Basic digital multi-axis robot control having modular performance expansion capability

A digital control for a robot having a plurality of arm joints, and said control comprising:

• an electric motor for driving each of the robot arm joints;
• a power amplifier operable to supply drive current to each motor;
• respective digital feedback control loop means for respectively controlling said power amplifiers for said joint motors;
• means for generating digital motor current, position and velocity feedback signals for said control loop means;
• each of said digital feedback control loop means including digital position and velocity control loops;
• each of said feedback control loop means further including a digital torque control loop responsive to torque commands from said position and velocity control loops to generate voltage commands for operating the associated power amplifier and joint motor;
• system resource means providing general support for the operation of said digital feedback control loop means and including data communicating means for interfacing with local input/output devices and other systems and devices;
• first microprocessor servo means coupled to said system resource means and generating said voltage commands in response to position commands and said current, position and velocity feedback signals;
• means for generating said position commands in accordance with predetermined moves set forth in a robot program;
• said position command generating means including planning program means for generating a motor profile with specified motion parameters for implementing each robot program command;
• said position command generating means further including trajectory program means for generating said position commands to satisfy each robot program command in accordance with its motion profile;
• second microprocessor means adapted to be coupled to said system resource means;
• said position command generating means further including said first microprocessor servo means for execution of said planning and trajectory program means in a basic control configuration for said robot or said second microprocessor means for execution of said planning and trajectory program means in an expanded performance control configuration for said robot;
• and
• interfacing memory means for coupling said first and second microprocessor means for data communications therebetween when the expanded control configuration is employed.