well.

Feature A2. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a setting support system that can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referred to based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot when a command for switching the scene to be referred to is reached, and supports a user in setting each of the safety-related parameters for each of the scenes,
A storage means (a storage function of the PC 60) for storing the safety-related parameters input by the user for each scene;
a transmission means (a communication function of the PC 60) for transmitting the scene stored in the storage means to the robot control device based on a transmission operation by a user,
The user can set a scene name for each scene,
A setting assistance system comprising a notification means (a function of displaying the scene name on a display 61) for notifying the user of the scene name set by the user for the scene during setting assistance.

As shown in this feature, if a scene (group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic driving), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly performs safety functions according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be inappropriately switched due to disturbances in the robot's behavior or noise, resulting in a mismatch between the pre-expected scene and the actual scene. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper performance of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this actual situation, in this feature, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the scene, the above concerns can be eliminated and the scene can be switched properly.

Here, if the number of safety-related parameter items that can be set according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content increases, the safety functions can be finely adjusted (changed) according to the situation. This is advantageous in achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity by the robot. However, if the number of configurable items increases, the number of items that the user must check when sending a safety-related parameter group (scene) from the setting support system to the robot control device increases, and it becomes practically difficult to check all of the items each time. As a result, the user is more likely to make a work error, such as selecting the wrong safety-related parameter group to send and sending it without realizing it. If the wrong safety-related parameter group is stored in the robot control device as is, there is a concern that the safety functions of the robot will not be properly performed by applying the parameter group. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this characteristic, the name of the scene (scene name) can be set for each scene, and the scene name is notified for the scene during the setting support. By using such a function, a configuration can be realized in which the safety-related parameter group can be easily understood without checking each safety-related parameter. For example, the user can determine whether his or her work is appropriate by checking the scene name without checking each safety-related parameter when sending. In other words, being able to set scene names for safety-related parameter groups is effective in preventing the above-mentioned work errors. For the above reasons, by switching between scenes consisting of safety-related parameter groups, it is possible to improve both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot, while preventing an increase in work errors caused by them.

Feature A3. The setting support system according to Feature A1 or Feature A2, in which the scene name is a name that can be set by the user (e.g., an arbitrary name) separate from identification information (e.g., a scene number) that is assigned by the setting support system to identify the scene by the setting support system.

In the setting support system, scenes can be appropriately managed by using identification information for scene identification. However, it is unclear whether a user can appropriately identify a scene (a group of safety-related parameters) by looking at this identification information. For example, if the identification information is simply a number or a string of numbers, it is difficult to intuitively understand the relevant scene and the robot to which the scene is applied from the identification information. In this regard, if the user can set a scene name separately from the identification information for the system, the user can easily intuitively understand the relevant scene, etc. from the name. Therefore, it is easy to understand what the scene is like without checking each item of the safety-related parameters that make up the scene. This is preferable in terms of reducing the effort of checking individual safety-related parameters when sending a scene to a robot control device, as shown in feature A1, etc.

Feature A4. A setting support system according to any one of Features A1 to A3, which displays on a display unit (display 61) each of the safety-related parameters constituting the scene for which setting support is being performed and the scene name of the scene.

As shown in this feature, if the scene name set by the user is displayed on the display unit together with the scene (safety-related parameter group) to which the scene name corresponds, the user can easily check the relationship between the safety-related parameter group and the scene name. This is preferable in reducing operational errors as shown in feature A1, etc.

For example, it is advisable to configure the scene name set by the user to be displayed on the setting screen for each scene. With such a configuration, the user can check the scene name as appropriate when setting safety-related parameters for each scene, thereby reducing setting errors (operational errors) caused by confusion with other scenes (including scenes for other robot control devices).

Feature A5. A setting support system according to any one of Features A1 to A4, which notifies the user of the scene name of the scene at least before the sending operation is performed when the scene is sent to the robot control device based on the sending operation of the user.

As shown by this feature, when a scene is sent to a robot control device, the opportunity for erroneous sending or incorrect setting of the scene can be reduced by informing the user of the scene name at least before the sending operation is performed. For example, it is recommended to configure the sending screen for sending the scene to display the name of the safety-related parameter group.

Feature A6. A setting support system according to any one of Features A1 to A5, in which the scene name is not set and the scene cannot be transmitted to the robot control device.

By specifying that the setting of a scene name is a condition for sending a scene to the robot control device, the effects shown in feature A1 etc. can be effectively achieved.

Feature A7. A setting support system according to any one of Features A1 to A6, which, when transmitting the scene to the robot control device, notifies the robot control device of the scene name by transmitting the scene name of the scene together with the scene to the robot control device.

By notifying the robot control device of the scene name, the robot control device can also understand the scene name.

Feature A8. The setting support system according to Feature A7, which has a plurality of devices connected to the robot control device, and is configured so that the scene and scene name can be displayed by connecting a device other than the device that transmitted the scene to the robot control device to the robot control device.

By connecting a device (such as a teaching pendant) other than the device from which the scene and scene name were sent to the robot control device, the scene and scene name can be displayed on the other device, allowing the user to check after the fact on the other device whether a scene was sent in error, etc.

Feature A9: A means for prompting a user to include, in the scene name to be set, unique information related to the robot control device to be a transmission destination,
The setting support system described in feature A7 or feature A8 is configured so that, when the scene is sent to the robot control device, the scene name is compared with the unique information related to the destination robot control device, and if the scene name contains the unique information, the scene can be set in the robot control device, whereas if the scene name does not contain the unique information, the scene cannot be set in the robot control device.

By including unique information that is unique to the destination robot control device in the scene name set by the user, matching using that unique information becomes possible. In this way, if the system is configured to be able to identify erroneous transmissions, human error can be significantly reduced.

Feature A10. A setting support system according to any one of Features A7 to A9, which is capable of changing each of the safety-related parameters for the scene that has already been set, and has a means for prompting the user to change the scene name of the scene when the change is made.

As shown by this feature, it is preferable to prompt the user to change the scene name if any of the safety-related parameters are changed, in order to prevent confusion between scenes before and after the change.

Feature A11. A setting support system according to any one of Features A7 to A10, in which if any of the safety-related parameters for a scene that has already been set is changed, the group of safety-related parameters cannot be sent to the robot control device until the scene name of the scene is changed.

When any of the safety-related parameters for a scene that has already been set is changed, the effect described in Feature A10 above can be effectively achieved by making it mandatory to change the scene name of that scene.

Feature A12. A setting support system according to any one of Features A1 to A11, which has a plurality of devices connected to the robot control device, and among the plurality of devices, the scene name can be set in a specific device in which the scene can be set, and the scene name cannot be set in other devices in which the scene cannot be set.

By allowing scene names to be set only on specific devices where scenes can be set, it is possible to prevent scene names from being inadvertently set or changed due to operational mistakes when operating other devices where scenes cannot be set. This is preferable in order to effectively utilize the confirmation support function of the scene name when checking the scene name after the fact, for example.

Feature A13. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a setting support system that supports a user in setting each of the scenes, and that can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) when a command for switching the scene to be referenced is reached, and supports a user in setting each of the scenes,
The setting support system is configured so that a user can set a scene name for each of the scenes.

As shown in this feature, if a scene (a group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic driving), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly performs safety functions according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be inappropriately switched due to disturbances in the robot's behavior or noise, resulting in a mismatch between the pre-expected scene and the actual scene. This is a concern that this will hinder the proper performance of the safety function. In this regard, in this feature, when a switching instruction is reached in the control program, the scene is switched if a predetermined switching condition is met. In other words, the configuration is such that the requirements for whether or not to switch the scene can be confirmed. This is preferable in terms of suppressing scene switching that is not in line with the user's intention and suppressing the occurrence of the above-mentioned mismatch.

Here, if the number of safety-related parameter items that can be set according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content increases, the safety functions can be finely adjusted (changed) according to the situation. This is advantageous in achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity by the robot. However, if the number of configurable items increases, the number of items that the user must check when sending a safety-related parameter group (scene) from the setting support system to the robot control device increases, and it becomes practically difficult to check all of the items each time. As a result, the user is more likely to make a work error, such as selecting the wrong safety-related parameter group to send and sending it without realizing it. If the wrong safety-related parameter group is stored in the robot control device as is, there is a concern that the safety functions of the robot will not be properly performed by applying the parameter group. In this regard, the configuration shown in this characteristic makes it possible to set the name of the scene for each scene. By using this name setting function, a configuration can be realized in which the safety-related parameter group can be easily understood without checking each safety-related parameter. For example, the user can determine whether his or her work is appropriate by checking the scene name without checking each safety-related parameter when sending. In other words, being able to set scene names for safety-related parameter groups is effective in preventing the above-mentioned work errors. For the above reasons, by switching between scenes consisting of safety-related parameter groups, it is possible to improve both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot, while preventing an increase in work errors caused by them.

The description of "a setting support system that can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command) when a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during the drive control of the robot based on the control program, and supports the user in setting each of the scenes" in this characteristic may be changed to "a setting support system that can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command) including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot, when a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during the drive control of the robot based on the control program, and supports the user in setting each of the safety-related parameters for each of the scenes."

Feature A14. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a setting assistance program that is installed in a computer that can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) when a command for switching the scene to be referenced is reached, and that causes the computer to assist a user in setting each of the scenes,
A setting support program for controlling the computer so that a user can set a scene name for each of the scenes in the computer.

This characteristic configuration makes it possible to improve both safety and productivity while suppressing the increase in work errors that result from them.

Feature A15. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a setting assistance program that is installed in a computer that can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) when a command for switching the scene to be referenced is reached, and that causes the computer to assist a user in setting each of the scenes,
The computer includes:
a storage process for storing each of the safety-related parameters input by a user for each of the scenes;
A transmission process is executed to transmit the stored scene to the robot control device based on a transmission operation by a user.
A user can set a scene name for each of the scenes on the computer;
A setting support program that causes the computer to execute a notification process for notifying the scene name of the scene during setting support.

This characteristic configuration makes it possible to improve both safety and productivity while suppressing the increase in work errors that result from them.

The technical ideas described in Features A2 to A12 can also be applied to this feature.

<Feature B group> Main item display The following feature B group is as follows: "Some robot control systems applied to robots such as industrial robots have a safety-related section that realizes the safety function of the robot and a non-safety-related section that performs drive control of the robot. As for the safety-related section, for example, a system has been proposed that forcibly stops the robot when it collides with an obstacle such as a person (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or that monitors the force (thrust) and speed of the robot while it is moving and forcibly stops the robot when the movement deviates from a safety standard. In recent years, with the advancement of robot technology, the types of work that a single robot can be engaged in are also on the rise. When a single robot is engaged in various works, if the safety function is uniform, it may be difficult to simultaneously improve the safety of the robot and improve the productivity (work efficiency) of the robot. In view of such circumstances, the inventor of the present application has devised a configuration for switching the safety function of the robot depending on the work content, etc. Here, in order to prevent the safety function from being impaired due to a communication error or the like when changing the safety function, it is preferable that the input for changing the safety function is an input from a safety-related input section (so-called safety input). However, if the safety input is not a required requirement, In this case, the constraints on the change will be stronger, which is expected to hinder the improvement of operability of the safety function change. On the other hand, if the requirement is simply avoided, it is expected that the operability will be improved, but there is a concern that the trust in the safety function of the robot will be shaken. Thus, in order to improve the safety and work efficiency of the robot, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the change of the safety function. In addition, in order to improve safety and productivity, it is effective to provide various safety-related parameters that affect the safety function and enable detailed consideration of the work content, etc. Here, if the configuration is such that the setting support device supports the user in setting the safety-related parameter group (scene), the user's work burden can be reduced. However, if the number of configurable items increases, it becomes difficult for the user to identify the items he needs. This is not preferable in terms of improving the efficiency of the setting work, and may also be a factor in setting errors of safety-related parameters. Thus, in order to realize the improvement of the safety and workability of the robot while suppressing setting errors related to the safety function, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the setting of the safety function. "This was made in consideration of the background and issues.

