Abstract: A robot having a learning control function is disclosed. The robot includes a robot mechanism unit with a sensor on a part to be positionally controlled and a control unit for controlling the operation of the robot mechanism unit. The control unit includes a normal control unit for controlling the operation of the robot mechanism unit, and a learning control unit for operating the robot mechanism unit according to a task program and carrying out the learning to calculate the learning correction amount in order that position of the part of the robot mechanism unit to be controlled which is detected by the sensor approaches a target trajectory or a target position assigned for the normal control unit. The learning control unit calculates the maximum speed override that can be set with in the learning operation, and carries out the learning to calculate the learning correction amount while increasing the speed override a plurality of times until the maximum speed override is reached.

Abstract: A taught point correcting device for correcting a taught point in an operation program of a robot. The device includes a judging section judging whether position data of any of a plurality of different taught points, previously taught and included in an operation program, has been corrected or not; and a data correcting section correcting, when the judging section judges that position data of a first taught point among the different taught points has been corrected, position data of a correlative taught point having a relative positional relationship with the first taught point, in accordance with a taught-point rule previously prescribing the relative positional relationship between the different taught points. The device may also include a storing section storing the taught-point rule. The taught-point rule may include a rule prescribing a distance between any two taught points among the different taught points.

Abstract: A taught point correcting device for correcting a taught point in an operation program of a robot. The device includes a judging section judging whether position data of any of a plurality of different taught points, previously taught and included in an operation program, has been corrected or not; and a data correcting section correcting, when the judging section judges that position data of a first taught point among the different taught points has been corrected, position data of a correlative taught point having a relative positional relationship with the first taught point, in accordance with a taught-point rule previously prescribing the relative positional relationship between the different taught points. The device may also include a storing section storing the taught-point rule. The taught-point rule may include a rule prescribing a distance between any two taught points among the different taught points.

Abstract: A robot control system provided in a machining system including a robot and a machine tool. The robot control system includes a robot controller controlling the robot, a portable teach pendant connected to the robot controller, and a communication network adapted to connect the robot controller to a machine tool controller controlling the machine tool. The teach pendant includes a display section configured to display information relating to the robot and the machine tool. The robot controller includes a processing section configured to obtain information relating to the machine tool from the machine tool controller through the communication network, make the display section of the teach pendant display a machine tool-related screen in accordance with a given screen program, and make the machine tool-related screen of the display section of the teach pendant display the information, as obtained, relating to the machine tool.

Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus of a digital camera which uses an imaging device for imaging a photographic subject, carries out a specified number of dark exposure operations, to obtain the same specified number of dark output values for each picture element of the imaging device, in which the photographic subject is imaged, under the condition where the imaging device is shaded, after a normal exposure operation in which the photographic subject is imaged. The apparatus calculates a representative value for each dark exposure operation, based on the dark output values. The apparatus calculates a ratio based on the representative values. The apparatus calculates noise components caused by the dark current in each picture element of the imaging device in the normal exposure operation on the basis of the ratio. The apparatus reduces the noise components from respective output values of each picture element, produced in the normal exposure operation.

Abstract: Regarding predetermined positioning criteria (M1, M2), ((G1, G2), (N1, or N2), (K1, K2)), there is provided image processing means (40B) for obtaining by image processing, measured values (CD1, CD2) ((GD1, GD2), (ND1, or ND2), (KD1, KD2)) and reference values (CR1, CR2) ((GR1, GR2), (NR1, or NR2), (KR1, KR2)), and for moving a work (W) in a manner that the measured values (CD1, CD2) ((GD1, GD2), (ND1, or ND2), (KD1, KD2)) and the reference values (CR1, CR2) ((GR1, GR2), (NR1, or NR2), (KR1, KR2)) coincide with each other, thereby positioning the work (W) at a predetermined position.

Abstract: A robot controller and a robot control method, by which each element constituting a robot is protected. An output of a rotary encoder attached to a servomotor is read, and the motor speed is obtained by calculating the difference between a current speed and another speed in a previous speed loop. Then, a processor of the servo controller of each link of a robot arm executes a normal speed loop control in order to calculate a torque command of the motor. Next, a load torque is estimated by using the obtained torque command and the motor speed, and the estimated load torque in each speed loop is compared with a predetermined threshold. If the load torque is larger than the threshold in at least one of the axes, the robot controller judges that an abnormality has occurred in the robot, generates an alarm or warning, and then controls the robot so as to protect the element.

