JPH08174446A - Remote control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the remote control device at a low cost, which can maintain the constant delay of transmission and which can securely and periodically output the data. CONSTITUTION: The data corresponding to the operation condition of a master manipulator is formed by a master control device 2, and stored in a signal sending memory 11 at a cycle Tw, and stored in a signal sending buffer 13, which can store plural data, at a cycle Tp, and transmitted between Ethernet rollers 3, 203 at a cycle Tp (Tw>Tp), and the received data is stored in a signal receiving memory 212, which can store plural data, at a cycle Tp. When the number of data inside of the signal receiving memory 212 achieves the specified number (for example, three) a slave control device 202 starts the output of the data to a slave manipulator. Since the data transmitting cycle Tp is shorter than the data output cycle Tr, as long as the delay of transmission exists within the predetermined range, data can be periodically output at a cycle Tr from the signal receiving memory 212.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a low cost and maintains a constant communication delay when performing advanced remote control such as bilateral or in unilateral remote control with an emphasis on operation feeling. The present invention relates to a remote control device that can send and receive data regularly and reliably.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a remote control robot, a moving body (passenger car, truck, AGV, forklift, construction machine,
For remote control devices such as cranes, hydraulic excavators, and mobile robots), when performing high-level remote control such as bilateral, or unilateral remote control with an emphasis on operation feeling, the data is the control cycle of the servo on the work device side. It must be possible to reliably communicate at the level of frequency and regularly.
Therefore, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-30385, in order to reliably exchange data in remote operation of an extreme work robot, an optical transmission system equipped with an automatic tracking device is used to transmit a large amount of data at high speed. It is transmitting. on the other hand,
There is also an example in which an experiment is conducted in a limited favorable environment (laboratory, etc.) by a method of occupying a LAN.

[0003]

However, in an optical transmission system, communication cannot be performed if there is a shield, and light travels straight, so an automatic tracking device is required in the moving body, and the line, The occupancy or exclusive use of the device is an expensive device because it causes an increase in the cost of the communication device and is not practical. Also, if a local communication network such as a LAN, an existing communication network such as CATV, a consumer wireless device, and a device conforming to these standards can be used, an inexpensive and easy system can be constructed, but the physical transmission time In addition to the delay required for the transmission / reception procedure, re-transmission / reception of data becomes necessary due to data collision or temporary radio wave interference in the actual use environment, and a random communication delay occurs.

As described above, in an actual use environment using wireless communication, etc., data transmission / reception may be affected by the use condition of the line and the radio wave environment, and it may not be possible to transmit / receive the data accurately once. . In that case, data transmission / reception is repeated many times until data transmission / reception can be performed correctly, so that the data transmission / reception interval is not constant. When there is such a random communication delay, it becomes difficult to associate each data with each other, and in the conventional technology, workability and stability are deteriorated, and it is difficult to put it to practical use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a remote control device which can inexpensively transmit and receive data regularly and reliably and can maintain a constant data communication delay.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a working device for performing a work, an operating device for remotely operating the working device, and the working device according to an operating state of the operating device. Data creating means for creating data for driving the data in a first cycle, and transmission side data storing means for storing a plurality of the data created by the data creating means and storing the data in the first cycle And the operation device and the working device are provided so as to be capable of bidirectional communication, and the data stored in the transmission data storage means is sequentially transmitted in a second cycle shorter than the first cycle. Data communication means, reception side data storage means for storing a plurality of the data received by the data communication means and storing the data in the second cycle, and the data stored in the reception side data storage means. Of the data stored in the receiving side data storage means is started to be output to the working device when the number of times reaches a specified number, and the output of the data to the working device is performed in the first cycle. It is a technical means to have an output means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the technical means is that the operating device and the working device are a master-slave system which comprises a master-side device and a slave-side device, respectively.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in claim 1, when the data for controlling the work device according to the operating state of the operating device is created by the data creating means, it is stored in the transmitting side data storing means in the first cycle. To be done. The data stored in the transmission side data storage means is transmitted by the data communication means in the second cycle shorter than the first cycle and is received by the work device side. The received data is stored in the receiving side data storage means in the second cycle. When the data communication is repeated and the number of data stored in the receiving side data storage means reaches a specified number, the output of the stored data is started and is output to the work device in the first cycle. The work device is controlled based on the output data.

