Abstract: A robot control device adapted for performing flexible control includes: an operation state monitoring unit for determining the operation state of the robot on the basis of outputs from a position detecting unit for detecting positions of respective shafts of a robot, a force detecting unit for detecting forces of respective shafts of the robot or a time measuring unit for measuring time; a storage unit for storing a plurality of parameter sets indicating flexibility of the flexible control; and an operation generating unit for switching the parameter sets each indicating flexibility on the basis of an output from the operation state monitoring unit at the time of executing the flexible control.

Abstract: A robot control device adapted for performing flexible control includes: an operation state monitoring unit for determining the operation state of the robot on the basis of outputs from a position detecting unit for detecting positions of respective shafts of a robot, a force detecting unit for detecting forces of respective shafts of the robot or a time measuring unit for measuring time; a storage unit for storing a plurality of parameter sets indicating flexibility of the flexible control; and an operation generating unit for switching the parameter sets each indicating flexibility on the basis of an output from the operation state monitoring unit at the time of executing the flexible control.

Abstract: A robot system capable of performing automatic updating of data inherent to a robot mechanism section or a mechanical unit thereof when changing the robot mechanism section or the mechanical unit. After changing the robot mechanism section or the mechanical unit, data of identifiers are read by a robot control section from nonvolatile memories associated with encoders in the robot mechanism section or the mechanical unit automatically upon turning-on of a power supply on or a manual operation. If it is determined that a kind of the robot is changed, the data indicating the kind of robot is rewritten in the robot control section. If it is required to change an algorithm for forward/inverse transformation for calculation of a robot locus, the algorithm is changed. If a kind of the robot is not changed, it is determined whether individuality of the whole robot mechanism section or the mechanical unit is changed or not.

Abstract: A robot movement control method, in which a robot is moved along a smooth path (10, 11) determined based on a teaching path defined to pass a designated starting point (TP4), at least one intermediate point (TP5, TP6) and a terminal point (TP7), is disclosed. The smooth path is determined so that the coincidence between the actual path for robot movement and the teaching path is assured near the starting point (TP4) or the intermediate point.

Abstract: A method for controlling the trajectory of a robot, in which, in the cooperative operation of a leading robot having a work tool and a tracking robot gripping a workpiece, the position and the orientation of the work tool may be desirably controlled, even when the interpolative motion is carried out. The robots are cooperatively controlled such that the position and the orientation of a first tool coordinate system set on the work tool attached to the leading robot is moved along a desired trajectory on a second tool coordinate system set on the workpiece gripped by the tracking robot. During a playback operation after a teaching operation, the interpolative position data of the tracking robot is calculated by using the interpolative position data of the leading robot and the relative positions and the relative orientations data of the robots. The invention may be applied to a manual feed. The trajectory may be smoothed by filtering the interpolative position data.

Abstract: A robot interference prevention control device reads in advance a teaching program of each robot, calculates a scheduled stop position for each robot when issuing a stop command after n number of interpolation periods from the current interpolation period, and checks whether or not interference would occur at the scheduled stop position of each robot. When the robot interference prevention control device judges that a robot will interfere with another robot, it outputs a stop command at the current interpolation period. Due to this, a stop command is output before n number of interpolation periods from the interpolation period where interference would occur and thereby the occurrence of interference can be prevented.

Abstract: Bendings &Dgr;&agr;, &Dgr;&bgr;, and &Dgr;&thgr; are determined by the torques about the axes of coordinate systems disposed to respective joints and by spring constants. Parameters &agr;, &bgr;, and &thgr;0 are determined by adding an amount of twist to corrected D-H parameters &agr;s, &bgr;s, and &thgr;0s when twist is “0”. A rotational angle &thgr;′ (&thgr;st) is determined from a target position x by executing inverse kinematics using the parameters &agr;s, &bgr;s, and &thgr;0s (step S6). Further, a position x′ is determined from the rotational angle &thgr;′ by executing forward kinematics using the parameters &agr;, &bgr;, and &thgr;0, and the difference &Dgr;x between the target position x and the position x′ is determined. The difference is corrected, and a new target position x is set.

