Motion control systems

A motion control system, comprising:

• an application program comprising at least one call to at least one component function;
• a plurality of motion control devices, where
• a plurality of unique controller languages are associated with the plurality of motion control devices,
• each controller language comprises at least some control commands for processing information associated with motion control devices, and
• each of the motion control devices comprises
• a controller capable of generating electrical signals based on at least one control command of the controller language associated with the motion control device, and
• a mechanical system capable of causing a motion control operation based on electrical signals generated by the controller,
• a set of software drivers each comprising driver code, where
• each software driver is associated with at least one of the plurality of controller languages, and
• each software driver exposes a service provider interface defining a set of driver functions, where
• the driver functions are independent of the plurality of controller languages,
• at least one driver function is an extended driver function that is associated with a non-primitive motion operation that can be performed using at least one primitive motion operation, where the at least one primitive motion operation cannot be performed using a combination of primitive or non-primitive motion operations,
• at least one driver function is a core driver function that is associated with a primitive motion operation,
• the driver code of at least one software driver associates at least one driver function with at least one control command of the at least one controller language associated with at least one of the software drivers, and
• at least one selected software driver is associated with at least one selected motion control device;
• a motion component comprising component code, where the motion component exposes an application programming interface comprising a set of component functions, where
• each component function is implemented by component code,
• at least the component code is independent of the plurality of controller languages, and
• the component code associates at least one of the component functions with at least one of the driver functions;
• wherein
• the at least one selected software driver generates at least one control command in the controller language associated with the at least one selected motion control device based on the calls to component functions of the application program, the component code, and the driver code of the at least one selected software driver.

A motion control system, comprising:

• an application program comprising at least one call to at least one component function;
• a plurality of motion controllers, where
• each of the motion controllers is capable of causing a motion control operation,
• a plurality of sets of control commands are associated with the plurality of motion controllers,
• each set of control commands comprises at least one control command that is capable of processing information associated with the movement of an object, and
• at least one of the plurality of sets of control commands is associated with each of the motion controllers;
• a set of software drivers each comprising driver code, where
• each software driver is associated with at least one of the plurality of sets of control commands,
• at least one selected software driver is associated with at least one selected motion controller;
• each software driver exposes a service provider interface defining a set of driver functions, where
• the driver functions are independent of the plurality of sets of control commands,
• at least one driver function is an extended driver function that is associated with a non-primitive motion operation that can be performed using a combination of primitive motion operations, where primitive motion operations cannot be performed using a combination of primitive or non-primitive motion operations,
• at least one driver function is a core driver function that is associated with a single one of the primitive motion operations, and
• the driver code of at least one software driver associates at least one driver function with at least one control command of the at least one set of control commands associated with at least one of the software drivers, and
• a motion component comprising component code, where the motion component exposes an application programming interface comprising a set of component functions, where
• each component function is implemented by component code,
• at least the component code is independent of the plurality of sets of control commands, and
• the component code associates at least one of the component functions with at least one of the driver functions;
• whereby
• the at least one selected software driver generates a sequence of one or more control commands from the set of control commands associated with the at least one selected controller based on the calls to component functions of the application program, the component code, and the driver code of the at least one selected software driver.

A motion control system, comprising:

• an application program comprising at least one call to at least one component function;
• a plurality of controllers, where
• each of the controllers is capable of causing a motion control operation,
• a plurality of sets of control commands are associated with the plurality of controllers,
• each set of control commands comprises at least one control command that is capable of processing information associated with the movement of an object, and
• at least one of the plurality of sets of control commands is associated with each of the controllers;
• a set of software drivers each comprising driver code, where
• each software driver is associated with at least one of the plurality of sets of control commands,
• at least one selected software driver is associated with at least one selected controller;
• each software driver exposes a service provider interface defining a set of driver functions, where
• the driver functions are independent of the plurality of sets of control commands,
• at least one driver function is an extended driver function that is associated with a non-primitive motion operation that can be performed using a combination of primitive motion operations, where primitive motion operations cannot be performed using a combination of primitive or non-primitive motion operations,
• at least one driver function is a core driver function that is associated with a single one of the primitive motion operations, and
• the driver code of at least one software driver associates at least one driver function with at least one control command of the at least one set of control commands associated with at least one of the software drivers, and
• a motion component comprising component code, where the motion component exposes an application programming interface comprising a set of component functions, where
• each component function is implemented by component code,
• at least the component code is independent of the plurality of sets of control commands, and
• the motion component uses a function table to associate at least one of the component functions with at least one of the driver functions, and
• whereby
• the at least one selected software driver generates at least one control command from the set of control commands associated with the at least one selected controller based on the calls to component functions of the application program, the component code, and the driver code of the at least one selected software driver.