System, method, and program for robot control

A program for execution by a computer, the computer being capable of accessing interface recording means for storing and holding interface specifications between robot function means and control software, said computer performing control over processing for a robot in which the robot function means is called for implementation, upon request by execution means for executing said control software, thereby performing an associated robot motion, wherein

• the program comprising, for causing said computer to execute, the steps:
• robot function search processing for searching in said interface recording means for the robot function means having interface specifications requested by the control software executed by said execution means;
• and
• processing for calling the searched robot function means for implementation.

A robot control method of controlling a robot of which motions can be varied by replacement of control software, wherein interface specifications between said control software and robot function means for realizing a robot motion upon request by execution means for executing said control software are stored in an interface recording unit in advance;

• and
• the method comprises steps of:
• searching said interface recording unit for the robot function means having interface specifications requested by the control software executed by said execution means;
• and
• calling the robot function means searched in said step of searching in response to the request by the control software, for implementation.

A robot system comprising:

• execution means for executing control software for controlling motions of a robot;
• at least one robot function means for realizing a functional motion of said robot;
• interface recording means for storing and holding interface specifications, said interface specifications being information defining interface specifications between said robot function means and said execution means and including entries for name information of robot functional part and robot function and an entry for storing one or more items of argument information supplied from said execution means when said functional motion requires a parameter;
• and
• robot function searching means for receiving from said execution means the name information of the robot functional part and the robot function of robot function means and searching said interface recording means for checking whether information on interface specifications including the robot functional part is recorded therein and returning a result of search when said execution means for executing said control software has executed a command of the control software specifying the name information of the robot functional part and the robot function and the required argument information on the robot function means and then the robot function means has been called;
• wherein when interface specifications having name information matching the name information of the robot function means specified by the command are present in said interface recording means as a result of search by said robot function searching means, said execution means, upon receipt of the result of the search from said robot function searching means, calls the searched robot function means, so that a robot motion associated with the robot function means is executed;
• when the interface specifications having the name information matching the name information of the robot function means specified by the command are not present in said interface recording means, said execution means skips the request of said control software;
• or
• when said robot function searching means has searched in said interface recording means for robot function means (referred to as “similar robot function means”) having interface specifications partly matching the name information of the robot function means specified by the command, said robot function searching means outputs the similar robot function means as the result of the search;
• and
• the similar robot function means searched by said robot function searching means is activated to execute a robot motion in response to the command of the control software.

A robot system comprising:

• execution means for executing control software for controlling motions of a robot;
• at least one robot function means for realizing a functional motion of said robot;
• interface recording means for storing and holding interface specifications, said interface specifications being information defining interface specifications between said robot function means and said execution means and including entries for name information of robot functional part and robot function and an entry for storing one or more items of argument information passed from said execution means when said functional motion requires a parameter, said entry for said robot function allowing interface specifications of robot function means alternative to said robot function means to be defined;
• and
• robot function searching means for receiving from said execution means the name information of the robot functional part and the robot function of robot function means and searching said interface recording means for checking whether interface specifications including the robot functional part are recorded therein and returning a result of search when said execution means for executing said control software has executed a command of the control software specifying the name information of the robot functional part and the robot function and the required argument information on the robot function means, and then the robot function means has been called;
• wherein when interface specifications including name information matching the name information of the robot function means specified by the command are present in said interface recording means as the result of the search by said robot function searching means and when said robot function searching means has detected designation of interface specifications of alternative robot function means in the interface specification including the name information matching the name information of the robot function means specified by the command, said robot function searching means outputs the alternative robot function means as the result of the search, and the alternative robot function means searched by said robot function searching means is activated to execute a robot motion.