Feature B1. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit makes the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a setting support device (PC 60) for supporting a user in setting each of the safety-related parameters for each of the scenes, the setting support device being applied to a robot control system (control system CS) configured to switch the scene to be referred to based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) when a command for a scene "SCENE" is reached, the setting support device comprising:
A display unit (a display 61 of the PC 60);
a display control unit (control unit 62 of the PC 60) that causes the display unit to display a parameter setting screen (parameter display unit D2 of the scene parameter setting screen WD) corresponding to the scene specified by a user,
A setting support device having a first display mode (display of all items) for displaying the safety-related parameter group on the parameter setting screen, which displays both a first parameter group and a second parameter group that constitute the safety-related parameter group, and a second display mode (display of major items) for displaying the first parameter group of the first and second parameter groups.

As shown in this feature, by incorporating a scene (group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction into the control program of the robot and enabling scene switching during drive control (automatic driving), it is possible to contribute to realizing a configuration that allows safety functions to be properly exercised according to the situation. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be switched due to accidental factors such as noise, resulting in a mismatch between the actual situation and the scene. This is a concern as it may hinder the proper exercise of safety functions. In this regard, in this feature, when a switching instruction is reached in the control program, the scene is switched if a specified switching condition is met. This makes it possible to suppress scene switching that is not in line with the user's intention and to suppress the occurrence of the above-mentioned mismatch.

Here, if the number of items of safety-related parameters that the user can set for each scene increases, the safety functions can be changed in detail according to the work content, etc. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety and improved productivity. However, if the number of items that can be set increases, it becomes difficult for the user to identify the items that are necessary. This is not preferable in terms of improving the efficiency of the setting work, and may also be a cause of incorrect setting of safety-related parameters. In this regard, according to the configuration shown in this characteristic, as display modes of the safety-related parameter group on the parameter setting screen, there are provided a first display mode (display of all items) that displays both the first parameter group and the second parameter group that constitute the safety-related parameter group, and a second display mode (display of main items) that displays the first parameter group out of the first parameter group and the second parameter group. In the second display mode, the display target is limited to the first parameter group, so that the user can easily narrow down the required items. On the other hand, in the first display mode, both the first parameter group and the second parameter group are displayed (set), so that individual safety-related parameters can be set and checked. In this way, providing two display modes is preferable in terms of improving both safety and productivity while reducing user setting errors.

Note that the description of the "second display mode" in this feature may be changed from "of the first parameter group and the second parameter group, the first parameter group is displayed" to "the first parameter group is displayed, but the second parameter group is not displayed."

Incidentally, for example, if a diagnosis of a command related to a switching instruction indicates that the command is normal and it is confirmed that the robot is positioned in the correct position, then the "predetermined switching condition" should be set to "met."

Feature B2. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit makes the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a setting support device (PC 60) for supporting a user in setting each of the safety-related parameters for each of the scenes, the setting support device being applied to a robot control system (control system CS) configured to switch the scene to be referred to based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) when a command for a scene "SCENE" is reached, the setting support device comprising:
A display unit (a display 61 of the PC 60);
a display control unit (control unit 62 of the PC 60) that causes the display unit to display a parameter setting screen (parameter display unit D2 of the scene parameter setting screen WD) corresponding to the scene specified by a user,
A setting support device having a first display mode (display of all items) for displaying the safety-related parameter group on the parameter setting screen, which displays both a first parameter group and a second parameter group that constitute the safety-related parameter group, and a second display mode (display of major items) for displaying the first parameter group of the first and second parameter groups.

As shown in this feature, if a scene (a group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic operation), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly exercises the safety function according to the situation. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be switched due to accidental factors such as noise, which may cause a mismatch between the actual situation and the scene. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper exercise of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this reality, in this feature, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the scene, the above concerns can be eliminated and the scene can be switched properly.

Here, if the number of items of safety-related parameters that the user can set for each scene increases, the safety functions can be changed in detail according to the work content, etc. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety and improved productivity. However, if the number of items that can be set increases, it becomes difficult for the user to identify the items that are required. This can lead to incorrect settings. In this regard, according to the configuration shown in this characteristic, as display modes of the safety-related parameter group on the parameter setting screen, a first display mode (display of all items) that displays both the first parameter group and the second parameter group that constitute the safety-related parameter group, and a second display mode (display of main items) that displays the first parameter group out of the first parameter group and the second parameter group are provided. In the second display mode, the display target is limited to the first parameter group, so that the user can easily narrow down the required items. On the other hand, in the first display mode, both the first parameter group and the second parameter group are displayed (set target), so that individual safety-related parameters can be set and checked. In this way, providing two display modes is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety and improved productivity while suppressing user setting errors.

Feature B3. The setting support device according to feature B2, which switches the display mode of the safety-related parameter group on the parameter setting screen between the first display mode and the second display mode based on a switching operation by a user.

As shown in this feature, a configuration that allows the user to switch display modes at will is preferable in terms of improving user convenience.

Feature B4. The setting support device according to Feature B3, in which the second parameter group includes a plurality of safety-related parameters for performing detailed settings related to a specific safety-related parameter included in the first parameter group.

When it is desired to perform detailed settings for specific safety-related parameters displayed in the second display mode, the detailed settings can be performed by switching from the second display mode to the first display mode. Such detailed settings may or may not be required depending on various circumstances. In order to prevent highly important parameters from being overlooked, it is preferable to exclude such detailed setting parameters from the display in the second display mode and narrow down the display.

Feature B5. The setting support device according to any one of Features B2 to B4, in which the first parameter group and the second parameter group are classified such that the number of safety-related parameter items constituting the first parameter group is less than the number of safety-related parameter items constituting the second parameter group.

By narrowing down the items extracted for the second display mode as the safety-related parameter items constituting the first parameter group < the safety-related parameter items constituting the second parameter group, it is possible to make the two display modes coexist in a suitable manner according to the purpose.

Feature B6. The setting assistance device according to any one of features B2 to B5, in which, in the second display mode, the first parameter group is displayed in a state where it is classified into a plurality of groups.

As shown by this feature, in the second display mode, the first parameter group is displayed in a state where it is categorized into multiple groups, so that if the items to be displayed in the second display mode include an item desired by the user, the item can be easily found. In addition, encouraging the user to set the parameters together by category is also preferable in terms of preventing the user from setting parameters incorrectly.

Feature B7. A setting assistance device according to any one of features B2 to B6, in which the display mode when the parameter setting screen is launched based on a start operation by a user is the second display mode, and the display mode is switched to the first display mode based on a switching operation by the user.

When the user opens the parameter setting screen, the safety-related parameters are first displayed in the second display mode. This allows the user to be prompted to set items that are narrowed down to a certain extent. After that, the display mode can be switched to the first display mode, ensuring an opportunity to set other items that are not displayed when the parameter setting screen is launched.

Feature B8. A setting support device according to any one of features B2 to B7, which displays the safety-related parameter group of the specified scene in the second display mode when the user performs a scene designation operation while the parameter setting screen is displayed.

When a scene is specified by the user, the safety-related parameters corresponding to that scene are displayed in the second display mode. Even when setting safety-related parameters for multiple scenes, the safety-related parameters are displayed in the second display mode only for the specified scene, which can effectively prevent the user from becoming overwhelmed with information.

Feature B9. The scene includes a first scene and a second scene assuming a case where the robot is being controlled in accordance with the control program,
A setting support device according to any one of features B2 to B8, in which an item of the first group of parameters in the first scene matches an item of the first group of parameters in the second scene.

For the first and second scenes for automatic driving, the items displayed in the second display mode for those scenes are the same. With this configuration, when setting the first parameter group in the second display mode for one of the first and second scenes and then setting the first parameter group in the second display mode for the other of the first and second scenes, the setting work can be performed with the image at the time of previous setting intact. This is preferable in terms of reducing setting errors. Note that, particularly in combination with feature B7, if the second scene is specified after setting the first parameter group for the first scene, the first parameter group will be displayed, and the first parameter group can be set efficiently.

Feature B10. The scene is a main scene;
A setting support device described in any one of features 2 to B9, in which multiple sub-scenes can be set in the main scene, in which only certain safety-related parameters that are part of the group of safety-related parameters that constitute the main scene differ.

Depending on the main scene, only some of the safety-related parameters may differ. In such cases, if only those safety-related parameters can be adjusted using the sub-scene, the proliferation of main scenes can be reduced, and users can be prevented from confusing the main scenes.

Feature B11. In the first display mode, the specific safety-related parameters are displayed for all sub-scenes corresponding to the main scene designated by a user;
A setting support device as described in feature B10, in which in the second display mode, the specific safety-related parameters are displayed for one subscene specified by the user out of all subscenes corresponding to the main scene specified by the user.

In the second display mode, safety-related parameters are displayed for one subscene specified by the user, allowing the user to focus on that one subscene for setting and checking. Narrowing down the display items in this way is preferable in terms of preventing erroneous setting of safety-related parameters. In contrast, in the first display mode, safety-related parameters are displayed for all subscenes, making it possible to compare those subscenes for the specified main scene without switching subscenes. In this way, by differentiating the response to subscenes in the two display modes, a practically preferable configuration can be realized.

Feature B12. The setting support device according to feature B10 or feature B11, in which in the second display mode, safety-related parameters common to all sub-scenes corresponding to the main scene specified by the user are displayed separately from the predetermined safety-related parameters.

As shown in this feature, by displaying items that are set for each subscene separately from items that are common between subscenes, the items that are set for each subscene can be clearly suggested to the user. Also, displaying items that are common between subscenes separately is preferable in terms of preventing the settings of the common items from being changed by mistake when setting up subscenes.

Feature B13. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a setting assistance program that is installed in a computer that can be connected to a robot control device (control device 51) configured to switch the scene to be referenced based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot when a scene in the scene has been reached (a "SCENE" command), and causes the computer to assist a user in setting each of the safety-related parameters for each of the scenes;
A parameter setting screen (parameter display section D2 of scene parameter setting screen WD) corresponding to the scene designated by the user is displayed on a display section (display 61 of PC 60);
a first display mode (displaying all items) for displaying both a first parameter group and a second parameter group constituting the safety-related parameter group on the parameter setting screen, and a second display mode (displaying main items) for displaying the first parameter group of the first parameter group and the second parameter group;
A setting support program that switches the display mode between the first display mode and the second display mode based on a switching operation by a user.

This characteristic configuration can effectively reduce user setting errors while improving both safety and productivity.

Feature B14. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function are set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a display method for a group of safety-related parameters, the method being applied to a robot control system (control system CS) configured to switch the scene to be referred to based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) including a position condition that specifies a position of the robot when a command for a "SCENE" is reached, the method displaying the safety-related parameters constituting each scene when a user sets or checks the safety-related parameters,
A parameter setting screen (parameter display section D2 of scene parameter setting screen WD) corresponding to the scene designated by the user is displayed on a display section (display 61 of PC 60),
A method for displaying a safety-related parameter group, which switches the display of the safety-related parameter group on the parameter setting screen between a first display (display of all items) that displays both a first parameter group and a second parameter group that constitute the safety-related parameter group, and a second display (display of major items) that displays the first parameter group of the first and second parameter groups, based on a switching operation by a user.

This characteristic configuration can effectively reduce user setting errors while improving both safety and productivity.

The technical ideas shown in Features B3 to B12 may also be applied to Features B13 and B14.

