Patent ID: 8751044

Claim:
A control system for controlling an industrial robot including a manipulator, the control system comprising: a main computer module adapted to execute movement instructions from a robot program and generate reference signals to the drive module based on said movement instructions a drive module adapted to generate analog control signals to motors driving movements of the manipulator in response to said reference signals generated by the main computer module a human machine interface module adapted to teach and program the robot, a local area network having a first part adapted for normal communication and a second part, distinct from the first, said second part adapted for time critical communication and configured to provide predictable timing for data transfer, and wherein each of said modules is arranged as a node in the local area network and comprises a communication module configured to communicate with the other nodes in the local area network, and said main computer module is arranged as a node in both the first and second parts of the local area network, said human machine interface module is arranged as a node in the first part of the local area network, and said drive module is arranged as a node in the second part of the local area network, and wherein the control system is adapted to communicate with one or more external devices via an external network, said external network being distinct from said local area network.