Method and apparatus for developing a metadata-infused software program for controlling a robot

A computer program product for use with a central processing unit (CPU), said product comprising:

• a computer-readable medium;
• a library of segments of software code with metadata, wherein the metadata of each segment identifies the segment and includes a status of the segment that includes whether the segment has been executed, said library being stored on the computer-readable medium;
• a program stored on the computer-readable medium and having instructions for causing the CPU to execute a method of developing an executable software program for controlling an object, said method comprising:
• selecting a plurality of the segments from the library;
• connecting the selected segments;
• executing a first selected segment;
• updating the metadata for the first selected segment to convey that the first selected segment has been executed;
• and
• displaying graphical representations of the selected segments, wherein the graphical representations convey the statuses of the selected segments, with the representation for the first selected segment conveying that the first selected segment has been executed.

An apparatus for controlling a robot, said apparatus comprising:

• (a.) an interface device comprising a central processing unit (CPU) and a display;
• (b.) a storage medium readable by the CPU;
• (c.) a library of segments of robot code with metadata, wherein the metadata of each segment includes a status of the segment that includes whether the segment has been executed, said library being stored on the storage medium;
• (d.) a program development wizard runnable on the CPU to execute a method of developing an executable robot control software program, said method comprising:
• eliciting information from a user;
• receiving information from the user;
• using the received user information to select a plurality of the segments from the library;
• combining the selected segments;
• executing a first selected segment;
• updating the metadata for the first selected segment to convey that the first selected segment has been executed;
• and
• displaying graphical representations of the selected segments on the display;
• and
• (e.) a robot controller for executing the robot control software program to control the robot.

A method of controlling a robot, comprising:

• (a.) providing a display device and a robot program comprising metadata and robot code represented in XML;
• (b.) interpreting the robot code to control the robot;
• and
• (c.) interpreting the metadata to display graphical representations of the robot program on the display device;
• and
• wherein steps (b.) and (c.) are performed simultaneously wherein the metadata identifies segments of the robot program and includes statuses of the segments, and wherein one of the segments has default data.

A computer program product for use with a central processing unit (CPU) and a robot controller, said product comprising:

• a computer-readable medium;
• a robot control software program stored on the computer-readable medium, said robot control software program comprising robot code infused with metadata that identifies segments of the robot code and conveys the statuses of the segments, respectively, said robot control software program having instructions for causing the robot controller to move a robot along a process path having a plurality of position points with default values;
• and
• a deployment wizard stored on the computer-readable medium and having instructions for causing the CPU to execute a method of teaching the robot control software program, said method including teaching the position points by replacing the default values with taught values and updating the metadata to convey that the position points have been taught;
• and
• wherein the metadata includes information for teaching the position points.