<Feature C group> Scene change during simulation The following feature C group is as follows: "Some robot control systems applied to robots such as industrial robots have a safety-related unit that realizes the safety function of the robot and a non-safety-related unit that controls the drive of the robot. As for the safety-related unit, for example, a system that forcibly stops the robot when it collides with an obstacle such as a person (see Patent Document 1, for example), or a system that monitors the force (thrust) and speed of the robot while it is moving and forcibly stops the robot when the movement deviates from a safety standard has been proposed. In recent years, with the advancement of robot technology, the types of work that a single robot can engage in are also on the rise. When a single robot is engaged in various works, if the safety function is uniform, it may be difficult to simultaneously improve the safety of the robot and improve the productivity (work efficiency) of the robot. In view of such circumstances, the inventor of the present application has devised a configuration for switching the safety function of the robot depending on the work content, etc. Here, in order to prevent the safety function from being impaired due to a communication error or the like when changing, it is preferable that the input for changing the safety function is an input from a safety-related input unit (so-called safety input). However, if the safety input is a mandatory requirement, the constraints on the change will be stricter, It is assumed that this will be an obstacle to improving the operability of changing the safety function. On the other hand, if the requirement is simply avoided, it is expected that the operability will be improved, but there is a concern that the trust in the safety function of the robot will be shaken. Thus, in order to improve the safety and work efficiency of the robot, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the change of the safety function. In addition, in recent years, simulation technology that checks the operation using a model of a robot displayed in a virtual space has become widespread, and by making it possible to efficiently verify whether a created control program is functioning correctly, the creation period of the control program has been shortened. Here, when simulating a control program that includes a switching instruction for a safety function, a new concern arises that the switching instruction becomes an obstacle and the simulation cannot be used effectively. This is because the flow of creating a control program, etc., varies depending on the creator, and the simulation is not necessarily performed in a state where the switching instruction is properly performed. In other words, for a control program that includes a switching instruction for a safety function when checking the operation, the constraints on the use of the simulation may be strengthened, which may be a factor in reducing the work efficiency when creating the control program. Thus, in order to support the creation of a control program that takes into consideration both the safety and productivity of the robot, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the support. This was done in consideration of the background and issues.

Feature C1. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on a safety-related input signal (signal from the rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information stored in advance, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of candidates for the judgment criterion referred to by the motion judgment unit can be set, and the motion judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the judgment criteria, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the judgment criterion ("CHANGE a simulation device that is applied to a robot control system (control system CS) configured to switch the judgment criterion to be referred to and continue drive control of the robot when a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command normal) is satisfied when a command ("SCENE" command) is reached, and to interrupt drive control of the robot when the predetermined switching condition is not satisfied, and to execute a simulation by operating a model of the robot (e.g., a model RM) in a virtual area according to each of the operation instructions constituting the control program,
A simulation device configured to be able to continue the simulation when the switching instruction in the control program is reached during the simulation, not only when the specified switching condition is satisfied, but also when the specified switching condition is not satisfied.

As shown in this feature, by incorporating an instruction to switch the judgment criteria into the control program of the robot and configuring the judgment criteria to be switchable during drive control (automatic operation), it is possible to contribute to realizing a configuration that allows the safety function to be properly exercised according to the situation. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the judgment criteria are configured to be automatically switched, the judgment criteria may be switched due to accidental factors such as noise, resulting in a mismatch between the expected situation and the judgment criteria. This is a concern as it will hinder the proper exercise of the safety function. In this regard, in this feature, when a switching instruction is reached in the control program, the judgment criteria are switched on the condition that a specified switching condition is met. This makes it possible to suppress scene switching that is not in line with the user's intention and to suppress the occurrence of the above-mentioned mismatch.

In recent years, simulation technology that checks the operation of a robot model displayed in a virtual space has become widespread, and by making it possible to efficiently verify whether the created control program is functioning correctly, the time required to create the control program has been shortened. Here, when simulating a control program that includes an instruction to switch the judgment criteria, the specified switching condition is not satisfied, preventing the continuation of the simulation, making the above verification difficult. In other words, a new concern arises that simulation cannot be used effectively for control programs that take into account the switching of safety functions. This is because the flow of creating a control program, etc. varies depending on the creator, and the progress of creating the operation program is not necessarily linked to the progress of setting the judgment criteria and switching conditions (especially the position conditions). In other words, the requirement that a specified switching condition be satisfied when checking the operation strengthens the constraints on the use of simulation, which can be a factor in reducing the work efficiency when creating a control program. In particular, when considering that it is possible to switch judgment criteria in various ways by reducing the need to redo the setting of judgment criteria and switching conditions after the operation program has been compiled to a certain extent, the above concern becomes stronger. In this regard, with the configuration shown in this characteristic, the simulation can be continued not only when the specified switching condition is met, but also when the specified switching condition is not met. Since the robot does not actually operate in the simulation, continuing the simulation has no substantial impact on safety. Therefore, with the above configuration, it is possible to favorably support the creation of a control program that takes into consideration both the safety and productivity of the robot.

Note that "when the switching instruction in the control program is reached during the simulation, even if the specified switching condition is not met" includes not only cases where the specified switching condition is actually judged and the judgment result is not met, but also cases where the specified switching condition is not judged but would be unmet if it were judged. This also applies to Features C2 and C3 below.

Feature C2. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on a safety-related input signal (signal from the rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information stored in advance, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of candidates for the judgment criterion referred to by the motion judgment unit can be set, and the motion judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the judgment criteria, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the judgment criterion ("CHANGE a simulation device that is applied to a robot control system (control system CS) configured to switch the judgment criteria to be referred to and continue drive control of the robot when a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command normal) including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot is satisfied when a command ("SCENE" command) is reached, and to interrupt drive control of the robot when the predetermined switching condition is not satisfied, and to perform a simulation by operating a model of the robot (e.g., a model RM) in a virtual area in accordance with each of the operation instructions constituting the control program,
A simulation device configured to be able to continue the simulation when the switching instruction in the control program is reached during the simulation, not only when the specified switching condition is satisfied, but also when the specified switching condition is not satisfied.

As shown in this feature, by incorporating an instruction to switch the judgment criteria into the control program of the robot and by configuring the judgment criteria to be switchable during drive control (during automatic operation), it is possible to contribute to realizing a configuration that allows the safety function to be properly exercised according to the situation. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity by the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the judgment criteria are automatically switched, the judgment criteria may be switched due to accidental factors such as noise, which may cause a mismatch between the actual situation and the judgment criteria. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper exercise of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this reality, in this feature, the judgment criteria are switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the judgment criteria, the above concerns can be eliminated and the judgment criteria can be properly switched.

In recent years, simulation technology that checks the operation of a robot model displayed in a virtual space has become widespread, and by making it possible to efficiently verify whether the created control program is functioning correctly, the time required to create the control program has been shortened. Here, when simulating a control program that includes an instruction to switch the judgment criteria, the specified switching condition is not satisfied, preventing the continuation of the simulation, making the above verification difficult. In other words, a new concern arises that simulation cannot be used effectively for control programs that take into account the switching of safety functions. This is because the flow of creating a control program, etc. varies depending on the creator, and the progress of creating the operation program is not necessarily linked to the progress of setting the judgment criteria and switching conditions (especially the position conditions). In other words, the requirement that a specified switching condition be satisfied when checking the operation strengthens the constraints on the use of simulation and can be a factor that reduces the work efficiency when creating a control program. In particular, when switching judgment criteria in various ways, the above concern becomes stronger when considering that it is necessary to re-set the judgment criteria and switching conditions less after the operation program, including the robot's motion trajectory, etc., is somewhat completed. In this regard, with the configuration shown in this characteristic, the simulation can be continued not only when the specified switching condition is met, but also when the specified switching condition is not met. Since the robot does not actually operate in the simulation, continuing the simulation has no substantial impact on safety. Therefore, with the above configuration, it is possible to favorably support the creation of a control program that takes into consideration both the safety and productivity of the robot.

Feature C3. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function can be set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a simulation device that is applied to a robot control system (control system CS) configured to switch the scene to be referred to and continue drive control of the robot based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command normal) including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot when a command for a scene to be referred to is reached, and to interrupt drive control of the robot based on the establishment of the predetermined switching condition, and to execute a simulation by operating a model of the robot (e.g., a model RM) in a virtual area according to each of the operation instructions constituting the control program,
A simulation device configured to be able to continue the simulation when the switching instruction in the control program is reached during the simulation, not only when the specified switching condition is satisfied, but also when the specified switching condition is not satisfied.

As shown in this feature, if a scene (a group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic operation), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly exercises the safety function according to the situation. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be switched due to accidental factors such as noise, which may cause a mismatch between the actual situation and the scene. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper exercise of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this reality, in this feature, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the scene, the above concerns can be eliminated and the scene can be switched properly.

In recent years, simulation technology that checks the operation of a robot model displayed in a virtual space has become widespread, and by making it possible to efficiently verify whether a created control program is functioning correctly, the time required to create the control program has been shortened. Here, when simulating a control program that includes scene switching instructions, the verification becomes difficult because the specified switching conditions are not met and the continuation of the simulation is prevented. In other words, a new concern arises that simulation cannot be used effectively for control programs that take safety function switching into account. This is because the flow of creating a control program, etc. varies depending on the creator, and the progress of creating the operation program is not necessarily linked to the progress of setting the scene and switching conditions (especially the position conditions). In other words, the requirement that the specified switching conditions be met when checking the operation strengthens the constraints on the use of simulation and can be a factor that reduces the work efficiency when creating a control program. In particular, if there are many setting items related to the scene when switching between various scenes, the above concern becomes stronger when considering that it is possible to reduce the need to redo the scene settings after the operation program, including the robot's movement trajectory, is somewhat completed. In this regard, with the configuration shown in this characteristic, the simulation can be continued not only when the specified switching condition is met, but also when the specified switching condition is not met. Since the robot does not actually operate in the simulation, continuing the simulation does not affect safety. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to favorably support the creation of a control program that takes into consideration both the safety and productivity of the robot.

Feature C4. The simulation device according to Feature C3, in which the simulation can continue by switching the scene according to the switching instruction not only when the specified switching condition is satisfied, but also when the specified switching condition is not satisfied.

In a simulation, the model operates in a virtual space, so forcing a scene change when a specified switching condition is not met does not have an actual impact on safety. Furthermore, by forcing a scene change, the user can also check the relationship between the robot's movement and the scene in the simulation, which further supports the creation of a control program that takes into account both the safety and productivity of the robot.

Feature C5. The simulation device according to Feature C3 or Feature C4, in which, in the simulation, if the determination result of the predetermined switching condition is that the predetermined switching condition is not satisfied, the determination result is invalidated and the simulation is continued.

As shown by this feature, by configuring the system to make judgments regarding specific switching conditions during the simulation, it is possible to match the actual drive control with the drive control in the simulation. In such a configuration, by invalidating the judgment result and continuing the simulation, even if the specific switching condition is not met, it is possible to prevent this from interfering with the simulation.

Feature C6. The simulation device according to Feature C3 or Feature C4, in which the simulation is continued by skipping the determination of the predetermined switching condition in the control program.

As shown in this feature, if the determination of a specified switching condition is skipped during simulation, the technical idea shown in feature C3 etc. can be easily realized, and operation checks can be smoothly performed through simulation.

Feature C7. A simulation device according to any one of Features C3 to C6, which, when the simulation progresses and the switching instruction in the control program is reached, temporarily stops the progress of the simulation, notifies the user that the switching instruction has been reached, and resumes the simulation when the user performs an operation to resume the simulation.

According to the simulation device having this characteristic, the user is notified that a switching command has been reached. This reduces the chances that the user will miss a scene switch. In addition, a configuration in which the simulation is temporarily stopped and awaits the user's operation to resume is preferable in terms of ensuring an opportunity to pay attention to the display of safety-related parameters, etc., compared to a configuration in which the simulation is not temporarily stopped.

Feature C8. The simulation device according to Feature C7, in which, when the scene is switched based on the switching instruction during the simulation, the scene to be newly applied by the switching is notified in advance of the restart operation.

By notifying the user of the changed scene before the resume operation, it is possible to preferably secure time for the user to confirm the changed scene. For example, the advance notification may be started when a switch command is reached, and the advance notification may be continued until the resume operation is performed.

Feature C9. The simulation device according to any one of Features C3 to C8, which has a parameter display unit that displays the safety-related parameters constituting the scene in the simulation, and when the scene is switched based on the switching instruction, the parameter display unit performs a specific display that differentiates the display mode of the safety-related parameters that are changed from the display mode of the safety-related parameters that are not changed.

This characteristic configuration can assist in checking whether the scene is switching as expected by the user. When checking the model movement and scene switching, the number of items to check increases, which can lead to overlooking something and having to redo the simulation, reducing the efficiency of verification. In this regard, by performing a specific display that differentiates the display mode of safety-related parameters that are subject to change from the display mode of safety-related parameters that are not subject to change, as described above, the opportunities for redoing the above can be reduced.