Abstract: A robot system capable of performing automatic updating of data inherent to a robot mechanism section or a mechanical unit thereof when changing the robot mechanism section or the mechanical unit. After changing the robot mechanism section or the mechanical unit, data of identifiers are read by a robot control section from nonvolatile memories associated with encoders in the robot mechanism section or the mechanical unit automatically upon turning-on of a power supply on or a manual operation. If it is determined that a kind of the robot is changed, the data indicating the kind of robot is rewritten in the robot control section. If it is required to change an algorithm for forward/inverse transformation for calculation of a robot locus, the algorithm is changed. If a kind of the robot is not changed, it is determined whether individuality of the whole robot mechanism section or the mechanical unit is changed or not.

Abstract: Bendings &Dgr;&agr;, &Dgr;&bgr;, and &Dgr;&thgr; are determined by the torques about the axes of coordinate systems disposed to respective joints and by spring constants. Parameters &agr;, &bgr;, and &thgr;0 are determined by adding an amount of twist to corrected D-H parameters &agr;s, &bgr;s, and &thgr;0s when twist is “0”. A rotational angle &thgr;′ (&thgr;st) is determined from a target position x by executing inverse kinematics using the parameters &agr;s, &bgr;s, and &thgr;0s (step S6). Further, a position x′ is determined from the rotational angle &thgr;′ by executing forward kinematics using the parameters &agr;, &bgr;, and &thgr;0, and the difference &Dgr;x between the target position x and the position x′ is determined. The difference is corrected, and a new target position x is set.

Abstract: An industrial robot capable of preventing re-collision after colliding with an obstacle. Disturbing torque exerted on each servomotor for a robot axis is estimated by its associated disturbance estimating observer. When a hand attached to an end of a robot arm collides with an obstacle, an estimated value of disturbance given by a disturbance estimating observer exceeds a predetermined threshold, and the collision is detected. Then, each motor for driving a robot arm is drivingly controlled with a velocity command turned to “0”. Each motor for driving the robot hand is driven with torque having a predetermined magnitude (maximum magnitude) and the same sign as that of an estimated value of disturbing torque exerted on it, for a predetermined time, and then it is brought to an emergency stop. Thus, after colliding with an obstacle, the robot hand is driven in a direction such that it recedes from the obstacle.

Abstract: A robot which holds a workpiece (W) to be loaded with chuck (CH) moves on a programmed path from a tool center point to a point Q in response to a command. When a force sensor detects the contact between the distal end face of the workpiece (W) and a workpiece fixing surface (H), a loop gain of a servo control system is changed into a lower value. In consequence, the attitude of the workpiece (W) is corrected by means of a reaction force received from the workpiece fixing surface (H) and reaction forces from chucking members (CH1 to CH4), whereupon chucking is completed.

Abstract: A control method for a servo system capable of adjusting softness to provide a robot with a soft floating function for each axis of a rectangular coordinate system. A force (Fx, Fy, Fz) acting on a tool center point in the rectangular coordinate system .SIGMA..sub.0 is obtained using a position error in the rectangular coordinate system .SIGMA..sub.0 and set parameters (Kx, Ky, Kz). The obtained force (Fx, Fy, Fz) is transformed into data (Fx.sup.(n+1), Fy.sup.(n+1), Fz.sup.(n+1)) in a tool coordinate system .SIGMA..sub.n+1, using posture data of the robot. Further, according to the Newton-Euler method, premising (Fx.sup.(n+1), Fy.sup.(n+1), Fz.sup.(n+1) =(fx.sup.(n+1), fy.sup.(n+1), fz.sup.(n+1), a torque Ti for each axis is calculated to obtain an input value Ei=Ti/(Kp.multidot.Kv) for a position loop.