Abstract: A dust detection system, comprising a receiver, a dust extraction block, a memory and an image correction block, is provided. The receiver receives an image signal. The dust extraction block generates a dust image signal on the basis of the image signal. The memory stores an intrinsic-flaw image signal corresponding to an intrinsic-flaw image including sub-images of dust that the dust extraction block extracts in initializing. The image correction block generates a corrected dust-image signal on the basis of the intrinsic-flaw image signal and a normal dust-image signal. The normal dust-image signal corresponds to a normal dust image including sub-image of dust that the dust extraction block extracts after initializing. The corrected dust image is the normal dust image that sub-images of dust in the intrinsic-flaw image are deleted from.

Abstract: A robot control unit (30) comprises: a setting means (40) for setting operating ranges of each shaft and a working tool of the robot (20); a storage means (33) for storing an inertial running distance of the robot decided by at least one of the operating speed of the robot and the weight of the working tool; and an arriving range calculation means (36) for calculating an arriving range to which the robot arrives according to the operating range, which has been set by the setting means, and the inertial running distance stored by the storage means. Due to the foregoing, while consideration is being given to the inertial running distance of a robot, the arriving range of the robot is made. Further, a display means (41) for displaying the arriving range may be provided. In the case where each shaft of the robot and the working tool deviate from the operating range, a stopping means (34) for stopping the robot may be provided.

Abstract: A robot includes a traveling rail supported by struts, and a robot body attached to a slider that slides on the traveling rail. A robot controller comprises speed calculation means for calculating moving speeds of the robot hand portion on the coordinate axes of a rectangular coordinate system set for the robot controller; comparator means for comparing the moving speeds on the coordinate axes calculated by the speed calculation means with threshold values on the coordinate axes of the rectangular coordinate system, respectively; and halting means for halting the robot in case at least any one of the moving speeds is higher than the corresponding threshold value. The strength required for the struts can be lowered without limiting the dynamic capability of the robot.

Abstract: A noise restraint apparatus for a digital camera which has an imaging device for imaging a photographic subject, comprises an outputting processor and a controlling processor. The outputting processor outputs a vertical synchronous signal to the imaging device. The controlling processor controls an output cycle with which the outputting processor outputs the vertical synchronous signal. The output cycle has a first cycle, for a first period which is the period before an exposure operation, in which a photographic subject is imaged by the imaging device, and a second cycle which is longer than the first cycle, for a second period, while the exposure operation is performed.

Abstract: A robot controller having a stoppage monitoring function, by which safety of an operator is ensured without using hardware or the like for allowing/stopping the power transmission to each of a robot and a cooperating device. A CPU of the robot controller periodically monitors the position of the robot or the cooperating device based on positional information from each servomotor and the state of entering information regarding the robot or the cooperating device. Then, when entering information is initially input, the position of the servomotor of the robot or the cooperating device, to which the entering information is applied, is stored in RAM. After that, while the entering information is being input, the distance between the position stored in RAM and the current position of the servomotor is calculated.

Abstract: Regarding predetermined positioning criteria (M1, M2), ((G1, G2), (N1, or N2), (K1, K2)), there is provided image processing means (40B) for obtaining by image processing, measured values (CD1, CD2) ((GD1, GD2), (ND1, or ND2), (KD1, KD2)) and reference values (CR1, CR2) ((GR1, GR2), (NR1, or NR2), (KR1, KR2)), and for moving a work (W) in a manner that the measured values (CD1, CD2) ((GD1, GD2), (ND1, or ND2), (KD1, KD2)) and the reference values (CR1, CR2) ((GR1, GR2), (NR1, or NR2), (KR1, KR2)) coincide with each other, thereby positioning the work (W) at a predetermined position.

Abstract: A robot control apparatus for soft control operation of a robot has position and velocity control loops for each control axis of the robot. The position control gain and the velocity control gain of a specified control axis in soft control operation is set lower than those of the other control axes. The orientation of the forward end of the robot arm to be assumed while following an external force, i.e., the orientation thereof immediately before starting the follow-up operation is determined. The position command or the velocity command for the control axes other than the specified control axis, which are determined based on the present position of the specified control axis moved by the external force applied to the forward end of the robot arm, the direction to follow the external force and the orientation immediately before starting the follow-up operation, is applied to the control loop of the particular control axis.

