System and method for teaching robots

A robot controlling method comprising:

• a first step of selecting one of robot position data elements and one of robot motion pattern data elements in accordance with a type of a work, and
• a second step of preparing a teach data to teach motions to a robot by combining the selected one of said position data elements and the selected one of said motion data elements, and teaching said teach data to said robot,
• wherein said robot position data elements are data elements describing different positions of said robot, respectively, used for assembling vehicle bodies of different vehicle kinds and different body types, and said robot motion pattern data elements are data elements describing pattern of motions of said robots which are used, respectively, for said different types, and wherein said first step is performed by selecting one of said position data elements in accordance with a first vehicle identification signal designating said type, and selecting one of said motion pattern data elements in accordance with only said second identification signal.

A vehicle body assembly system according to claim 10 wherein said robot controlling comprises means for producing a robot control signal in accordance with a predetermined robot control program, and controlling one of said robots by sending said robot control signal, and said robot position calculating means comprises means for receiving said robot control signal, and determining the position of one of said robots using said control signal and said robot control program.

A robot teaching system comprising:

• storage means for storing a first collection of data describing a first occupied space which is a space occupied by a first robot and moves with time, and a second collection of data describing a second occupied space which is a space occupied by a second robot and moves with time;
• and
• checking means for reading out data from said storage means to determine said first and second occupied spaces at an arbitrary time instant, determining whether said first and second robots interfere with each other by suing the data read out form said storage means, and modifying a content of said storage means if it is judged that there is an interference.