Now, in the communication of the data communication means, when noise or other troubles occur, the data created by the data creating means cannot be sent smoothly, and the sending operation of the data communication means is repeated, the sending side data storage Since the data stored in the means is not transmitted, the transmission side data storage means stores the plurality of data created by the data creating means and accumulates the plurality of data.

When the communication of the data communication means is disabled,
Since the specified number of data is stored in the receiving side data storage means on the working device side, the data stored in the data storage means is output even if new data is not transmitted by the data communication means. Therefore, the control of the work device can be continued based on the data. When the communication by the data communication means is restored before the output of the next data in the first cycle is requested even if the data remains in the receiving side data storage means or even if the number of data is exhausted, The data received on the receiving side of the communication means is
The data is stored in the receiving side data storage means in a second cycle that is shorter than the first cycle.

As a result, after the data is stored, if there is a request to output the data in the first cycle for outputting the data, the data can be output to the work device while maintaining the first cycle. it can. Further, since the data communication of the data communication means is performed in the second cycle shorter than the first cycle, after the communication is restored, the plurality of data stored in the transmission side data storage means are successively communicated with each other. Since the data is communicated to the receiving side of the means and stored in the receiving side data storing means in the second cycle, new data to be output before the next output request by the data outputting means is stored in the receiving side data. It can be stored in the means.

Therefore, when the period of the data communication abnormality by the data communication means is short, the data can be surely output to the work device in the first cycle without being affected by the communication abnormality.

[0013]

According to the present invention, a plurality of data can be stored in the transmitting side data storing means, and the data is output to the working device after the number of data stored in the receiving side data storing means reaches a prescribed number. Therefore, even if the data communication by the data communication means is delayed, all the data created in the first cycle can be stored during the communication delay, and the data communication cycle and reception can be performed. Since the cycle stored in the side data storage means is the second cycle shorter than the first cycle, the data output means outputs the data accumulated in the transmission side data storage means during the communication delay. It is possible to communicate with the receiving side earlier than the cycle and store it in the receiving side data storage means.

Therefore, when the communication delay is small, even if the data communication by the data communication means is delayed, the number of data in the receiving side data storage means can be recovered and the data is continuously output. can do. As a result, even if some communication delay occurs due to the data communication means,
Data can be output to the work device in the first cycle while maintaining a constant delay time, and stable control can be performed by an inexpensive device.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of a remote control device according to the present invention will be described based on the bilateral master-slave manipulator system shown in the figure. The master-slave manipulator system of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a master-side device 100 and a slave-side device 200. The master side device 100 is a master manipulator 1 operated by an operator, a master control device 2 for controlling the master manipulator 1, an Ethernet controller 3 for transmitting / receiving data, an Ethernet which is software and a line for performing a communication procedure for a network. 4 and wireless LAN 5 of a local area network (LAN) using wireless
It is composed of

The master control device 2 is a device for fetching analog signals from a CPU 6 for performing arithmetic processing related to the master manipulator 1, a memory 7 for storing data, and sensors installed in the master manipulator 1.
D / which is a device for outputting an analog signal to the D converter 8 and a servo drive or the like attached to the master manipulator 1.
It is composed of an A converter 9 and an I / O 10 which is a device for controlling a servo drive attached to the master manipulator.

Further, in the master-side device 100, as a functional configuration constituted by software for data transmission, a transmission memory 11 and a reception memory 12 are provided in the master control device 2 as shown in FIG. In the Ethernet controller 3, a transmission buffer 13 and a reception buffer 14 are configured.

The slave device 200 is the master device 1
00, the slave manipulator 201, the slave control device 202, the Ethernet controller 203,
It is composed of an Ethernet 204 and a wireless LAN 205. Similarly, the slave controller 202 also has a CP
U206, memory 207, A / D converter 208, D / A
It is composed of a converter 209 and an I / O 210. Further, in the slave device 200 as well, as a functional configuration configured by software for data transmission, a transmission memory 211 and a reception memory 212 are configured in the slave control device 202, and the Ethernet controller 203 is configured. A transmission buffer 213 and a reception buffer 214 are configured in the.