Abstract: A control apparatus (10) for a machining robot (1) adapted to machine a workpiece (20) by coming into contact with an effector (19) of a tool (18) attached to the machining robot with the workpiece comprises: detecting means (15) for detecting a force or moment acting between the effector of the tool and the workpiece; converting means (22) for converting the force or moment detected by the detecting means into a force or moment acting on the joint axis of the machining robot; deflection calculating means (25) for calculating a deflection occurring at the joint axis of the machining robot on the basis of the force or moment acting on the joint axis of the machining robot and obtained from the converting means; and correcting means (28) for correcting at least one of a position command or a speed command for the joint axis of the machining robot in such a manner as to compensate for the deflection calculated by the deflection calculating means.

Abstract: An apparatus for carry out a method of diagnosing abnormality of a reduction gear, the reduction gear including an intermediate shaft element disposed between an input shaft and an output shaft and rotating in proportion to a rotation of the input shaft to transmit the rotation to the output shaft, the apparatus has: a disturbance observer that obtains an estimated disturbance value regarding the reduction gear, based on a torque instruction and a velocity feedback-value acquired when a pair of driven members which rotate relative to each other with a motor as a driving source are in relative rotation at a constant velocity; a specific spectral component specifying portion for extracting a specific spectral component corresponding to a constant multiple of a rotational frequency of the intermediate shaft element from a frequency components of the estimated disturbance value obtained by frequency analysis; and a diagnosing portion, which compares an amplitude of the specific spectral component specified by the

Abstract: Regarding predetermined positioning criteria (M1, M2), ((G1, G2), (N1, or N2), (K1, K2)), there is provided image processing means (40B) for obtaining by image processing, measured values (CD1, CD2) ((GD1, GD2), (ND1, or ND2), (KD1, KD2)) and reference values (CR1, CR2) ((GR1, GR2), (NR1, or NR2), (KR1, KR2)), and for moving a work (W) in a manner that the measured values (CD1, CD2) ((GD1, GD2), (ND1, or ND2), (KD1, KD2)) and the reference values (CR1, CR2) ((GR1, GR2), (NR1, or NR2), (KR1, KR2)) coincide with each other, thereby positioning the work (W) at a predetermined position.

Abstract: The robot controller (RC) performs soft control in which a virtual spring or virtual damper is made to act between a tool of a robot and an objective workpiece. The robot controller includes: gain reducing arrangement (41, 42) for selecting an articulated shaft from articulated shafts (J1-J6) of the robot based on a soft control starting position where the soft control is started and the virtual spring or virtual damper when performing the soft control, and reducing a position gain and/or speed gain of the certain articulated shaft lower than a position gain normal value and/or speed gain normal value of the selected articulated shaft; and a correction torque reducing arrangement (43) for reducing a correction torque of the selected articulated shaft calculated based on the soft control starting position and the virtual spring or virtual damper lower than a correction torque normal value of the selected articulated shaft when performing the soft control.

Abstract: A robot programming device includes a workpiece-feature obtaining section obtaining workpiece feature information from a three-dimensional shape data of a workpiece; a retainer-position obtaining section obtaining relative position information between a workpiece and a workpiece retainer; a hand-position obtaining section obtaining relative position information between a workpiece and a hand; a storing section storing the workpiece feature information, the relative position information for the workpiece retainer and the relative position information for the hand, as a set of obtained data by correlating these information with each other, and also storing a plurality of sets of the obtained data with regard to a plurality of types of workpieces; an obtained-data retrieving section retrieving optimal obtained data including the workpiece feature information coinciding with a new-workpiece feature information, from among the sets of obtained data; and a program generating section generating a carrying operation

Abstract: There is provided a servo controller for a spot welding gun for controlling a pressurizing force, applied by a pair of mutually-opposing gun chips, on an object to be welded, including at least one movable gun chip, which is held between the pair of gun chips, by causing a drive source of the movable gun chip to drive the movable gun chip in a direction in order to pressurize the object to be welded. The servo controller includes a feedback control section for calculating a difference value (Fc?F) between an obtained pressurizing-force value F and a required pressurizing-force value Fc, and a feedforward control section for adding a correcting command value, obtained from a position command value or a speed command value for the drive source, to the difference value (Fc?F).