System for motion control, method of using the system for motion control, and computer-readable instructions for use with the system for motion control

A motion control system comprising:

• a central controller configured to generate first and second demand control signals defining actuation motion of respective first and second actuators;
• first and second slaves in communication with said central controller, each slave comprising,
• at least a respective one of said actuators configured to implement at an actuator time an action based upon said respective demand control signal, and
• a memory configured to store at least one respective propagation delay parameter related to a signal propagation delay between the central controller and each of said first and second slaves,
• a timing mechanism configured to establish timing at each slave based on the respective propagation delay parameters, said timing mechanism configured to delay reception of a servo clock message at said first and second slaves by an amount of time corresponding to the propagation delay parameters for information passed from the central controller to the first and second slaves so that the actuator times at each of said first and second slaves occur simultaneously;
• and
• a data network configured to place said first and second slaves in communication with said central controller, wherein said data network comprises a ring topology having a forward direction and a reverse direction, and said central controller further comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a signal along said ring topology, a receiver configured to receive an answer to said signal, said answer transmitted along said ring topology, and an identifier configured to identify a farthest slave along said ring topology in a forward direction from which said answer is configured to be received at said receiver.

A motion control system comprising:

• a central controller configured to generate first and second demand control signals defining actuation motion of respective first and second actuators;
• first and second slaves in communication with said central controller, each slave comprising,
• at least a respective one of said actuators configured to implement at an actuator time an action based upon said respective demand control signal, and
• a memory configured to store at least one respective propagation delay parameter related to a signal propagation delay between the central controller and each of said first and second slaves,
• a timing mechanism configured to establish timing at each slave based on the respective propagation delay parameters, said timing mechanism configured to delay reception of a servo clock message at said first and second slaves by an amount of time corresponding to the propagation delay parameters for information passed from the central controller to the first and second slaves so that the actuator times at each of said first and second slaves occur simultaneously;
• and
• a data network configured to place said first and second slaves in communication with said central controller, wherein said data network comprises a ring topology having a forward direction and a reverse direction, and said propagation delay parameter memory comprises a forward path propagation delay parameter portion configured to store a parameter related to a propagation delay from said central controller in a forward direction along said forward direction to said slave and a reverse path propagation delay parameter portion configured to store a parameter related to a propagation delay from said central controller in a reverse direction along said reverse direction to said slave.

A motion control system comprising:

• a central controller configured to generate first and second demand control signals defining actuation motion of respective first and second actuators;
• first and second slaves in communication with said central controller, each slave comprising,
• at least a respective one of said actuators configured to implement at an actuator time an action based upon said respective demand control signal, and
• a memory configured to store at least one respective propagation delay parameter related to a signal propagation delay between the central controller and each of said first and second slaves,
• a timing mechanism configured to establish timing at each slave based on the respective propagation delay parameters, said timing mechanism configured to delay reception of a servo clock message at said first and second slaves by an amount of time corresponding to the propagation delay parameters for information passed from the central controller to the first and second slaves so that the actuator times at each of said first and second slaves occur simultaneously;
• and
• a data network configured to place said first and second slaves in communication with said central controller, wherein said central controller further comprises a query message transmitter configured to transmit a query message along said data network, and an answer message receiver configured to receive an answer to said query message, and each of said first and second slaves further comprises a query message receiver configured to receive said query message from said central controller, and an answer message transmitter configured to transmit an answer message replying to a received query message, said answer message transmitted along said data network, said answer message enumerating said slave.