In the master-slave manipulator system of the present embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration, the master control device 2 detects the detected values of the force sensor, the position sensor, etc. according to the operating state of the master manipulator 1 by the operator at the cycle Tw. The digital signal is converted by the / D converter 8 and taken in,
The CPU 6 performs arithmetic processing to create control data for controlling the slave manipulator 201, and stores the control data in the transmission memory 11 at a cycle Tw.

Further, the master controller 2 has a wireless LAN 5
By the slave manipulator 201 received by the Ethernet controller 3 and stored in the reception buffer 14 of the Ethernet controller 3.
Of the operation data is transferred to and stored in the reception memory 12 in response to the data output request of the data transmission cycle Tp, and the operation data stored in the reception memory 12 is output in the cycle Tr (= Tw). The servo of the master manipulator 1 and the like are controlled based on the above to limit the displacement amount of the operation unit of the master manipulator 1.

On the other hand, the slave control device 202 sends the control data stored in the reception memory 212 to the cycle Tr (=
Tw), and the servo of the slave manipulator 201 and the like are drive-controlled based on the operation data. Further, the slave control device 202 detects the operating state of the slave manipulator 201 by a force sensor, a position sensor, etc., converts the detection value of each sensor into a digital signal by the A / D converter 208 at a cycle Tw, and takes in the signal. CP it
U206 performs arithmetic processing to create operation data of the slave manipulator 201, and stores it in the transmission memory 211 at a cycle Tw. It should be noted that the data stored in the reception memories 12 and 212 of the control devices 2 and 202 can be output from the control devices 2 and 202 to the manipulators 1 and 201 at a constant cycle Tr (= Tw). In order to enable this, a plurality of (for example, three) data can be stored. The stored number can be set according to the communication status.

The Ethernet controllers 3 and 203 of the master side device 100 and the slave side device 200 respectively transmit the control data and operation data stored in the transmission memories 11 and 211 at the cycle Tw to the data transmission cycle Tp.
Then, the data is transferred to and stored in the transmission buffers 13 and 213 of the Ethernet controllers 3 and 203.
A predetermined electromagnetic wave is converted from the wireless LANs 5 and 205 via 204 and transmitted. Further, the control data and operation data received by the wireless LAN 5, 205 are transmitted via the Ethernet 4, 204 to the Ethernet controller 3, 20.
3, and the receiving buffer 1 at the data transmission cycle Tp
4, 214. Furthermore, each control device 2, 202
Performs a data input request for inputting the data stored in the reception buffers 14 and 214 to the reception memories 12 and 212 in the data transmission cycle Tp.

For the cycle Tw (= Tr) of the control operation of the master control device 2, the Ethernet controller 3
The data transmission cycle Tp is set to be short (Tp <Tw). For example, in the present embodiment, the data transmission cycle Tp is
p is set to about 1/3 of the cycle Tw.

Further, the Ethernet controllers 3 and 203, which perform data communication between the master control device 2 and the slave control device 202, determine whether or not the transmitted data is correctly received, based on the signal transmitted back from the transmission destination. When the retransmission request is made when it is not correctly received, the Ethernet controller 3 or 203 that has received the retransmission request transmits data again in response to the request, and repeats until it is correctly received. . Therefore, the transmission buffer 1 of each of the Ethernet controllers 3 and 203
3 and 213, in order to be able to simultaneously store the next data transmitted from the transmission memories 11 and 211 when the data stored in the transmission buffers 13 and 213 are not transmitted correctly, A plurality of (for example, three) data can be stored.

The master-slave manipulator system having the above configuration is a bilateral master-slave system, and includes the master-side device 100 and the slave-side device 2.
00, the Ethernet controllers 3 and 203 and the wireless LANs 5 and 205 communicate with each other.
0, the data transmission operation of each part in the data transmission from the transmission side control device to the reception side control device with reference to FIGS. Will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 3, the master control device 2, which is the data transmission side, takes in the detection value of the sensor or the like according to the operation state of the master manipulator 1 and creates control data at a cycle Tw based on it. The created control data is stored in the transmission memory 11 at the cycle Tw (step S1).

