Patent ID: 12257716

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

By usingFIG.1, the intention is to illustrate how controllers for manipulators or robots are formed in the prior art. For example, a dual operating system100is provided, having two cores11a,12bof a processor. In order to be able to perform the control function F2and the path planning function F3for a robot gripper arm in a safe manner, a safety controller runs two instances of the safe operating system, each on a core of the processor. Thus, the control F2and the path planning F3are each implemented as safe functions F1. Thus, all three tasks responsible for the execution of a robot movement, i.e., the path planning, the control and the safety, run on the same CPU. Thus, each of the aforementioned tasks can be monitored and influenced by each other task.

By contrast, a system for guiding the movement of a manipulator in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown inFIG.2. Here, the system20for guiding the movement of the manipulator has a first processor201and a second processor202. The control tasks relating to guiding movement2are performed on the first processor201.

For common robot applications, the control tasks must be performable in real-time and in addition satisfy pre-definable and, in particular, certified safety requirements. The first processor201is formed such that the predefined safety requirements F1are complied with.

The first processor201is formed such that, for example, a first core210, a second core211aand a third core212bare provided. For example, the first core210is provided to perform the control task F2. The second core211aand the third core211bperform the safety task F1. For this purpose, the second core211aand the third core212bare, for example, two dedicated safety cores each having a different implementation of the software for performing a cross-comparison of the parallel executions of the software. Thus, the first processor201performs safety-directed control of the manipulator.

The second processor202is provided to perform a path planning task F3. This does not necessarily have to be executed in a safety-oriented manner. Therefore, this path planning task F3has not been provided on the first processor201, which is safety-certified, but on the second processor202, which is not certified. In addition, a task relating to processing user inputs F4is performed on the second processor202.

Via a graphical user interface (GUI), the interaction between an operator or a user of the manipulator and the controller is possible. The GUI defines which possibilities there are for user inputs. For example, boundary conditions, such as the objects to be gripped in a pick and place method or material parameters of objects to be processed or the like, are predefined by the operator through the GUI. For example, a gripping task or in particular the sequence of gripping and lever movements can also be predefined, here.

For this purpose, for example, four cores220to223are advantageously provided on the second processor202. Such a four-core processor is particularly advantageous in order to perform complicated tasks provided on the second processor202or many tasks to be executed in parallel. Computer-intensive tasks are divided up to multiple cores and, as a result of such parallelization, the performance is increased.

Tasks provided to be executed on the second processor202are not required to satisfy specific predefined safety requirements. Therefore, certification of the processor is also not required. Changing the hardware or software of the second processor thus remains without any effect on the safety-relevant tasks of the first processor201and thus also without any effect on certification that has already been passed satisfactorily.

Particularly advantageously, an application task that is to be provided on the second processor202can be modified flexibly or added to with the proposed system20. For example, on account of a changed use of the manipulator in an application, a camera can be newly installed and the camera image of an object to be gripped can be taken into account in the control. The result of an evaluation of the camera image is intended, for example, to influence the path planning of the manipulator.

For the input of data for the further processing and evaluation of the camera image, a further application task F5is provided on the second processor202. To illustrate the fact that the further application task F5has only been extended retrospectively, the function is identified by a hatched function box inFIG.2.

In a conventional robot controller with a single processor, the processor would have to be certified again as a result of the extension of the further application task. The addition of the further application task F5in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the invention can, on the other hand, leave certification of the first processor201untouched, because the application tasks on the second processor202are adapted without any reaction on the first processor201. This is possible as a result of the provision of the separate processors or CPUs on the system20for guiding movement.

The first exemplary embodiment is addressed inFIG.3, where a manipulator1is to be moved via a movement controller C to fulfill a robot gripping task. A tool2is to be gripped by the manipulator to then perform a processing task. In order to permit flexible and variable starting positions of the tool, a camera image is to be provided for the controller C of the manipulator, by using which path planning can be adapted by the controller C to the starting position of the tool. For example, a different path for picking up the tool is selected, depending on the initial position of the tool. Provided on the controller C is a first processor201, which is safety-certified. This first processor201is responsible for the control tasks relating to the movement of the manipulator.

The safety requirements can have different levels of strictness, depending on the area of use. Certification ensures that a controller used for the manipulator is approved in the envisaged application. For example, it must be ensured that protective zones that are required by human-robot interaction are complied with. For example, additionally provided stop operations for stopping the robot and emergency-stop methods must be set up safely.

The controller C additionally has a second processor202, which is responsible for the application tasks of the manipulator. These application tasks are not safety-certified. For example, the second processor202has a further application task F5, as has already been described in connection with the first exemplary embodiment. The further application task F5has become necessary with the installation of the camera in the application described and ensures processing of the camera image and analysis of the data thus received for the path planning task F3.

In accordance with the second exemplary embodiment of the invention, a changed application task F6is now to be additionally set up on the second processor202, which task modifies the application task relating to processing user inputs F4. A graphic user interface is to be adapted such that wizard-supported programming of G code is made possible. For example, additional adaptation of the gripping task is to be performed, depending on the detected type of tool. For this purpose, a program that provides different gripping mechanisms for different types of tools, in particular depending on the position, is written in G code. The change to the application task F4toward the changed application task F6has been identified graphically inFIG.3by a filled function box.

For example, changed or additional G codes are intended to be able to be predefined flexibly via the graphic user interface. In particular, re-certification of the entire controller C is intended not to be necessary after each adaptation.

As a result of the separation and division of the tasks that must satisfy real-time and safety requirements from the application tasks that are not required to satisfy the requirements to two different processors, an increase in efficiency is advantageously achieved based on restricting the certification to the most necessary. Thus, more economical production of robot control is possible.

The safety chip is, for example, certifiable via the TÜV and can be integrated into a control system as a standard subassembly together with the application processor. For example, four or more cores are provided as standard for the application processor. Depending on the complexity of the application tasks which, for example, are to be made possible for an eight-axis robot, the four-core application processor can be further expanded by additional cores. Both the expansion of the application tasks and the expansion of the chip architecture to multiple cores leaves untouched the certification that was obtained by safety requirements and the check of the first processor in tests.

FIG.4is a flowchart of the method for changing or expanding the application task of a manipulator1. The method comprises performing the application task F3on a second processor202, as indicated in step410. In accordance with the invention, the application task comprises a path planning task F3. Next, a task relating to processing user inputs F4is performed on the second processor202, as indicated in step420.

Next, at least one changed or further application task is set up on the second processor202, as indicated in step430. Next, control tasks F2relating to guiding movement a manipulator1are performed on a first processor201in real-time while complying with pre-definable safety requirements F1, as indicated in step440. Next, the at least one changed or further application task is set up with no reaction on the first processor201, as indicated in step450.

Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the methods described and the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.