Feature C10: The safety-related unit of the robot system is configured to notify an error when the switching instruction in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot and the predetermined switching condition is not satisfied;
A simulation device according to any one of features C3 to C9, which, if the switching instruction in the control program is reached during the simulation and the specified switching condition is not met, issues an error notification in the same manner as the error notification.

If a specified switching condition is not met during the simulation, an error notification is issued in the same manner as when a specified switching condition is not met in an actual robot. With this configuration, it is possible to perform a more realistic simulation, including failures to switch scenes.

Feature C11: The robot control system is configured to determine that the predetermined switching condition is satisfied when the position condition and a stop condition indicating that the robot is stopped are satisfied, and to determine that the predetermined switching condition is not satisfied when at least one of the position condition and the stop condition is not satisfied;
A simulation device according to any one of features C3 to C10, in which, in the simulation, if the position condition and the stop condition are satisfied, it is determined that the specified switching condition is satisfied, and if at least one of the position condition and the stop condition is not satisfied, it is determined that the specified switching condition is not satisfied.

As shown in this feature, in a configuration in which the specified switching conditions include a position condition and a stop condition, the hurdle for achieving the specified switching condition during simulation increases. In other words, while this can contribute to improving reliability in an actual robot, it can also be an obstacle to promoting the use of simulation. If the technical ideas shown in feature C3 etc. are applied to such a configuration, it can contribute to promoting the use of simulation while improving reliability.

The technical ideas shown in Features C4 to C11 can also be applied to Features C1 or C2.

Feature C12. A safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) having a drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on a safety-related input signal (signal from the rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information stored in advance, and that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, a plurality of candidates for the judgment criterion referred to by the motion judgment unit can be set, and the motion judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the judgment criteria, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the judgment criterion ("CHANGE a simulation program that is installed in a computer that can be connected to a robot control system (control system CS) configured to switch the judgment criterion to be referred to and continue drive control of the robot when a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command normal) is satisfied when a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a command "SCENE") is satisfied, and to interrupt drive control of the robot when the predetermined switching condition is not satisfied, and to cause the computer to execute a simulation by operating a model of the robot in a virtual area according to the operation instructions of the control program,
A simulation program that allows the simulation to continue when the switching instruction in the control program is reached during the simulation, not only when the specified switching condition is satisfied, but also when the specified switching condition is not satisfied.

This characteristic configuration can effectively support the creation of control programs that consider both the safety and productivity of the robot.

Feature C13. A drive control unit (drive control unit 52) that drives and controls the robot (robot 16) in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that has a safety-related input signal (signal from rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during drive control and a pre-stored judgment criterion (reference value or reference area) for the correlation information, and realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function can be set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and during drive control of the robot based on the control program, a switching instruction for the scene ("CHANGE a simulation program that is installed in a computer that can be connected to a robot control system (control system CS) configured to switch the scene to be referenced and continue drive control of the robot based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command normal) including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot when a command for switching the scene to be referenced is reached, and to interrupt drive control of the robot when the predetermined switching condition is not established, and to cause the computer to execute a simulation by operating a model of the robot in a virtual area according to the operation instructions of the control program,
A simulation program that allows the simulation to continue when the switching instruction in the control program is reached during the simulation, not only when the specified switching condition is satisfied, but also when the specified switching condition is not satisfied.

This characteristic configuration can effectively support the creation of control programs that consider both the safety and productivity of the robot.

The technical ideas shown in features C4 to C11 can also be applied to features C12 or C13.

<Feature D group> Scenes for manual operation The following feature D group includes a robot control system applied to a robot such as an industrial robot, which has a safety-related unit that realizes the safety function of the robot and a non-safety-related unit that performs drive control of the robot. As for the safety-related unit, for example, a system that forcibly stops the robot when it collides with an obstacle such as a person (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or a system that monitors the force (thrust) and speed of the robot while it is moving and forcibly stops the robot when the movement deviates from a safety standard has been proposed. In recent years, with the advancement of robot technology, the types of work that a single robot can be engaged in are also on the rise. When a single robot is engaged in various works, if the safety function is uniform, it may be difficult to simultaneously improve the safety of the robot and improve the productivity (work efficiency) of the robot. In view of such circumstances, the inventor of the present application has devised a configuration for switching the safety function of the robot depending on the work content, etc. Here, in order to prevent the safety function from being impaired due to a communication error or the like when changing the safety function, it is preferable that the input for changing the safety function is an input from a safety-related input unit (so-called safety input). However, when the safety input If the above requirement is made a mandatory requirement, the constraints on the change will be strong, which is expected to hinder the improvement of the operability of the safety function change. On the other hand, if the requirement is simply avoided, it is expected that the operability will be improved, but there is a concern that the trust in the safety function of the robot will be shaken. Thus, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the change of the safety function in order to improve the safety and work efficiency of the robot. In addition, in recent years, the time required for creating a control program has been shortened by using a method in which a user manually operates a robot to teach (teaches) the robot how to move (so-called teaching). In addition, if an abnormal operation occurs during automatic operation, a safety function may be activated to stop the robot, and the user may manually operate the robot to recover from that. It is preferable to provide an automatic operation mode for automatic operation and a manual operation mode for manual operation as the control mode of the robot, and to take into consideration the manual operation as described above, in order to improve the safety and workability when performing the manual operation. However, the expected situations are significantly different between the automatic operation mode and the manual operation mode, and the appropriate safety function may be different. In other words, if a safety function designed for the automatic operation mode is applied to the manual operation mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity during automatic operation, and to improve safety and operability during manual operation. As such, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the safety function in order to improve the safety of the robot, contribute to improving the productivity of the robot during automatic operation, and contribute to improving the operability of the user during manual operation.

Feature D1. A robot control system (control system CS) having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot (robot 16) based on safety-related input signals (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including parameters correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during operation and pre-stored judgment criteria (reference values or reference ranges) for the parameters, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result,
The control modes of the robot include an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation instruction (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a manual operation mode that is applied when the robot is manually operated by a user,
a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) which are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function can be set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to any one of the scenes;
As the scenes, a plurality of automatic driving scenes (e.g., main scene 1 to main scene 9) that are referenced when the automatic driving mode is set are provided,
During the autonomous driving mode, when an instruction to switch the autonomous driving scene included in the control program (a "CHANGE SCENE" command) is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene to be referred to is switched to the autonomous driving scene designated by the switching instruction among the plurality of autonomous driving scenes based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success),
The robot control system includes manual operation scenes (e.g., manual operation scene R and manual operation scenes 1 to 3) that are referenced when the robot is in the manual operation mode.

As shown in this feature, if a scene (a group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic driving), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly performs safety functions according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be inappropriately switched due to disturbances in the robot's behavior or noise, resulting in a mismatch between the pre-expected scene and the actual scene. This is a concern that this will hinder the proper performance of the safety function. In this regard, in this feature, when a switching instruction is reached in the control program, the scene is switched if a predetermined switching condition is met. In other words, the configuration is such that the requirements for whether or not to switch the scene can be confirmed. This is preferable in terms of suppressing scene switching that is not in line with the user's intention and suppressing the occurrence of the above-mentioned mismatch.

In recent years, the time required to create a control program has been shortened by using a method in which a user manually operates a robot to teach the robot how to move (so-called teaching). Also, if an abnormal operation occurs during automatic operation, a safety function may be activated to stop the robot, and the user may manually operate the robot to recover from that. As shown in this feature, providing an automatic operation mode for automatic operation and a manual operation mode for manual operation as the control modes of the robot and taking into consideration the manual operation as described above is preferable in terms of improving safety and operability when performing the manual operation.

However, the expected situations differ greatly between the automatic driving mode and the manual operation mode, and various safety-related parameters may differ in order to properly exercise the safety functions. In other words, if the same scene is referenced in both the automatic driving mode and the manual operation mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity during automatic driving while also improving safety and workability during manual operation. In this regard, the configuration shown in this characteristic provides a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated automatically, and a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated manually. This allows the safety functions to be properly exercised both during automatic driving and manual operation.

For these reasons, it is possible to improve the safety of the robot while also contributing to improved productivity by the robot during autonomous operation and improved workability for the user during manual operation.

Feature D2: A robot control system (control system CS) having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot (robot 16) based on safety-related input signals (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including parameters correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during operation and pre-stored judgment criteria (reference values or reference ranges) for the parameters, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result,
The control modes of the robot include an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation instruction (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a manual operation mode that is applied when the robot is manually operated by a user,
A plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) which are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function can be set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to any one of the scenes,
As the scenes, a plurality of automatic driving scenes (e.g., main scene 1 to main scene 9) that are referenced when the automatic driving mode is set are provided,
During the autonomous driving mode, when an instruction to switch the scene for autonomous driving included in the control program (a "CHANGE SCENE" command) is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene to be referred to is switched to the autonomous driving scene designated by the switching instruction among the plurality of scenes for autonomous driving based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command),
The robot control system includes manual operation scenes (e.g., manual operation scene R and manual operation scenes 1 to 3) that are referenced when the robot is in the manual operation mode.

As shown in this feature, if a scene (group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic driving), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly performs safety functions according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be inappropriately switched due to disturbances in the robot's behavior or noise, resulting in a mismatch between the pre-expected scene and the actual scene. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper performance of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this actual situation, in this feature, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the scene, the above concerns can be eliminated and the scene can be switched properly.

In recent years, the time required to create a control program has been shortened by using a method in which a user manually operates a robot to teach the robot how to move (so-called teaching). Also, if an abnormal operation occurs during automatic operation, a safety function may be activated to stop the robot, and the user may manually operate the robot to recover from that. As shown in this feature, providing an automatic operation mode for automatic operation and a manual operation mode for manual operation as the control modes of the robot and taking into consideration the manual operation as described above is preferable in terms of improving safety and operability when performing the manual operation.

However, the expected situations differ greatly between the automatic driving mode and the manual operation mode, and various safety-related parameters may differ in order to properly exercise the safety functions. In other words, if the same scene is referenced in both the automatic driving mode and the manual operation mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity during automatic driving while also improving safety and workability during manual operation. In this regard, the configuration shown in this characteristic provides a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated automatically, and a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated manually. This allows the safety functions to be properly exercised both during automatic driving and manual operation.

For these reasons, it is possible to improve the safety of the robot while also contributing to improved productivity by the robot during autonomous operation and improved workability for the user during manual operation.

Feature D3: A robot control system (control system CS) having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot (robot 16) based on safety-related input signals (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including parameters correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during operation and pre-stored judgment criteria (reference values or reference ranges) for the parameters, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result,
The control modes of the robot include an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation instruction (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a manual operation mode that is applied when the robot is manually operated by a user,
A plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) which are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function can be set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to any one of the scenes,
The plurality of scenes include automatic driving scenes (e.g., main scene 1 to main scene 9) that are referenced when the automatic driving mode is selected, and manual operation scenes (e.g., manual operation scene R and manual operation scenes 1 to 3) that are referenced when the manual operation mode is selected.
At least multiple scenes for the autonomous driving can be set,
During the autonomous driving mode, when an instruction to switch the scene for autonomous driving included in the control program (a "CHANGE SCENE" command) is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene to be referred to is switched to the autonomous driving scene designated by the switching instruction among the plurality of scenes for autonomous driving based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command),
A robot control system that switches the scene to be referenced to the manual operation scene based on a specified operation by a user when the robot enters the manual operation mode or is in the manual operation mode.

As shown in this feature, if a scene (group of safety-related parameters) switching instruction is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic driving), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly performs safety functions according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the scene is automatically switched, the scene may be inappropriately switched due to disturbances in the robot's behavior or noise, resulting in a mismatch between the pre-expected scene and the actual scene. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper performance of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this actual situation, in this feature, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the scene, the above concerns can be eliminated and the scene can be switched properly.

In recent years, the time required to create a control program has been shortened by using a method in which a user manually operates a robot to teach the robot how to move (so-called teaching). Also, if an abnormal operation occurs during automatic operation, a safety function may be activated to stop the robot, and the user may manually operate the robot to recover from that. As shown in this feature, providing an automatic operation mode for automatic operation and a manual operation mode for manual operation as the control modes of the robot and taking into consideration the manual operation as described above is preferable in terms of improving safety and operability when performing the manual operation.

