Robot apparatus and method for controlling the same

A robot apparatus comprising:

• actuators for driving joint shafts and measuring torque and at least one of a joint angle and a joint angle speed of each of the joint shafts;
• and
• a central control part for controlling each of the actuators,
• wherein the central control part performs a periodic communication at predetermined control periods and the periodic communication includes transmitting a desired control value from the central control part to each of the actuators and transmitting a measured value from each of the actuators to the central control part,
• wherein the central control part stops the periodic communication in response to an occurrence of an actuator that has failed to receive the measured value during a given period of time in the periodic communication, and
• wherein each of the actuators performs a safety stop in response to an event where the actuator has not received the desired control value in the periodic communication during a given period of time.

A method for controlling a robot apparatus, comprising:

• performing a periodic communication between actuators and a central control part, the periodic communication including transmitting a desired control value from the central control part to each of the actuators and transmitting a measured value from each of the actuators to the central control part at predetermined control periods, each of the actuators driving a joint shaft and also measuring at least one of a joint angle and a joint angle speed of the joint shaft, the central control part controlling each of the actuators;
• stopping, by the central control part, a periodic communication in response to an occurrence of an actuator that has failed to receive the measured value for a given period of time in the periodic communication;
• and
• performing a safety stop in response to an event where the actuator has not received the desired control value during a given period of time in the periodic communication.

A method for controlling a robot apparatus, comprising:

• performing a periodic communication between actuators and a central control part, the periodic communication including transmitting a desired control value from the central control part to each of the actuators and transmitting a measured value from each of the actuators to the central control part at predetermined control periods, each of the actuators driving a joint shaft and also measuring at least one of a joint angle and a joint angle speed of the joint shaft, the central control part controlling each of the actuators;
• stopping, by the central control part, a periodic communication in response to an occurrence of an actuator that has failed to receive the measured value for a given period of time in the periodic communication;
• and
• performing a safety stop in response to an event where the actuator has not received the desired control value during a given period of time in the periodic communication.