Abstract: The invention provides a system for controlling motion in machine tools, industrial robots, and motion stages over a computer serial port. From a process or listing of coordinate data points which define the path of two (or more) servo axes, a computer outputs serial port data to distributed Control Modules which regulate an analog torque or velocity command signal to control each axes' servo drive in a manner that implements a precisely interpolated tool path. A digital I/O link is utilized to synchronize the initial serial port data stream and to compensate for the drift of the individual processor clocks within the separate Control Modules, thereby eliminating the need for network determinism and also reducing hardware costs.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for controlling motion in machine tools, industrial robots, and motion stages over a computer serial port. From a process or listing of coordinate data points which define the path of two (or more) servo axes, a computer outputs serial port data to distributed Control Modules which regulate an analog torque or velocity command signal to control each axes' servo drive in a manner that implements a precisely interpolated tool path. A digital I/O link is utilized to synchronize the initial serial port data stream and to compensate for the drift of the individual processor clocks within the separate Control Modules, thereby eliminating the need for network determinism and also reducing hardware costs.