As shown in FIG. 4, the Ethernet controller 3 has the data transmission cycle Tp set to be shorter than the cycle Tw of each control operation of the master control device 2, and the transmission memory 1 is provided.
The control data in 1 is transferred to and stored in the transmission buffer 13 (step S2), and is wirelessly transmitted by the wireless LAN 5 via the Ethernet 4 (step S3).
In the wireless transmission by the wireless LAN 5, the wireless L on the receiving side is used.
Communication is performed with the AN 205, and the Ethernet controller 20 on the receiving side, which will be described later, is connected from the wireless LAN 205.
In accordance with the result of the determination as to whether or not the data according to 3 is normally received, a signal requesting retransmission is returned if the data is not normally received, and a signal indicating that if the data is normally received. Will be sent back.

The Ethernet controller 3 on the transmission side determines whether or not the data transmission is completed based on the return transmission signal (step S4). If the transmission is completed (YES), the control for transmission has been completed. The data is deleted from the transmission buffer 13 (step S5), and the process proceeds to step S2. When the control data is not normally transmitted as a result of the wireless transmission (NO in step S4), the control data is repeatedly wirelessly transmitted through step S2 (step S3).

Therefore, if the control data cannot be transmitted smoothly, while the control data is repeatedly transmitted in step S3, a new control data in the transmission memory 11 is transmitted in the data transmission cycle Tp in step S2. Since the data is further transferred and stored in the transmission buffer 13 before the control data in the transmission buffer 13 is deleted, a plurality of control data should be accumulated in the transmission buffer 13. become.

Next, the Ethernet controller 205 and the slave control device 202 on the data receiving side will be described. Ethernet controller 20 on the receiving side
5, it is determined whether or not the control data received by the wireless LAN 205 is normally received as shown in FIG. 5, and if the data is not normally received (step S
11), the signal requesting retransmission is sent to the wireless LA.
The transmission is returned from N205 (step S12), and it is determined whether or not the repeat control data is normally received (step S11). When the data is normally received (YES in step S11), the received data is stored in the reception buffer 214 (step S13). Further, a data input request is issued to the slave control device 202 so that the data stored in the reception buffer 214 of the Ethernet controller 205 is stored in the reception memory 212 at the data transmission cycle Tp (step S1).
4).

As shown in FIG. 6, the slave control device 202 on the reception side transfers the data stored in the reception buffer 214 in the data transmission cycle Tp to the reception memory 212 and stores it (step S15). Then, in order to drive and control the slave manipulator 201, it is determined whether or not there is an output preparation completion flag indicating that control data may be output from the reception memory 212 (step S16).

If there is no output preparation completion flag (NO in step S16), it is determined whether or not the number of control data stored in the reception memory 212 is equal to or larger than the specified number "3" (step S17). ). If the number of data has not reached the specified number "3" (NO), step S1
5, when the data input request from the Ethernet controller 205 is received in the data transmission cycle Tp and new control data is stored in the reception buffer 214, the control data is already stored. It is stored in the reception memory 212 together with the control data.

When the number of data "3" in the reception memory 212 exceeds the specified number (YES in step S17), the output preparation completion flag is set and output preparation completion is set (step S18), and the cycle is set. In Tr, the control data in the reception memory 212 is transferred to the slave manipulator 20.
An output request is issued to output 1 as data for drive control (step S19).

After the number of control data in the receiving memory 212 reaches the specified number "3" and the output preparation completion flag is once set, YES is obtained in step S16, so that the data transmission period Tp is obtained in step S15. In step S19, the output request is issued in the cycle Tr regardless of whether new control data is stored in the reception memory 212.

When an output request is issued in step S19,
It is determined whether or not the control data is stored in the reception memory 212, and if the control data is stored (the control data number is 1 or more) (YES in step S20), the reception memory The oldest control data stored in 212 is used as the slave manipulator 201.
Is output as data for driving control (step S21). When the control data is not stored in the reception memory 212 (N in step S20)
O), the drive control of the slave manipulator 201 is stopped as a data transmission error or the like (step S22), and a process for normalizing the data transmission is separately performed.

