# US 7,630,775 B2 · Control system and method for controlling one or several manipulators > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,630,775 B2 - Document ID: US7630775B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/517,145 - Filed: 2003-06-05 - Published: 2005-09-22 - Granted: 2009-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2002-06-07 - Assignees: ABB AB - Inventors: Henrik Ryegård; Fredrik Pahlm; Jesper Bergsjö; Peter Eriksson; Ian Bird-Radolovic - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7630775B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/161: {Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor} - G05B 2219/34204: Independent units, stackthrough in cabinet, no backplane - G05B 2219/40306: Two or more independent robots - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A control system for controlling one or more manipulators. One or more drives control motors driving the movements of the manipulator. An axis computer provides control signals to the drives. A main computer is adapted to execute a program with instructions for the movements and supplies the axis computer with control instructions. Physically separated modules are adapted to be placed at separated locations and to handle different functions. Each module may be surrounded by a casing of its own, may have its own power supply and has a well-defined interface in relation to the other modules. The computers and drives are arranged in the modules. One of the modules is a main computer module, which comprises the main computer. Another of the modules is a drive module, which comprises the axis computer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control system for controlling movements of at least two manipulators, the control system comprising: a main computer module configured to execute programs with instructions for movements of the at least two manipulators, to plan movement paths of the at least two manipulators, and to generate orders for the at least two manipulators based on the movement paths, the main computer module further comprising a power supply configured to supply power to the main computer module; at least two drive modules, wherein one of the drive modules is operatively connected to one of the at least two manipulators, each drive module being physically separate from each other and from the main computer module, each drive module being operatively connected to one of the at least two manipulators and to at least one of the main computer module and one of the at least two drive modules to permit each module to communicate with at least one of the main computer module and one of the at least two drive modules, each drive module comprising a drive unit that controls motors driving the movements of the manipulator to which the drive unit is operatively connected, an interface configured to provide an interface with at least one of the main computer module and one of the at least two drive modules, a power supply configured to supply power to the drive module and supply power to the manipulator to which the drive unit is operatively connected, and an axis computer configured to provide control signals to the drive unit based on the orders received from the main computer module to control movement of the manipulator to which the drive unit is operatively connected, and a communication network operatively connecting the main computer module and the drive modules to permit the main computer module to transmit the orders to the at least two manipulators. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control system according to claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises an Ethernet link. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control system according to claim 1, further comprising: a transformer module comprising a transformer and a power supply, the transformer module being physically separated from the main computer module and the drive modules. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control system according to claim 1, further comprising: a control module comprising a control panel of the control system and a power supply, the control module being physically separate from the main computer module and the drive modules, the control module being operatively connected to the main computer module and the drive modules. ### Claim 5 A method for controlling at least two manipulators with a control system, the method comprising: planning with a main computer module movement paths of the at least two manipulators, wherein the main computer module is powered by a main computer module power supply; generating with the main computer module orders for movement of the at least two manipulators based on the movement paths; transmitting from the main computer module through a communication network the orders for the at least two manipulators to separate interfaces of at least two drive modules physically separate from each other and from the main computer module, each drive module being powered by a separate drive module power supply; receiving through the communication network the orders from the main computer module with an axis computer included in each of the at least two physically separate drive modules; generating with the axis computer control signals based on the orders received from the main computer module; transmitting the control signals to a drive unit included in each of the at least two physically separate drive modules; and driving motors of each of the at least two manipulators with the drive unit included in each of the at least two physically separate drive modules, wherein power is supplied to each manipulator with a power supply included in each drive module. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control system according to claim 1, further comprising: a client I/O module. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control system according to claim 1, wherein each drive unit comprises one or more drives.