US 7,558,646 B2Granted

Cooperative control system of robots

AssigneeKawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsNaoyuki Matsumoto, Masatoshi Sano, Tsuyoshi Maehara, Nobuyasu Shimomura, Takahiro Ueno

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Abstract

The present invention has a communication connection means (21) which mutually connects communicatably control units (Ca, Cb) for individually controlling operations of robots (Ra, Rb) to constitute a network, input means (37a, 37b) which are respectively installed in the control units and input operation instructions of the robots, and timing signal generation means (69a, 69b). The control units are selectively set to any one of an independent function execution mode, a master function execution mode, and a slave function execution mode, and among the control units, the control unit (Ca) to perform a master operation is set to the master function execution mode, and the residual control unit (Cb) is set to the slave function execution mode, and by correcting a minimum interruption period (Ts(b)) of the slave side control unit (Cb), a control time (ta11, ta12, ta13) to the master robot (Ra) of the master side control unit (Ca) is delayed by a predetermined time (T) to perform the cooperative operation. By doing this, the control units are always kept in the synchronized state, thus the operations of the robots can be prevented from variations.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A cooperative control system of robots comprising:

a plurality of control units for controlling individually respective operations of a plurality of robots in synchronization with a timing signal generated in a predetermined minimum interruption period,
communication connection means communicatably connecting said control units to each other to constitute a network,
input means which are respectively installed in said control units and input operation instructions of said robots,
storage means which are respectively installed in said control units and store programs for operating said robots in response to said operation instructions of said robots, and
timing signal generation means which are respectively installed in said control units and generate timing signals in said minimum interruption period, wherein:
said control units can execute selectively at least one of an independent function execution mode, a master function execution mode, and a slave function execution mode by said programs stored in said storage means,
when one of said plurality of control units is set to said master function execution mode by execution of said programs, at least one of residual control units excluding said control unit which is set to said master function execution mode among said plurality of control units is set to said slave function execution mode for executing a slave operation by execution of said programs,
a master robot controlled by said control unit set to said master function execution mode and a slave robot controlled by said control unit set to said slave function execution mode are cooperatively operated,
said control unit set to said slave function execution mode changes said minimum interruption period (Ts(b)) of said control unit set to said slave function execution mode so as to make a communication delay time (tb−ta) from a time (ta) when said control unit set to said master function execution mode transmits an operation instruction to a time (tb) when said control unit set to said slave function execution mode receives said operation instruction and starts controlling its own robot equal to a predetermined time (T), and
said predetermined time (T) is selected to less than a control period (W) of each control unit.

7 more elements

A cooperative control system of robots comprising:

a plurality of control units for controlling individually respective operations of a plurality of robots in synchronization with a timing signal generated in a predetermined minimum interruption period,
communication connection means communicatably connecting said control units to each other to constitute a network,
input means which are respectively installed in said control units and input operation instructions of said robots,
storage means which are respectively installed in said control units and store programs for operating said robots in response to said operation instructions of said robots, and
timing signal generation means which are respectively installed in said control units and generate timing signals in said minimum interruption period, wherein:
said control units can execute selectively at least one of an independent function execution mode, a master function execution mode, and a slave function execution mode by said programs stored in said storage means,
when one of said plurality of control units is set to said master function execution mode by execution of said programs, at least one of residual control units excluding said control unit which is set to said master function execution mode among said plurality of control units is set to said slave function execution mode for executing a slave operation by execution of said programs, and
a master robot controlled by said control unit set to said master function execution mode and a slave robot controlled by said control unit set to said slave function execution mode are cooperatively operated,
said control units are respectively equipped with input/output units and during a cooperative operation, in said control unit set to said master function execution mode and said control unit set to said slave function execution mode among said plurality of control units, said control unit set to said master function execution mode, via said communication connection means, inputs and outputs signals for an external device using said input/output unit of said control unit set to said slave function execution mode to control said input/output unit,
said control unit set to said slave function execution mode changes said minimum interruption period (Ts(b)) of said control unit set to said slave function execution mode so as to make a communication delay time (tb−ta) from a time (ta) when said control unit set to said master function execution mode transmits an operation instruction to a time (tb) when said control unit set to said slave function execution mode receives said operation instruction and starts controlling its own robot equal to a predetermined time (T), and
said predetermined time (T) is selected to less than a control period (W) of each control unit.

8 more elements

A cooperative control system of robots comprising:

a plurality of control units for controlling individually respective operations of a plurality of robots in synchronization with a timing signal generated in a predetermined minimum interruption period,
communication connection means communicatably connecting said control units to each other to constitute a network,
input means which are respectively installed in said control units and input operation instructions of said robots,
storage means which are respectively installed in said control units and store programs for operating said robots in response to said operation instructions of said robots, and
timing signal generation means which are respectively installed in said control units and generate timing signals in said minimum interruption period, wherein:
said control units can execute selectively at least one of an independent function execution mode, a master function execution mode, and a slave function execution mode by said programs stored in said storage means,
when one of said plurality of control units is set to said master function execution mode by execution of said programs, at least one of residual control units excluding said control unit which is set to said master function execution mode among said plurality of control units is set to said slave function execution mode for executing a slave operation by execution of said programs,
a master robot controlled by said control unit set to said master function execution mode and a slave robot controlled by said control unit set to said slave function execution mode are cooperatively operated,
in said cooperative operation, regarding a relative position of said robot set to said slave function execution mode in process of motion to said robot set to said master function execution mode, a motion interim point of said robot set to said slave function execution mode is calculated in conformity with a motion interim point of said robot set to said master function execution mode so as to meet a relative position relationship at a taught operation start point and a relative position relationship at a taught operation end point,
said control unit set to said slave function execution mode changes said minimum interruption period (Ts(b)) of said control unit set to said slave function execution mode so as to make a communication delay time (tb−ta) from a time (ta) when said control unit set to said master function execution mode transmits an operation instruction to a time (tb) when said control unit set to said slave function execution mode receives said operation instruction and starts controlling its own robot equal to a predetermined time (T), and
said predetermined time (T) is selected to less than a control period (W) of each control unit.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/494,583Filed 7 Nov 2002
Priority: JP 2001-3419057 Nov 2001
Published: US 2005/0055132 A110 Mar 2005
Granted: 7 Jul 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B25J 9/1682
Characterised by the tasks executed: dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
G05B 2219/33097
Director till display: variable ticks, align clocks, to synchronise cycles with other machine, robot
G05B 2219/39051
Robotics, robotics to robotics hand: calibration cooperating manipulators, closed kinematic chain by alignment
G05B 2219/39124
Robotics, robotics to robotics hand: grasp common rigid object, no movement end effectors relative to object