Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting and controlling an automatically controlled manipulator, for example a robot. This is often achieved with the aid of dynamic manipulator models, taking into account friction torques, which occur in gear mechanisms that are provided to displace axes of the manipulator. A model for the gear mechanism friction torque is determined for at least one axis, based on driven axis speeds and axis accelerations, in addition to a motor temperature on the drive side of one of the motors that is associated with the relevant axis, said model also being used to determine target values, such as a motor position or a motor current. The inventive method is characterised in that the gear mechanism friction torque that complies with the model is determined in accordance with a gear mechanism temperature.

Abstract: An autonomous mobile robot. The robot includes a computing device and a modeling module. The modeling module is communicably connected to the computing device, and is configured for autonomously generating a model for each navigation mode of the robot.

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 transfer robot 1 for accommodating and transferring a transferred object has a transfer route storage section 23, a movement mechanism section 24, and a security level setting section 29. The transfer route storage section 23 stores a transfer route having been set up at least on the basis of transfer destination information for the transferred object. The movement mechanism section 24 causes the transfer robot to move toward a transfer destination on the basis of the transfer route. The security level setting section 29 switches a security level of the transfer robot 1 under movement on the basis of a zone level defined beforehand by each region in the transfer route, present position information of the transfer robot, and type information of the transferred object.

Abstract: A robot cleaner that cleans a cleaning region while traveling the cleaning region and a method to control the same are provided. The robot cleaner can uniformly clean a cleaning region based on a wall-following technique which allows the robot cleaner to travel along the outline of the cleaning region. The method selects, as a reference wall, a wall at a left or right side of the robot cleaner at a start position of the robot cleaner based on a left or right-based travel algorithm, which allows the robot cleaner to travel along a left or right wall, and controls the robot cleaner to travel the cleaning region in a zigzag travel pattern in which the robot cleaner moves a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the reference wall at specific intervals along the selected reference wall while following the selected reference wall.

Abstract: A method for controlling a system or robot having at least one effector. An initial sequence of control points is computed. The system or the robot is evaluated by a global cost function that uses internal simulation based on the control points. The sequence of control points are updated based on the evaluation. The evaluation of the system or the robot and the updating of the sequence of control points are repeated until a given termination criterion is met.

Abstract: A robot system efficiently performing an operation of moving a robot to close to and/or separate from a target point, such as teaching operation. A camera of a visual sensor is mounted to the robot such that a distal end of an end effector is seen within the field of view of the camera, and the end effector's distal end and a target position on an object are specified on a monitor screen. When an approach key is depressed, a target position is detected on an image, and a difference from a position of the end effector's distal end is calculated. Whether the difference is within an allowable range is checked. Depending on the result, an amount of robot motion is calculated, and the robot is operated. The processing is repeated until the depressed approach key is released. When a retreat key is depressed, the robot moves away from the object. The robot may be caused to stop using a distance sensor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a robot during an interpolation of a trajectory or motion to any prescribed position, comprises the steps of a) ignoring at least one of the three originally prescribed or interpolated tool center point orientation values; b) finding new tool center point orientation values that place the wrist center point of the robot closest to its base while c) maintaining the originally prescribed or interpolated tool center point location values and d) maintaining the original prescribed or interpolated tool center point orientation values not ignored. Said method can preferably be used for carrying a load with a plurality of robots. Its main advantage is an increase of the available working volume.

Abstract: In a biped robot control system, stereoscopic images captured by CCD cameras are analyzed, the analyzed images are then utilized to detect presence of any moving object around the robot and if it present, to calculate moving object information, and based on the calculated moving object information, it is determined whether or not walking of the robot needs to be stopped. If it is determined to be stopped, the robot is controlled to stop within a period that brings the travel distance at stopping (distance moved between image capture by the CCD cameras and stopping of robot walking) to within a predetermined distance. With this, when the robot approaches a moving object during walking, it can be stopped within the predetermined distance to avoid collision with the moving object.