However, the expected situations differ greatly between the automatic driving mode and the manual operation mode, and various safety-related parameters may differ in order to properly exercise the safety functions. In other words, if the same scene is referenced in both the automatic driving mode and the manual operation mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity during automatic driving while also improving safety and workability during manual operation. In this regard, the configuration shown in this characteristic provides a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated automatically, and a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated manually. This allows the safety functions to be properly exercised both during automatic driving and manual operation.

In addition, while during autonomous driving, the scene changes automatically in response to switching instructions from the control program as described above, the scene for manual operation changes in response to user operation. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the scene from suddenly switching at a time not intended by the user. This is preferable for further improving safety.

For these reasons, it is possible to improve the safety of the robot while also contributing to improved productivity by the robot during autonomous operation and improved workability for the user during manual operation.

Feature D4. A plurality of scenes for manual operation can be set,
A robot control system described in feature D2 or feature D3, which switches the scene to be referenced to a manual operation scene specified by a user from among a plurality of manual operation scenes based on the specified operation being performed during the manual operation mode, which is an operation of specifying the manual operation scene.

As exemplified in feature D1, the manner of manual operation differs depending on the work content, such as teaching and recovery. Therefore, by providing multiple manual operation scenes and allowing the user to select one of these manual operation scenes during manual operation mode, the safety function can be properly exercised according to the work content, etc.

Feature D5. A robot control system according to any one of Features D2 to D4, in which when the control mode is the automatic driving mode, the scene to be referenced cannot be switched to the scene for manual operation, and when the control mode is the manual operation mode, the scene to be referenced is allowed to be switched to the scene for manual operation.

The prerequisite conditions for the automatic driving mode and the manual operation mode are significantly different, and there can be a large difference in the monitoring levels for force, speed, position, etc. Therefore, in order to achieve the effects of improving safety and operability as shown in feature D1, etc., it is preferable to configure the automatic driving mode so that switching to a manual operation scene is not possible, and switching to a manual operation scene is permitted by switching to the manual operation mode.

Feature D6. A plurality of scenes for manual operation can be set,
A robot control system described in feature D2 or feature D3, which switches the scene to be referenced to a specified manual operation scene among the multiple manual operation scenes based on the specified operation, which is an operation for switching from the automatic driving mode to the manual operation mode.

As shown in this feature, by configuring the scene to be referenced to switch to a specified manual operation scene (e.g., the default for manual operation) by switching from the autonomous driving mode to the manual operation mode, it is possible to reduce the opportunities for manual operation to be performed while the scene is still autonomous driving. Since the situations assumed in the autonomous driving mode and the manual operation mode are significantly different and there can be a large difference in the monitoring levels of force, speed, position, etc., there is a clear technical significance in automatically switching the scene to a manual operation scene by switching to the manual operation mode.

Feature D7. The safety-related parameters include a parameter for position monitoring that monitors the motion position of the robot, and the safety-related unit is configured to stop the robot by the safety-related output signal when the motion position of the robot deviates from a reference area;
A robot control system according to feature D2 or feature D3, in which when the robot is stopped by the safety-related part, the scene to be referenced can be switched to the manual operation scene regardless of the position of the robot.

If the robot stops by moving to a position outside the reference area specified by the user, work is performed to return the robot to within the reference area. In this characteristic configuration, the position of the robot does not matter when switching to a manual operation scene, so there is no inconvenience in that switching to a manual operation scene becomes difficult depending on the robot's position. This is preferable for smooth recovery operations to resume the robot's operation.

Feature D8. The manual operation scene includes a recovery scene corresponding to a recovery operation of the robot;
A robot control system according to feature D2 or feature D3, in which switching to the recovery scene is possible when a switching operation from the automatic driving mode to the manual operation mode is performed while the robot is stopped based on the judgment result of the operation judgment unit.

If the robot becomes unable to operate normally due to being caught on factory equipment, workpieces, etc., the robot can be protected by stopping the robot via the safety-related parts. In such cases, increasing or eliminating the upper limit on the robot's driving force during recovery can help to eliminate the stuck state. However, if a scene designed for recovery (recovery scene) is used in a situation other than recovery, the driving force of the robot may become excessive. In this regard, as shown in this feature, if the configuration allows switching to the recovery scene when a switch operation from automatic operation mode to manual operation mode is performed while the robot is stopped, inadvertent switching to the recovery scene can be suppressed.

Feature D9. A robot control system according to any one of Features D2 to D8, in which the manual operation scene includes a direct teaching scene corresponding to direct teaching and a recovery scene corresponding to a recovery operation of the robot.

In work situations where the robot is manually operated, direct teaching and recovery, for example, are expected. Since appropriate safety functions may differ for these work situations, a practically preferable configuration can be realized by providing a scene for direct teaching and a scene for recovery.

Feature D10. A robot control system (control system CS) having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot (robot 16) based on safety-related input signals (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including parameters correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during operation and pre-stored judgment criteria (reference values or reference ranges) for the parameters, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result,
The control modes of the robot include an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation instruction (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a manual operation mode that is applied when the robot is manually operated by a user,
a plurality of candidates for the judgment criterion for the parameter referred to by the motion judgment unit can be set, and the motion judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to any one of the judgment criterion;
As the judgment criteria, a plurality of first type judgment criteria that are referenced when the autonomous driving mode is set are provided,
During the automatic operation mode, when an instruction to switch the first type judgment criterion included in the control program (a "CHANGE SCENE" command) is received during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the judgment criterion to be referred to is switched to the first type judgment criterion designated by the switching instruction among the plurality of first type judgment criteria based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command),
A robot control system, wherein the judgment criteria include a second type judgment criterion that is referenced when the robot is in the manual operation mode.

As shown in this feature, by incorporating an instruction to switch the judgment criteria into the control program of the robot and configuring the judgment criteria to be switchable during drive control (automatic operation), it is possible to contribute to realizing a configuration that allows the safety function to be properly exercised according to the situation. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the judgment criteria are automatically switched, the judgment criteria may be switched due to accidental factors such as noise, resulting in a mismatch between the expected situation and the judgment criteria. This is a concern as it will hinder the proper exercise of the safety function. In this regard, in this feature, when a switching instruction is reached in the control program, the judgment criteria are switched on the condition that a specified switching condition is met. This makes it possible to suppress scene switching that is not in line with the user's intention and to suppress the occurrence of the above-mentioned mismatch.

In recent years, the time required to create a control program has been shortened by using a method in which a user manually operates a robot to teach the robot how to move (so-called teaching). Also, if an abnormal operation occurs during automatic operation, a safety function may be activated to stop the robot, and the user may manually operate the robot to recover from that. As shown in this feature, providing an automatic operation mode for automatic operation and a manual operation mode for manual operation as the control modes of the robot and taking into consideration the manual operation as described above is preferable in terms of improving safety and operability when performing the manual operation.

However, the expected situations differ greatly between the automatic operation mode and the manual operation mode, and various safety-related parameters may differ in order to properly exercise the safety functions. In other words, if the same judgment criteria are referenced in the automatic operation mode and the manual operation mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity during automatic operation while also improving safety and workability during manual operation. In this regard, the configuration shown in this characteristic provides judgment criteria to be referenced when the robot is operated automatically, and judgment criteria to be referenced when the robot is operated manually. This allows the safety functions to be properly exercised both during automatic operation and manual operation.

For these reasons, it is possible to improve the safety of the robot while also contributing to improved productivity by the robot during autonomous operation and improved workability for the user during manual operation.

Feature D11. A robot control system (control system CS) having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot (robot 16) based on safety-related input signals (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including parameters correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during operation and pre-stored judgment criteria (reference values or reference ranges) for the parameters, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result,
The control modes of the robot include an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation instruction (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a manual operation mode that is applied when the robot is manually operated by a user,
a plurality of candidates for the judgment criterion for the parameter referred to by the motion judgment unit can be set, and the motion judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to any one of the judgment criterion;
As the judgment criteria, a plurality of first type judgment criteria that are referenced when the autonomous driving mode is set are provided,
During the automatic operation mode, when an instruction to switch the first type judgment criterion included in the control program (a "CHANGE SCENE" command) is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the judgment criterion to be referred to is switched to the first type judgment criterion designated by the switching instruction among the plurality of first type judgment criteria based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command),
A robot control system, wherein the judgment criteria include a second type judgment criterion that is referenced when the robot control system is in the manual operation mode.

As shown in this feature, by incorporating an instruction to switch the judgment criteria into the control program of the robot and by configuring the judgment criteria to be switchable during drive control (during automatic operation), it is possible to contribute to realizing a configuration that allows the safety function to be properly exercised according to the situation. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the judgment criteria are automatically switched, the judgment criteria may be switched due to accidental factors such as noise, resulting in a mismatch between the expected situation and the judgment criteria. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper exercise of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this reality, in this feature, the judgment criteria are switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the judgment criteria, the above concerns can be eliminated and the judgment criteria can be properly switched.

In recent years, the time required to create a control program has been shortened by using a method in which a user manually operates a robot to teach the robot how to move (so-called teaching). Also, if an abnormal operation occurs during automatic operation, a safety function may be activated to stop the robot, and the user may manually operate the robot to recover from that. As shown in this feature, providing an automatic operation mode for automatic operation and a manual operation mode for manual operation as the control modes of the robot and taking into consideration the manual operation as described above is preferable in terms of improving safety and operability when performing the manual operation.

However, the expected situations differ greatly between the automatic operation mode and the manual operation mode, and the judgment criteria for properly performing the safety functions may differ. In other words, if the same judgment criteria are referenced in both the automatic operation mode and the manual operation mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity during automatic operation while also improving safety and workability during manual operation. In this regard, the configuration shown in this characteristic provides judgment criteria that are referenced when the robot is operated automatically, and judgment criteria that are referenced when the robot is operated manually. This allows the safety functions to be properly performed both during automatic operation and manual operation.

For these reasons, it is possible to improve the safety of the robot while also contributing to improved productivity by the robot during autonomous operation and improved workability for the user during manual operation.

Feature D12. A robot control system (control system CS) having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot (robot 16) based on safety-related input signals (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including parameters correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during operation and pre-stored judgment criteria (reference values or reference ranges) for the parameters, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result,
The control modes of the robot include an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation instruction (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a manual operation mode that is applied when the robot is manually operated by a user,
A plurality of first type judgment criteria to be referenced when the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode and a plurality of second type judgment criteria to be referenced when the vehicle is in the manual operation mode are provided as candidates for judgment criteria for the parameters to be referenced by the operation judgment unit, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to any one of the judgment criteria;
During the automatic operation mode, when an instruction to switch the first type judgment criterion included in the control program (a "CHANGE SCENE" command) is received during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the judgment criterion to be referred to is switched to the first type judgment criterion specified by the switching instruction among the plurality of first type judgment criteria based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a normal command);
When the robot control system enters the manual operation mode or is in the manual operation mode, the robot control system switches the judgment criterion to be referenced to the second type judgment criterion specified by the user based on a specified operation by the user.

As shown in this feature, by incorporating an instruction to switch the judgment criteria into the control program of the robot and by configuring the judgment criteria to be switchable during drive control (during automatic operation), it is possible to contribute to realizing a configuration that allows the safety function to be properly exercised according to the situation. This is preferable in terms of achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity of the robot. However, as shown in this feature, if the judgment criteria are automatically switched, the judgment criteria may be switched due to accidental factors such as noise, resulting in a mismatch between the expected situation and the judgment criteria. There is a concern that this will hinder the proper exercise of the safety function. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements will basically follow the control program, so there will be a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this reality, in this feature, the judgment criteria are switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is met. In this way, by at least checking the position when switching the judgment criteria, the above concerns can be eliminated and the judgment criteria can be properly switched.

