Patent ID: 8402550
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. A method of avoiding improper machine activation of a multi-axis machine tool by machine control parameters received by the multi-axis machine tool from a computer system that generates the machine control parameters for the multi-axis machine tool, comprising: assigning a sender encryption key, a sender decryption key, and a sender identification to said computer system that generates the machine control parameters, said sender encryption key being different from said sender decryption key; assigning a machine tool encryption key and a machine tool decryption key to said multi-axis machine tool, said machine tool decryption key being different from said machine tool encryption key; providing a data processing unit and a memory to be read via a reader in said computer system for generating machine control parameters for said multi axis machine tool; activating the data processing unit and the memory, or an encryption module, of said computer system to generate the machine control parameters for said multi axis machine tool; encrypting, by the data processing unit or the encryption module, the machine control parameters generated to activate said multi-axis machine tool using said sender decryption key to obtain first-encrypted machine control parameters, adding said sender identification to the first-encrypted machine control parameters; encrypting the first-encrypted machine control parameters including said added sender identification using said machine tool encryption key to obtain second-encrypted machine control parameters; providing an improper-activation safety module in said multi-axis machine tool to receive the second-encrypted machine control parameters from the computer system; when the second-encrypted machine control parameters are received in said multi-axis machine tool, decrypting the second-encrypted machine control parameters using said machine tool decryption key to obtain first-encrypted machine control parameters and the added sender identification using said improper-activation safety module in the multi-axis machine tool, wherein decrypting the second-encrypted machine control parameters in said machine tool with the decryption key verifies that the machine control parameters were actually generated for the machine tool; authenticating the computer system for generating the machine control parameters for the multi-axis machine tool based on an allowed sender identification and the added sender identification and a suitability of said sender encryption key for further decrypting the first-encrypted machine control parameters in said improper-activation safety module in the multi-axis machine tool, wherein authenticating the computer system for generating the machine control parameters for the multi-axis machine tool verifies that the computer system for generating the machine control parameters for the multi-axis machine tool is actually suitable and authorized to generate the machine control parameters for the multi-axis machine tool; and when the computer system for generating the machine control parameters for the multi-axis machine tool is authenticated, decrypting the first-encrypted machine control parameters using said sender encryption key to obtain the machine control parameters using said improper-activation safety module in the multi-axis machine tool.