Abstract: A gait generator determines a desired motional trajectory and a desired object reaction force trajectory of an object 120 for a predetermined period after the current time by using an object dynamic model while supplying, to the object dynamic model, a model manipulated variable (estimated disturbance force) for bringing a behavior of the object 120 on the object dynamic model close to an actual behavior, and provisionally generates a gait of a robot 1 for a predetermined period by using the aforesaid determined trajectories. Based on the gait and an object desired motion trajectory, a geometric restrictive condition, such as interference between the robot 1 and the object 120, is checked, and a moving plan for the object 120 or a gait parameter (predicted landing position/posture or the like) of the robot1 is corrected as appropriate according to a result of the check, so as to generate a gait of the robot 1.

Abstract: The characteristics of actuators themselves and the characteristics of controllers for the actuators are dynamically or statically controlled to achieve stable and highly efficient movements. In a stage in which a leg in the flight state is uplifted such that the reactive force from the floor received by the foot sole of the leg is zero, the characteristics of the respective actuators for the knee joint pitch axis and the ankle pitch and roll axes of the leg in the flight state are set for decreasing the low range gain, increasing the quantity of phase lead and for decreasing the viscous resistance of the actuators, in order to impart mechanical passiveness and fast response characteristics. The followup control for the high frequency range may be achieved as the force of impact at the instant of touchdown is buffered.

Abstract: An industrial robot that uses a simulated force vector to allow a work piece held by the robot end effector to be mated with a work piece whose location and orientation is not precisely known to the robot. When the end effector makes contact with the location and orientation in which the other work piece is held the robot provides a velocity command to minimize the force of the contact and also provides a search pattern in all directions and orientations to cause the end effector to bring the work piece it is holding in contact with the other work piece. The search pattern and the velocity command are continued until the two work pieces mate.

Abstract: An operation control unit of a reception system includes a visitor ID information DB for storing therein visitor comparison information and visitor ID information including a phone number of a receiver of a visitor; an identifying unit for identifying the visitor when visitor information obtained by a camera or the like of the robot is identical to the visitor comparison information; a phone calling module for calling the phone number of a mobile terminal of the receiver via a phone network, when the visitor is identified; an informing content determining unit for determining an informing content to the receiver based on the visitor ID information, when the visitor is identified; and a speech generating part for converting the received information into a voice. The informing content is sent to the mobile terminal of the receiver via the phone network.

Abstract: A legged mobile robot, a legged mobile robot controller and a legged mobile robot control method are provided to perform a loading operation to load a gripped object in parallel on a target place having a height where a stretchable range of arm portions of the legged mobile robot is enhanced with no operator's handling. The legged mobile robot includes the arm portions having links for gripping an object, and leg portions having links for moving, and the arm and the leg portions are joined to a body thereof. The legged mobile robot controller includes a data acquisition unit, a whole-body cooperative motion control unit and a loading detection unit, and controls motions of the legged mobile robot based on posture/position data regarding a posture/position of each link of the legged mobile robot and on an external force data regarding an external force affecting the arm portions.

Abstract: An offline teaching apparatus including a data acquiring section for acquiring position and orientation data and processing-condition data including interpolation commands, at respective predefined taught points, from an existing first processing program for a first workpiece; a processing-path calculating section for determining a processing path in the first program, based on the position and orientation data and the interpolation commands; a model generating section for generating, by using data of a second workpiece model of a second workpiece having geometrical features different from the first workpiece, a processing line showing a range of processing on the second workpiece; a taught-point calculating section for determining a geometrical correlation between the processing path and the processing line, and determining positions and orientations at respective taught points in the processing line; and a program generating section for generating a processing program for the second workpiece, by using the

Abstract: When braking of a motion of a part of a first robot is assumed to be started at points in time, a first stop position of the first robot part is estimated at each point in time. When braking of a motion of a part of a second robot is assumed to be started at the points in time, an estimated second stop position of the second robot part is obtained at each point in time. When it is determined that the first stop position of the first robot part at one of the points in time and either the actual position or the second stop position of the second robot part for each interval at the one of the points in time are contained in the shared workspace, the first robot part is braked.