In recent years, the time required to create a control program has been shortened by using a method in which a user manually operates a robot to teach the robot how to move (so-called teaching). Also, if an abnormal operation occurs during automatic operation, a safety function may be activated to stop the robot, and the user may manually operate the robot to recover from that. As shown in this feature, providing an automatic operation mode for automatic operation and a manual operation mode for manual operation as the control modes of the robot and taking into consideration the manual operation as described above is preferable in terms of improving safety and operability when performing the manual operation.

However, the expected situations differ greatly between the automatic operation mode and the manual operation mode, and the judgment criteria for properly performing the safety functions may differ. In other words, if the same judgment criteria are referenced in both the automatic operation mode and the manual operation mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity during automatic operation while also improving safety and workability during manual operation. In this regard, the configuration shown in this characteristic provides judgment criteria that are referenced when the robot is operated automatically, and judgment criteria that are referenced when the robot is operated manually. This allows the safety functions to be properly performed both during automatic operation and manual operation.

In addition, while the judgment criteria change automatically in response to a control program switching command during automatic operation as described above, the judgment criteria for manual operation change in response to a user operation. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the judgment criteria from suddenly switching at a time not intended by the user. This is preferable for further improving safety.

For these reasons, it is possible to improve the safety of the robot while also contributing to improved productivity by the robot during autonomous operation and improved workability for the user during manual operation.

Feature D13: A robot control system (control system CS) having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot (robot 16) based on safety-related input signals (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including parameters correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during operation and pre-stored judgment criteria (reference values or reference ranges) for the parameters, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result,
The control modes of the robot include an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation instruction (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot, and a manual operation mode that is applied when the robot is manually operated by a user,
A plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) which are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function can be set, and the operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to any one of the scenes,
The robot control system is provided with a plurality of scenes, including automatic driving scenes (e.g., main scene 1 to main scene 9) that are referenced when the automatic driving mode is selected, and manual operation scenes (e.g., manual operation scene R and manual operation scenes 1 to 3) that are referenced when the manual operation mode is selected.

This characteristic configuration improves the safety of the robot, while also contributing to improved productivity by the robot during automatic operation and improved workability for the user during manual operation.

<Feature E Group> Switching of safety functions from non-safety-related parts The following feature E group is as follows: "Some robot control systems applied to robots such as industrial robots have safety-related parts that realize the safety functions of the robot and non-safety-related parts that perform drive control of the robot. As for the safety-related parts, there have been proposals that forcibly stop the robot when it collides with an obstacle such as a person (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or that monitor the force (thrust) and speed of the robot while it is moving and forcibly stop the robot when the movement deviates from the safety standards. In recent years, with the advancement of robot technology, the types of work that a robot can be engaged in are also on the rise. When a robot is engaged in various tasks, being able to change (operate) the safety functions is an advantage in that it is possible to change (operate) the safety functions while taking safety into consideration and changing the robot's functions. This can be advantageous in improving work efficiency. Here, in order to prevent the safety function from being impaired due to a communication error or the like during the change, it is preferable that the input for changing the safety function is also an input from the safety-related input unit (so-called safety input). However, if the safety input is required, the constraints on the change will be stronger, which is expected to hinder improving the operability of changing the safety function. In contrast, if the requirement is simply avoided, although it is expected that the operability will be improved, the safety of the robot will decrease, and there is a concern that trust in the safety function will be shaken. Thus, in order to improve the safety and work efficiency of the robot, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the change of the safety function. This was made in consideration of the background and issues such as "

Feature E1: A robot control system (control system CS) provided with a safety-related part (safety-related part PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, the robot control system having a motion judgment part (logic part X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on a safety-related input signal (signal from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including a parameter correlated with at least one of the force and speed of the robot (robot 16) during work and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the parameter that is stored in advance, and a safety-related part (safety-related part PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, the robot control system having a safety-related part (safety-related part PY),
a plurality of candidates for judgment criteria for the parameters to be referred to by the operation judgment unit included in the safety non-related unit are provided, and the safety non-related unit instructs the safety-related unit to switch the judgment criteria by sending a group of information consisting of command information (a request command consisting of a command ID and data) indicating the judgment criteria to be referred to in the judgment by the operation judgment unit and first diagnosis information (CRC);
when the safety-related part receives the instruction from the non-safety-related part, the safety-related part diagnoses whether the instruction has been received normally based on the first diagnosis information, diagnoses whether the instruction itself is normal based on the command information, and when it has been diagnosed that the instruction has been received normally and that the instruction itself is normal, accepts the instruction and switches a judgment criterion to be referred to in the judgment among the multiple judgment criteria in accordance with the command information, and when an instruction from the non-safety-related part has been received, notifies the non-safety-related part of that fact;
when the safety-related part notifies the user of the instruction that the instruction has been received, the previous non-safety-related part requests, from the safety-related part, identification information that can identify the judgment criterion that has been set as a reference target by switching based on the instruction;
the safety-related part responds to the request from the non-safety-related part by sending an information set consisting of the identification information and second diagnostic information (CRC) to the non-safety-related part;
When the non-safety-related part receives the response from the safety-related part, it diagnoses whether the response has arrived normally based on the second diagnostic information, and diagnoses whether the judgment criterion that is actually set is the judgment criterion specified by the instruction.

When switching the safety function (criterion), first, the safety-related part issues a switching instruction to the safety-related part. This instruction is composed of command information and first diagnostic information, and the safety-related part diagnoses whether the instruction has been received normally based on the first diagnostic information, and diagnoses whether the instruction itself is normal based on the command information. If the diagnosis shows no abnormality, the instruction from the safety-related part is accepted, and the safety-related part switches the judgment criterion to be referred to according to the instruction. In other words, even if the instruction is from a safety-related part, if it is determined that there is no abnormality due to a transmission error or the like in the instruction, the judgment criterion is switched. In this way, if a safe switching from a safety-related part is realized, the operability related to changing the safety function in the robot control system can be suitably improved. In other words, the safety function in the safety-related part is not changed unless the instruction from the safety-related part is normally received, thereby ensuring the reliability of safety control, while enabling the setting change by operation from the safety-related part to realize an operation setting that takes user convenience into consideration, thereby improving the setting freedom of the operation means.

Next, the safety-related part notifies the non-safety-related part that it has received the instruction, and upon receiving this notification, the non-safety-related part requests identification information with which it can identify the judgment criterion currently being referenced (the judgment criterion after switching) from the safety-related part. In response, the safety-related part sends a group of information consisting of the identification information and the second diagnostic information to the non-safety-related part. The non-safety-related part diagnoses whether the response from the safety-related part has arrived normally based on the second diagnostic information, and diagnoses whether the judgment criterion that is actually set is the judgment criterion specified by the original instruction. In other words, the non-safety-related part can confirm whether the switching of the safety function in the safety-related part has been performed normally by its own instruction.

According to the configuration shown in this characteristic, even when switching the safety function of a safety-related part from a non-safety-related part, it is possible to suppress a decrease in reliability with respect to the change of the safety function, and it is possible to avoid stricter restrictions on the change compared to when the input for changing the safety function is an input from a safety-related input part (so-called safety input). This makes it possible to suitably improve the operability of changing the safety function.

For example, when a single robot is used to perform a variety of tasks, being able to change (operate) safety functions depending on the task is advantageous in improving the robot's work efficiency while still taking safety into consideration. As shown by this feature, being able to switch safety functions from non-safety-related parts encourages the application of robots to multiple types of tasks, which is also desirable in promoting factory automation.

The "robot force and speed" shown in each of the above feature groups includes not only the force and speed at the robot's tool center point, but also the force (rotational torque) and speed (rotational speed) of each axis of the robot.

<Feature F group> Scenes for cooperative actions (same scene)
The following feature group F is "Some robot control systems applied to robots such as industrial robots have a safety-related part that realizes the safety function of the robot and a non-safety-related part that performs drive control of the robot. As for the safety-related part, for example, a system that forcibly stops the robot when it collides with an obstacle such as a person (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or a system that monitors the force (thrust) and speed of the robot while it is moving and forcibly stops the robot when it moves in a way that deviates from a safety standard has been proposed. In recent years, with the advancement of robot technology, the types of work that a single robot can engage in are also on the rise. When a single robot is engaged in various tasks, if the safety function is uniform, it may be difficult to simultaneously improve the safety of the robot and improve the productivity (work efficiency) of the robot. In view of such circumstances, the inventor of the present application has devised a configuration that switches the safety function of the robot depending on the task content, for example, a configuration that changes the reference value for operation judgment to another reference value. In this way, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the safety function in terms of improving the safety and productivity of the robot. In addition, For tasks that are difficult or impossible to handle (e.g., transporting and assembling heavy or long objects), automation can be promoted by cooperative control that synchronizes the movements of multiple robots. This is preferable in terms of achieving further improvements in productivity. Here, when synchronizing the movements of multiple robots, the above-mentioned safety function may restrict the movements of the robots with different standards (e.g., reference values), which may result in the following problems. For example, when attempting to synchronize one robot with another robot, an event may occur in which the synchronous tracking becomes difficult because the safety standard (e.g., speed limit) for one robot differs from the safety standard (e.g., speed limit) for the other robot. In this way, in integrating the cooperation of multiple robots with the above-mentioned safety function, new problems may arise that do not arise when the above-mentioned safety function is applied to a robot that operates alone. In this way, in terms of improving productivity through robot cooperation while improving the safety of the robots with the above-mentioned safety function, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the robot cooperation and safety function. This was made in consideration of the background and issues that "

Feature F1: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot (robot 16) during operation and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
A plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) having safety-related parameters to be used as the judgment criteria can be stored;
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode is provided as a control mode of the robot, which is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition,
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode (e.g., a cooperative control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode (e.g., an individual control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
The scenes include scenes (e.g., main scenes 1 to 9) that are referenced when the control mode is the second mode, and scenes (e.g., cooperative operation scenes D, 1 to 3) that are referenced when the control mode is the first mode. As shown in this feature, if a scene switching command is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic operation), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that properly exercises safety functions according to various situations such as the surrounding environment and work content. This is preferable in terms of improving the safety of the robot and improving the productivity of the robot. In particular, when a switching command in the control program is reached, the scene switching is executed on the condition that a predetermined switching condition is satisfied. In other words, the scene is switched in response to the switching command after confirming that a predetermined switching condition is satisfied. This is preferable in terms of suppressing inappropriate switching and promoting automation or semi-automation of scene switching.

According to feature F1, even for tasks that are difficult for one robot to handle (such as transporting and assembling heavy or long objects), automation is realized by cooperative control that synchronizes the movements of multiple robots. This is preferable in terms of facilitating automation of manufacturing processes and improving productivity. Here, the assumed situation is significantly different between the case where the control mode (automatic driving mode) is equal to the second mode and the case where the control mode (automatic driving mode) is equal to the first mode, and various safety-related parameters may be different in order to properly exercise the safety function. In other words, if the same scene is configured to be referenced in the second mode and the first mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity in the second mode and to improve safety and workability in the first mode. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this feature, a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated in the second mode and a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated in the first mode are provided, respectively. This allows the safety function to be properly exercised in the first mode and the second mode.

Note that the statement in this feature that "the autonomous driving modes include a first mode and a second mode" may be changed to "the autonomous driving modes include a first mode in which one robot is made to follow other robots in one work area, and the robots are made to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode in which each robot is made to perform an individual task in its own work area without coordinating with the other robots." Incidentally, this change can also be applied to the following features F2, F4 to F6, etc.

Incidentally, the configuration shown in this characteristic is defined as "a robot control system having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on a safety-related input signal (a signal from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot (robot 16) during operation and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a control mode of the robot that controls the robot according to each motion instruction (command for drive control) constituting the control program for the robot. The control program includes a control program for controlling the robot based on the control program, and a plurality of scenes can be set, each of which is a group of safety-related parameters including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function. The operation judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes. As the scenes, a plurality of automatic driving scenes (e.g., main scenes 1 to 9 and cooperative operation scenes D, 1 to 3) are provided as the scenes to be referred to when the control mode of the robot is the automatic driving mode. During the automatic driving mode, a command to switch the automatic driving scene included in the control program ("CHANGE When a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success) is met, the scene to be referenced is switched to the automatic driving scene specified by the switching command from among the automatic driving scenes, and the automatic driving modes include a cooperative mode in which the multiple robots cooperate to perform a predetermined task, and an individual mode in which the multiple robots do not cooperate and each robot performs an individual task, and the automatic driving scenes include individual mode scenes (e.g., main scenes 1 to 9) that are referenced when the control mode is the individual mode, and cooperative mode scenes (e.g., cooperative operation scenes D, 1 to 3) that are referenced when the control mode is the cooperative mode.

