Control Method, Robot System, And Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Storage Medium Storing Program

A robot system comprising:

• a robot arm;
• a control unit configured to control an operation of the robot arm;
• and
• a functional safety unit configured to
• execute, when an entry restriction region is enabled and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, a forced stop which is a forced stop of the operation of the robot arm and which requires a return operation when resuming the operation after the stop, and
• not to execute, when the entry restriction region is disabled and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the forced stop of the operation of the robot arm, wherein
• the control unit is configured to
• detect a current position of a control point of the robot arm,
• predict, using at least information indicating the current position, at least one position to which the control point of the robot arm moves after a current time point, and
• perform, when the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region based on the at least one predicted position, control to avoid entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region, the control including execution of a temporary stop which is a temporary stop of the operation of the robot arm before the robot arm enters the entry restriction region and which does not require the return operation when resuming the operation after the stop.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to control a robot arm in a robot system,

• the robot system including
• the robot arm,
• a control unit configured to control an operation of the robot arm, and
• a functional safety unit configured to
• execute, when an entry restriction region is enabled and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, a forced stop which is a forced stop of the operation of the robot arm and which requires a return operation when resuming the operation after the stop, and
• not to execute, when the entry restriction region is disabled and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the forced stop of the operation of the robot arm,
• the program causing the computer to implement:
• a function of detecting a current position of a control point of the robot arm;
• a function of predicting, using at least information indicating the current position, at least one position to which the control point of the robot arm moves after a current time point;
• and
• a function of performing, when the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region based on the at least one predicted position, control to avoid entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region, the control including execution of a temporary stop which is a temporary stop of the operation of the robot arm before the robot arm enters the entry restriction region and which does not require the return operation when resuming the operation after the stop.