Abstract: A gait generating system for a mobile robot has n dynamic models and determines a first gait parameter defining a desired gait such that the boundary condition of a gait on a first dynamic model is satisfied. The first gait parameter is corrected step by step by using an m-th dynamic model (m: integer satisfying 2?m?n), which is each dynamic model other than the first dynamic model, and an m-th gait parameter that satisfies the boundary condition on the m-th dynamic model is determined. The m-th gait parameter is determined by correcting an object of an (m?1)th gait parameter to be corrected on the basis of the degree of deviation of the gait generated on the m-th dynamic model by using the (m?1)th gait parameter from the boundary condition. A final determined n-th gait parameter and an n-th dynamic model are used to generate a desired gait.

Abstract: A method for picking up objects randomly arranged in a bin using a robot having a gripper for grasping the objects using prehension feature(s) on the object. The method includes a shaking scheme for rearranging the objects in the bin when no objects are recognized, when no objects are prehensible by the gripper or when the object to be picked up is not reachable by the gripper because, for example, its prehension feature is substantially facing a wall of the bin. The method also includes a criterion for determining that a bin is free of objects to be picked up and a criterion for selecting the object to be picked up first in the bin. The method also provides for a protection mechanism against damage of the objects and the robot when a recognition technique has failed in properly recognizing the object or the prehension feature on the object.

Abstract: In the articulated robot, types of teaching a moving track of the robot can be optionally selected. The articulated robot comprises: a switch for manually selecting a moving axis to move an arm section along the selected axis; a manual pulse generator generating pulses; first controller for controlling motors to linearly move a front end of the arm section a prescribed distance, which corresponds to number of pulses; an operating board including a selecting switch, which is used to move the arm section along the selected axis; second controller for automatically controlling the motors so as to move the arm section while the selecting switch is turned on; third controller for stopping the motors to freely move the arm section while the arm section is manually moved; and a switch for selecting a type of teaching action.

Abstract: Set the first temporary attitude of an end effector for a plurality of work points (step S3). Determine the attitude of an articulated robot at one-end first work point out of a plurality of work points (step S4). Determine the attitude of an articulated robot at the other-end final work point out of a plurality of work points (step S5). Set the second temporary attitudes of an end effector respectively for the other work points so that the attitude of an end effector gradually changes from the first work point toward the final work point (step S6). Correct the first temporary attitude with the second temporary attitude (step S7).

Abstract: A robot control unit for controlling a robot mechanism unit constantly detects the status of a robot and stores it as robot status data. An operation command input by voice from a head set is converted into character data by a voice/character data conversion device, and input to a control device. The control device searches a command corresponding to an operation command input in operation commands stored in management data. An executing program group is specified for link and storage with the corresponding operation command.

Abstract: A model's ZMP (full-model's ZMP) is calculated using a dynamic model (inverse full-model) 100c2 that expresses a relationship between a robot movement and floor reaction, a ZMP-converted value of full model's corrected moment about a desired ZMP is calculated or determined based on a difference (full-model ZMP's error) between the calculated model's ZMP and the desired ZMP, whilst a corrected desired body position is calculated or determined. Since the robot posture is corrected by the calculated ZMP-converted value and the corrected desired body position, the corrected gait can satisfy the dynamic equilibrium condition accurately.

Abstract: An industrial robot that has uses a simulated force vector to allow a work piece held by the robot end effector to be mated with a work piece whose location and orientation is not precisely known to the robot. When the end effector makes contact with the location and orientation in which the other work piece is held the robot provides a velocity command to minimize the force of the contact and also provides a search pattern in all directions and orientations to cause the end effector to bring the work piece it is holding in contact with the other work piece. The search pattern and the velocity command are continued until the two work pieces mate.

Abstract: A robot controller for teaching a robot with high efficiency. The robot controller including command storage unit (21) where a movement command and a work command are stored, command identifying unit (24) for discriminating between the movement and work commands, unit (22) for making/editing a series of work programs or discrete work programs by a combination of the commands, work program storage units (23) where the work programs are stored so as to control the robot according to the stored program, further including a work section identifying unit (25) for identifying a work section of the work program by way of the command identification unit (24) and work section automatic stopping unit (27) for automatically stopping or suspending the execution of the work program at the work section in a standby state when the work section identifying unit (25) identifies the work section during the execution of the work program.