Feature F2: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data (signals from the rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot (robot 16) during operation and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
A plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) having safety-related parameters to be used as the judgment criteria can be stored;
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode is provided as a control mode of the robot, which is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot,
The automatic operation modes include a first mode (e.g., a cooperative control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode (e.g., an individual control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
A robot control system in which the scenes include scenes (e.g., main scenes 1 to 9) that are to be referenced when the control mode is the second mode, and scenes (e.g., collaborative operation scenes D, 1 to 3) that are to be referenced when the control mode is the first mode.

As shown in this feature, if a scene switching command is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic operation), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that appropriately performs safety functions according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. In particular, when a switching command in the control program is reached, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition is satisfied. In other words, the scene is switched according to the switching command after confirming that the predetermined switching condition is satisfied. This is preferable in terms of suppressing inappropriate switching and promoting automation or semi-automation of scene switching. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements basically follow the above control program, so there is a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this actual situation, in this feature, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is satisfied. In this way, by at least checking the position at the time of scene switching, it is possible to appropriately switch scenes.

According to feature F2, even for tasks that are difficult for one robot to handle (such as transporting and assembling heavy or long objects), automation is realized by cooperative control that synchronizes the movements of multiple robots. This is preferable in terms of facilitating automation of manufacturing processes and improving productivity. Here, the assumed situation is significantly different when the control mode (automatic driving mode) is set to the second mode from when the control mode (automatic driving mode) is set to the first mode, and various safety-related parameters may be different in order to properly exercise the safety function. In other words, if the same scene is configured to be referenced in the second mode and the first mode, it may be difficult to improve safety and productivity in the second mode and to improve safety and workability in the first mode. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this feature, a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated in the second mode and a scene to be referenced when the robot is operated in the first mode are provided, respectively. This allows the safety function to be properly exercised in the first mode and the second mode.

Feature F3: The control program includes a switching command for mode switching that triggers switching the control mode from the second mode to the first mode during the automatic driving mode,
A robot control system according to feature F1 or feature F2, in which, when the control mode is switched from the second mode to the first mode in accordance with a switching command for the mode switching, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are each switched from a scene for the second mode to a scene for the first mode in accordance with the scene switching command.

According to the configuration shown in this feature, when the mode changes from the second mode to the first mode, the scene to be referenced for each robot is switched from the scene for the second mode to the scene for the first mode. Incorporating scene switching accompanying mode switching into the control program in this way is preferable in terms of preventing scene switching from being performed properly when cooperation begins due to human error, such as the user forgetting to operate the device.

Feature F4: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data (signals from the rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot (robot 16) during operation and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
A plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) having safety-related parameters to be used as the judgment criteria can be stored;
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode is provided as a control mode of the robot, which is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition,
In the automatic operation mode, a plurality of the robots can be coordinated to execute a predetermined task (for example, a work picking operation),
A robot control system in which, when the specified task is executed, the scene referenced for one of the robots and the scene referenced for another of the robots are the same scene.

As shown by this feature, by incorporating a scene switching command into the robot's control program and making it possible to switch scenes during drive control (automatic operation), it is possible to contribute to the realization of a configuration that properly exercises safety functions in accordance with various circumstances such as the surrounding environment and the work content. This is preferable for achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity by the robot. In particular, when a switching command in the control program is reached, scene switching is performed on the condition that a specified switching condition is met. In other words, the configuration is such that the scene switches in response to the switching command after confirming that a specified switching condition is met. This is preferable for suppressing inappropriate switching and promoting automation or semi-automation of scene switching.

In recent years, automation has been realized by coordinating multiple robots for tasks that are difficult for a single robot to handle (for example, transporting and assembling heavy or long objects). This is preferable in terms of accelerating the automation of manufacturing processes and improving productivity. Here, if the safety function of any of the synchronized robots during coordination is activated and the robot slows down or stops, the synchronization may be broken. For example, while a single workpiece is held by multiple robots, the robots are driven so that the robots' hands move at the same speed and in the same direction while keeping the distance between the robots constant, and the workpiece can be moved in parallel. However, there is a concern that the loss of synchronization during this process may cause the workpiece to be misaligned or the workpiece to fall off. More specifically, when the robots are operating at the same speed, if only the speed of one robot exceeds the judgment criterion (upper limit of speed), the above-mentioned inconvenience may occur. The occurrence of such an event may be an obstacle to improving productivity through coordination. On the other hand, if the safety function is temporarily turned off during synchronization, it is possible to avoid the safety function being an obstacle to improving productivity, but this is disadvantageous in terms of improving safety during automatic operation. In this respect, in the configuration shown in this characteristic,
In addition, in this feature, automation can be promoted by coordinating multiple robots even for tasks that are difficult for one robot to handle (for example, transporting and assembling heavy or long objects, etc.). This is preferable in terms of improving productivity. Here, if the safety function related to any of the synchronized robots during coordination is activated and the robot slows down/stops, the synchronization may be broken. For example, while one workpiece is held by multiple robots, the robots are driven so that the robots' hands move at the same speed and in the same direction while keeping the distance between the robots constant, and the workpiece can be moved in parallel, but there is a concern that the loss of synchronization during this process may cause the workpiece to be misaligned or the workpiece to fall off. More specifically, when the robots are operating at the same speed, if only the speed of one robot exceeds the judgment criterion (upper limit of speed), the above-mentioned inconvenience may occur. The occurrence of such an event may be an obstacle to improving productivity through coordination. On the other hand, if the safety function is temporarily turned off during synchronization, it is possible to avoid the safety function being an obstacle to improving productivity, but this is disadvantageous in terms of improving safety during automatic operation. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this feature, when the robots cooperate to perform a predetermined task, the scene to be referenced for each robot is the same. This configuration is preferable in that it reduces the chance of an event occurring during the above-mentioned parallel movement or the like, in which the safety function of one robot is activated and synchronization between the robots is lost, and that the safety function is properly exercised even during cooperation. For the above reasons, the configuration shown in this feature can contribute to improving productivity through cooperation between multiple robots and improving the safety of those robots.

In addition, it is also possible to change the statement in this feature that "When the specified task is performed, the scene referenced for one of the robots and the scene referenced for the other robots are the same scene" to "When the specified task is performed, the scene referenced for the multiple robots is the same scene."

Feature F5: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data (signals from the rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot (robot 16) during operation and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
A plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) having safety-related parameters to be used as the judgment criteria can be stored;
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode is provided as a control mode of the robot, which is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition,
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode (e.g., a cooperative control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode (e.g., an individual control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
a robot control system in which, when the control mode becomes the second mode and the individual tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to individual scenes corresponding to the movements of each robot, and, when the control mode becomes the first mode and the specified tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to the same scene.

As shown by this feature, by incorporating a scene switching command into the robot's control program and making it possible to switch scenes during drive control (automatic operation), it is possible to contribute to the realization of a configuration that properly exercises safety functions in accordance with various circumstances such as the surrounding environment and the work content. This is preferable for achieving both improved safety of the robot and improved productivity by the robot. In particular, when a switching command in the control program is reached, scene switching is performed on the condition that a specified switching condition is met. In other words, the configuration is such that the scene switches in response to the switching command after confirming that a specified switching condition is met. This is preferable for suppressing inappropriate switching and promoting automation or semi-automation of scene switching.

In addition, in this feature, since the first robot and the second robot are configured to perform a predetermined task by cooperation, it is possible to promote automation of tasks that are difficult to handle with one robot (for example, transporting and assembling heavy or long objects). This is preferable in terms of improving productivity. Here, if the safety function of any of the robots that are synchronized during cooperation is activated and the robot slows down/stops, the synchronization may be broken. For example, while one workpiece is held by multiple robots, the robots are driven so that the hands of the robots move at the same speed and in the same direction while keeping the distance between the hands of the robots constant, and the workpiece can be moved in parallel, but there is a concern that the loss of synchronization during this process may cause the gripping position of the workpiece to shift or the workpiece to fall off. More specifically, when the robots are operating at the same speed, if only the speed of one robot exceeds the judgment criterion (upper limit of speed), the above-mentioned inconvenience may occur. The occurrence of such an event may be an obstacle to improving productivity through cooperation. On the other hand, if the safety function is temporarily turned off during synchronization, it is possible to avoid the safety function becoming an obstacle to improving productivity, but this is disadvantageous in improving safety during automatic operation. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this feature, when the robots are operated in individual mode, individual scenes are referenced according to the movement of each robot, and when the robots are operated in cooperative mode to perform a specified task, the same scene is referenced for each robot. Such a configuration is preferable in reducing the chance of an event occurring during the above-mentioned parallel movement, such as when a safety function is activated in one robot, causing the synchronization between the robots to be broken, and in allowing the safety function to be properly exercised even during cooperation. For the above reasons, the configuration shown in this feature can contribute to improving productivity through cooperation between multiple robots and improving the safety of those robots.

The configuration shown in this characteristic is defined as "a robot control system having a motion judgment unit that judges the motion of the robot (robot 16) based on a safety-related input signal (a signal from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot during operation and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and that realizes the safety function of the robot by generating a safety-related output signal according to the judgment result, and a plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) that are safety-related parameter groups including the judgment criterion as a safety-related parameter that affects the safety function can be set, and the motion judgment unit is configured to make the judgment by referring to one of the scenes, and a plurality of automatic driving scenes (e.g., main scene 1 to main scene 9) that are referenced when the control mode of the robot is an automatic driving mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation instruction (command for drive control) that constitutes the control program for the robot are provided as the scenes, and during the automatic driving mode, a switching instruction ("CHANGE When a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command normal) is satisfied when the control mode reaches the "SCENE" command, the scene to be referred to is switched to an automatic driving scene among the multiple automatic driving scenes specified by the switching command, and the automatic driving modes include a cooperative mode in which the multiple robots cooperate to perform a predetermined task, and an individual mode in which the multiple robots perform an individual task for each robot without coordinating each other, and the actions of the multiple robots in the predetermined task include a special action (e.g., an action for picking a workpiece) in which the robots are synchronized and the movement pattern of the hand of each robot is the same, and when the control mode is the individual mode, the automatic driving scenes to be referred to for the multiple robots are switched to individual automatic driving scenes corresponding to the movements of the individual robots, and when the control mode is the cooperative mode and the special action is executed, the automatic driving scenes to be referred to for the multiple robots are switched to the same automatic driving scene.

Feature F6: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data (signals from the rotary encoder 36, torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot (robot 16) during operation and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
A plurality of scenes (e.g., main scenes) having safety-related parameters to be used as the judgment criteria can be stored;
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode is provided as a control mode of the robot, which is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command (a command for drive control) constituting a control program for the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command ("CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition including a position condition that specifies the position of the robot,
The automatic operation modes include a first mode (e.g., a cooperative control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode (e.g., an individual control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
a robot control system in which, when the control mode becomes the second mode and the individual tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to individual scenes corresponding to the movements of each robot, and, when the control mode becomes the first mode and the specified tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to the same scene.

As shown in this feature, if a scene switching command is incorporated into the control program of the robot and the scene can be switched during drive control (during automatic operation), it can contribute to realizing a configuration that appropriately performs safety functions according to various conditions such as the surrounding environment and the work content. This is preferable in terms of improving both the safety of the robot and the productivity of the robot. In particular, when a switching command in the control program is reached, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition is satisfied. In other words, the scene is switched according to the switching command after confirming that the predetermined switching condition is satisfied. This is preferable in terms of suppressing inappropriate switching and promoting automation or semi-automation of scene switching. Here, even if the robot is engaged in various tasks, its movements basically follow the above control program, so there is a certain relationship between the task and the area (operation area) in which the task is performed. In consideration of this actual situation, in this feature, the scene is switched on the condition that a predetermined switching condition, including a position condition, is satisfied. In this way, by at least checking the position at the time of scene switching, it is possible to appropriately switch scenes.

