Robot system and operation authority setting program

A robot system comprising:

• a robot;
• an operation terminal that receives an input of an authority code for acquiring operation authority of the robot and an operation input for operating the robot from a user of the robot;
• and
• a robot controller configured to be communicable with a plurality of the operation terminals and grant operation authority of the robot to the operation terminal, the robot controller being configured to drive and control the robot according to the operation input from a single operation terminal to which the operation authority has been granted among the plurality of the operation terminals, cancel the operation authority that has been granted to the operation terminal, and be capable of granting the operation authority to a single operation terminal to which the operation authority has not been granted, wherein
• the robot controller includes:
• an authority code storage unit that stores a proper predetermined authority code for granting operation authority of the robot to the operation terminal;
• and
• an operation authority grant processing unit that determines whether the operation authority of the robot has not been granted to any operation terminal, and, when it is determined that the operation authority of the robot has not been granted to any operation terminal, grants the operation authority of the robot to a single operation terminal to which the predetermined authority code stored in the authority code storage unit is first input.

A robot controller configured to control operation of a robot, the robot controller comprising:

• a communication interface communicating with an operation device, the communication interface receiving an operation input for operating the robot;
• an authority code storage unit that stores a proper predetermined authority code for granting operation authority of the robot to the operation device;
• and
• an operation authority grant processing unit that determines whether the operation authority of the robot has not been granted to any operation terminal, and, when it is determined that the operation authority of the robot has not been granted to any operation terminal, grants the operation authority of the robot to a single operation terminal to which the predetermined authority code stored in the authority code storage unit is first input.

An operation terminal configured to transmit an operation instruction signal for a robot, the operation terminal comprising:

• an input unit that detects an authority code;
• a communication interface that communicates with a robot controller that controls the robot;
• and
• an authority request processing unit that requests the robot to grant operation authority via the communication interface when the input unit detects the authority code, wherein,
• when the operation terminal acquires the operation authority after the authority request processing unit requests granting of the operation authority, the operation terminal transmits an operation instruction signal for the robot to the robot controller based on a predetermined operation detected by the input unit.

A method of controlling a robot, in which operation authority of a single robot is granted to a single operation terminal among a plurality of the operation terminals capable of being connected to the single robot via a robot controller to thereby enable the single operation terminal to which the operation authority is granted to operate the single robot, the method comprising the steps of:

• establishing connection between at least one of the plurality of the operation terminals and the robot controller;
• determining whether the operation authority is granted to the operation terminal connected to the robot controller;
• when it is determined that the operation authority has not been granted to the operation terminal, determining whether a proper predetermined authority code is input to the operation terminal to which the operation authority has been determined as not being granted;
• and,
• when it is determined that the authority code has been input, granting the operation authority to the operation terminal to which the operation authority has been determined as not being granted.