Abstract: A gap welding process (10) for manipulating a movable robotic welder (30) for making a weld between two or more substantially immovable work pieces (51) using a higher level programming language (20). The gap welding process (10) performs a data transfer routine which takes spreadsheet data (18) representing expected variables, runs a data conversion program (20) that creates weld program data including point position, user frames (34 and 36), weld schedule, seam tracking schedule, weave schedule, azimuth orientation, travel speed, wait time, weave type and number of digital output control data. The gap welding process (10) also performs a gap-sensing routine (28) for actual weld gap measuring by using the robotic welder (30) to touch specific locations on pieces forming the gap or fixturing to produce weld variance data.

Abstract: A model's ZMP (full-model's ZMP) is calculated using a dynamic model (inverse full-model) 100c2 that expresses a relationship between a robot movement and floor reaction, a ZMP-converted value of full model's corrected moment about a desired ZMP is calculated or determined based on a difference (full-model ZMP's error) between the calculated model's ZMP and the desired ZMP, whilst a corrected desired body position is calculated or determined. Since the robot posture is corrected by the calculated ZMP-converted value and the corrected desired body position, the corrected gait can satisfy the dynamic equilibrium condition accurately.

Abstract: A search robot system first divides the entire area of disaster into a mesh cell of an appropriate size, and arranges a search robot for each mesh cell. A search is made for a route of travel from an outermost mesh cell to a casualty and to an adjacent mesh cell. The search robot immediately communicates with a mother robot when a casualty is found. The search robot also communicates with the mother robot when a route to an adjacent mesh cell is found. In the search robot system, a new search robot is arranged to search in an adjacent mesh cell. Accordingly, a rescue activity that is a matter of time can be carried out by a plurality of robots.

Abstract: A predetermined action sequence is generated by using basic motion units which include time-sequential motion of each joint and compound motion units in which basic motion units are combined. Motion natterns of a robot including walking are classified into motion units, each motion unit servins as a unit of motion, and one or more motion units are combined to generate various complex motions. Dynamic motion units are defined on the basis of basic dynamic attitudes, and a desired action sequence can be generated by using the dynamic motion units. This is a basic control method necessary for a robot to autonomously perform a continuous motion, a series of continuous motions, or motions which are chanaed in real-time by commands.

Abstract: In a mobile robot, the actuator characteristics are dynamically or statically controlled, during motions of an entire robot body in the course of falldown or descent, to realize stable highly efficient motions. In each stage of the falldown motions, the characteristics of each joint site taking part in controlling the stable area are set so that the low range gain is low, the quantity of phase lead is large and the viscous resistance of the motor is large, in such a manner that these joint sites may be positioned to high accuracy in a controller manner to increase orientation stability. This assures the positioning accuracy of the joints as main component for controlling the quantity ?S/?t as a reference in controlling the falldown motions of the robot body to increase the motion stability.

Abstract: A robot control apparatus to control an operation path of a robot includes an interpolator including a rough interpolation processor to output a rough velocity signal of no-acceleration and no-deceleration according to input commands, a plurality of acceleration/deceleration processors to receive the rough velocity signal from the rough interpolation processor and to perform acceleration and deceleration in sequence, and an inverse kinematics processor to transform the velocity signal received from the acceleration/deceleration processor into a joint velocity signal for the robot, and a controller to control the robot according to the accelerated/decelerated velocity signal received from the interpolator. In a robot control apparatus and a control method thereof, precision about an operation path of a robot is improved.

Abstract: Learning-type motion control is performed using a hierarchical recurrent neural network. A motion pattern provided through human teaching work is automatically time-serially segmented with the hierarchical recurrent neural network, and the motion control of a machine body is carried out with a combination of the segmented data, whereby various motion patterns can be produced. With the time-serial segmentation, local time-serial patterns and an overall pattern as a combination of the local time-serial patterns are produced. For those motion patterns, indices for static stability and dynamic stability of the machine body, e.g., ZMP stability criteria, are satisfied and hence control stability is ensured.

