Multiple connection architecture for communication with a computer numerical control resident in a workstation and other networked computer numerical controls
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSubbian Govindaraj, James L. Martin, Ganesh Rajagopalan, James M. Slagter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A workstation utilized in machine control. The workstation comprises a computer having an open control interface and a computer numerical control resident on the workstation. Communications between the computer and the computer numerical control are converted into an acceptable protocol for the receiving entity and communicated through a PCI connection. The workstation also is configured for connection to a network for communication with other networked devices.
Claims25
A open control interface system utilizing a computer having a central processing unit, to facilitate accessing large varieties of computer numerical control (CNC) data and to provide to a CNC that is either resident or networked, comprising:
- a workstation having an operating system that is a workstation-based system and on which an application is executable;
- a resident CNC that resides on the workstation;
- and
- a protocol module, wherein the protocol conversion module is configured to selectively communicate with either the resident CNC residing op the workstation or a networked CNC, further wherein the protocol conversion module interacts with the application to convert data received from the application into a format suitable for use by either the resident CNC or the networked CNC and to convert data received from either the resident CNC or the networked CNC into a format appropriate for the application resident on the workstation.
CNC system that may be coupled to a machine to control machine motion, comprising:
- a computer having a processor and an open control interface resident on a workstation;
- a resident computer numerical control having at least one processor, the computer numerical control being resident on the workstation;
- and
- a networked computer numerical control, wherein the open control interface is usable to electively monitor or control both the resident computer numerical control and the networked computer numerical control.
A method for utilizing an open control interface with a computer numerical control to increase the versatility of the computer numerical control, comprising:
- providing a computer workstation with an open control interface through which a computer processor is accessible;
- combining a computer numerical control with the computer workstation;
- converting data entered via the open control interface into a format recognizable by the computer numerical control;
- and
- connecting the computer workstation to a network to permit communications between the open control interface and other networked devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.