As described above, by performing data transmission, the Ethernet controller 3 of the master side device 100
And Ethernet controller 2 of slave device 200
Ethernet between 3-4 ~ Wireless LAN 5 ~ Wireless LAN
In the case of 205 to Ethernet 204, when there is no communication delay without being affected by radio wave interference or noise, as shown in FIG. 7, smooth data transmission is performed by all of the respective units. As a result, the control data based on the operation state of the master manipulator 1 created in the cycle Tw by the master control device 2 has the slave control device 2 after a certain delay time Tdw.
02 from slave slave manipulator 2 as control data
It is outputted to 01 at the cycle Tr (= Tw).

Next, the Ethernet 4 to the wireless LAN between the Ethernet controller 3 of the master side device 100 and the Ethernet controller 203 of the slave side device 200.
A case in which there is a communication delay in the range of 5 to the wireless LAN 205 to the Ethernet 204 due to the influence of radio interference or noise will be described with reference to FIG.

In the slave control device 202 on the receiving side, once the output preparation completion is set, the number of data stored in the reception memory 212 depends on the delay time Tdw and the slave control device 202. From the output period Tr, Tdw / Tr is obtained. Therefore, assuming that the delay time due to the communication delay is ΔTd, the reception memory 21
The number of data stored in 2 is reduced by the integer number closest to ΔTd / Tr. However, when communication is restored,
The data increases by one every Tp / (Tr-Tp) times. The time Trec required to recover all the number of data in the receiving memory 212 is: Trec = ΔTd / (k-1) (however, set so that k = Tr / Tp> 1).
Therefore, the change time ΔTd of the communication delay becomes the time (Trec +
If the frequency is less than once in ΔTd), the receiving memory 212
Be sure to recover the number of data in. As a result, the delay time Td
With respect to the fluctuation of the communication delay within w, it is possible to send the data periodically while maintaining a constant delay time Tdw without causing a transmission error.

FIG. 9 shows, as a reference, data transmission by a conventional remote control device which does not store a plurality of data in the receiving memory as in the present invention. As is clear from the figure,
When a plurality of data is not stored in the receiving memory, if a communication delay occurs, the output cycle fluctuates due to the delay, and the data cannot be output at a constant cycle. As a result, workability and stability are greatly deteriorated, which is not practical.

In this embodiment, a bilateral master-slave manipulator system is shown. However, a unilateral remote control robot or a moving body (passenger car, truck, AG) is used.
V, forklifts, construction machines, cranes, hydraulic excavators, mobile robots) also have similar effects. Further, although the one using the wireless LAN is shown as the communication means, it can be applied to the case of using the communication device such as the wired LAN.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a master-slave manipulator system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a functional configuration related to data transmission in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the transmission side control device in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the transmitting Ethernet controller in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the receiving side control device in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the receiving side Ethernet controller in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a time chart showing data transmission during normal communication in the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a time chart showing data transmission when communication is abnormal in this embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a time chart showing data transmission when a communication error occurs in the conventional remote control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Master Manipulator (Operating Device) 2 Master Control Device (Data Creating Means) 13 Transmission Buffer (Transmission Data Storage Means) 3, 203 Ethernet Controller (Data Communication Means) 201 Slave Manipulator (Working Equipment) 202 Slave Control Device (Data) Output means) 212 Reception memory (reception side data storage means) Tw 1st cycle Tp 2nd cycle

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Koji Kamiya 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi Nihon Denso Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A working device for performing work, an operating device for remotely operating the working device, and data for controlling the working device according to an operating state of the operating device in a first cycle. Between the operating device and the working device, and a data creating device for storing the data created by the data creating device, and a sending side data storing device for storing a plurality of the data created in the first cycle. A data communication unit which is provided so as to be capable of bidirectional communication and sequentially transmits the data stored in the transmission data storage unit in a second cycle shorter than the first cycle; Receiving side data storage means capable of storing a plurality of the data and storing at the second cycle, and the receiving side when the number of the data stored in the receiving side data storage means reaches a prescribed number A data output means for starting output of the data stored in the data storage means to the working device and outputting the data to the working device in the first cycle. Control device. 2. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein the operating device and the work device are a master-slave system that comprises a master-side device and a slave-side device, respectively.