Patent ID: 8255077
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for calculating a tool reference plane that is offset from a machining plane model in accordance with a tool shape model, the apparatus comprising: a means for storing machining plane model data that describes the machining plane model that is arranged in a first XYZ coordinate system; a means for storing inversed tool shape data that describes the tool shape model that is inversely arranged in a second XYZ coordinate system, wherein the tool shape model has a tool reference point that is located at an origin of the second XYZ coordinate system; a means for determining a plurality of sphere regions in the first XYZ coordinate system and the second XYZ coordinate system respectively, wherein center points of the sphere regions are grid points that are arranged three dimensionally with a predetermined grid interval, and a radius of each sphere region is equal to 3 a means for identifying a plurality of machining plane containing sphere regions, in which the machining plane model is contained, from among the plurality of sphere regions in the first XYZ coordinate system, wherein the means further identifies, for each machining plane containing sphere region, a nearest point on the machining plane model from the center point of the machining plane containing sphere region; a means for storing machining plane containing sphere region data describing each of the identified machining plane containing sphere regions in association with the nearest point on the machining plane model identified based on the center point of the machining plane containing sphere region; a means for identifying a plurality of inversed tool model containing sphere regions, in which the inversed tool model is contained, from among the plurality of sphere regions in the second XYZ coordinate system, wherein the means further identifies, for each inversed tool model containing sphere region, a nearest point on the inversed tool model from the center point of the inversed tool model containing sphere region; a means for storing inversed tool model containing sphere region data describing each of the identified inversed tool model containing sphere regions in association with the nearest point on the inversed tool model identified based on the center point of the inversed tool model containing sphere region; a means for identifying a plurality of tool reference plane containing sphere regions from among the plurality of sphere regions in the first XYZ coordinate system and one or more contact point containing sphere regions from among the plurality of machining plane containing sphere regions based on the machining plane containing sphere region data and the inversed tool model containing sphere region data, wherein: a means for identifying a plurality of offset points, the means performing, for each of the one or more identified contact point containing sphere regions, an offset candidate point identifying process for calculating one or more offset candidate points and further identifying one of the identified offset candidate points, which is contained within the tool reference plane containing sphere region and is closest to the center grid point of the tool reference plane containing sphere region, as an offset point, wherein the offset candidate point identifying process comprises: a means for storing tool reference plane model data that describes coordinate positions of the plurality of identified offset points.