US 5,631,531 A · Positioning and control apparatus that is interactively programmable using a display

Abstract

An apparatus for synchronously controlling the actual operation of a machine using one or more motors, such as servo motors, by simulating in program form a combination of selectable machine mechanisms, including drivers, connecting shafts, clutches, gears and cams. Each such machine mechanism is represented by a virtual mechanism, preferably as a software module that contains information uniquely identifying the module, operation information that defines the generation of position information and connection information that defines other modules to which connection is made. The software modules comprise drive modules for generating position information, transmission modules for simulating the transmission mechanisms and output modules for outputting motor commands.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of operating a drive simulation means in a positioning apparatus for driving and controlling a motor used to move a machine, wherein the drive simulation means is connected to a virtual input axis and a virtual output axis and is responsive to information on an input axis, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a position of the input axis, generating machine position information based on the detected position of the input axis, and providing said machine position information to the drive simulation means via the virtual input axis;
setting a constant for normalizing said machine position information based on movements of the input axis and information of the virtual output axis, the virtual input axis and the virtual output axis each comprising a data storage area;
generating position address data based on said machine position information and said constant, and outputting the generated position address data to the virtual output axis;
and
controlling a motor based on said position address data output in said generating step.

2 more elements

A method of operating an output simulation means in a positioning apparatus for control of a motor, in which the output simulation means is connected to a virtual input axis and a virtual output axis, comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting simulated position information to the output simulation means;
(b) operating on said input simulated position information in the output simulation means with a first function to produce a first result;
(c) operating on said input simulated position information in the output simulation means with a second function to produce a second result and converting said second result into unit-based position information;
and
(d) outputting said first result of step (b) as a motor drive control command and said second result of step (c) as unit-based position information for monitoring by a user.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Positioning and control apparatus that is interactively programmable using a display

Life of this patent

Positioning and control apparatus that is interactively programmable using a display

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12