Real time program modification apparatus

The method of modifying the programming of a manipulator provided with an arm which is movable in a plurality of axes and having encoder means for said axes operative to develop position signals corresponding to the actual position of said arm in said plurality of axes, which comprises the steps of:

• storing a plurality of said position signals corresponding to different positions of said arm in said axes in a predetermined sequence and address location;
• recalling said stored position signals in a sequential fashion to control said arm to perform a repetitive work cycle;
• identifying at least one of said stored position signals by said address location at which said arm position is to be modified;
• and
• modifying said identified stored position signal during the operation of said work cycle by preselected data corresponding to a positional modification in direction and magnitude.

In a programmable manipulator, the combination of:

• a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes;
• memory storage means having stored therein a plurality of digital command signals corresponding to the program step position to which said arm is to be moved;
• address means for causing said stored command signals to appear at the output of said memory means in a predetermined sequence;
• means for moving said arm to the positions represented by said stored command signals;
• means for modifying said stored command signals during the operation of said programmable manipulator in at least one preselected program step and according to preselected data corresponding to positional modifications in direction and magnitude relative to said stored command signals;
• means for identifying a particular series of successive program steps each of which is to be modified by said preselected positional modification data;
• and
• means for comparing said first and last steps in said series of steps to said program step position to control said modification of stored command signals.

In a programmable manipulator, the combination of:

• a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes;
• memory storage means having stored therein a plurality of digital command signals corresponding to the program step position to which said arm is to be moved;
• address means for causing said stored command signals to appear at the output of said memory means in a predetermined sequence;
• means for moving said arm to the position represented by said stored command signals;
• means common to all of said axes for modifying said stored command signals in at least one preselected program step while said arm is being moved by said arm moving means and according to preselected data corresponding to positional modifications in direction and magnitude relative to said stored command signals;
• said stored command signals being read out during different periods in a repetitive multiplex scanning cycle;
• said modifying means further comprising means for combining said stored command signals and said positional modification data for each of said axes during said respective periods in said repetitive multiplex scanning cycle.

In a programmable manipulator, the combination of:

• a manipulator arm;
• means for moving said arm to different positions in a plurality of different axes;
• memory storage means for storing digital command signal representations corresponding to different positions of said arm in said axes;
• means for modifying at least one of said particular stored command signals in said memory storage means during the operation of said programmable manipulator according to preselected data corresponding to positional modifications in direction and magnitude relative to said stored digital representations;
• means for identifying the particular digital command signal representation to be modified;
• means for inputting said particular digital command signal representation to be modified;
• means for inputting said preselected positional modification data;
• means for combining said digital command position representations and said positional modification data to produce a modified positional digital output representing the desired modified position;
• means common to said axes for comparing said stored digital command signals and said positional signal representations and developing an error signal related to the difference therebetween, means for sequentially connecting said comparing means to different command and position signal combinations corresponding to movement in different ones of said axes during different periods in a repetitive multiplex scanning cycle, said modifying means further comprising means responsive to said sequential connecting means for developing timing control signals to sequentially control the successive modification of stored data in each of said axes during said multiplex scanning cycle by controlling the combining means to combine the stored digital command signals and the modification positional data during the respective scan period of said multiplex scanning cycle corresponding to a particular axis;
• and
• means for writing said combined modified data into said memory storage means.

In a programmable manipulator, the combination of:

• a manipulator arm;
• means for moving said arm to different positions in a plurality of different axes;
• memory storage means for storing digital command signal representations corresponding to different positions of said arm in said axis;
• means for developing a position signal representing the position of said arm in each of said axis;
• means for modifying at least one of said particular stored digital representations in said memory storage means during the operation of said programmable manipulator according to preselected data corresponding to positional modifications in direction and magnitude relative to said stored digital representations;
• said memory storage means being sequentially advanced in address steps through said different stored command signals;
• and
• said modifying means further comprising start step address means for comparing the storage address location of said different stored command signals to a first preselected address location to control said modifying means to start said modification of stored positional data.

Apparatus for modifying a selected program step or program steps during the operation of a programmable manipulator according to preselected positional modification data, the programmable manipulator including a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes, memory storage means having stored therein a plurality of digital command signals corresponding to the program step position to which said arm is to be moved, address circuitry for causing the stored command signals to appear at the output of said memory means in a predetermined sequence and means for moving said arm to the position represented by said stored command signals, said modifying apparatus being common to all axes and comprising:

• means for identifying the particular digital command signal representation to be modified;
• means for inputting said particular digital command signal to be modified;
• means for combining said inputted digital command representation and said positional modification data to produce a modified positional digital output representing the desired modified position;
• means for controlling the writing of said modified positional output data into said memory storage means at the same address location as said inputted command signal;
• each of said stored command signals being read out during different predetermined periods in a repetitive multiplex scanning cycle, said modifying apparatus further comprising means for providing said positional modification data for each of said axes during said respective multiplex scan periods in said scan cycle to said combining means;
• and
• means for controlling said combining means to combine said stored command signals and said positional modification data for each of said axes during said respective scan periods in said repetitive multiplex scanning cycle, each of said modifications being accomplished for each axis sequentially in a predetermined order.

In a programmable manipulator, the combination of:

• a manipulator arm movable in a plurality of axes;
• memory storage means;
• teach control means for controlling movement of said manipulator arm during an initial teaching mode so that said arm is successively moved to a series of positions corresponding to a desired three-dimensional path of movement and recording in said memory storage means a plurality of digital command signals corresponding to said series of positions to which said arm is moved;
• address means for causing said stored command signals to appear at the output of said memory means as successive program steps corresponding to said series of positions during a subsequent playback mode;
• means for moving said arm successively to the positions represented by said stored command signals;
• and
• means operable independently of said teach control means and while said arm is being moved by said arm moving means during one of said subsequent playback modes for modifying said stored command signals in at least one preselected program step and according to preselected data corresponding to positional modifications in direction and magnitude relative to said stored command signals.