In addition, in this feature, since the first robot and the second robot are configured to perform a predetermined task by cooperation, it is possible to promote automation of tasks that are difficult to handle with one robot (for example, transporting and assembling heavy or long objects). This is preferable in terms of improving productivity. Here, if the safety function of any of the robots that are synchronized during cooperation is activated and the robot slows down/stops, the synchronization may be broken. For example, while one workpiece is held by multiple robots, the robots are driven so that the hands of the robots move at the same speed and in the same direction while keeping the distance between the hands of the robots constant, and the workpiece can be moved in parallel, but there is a concern that the loss of synchronization during this process may cause the gripping position of the workpiece to shift or the workpiece to fall off. More specifically, when the robots are operating at the same speed, if only the speed of one robot exceeds the judgment criterion (upper limit of speed), the above-mentioned inconvenience may occur. The occurrence of such an event may be an obstacle to improving productivity through cooperation. On the other hand, if the safety function is temporarily turned off during synchronization, it is possible to avoid the safety function becoming an obstacle to improving productivity, but this is disadvantageous in improving safety during automatic operation. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this feature, when the robots are operated in individual mode, individual scenes are referenced according to the movement of each robot, and when the robots are operated in cooperative mode to perform a specified task, the same scene is referenced for each robot. Such a configuration is preferable in reducing the chance of an event occurring during the above-mentioned parallel movement, such as when a safety function is activated in one robot, causing the synchronization between the robots to be broken, and in allowing the safety function to be properly exercised even during cooperation. For the above reasons, the configuration shown in this feature can contribute to improving productivity through cooperation between multiple robots and improving the safety of those robots.

Feature F7. A robot control system according to feature F5 or feature F6, in which, in the predetermined task executed under a condition in which the control mode is the first mode, one of the robots, a leader robot (robot 16A), is made to follow another of the robots, a follower robot (robot 16B), thereby coordinating the multiple robots.

As shown by this feature, in a configuration in which multiple robots are coordinated by having follower robots follow a leader robot, the same autonomous driving scene is referenced for each robot, so that when the movements of the robots are synchronized, it is possible to effectively prevent the synchronization from being broken by only one robot slowing down/stopping, etc.

Feature F8. The predetermined task executed under a situation in which the control mode is the first mode includes a special action defined so that each of the hands of the plurality of robots moves a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction while keeping a constant distance from each other,
A robot control system according to any one of features F5 to F7, in which, when the special operation is performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched so that they become the same scene.

As shown in this feature, if a specific task executed in a cooperative mode includes a special operation (parallel movement) in which each hand of multiple robots moves a specific distance in a specific direction while maintaining a constant distance from each other, the concerns shown in feature F4 etc. can be effectively alleviated by configuring the special operation so that the scene referenced by each robot is switched to the same scene.

Feature F9: The predetermined task executed under a situation in which the control mode is the first mode includes a special action of moving a workpiece in parallel while each of the hands of the plurality of robots holds the workpiece,
A robot control system according to any one of features F5 to F7, in which, when the special operation is performed, the scene to be referenced for the multiple robots is switched to the same scene among the multiple scenes.

As shown in this feature, if the specified task executed during the first mode includes a special operation (parallel movement) in which each hand of multiple robots moves a single workpiece in parallel while holding the workpiece, the concerns shown in feature F4 etc. can be effectively alleviated by configuring the special operation so that the scene referenced by each robot is switched to the same scene.

Feature F10. A robot control system according to feature F8 or feature F9, which, when the scene is switched during the special action, starts the special action based on confirmation that the scenes that are the reference targets for the multiple robots match.

Feature F9 makes it possible to check whether the scenes match before starting a special action, thereby making it possible to prevent inconveniences such as a special action being executed in a situation where the same scene should be applied but the scene actually being applied is different.

Feature F11: The predetermined work executed under a situation in which the control mode is the first mode includes a first special operation (e.g., picking up a workpiece) and a second special operation (e.g., bending a workpiece) executed subsequent to the first special operation,
The scenes include a first scene and a second scene,
A robot control system described in any one of features F7 to F10, wherein, during the first special operation, the scene to be referenced for the multiple robots is switched to the first scene, and during the second special operation, the scene to be referenced for the multiple robots is switched to the second scene.

As shown by this feature, when the specified task executed in the first mode includes a first special action and a second special action, the appropriate judgment criteria (scenes) for each special action may differ. Therefore, by setting the first scene as the reference scene for each robot in the first special action and the second scene as the reference scene for each robot in the second special action, the safety function can be properly exercised.

Feature F12: The one robot is a leader robot, and the other robots are follower robots that operate to follow the leader robot;
the leader robot is provided with a leader-side control unit having the safety-related part,
the follower robot is provided with a follower-side control unit having the safety-related part,
When the control mode is the second mode, the leader-side control unit performs operation control for the leader robot and switches the scene to be referenced for the leader robot, and the follower-side control unit performs operation control for the follower robot and switches the scene to be referenced for the follower robot,
A robot control system described in any one of features F4 to F11, wherein when the control mode is the first mode, the leader-side control unit performs operation control for the leader robot and switching of the scene that is the reference target for the leader robot, and operation control for the follower robot and switching of the scene that is the reference target for the follower robot.

In the robot control system shown in feature F12, when the control mode is the second mode, the leader-side control unit is responsible for controlling the movement of the leader robot and switching the scenes to be referenced for the leader robot, and the follower-side control unit is responsible for controlling the movement of the follower robot and switching the scenes to be referenced for the follower robot. In contrast, when the control mode is the first mode, the leader-side control unit is responsible for controlling the movement of each robot and switching the scenes. In other words, in the cooperative mode, the leader-side control unit is configured to collectively control the movements and scenes of each robot. This configuration is preferable for smoother scene switching during cooperation, compared to a configuration in which each robot switches scenes while constantly checking the movements of the other robot.

Feature F13: The scene to be referred to for the follower robot is stored in the leader-side control unit, and in the cooperative mode, the scene to be referred to for the follower robot is set in a safety-related unit of the leader-side control unit;
A robot control system according to feature F12, in which, in the cooperative mode, the safety-related data including the parameters related to the follower robot is acquired by the leader-side control unit, and the safety-related unit of the leader-side control unit determines the movement of the follower robot based on the automatic driving scene that is the reference object for the follower robot and the safety-related data acquired from the follower robot side, and outputs safety-related output data generated in accordance with the determination result to the follower robot side.

According to the configuration shown in this feature, during the first mode, the leader-side control unit is responsible for managing the scenes related to the follower robots and determining the movements of the follower robots. In this way, consolidating the scene switching and determination functions related to each robot in the leader-side control unit is preferable for simplifying scene management throughout the system and stabilizing safety functions.

Feature F14. In the first mode, the follower-side control unit switches the scene to be referenced for the follower robot based on a switching command from the leader-side control unit. A robot control system according to feature F12.

In the first mode, the leader-side control unit is the main driver for controlling the robot. Having the follower-side control unit switch scenes based on a switching command from the leader-side control unit is preferable in reducing the chances of a mismatch between the robot's movement and the scene on the follower robot side.

Feature F15: A robot control system having a motion judgment unit (logic unit X2) that judges the motion of the robot based on safety-related data (signals from a rotary encoder 36, a torque sensor 37, etc.) including correlation information that correlates with at least one of the force and speed of the robot (robot 16) during operation and a judgment criterion (reference value or reference range) for the correlation information that is stored in advance, and a safety-related unit (safety-related unit PX) that controls the motion or stop of the robot depending on the judgment result,
As the judgment criteria, a plurality of judgment criteria (e.g., main scene 1 to main scene 9) that are referenced when the control mode of the robot is an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command (a command for drive control) that constitutes the control program for the robot can be stored.
During the automatic operation mode, when a command for switching the judgment criteria (a "CHANGE SCENE" command) included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the judgment criteria to be referred to are switched to the judgment criteria designated by the command for switching, based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition (e.g., a stop condition, a position condition, a command success),
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode (e.g., a cooperative control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode (e.g., an individual control mode) in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
a robot control system in which, when the control mode becomes the second mode and the individual tasks are performed, the judgment criteria to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to individual scenes corresponding to the movements of each robot, and, when the control mode becomes the first mode and the specified tasks are performed, the judgment criteria to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to the same judgment criteria.

This configuration can contribute to improving productivity through collaboration between multiple robots and improving the safety of those robots.

10...Factory, 16...Robot, 16A...Leader robot, 16B...Follower robot, 21...AGV, 31...Robot arm, 34A...Leader robot hand, 34B...Follower robot hand, 36...Rotary encoder, 37...Torque sensor, 41...Locator, 51...Control device, 52...Drive control unit, 53...Monitoring control unit, 60...PC, 61...Display, 62...Control unit, 70...Teaching pendant, 71...Display, E1...Stock area, E2...First processing area, E3...Accumulation area, E4...Conveyor area, E5...Aisle, E6...Second processing area, PX...Safety-related part, PY...Non-safety-related part, W...Work.

Claims (5)

A robot control system including a safety-related unit that has a motion determination unit that determines motion of the robot based on safety-related data including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of a force and a speed of the robot during motion and a previously stored determination criterion for the correlation information, and that controls motion or stop of the robot depending on a result of the determination,
A plurality of scenes each having a safety-related parameter to be used as the judgment criterion can be stored,
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode is provided as a control mode of the robot, which is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command constituting a control program for the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition,
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
a robot control system in which, when the control mode becomes the second mode and the individual tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to individual scenes corresponding to the movements of each robot, and, when the control mode becomes the first mode and the specified tasks are performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to the same scene. The robot control system according to claim 1, wherein, during the specified task, each of the hands of the multiple robots moves a specified distance in a specified direction while maintaining a constant distance from each other. A robot control system including a safety-related unit that has a motion determination unit that determines motion of the robot based on safety-related data including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of a force and a speed of the robot during motion and a previously stored determination criterion for the correlation information, and that controls motion or stop of the robot depending on a result of the determination,
A plurality of scenes each having a safety-related parameter to be used as the judgment criterion can be stored,
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command constituting a control program for the robot is provided as a control mode of the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition including a position condition that specifies a position of the robot,
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
The actions of the plurality of robots in the predetermined task include a special action in which the robots are synchronized and the movement patterns of the hands of the respective robots are the same;
a robot control system in which, when the control mode becomes the second mode and the individual task is performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to individual scenes corresponding to the movements of each robot, and, when the control mode becomes the first mode and the special operation of the specified task is performed, the scenes to be referenced for the multiple robots are switched to the same scene. The predetermined task includes, as the special action, a first special action and a second special action executed subsequent to the first special action,
The scenes include a first scene and a second scene,
The robot control system of claim 3, wherein, during the first special operation, the scene to be referenced for the plurality of robots is switched to the first scene, and, during the second special operation, the scene to be referenced for the plurality of robots is switched to the second scene. A robot control system including a safety-related unit that has a motion determination unit that determines a motion of the robot based on safety-related data including correlation information that is correlated with at least one of a force and a speed of the robot during motion and a previously stored determination criterion for the correlation information, and that controls motion or stop of the robot depending on a result of the determination,
A plurality of scenes each having a safety-related parameter to be used as the judgment criterion can be stored,
the motion determination unit is configured to perform the determination by using the safety-related parameters of a scene that is set as a reference target among the plurality of scenes,
an automatic operation mode that is applied when the robot is operated in accordance with each operation command constituting a control program for the robot is provided as a control mode of the robot;
During the automatic operation mode, when a scene switching command included in the control program is reached during drive control of the robot based on the control program, the scene set as the reference target is switched to the scene specified by the scene switching command based on the establishment of a predetermined switching condition,
The automatic operation mode includes a first mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to cooperate with each other to perform a predetermined task, and a second mode in which the plurality of robots are caused to perform individual tasks for each robot without coordinating with each other,
A robot control system, wherein the scenes include a scene to be referenced when the control mode is the second mode, and a scene to be referenced when the control mode is the first mode.