Abstract: A technique for solving an inverse-kinematic problem by interpolating solutions from examples. Example poses or motions of an object are collected and annotated. The annotations are essentially parameters for a function—i.e., the function X(p) generates degree-of-freedom values of an object that is posed in a manner that satisfies parameters p. The analytic function X is interpolated from these examples and improved automatically based on kinematic measurements. Preferably, the interpolation is created by taking a weighted sum of cardinal basis functions having linear and radial parts, Preferably, the interpolation is a weighted sum of cardinal basis functions having linear and radial portions.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for calibrating and teaching a robot to accurately work within a work environment. The present invention preferably provides one or more tactile sensor devices that may be operatively coupled with a robot or positioned at one or more desired locations within a work environment of the robot. In one aspect of the present invention a method comprises the steps of providing a touch sensitive surface in the work environment, causing the touch sensitive surface to contact an object, generating a signal indicative of the position of the contact with respect to the touch sensitive surface, and using information comprising the generated signal to teach the robot the location of the contact in the work environment.

Abstract: A method and system for describing a three-dimensional path of an industrial processing machine, such as a machine tool, a robot and the like, is disclosed. According to the disclosed method and system, the path is described by a curve that includes at least one interpolation, wherein at least one interpolation parameter is a function of an angle along the three-dimensional path.

Abstract: A main robot apparatus generates a sound scale command at a command generating state (ST2) to enter into a state of waiting for a reaction of a slave robot apparatus (ST3). When the slave robot apparatus outputs a emotion expressing sound responsive to a sound scale command issued by the main robot apparatus, the main robot apparatus recognizes this emotion expressing sound to output the same emotion expressing sound. In a state of the reaction action (ST4), the main robot apparatus selects an action (NumResponse), depending on the value of the variable NumResponse which has counted the number of times of the reactions to output the action.

Abstract: A gait generation system of a legged mobile robot, in particular a biped robot that has the dynamic model expressing the relationship between the motion of the body and leg and the floor reaction force, and provisionally determines the current time gait parameters including at least parameters that determine leg trajectory and the like in response to a demand, supposes the parameters of a periodic gait, corrects the current time gait parameters such that the body trajectory determined from the dynamic model and the parameters of the current time gait, etc., converges to a body trajectory determined from the parameters of the periodic gait, and determines instantaneous values of the current time gait based on the corrected current time gait parameter. With this, the system can generates a gait of any stride, turning angle and walking period, including the floor reaction force acting on the legged mobile robot, that satisfies the dynamic equilibrium condition.

Abstract: A robot controller for teaching a robot with high efficiency. The robot controller including command storage unit (21) where a movement command and a work command are stored, command identifying unit (24) for discriminating between the movement and work commands, unit (22) for making/editing a series of work programs or discrete work programs by a combination of the commands, work program storage units (23) where the work programs are stored so as to control the robot according to the stored program, further including a work section identifying unit (25) for identifying a work section of the work program by way of the command identification unit (24) and work section automatic stopping unit (27) for automatically stopping or suspending the execution of the work program at the work section in a standby state when the work section identifying unit (25) identifies the work section during the execution of the work program.

Abstract: A method of controlling a robot (32) includes the steps of selecting an initial configuration from at least one of a first, second, and third sets to position a TCP at a starting point (44) along a path (33) and selecting a final configuration different than the initial configuration to position the TCP at an ending point (46). Next, the TCP moves from the starting point (44) while maintaining the initial configuration, approaches the singularity between a first point (48) and a second point (50), and selects one of the axes in response to reaching the first point (48). The angle for the selected axis is interpolated from the first point (48) to the second point (50). After the interpolation, the angles about the remaining axes are determined and positions the arms in the final configuration when the TCP reaches the second point (50) and moves to the ending point (46) while maintaining the final configuration.

Abstract: A legged mobile robot possesses degrees of freedom which are provided at roll, pitch, and yaw axes at a trunk. By using these degrees of freedom which are provided at the trunk, the robot can smoothly get up from any fallen-down posture. In addition, by reducing the required torque and load on movable portions other than the trunk, and by spreading/averaging out the load between each of the movable portions, concentration of a load on a particular member is prevented from occurring. As a result, the robot is operated more reliably, and energy is used with greater efficiency during a getting-up operation. The robot independently, reliably, and smoothly gets up from various fallen-down postures such as a lying-on-the-face posture, a lying-on-the-back posture, and a lying sideways posture.

Abstract: A robot is provided, wherein it is possible to reduce incorrect identification in the case of executing face identification in a place where lighting variations are large such as in a house and in a place where there exists a lighting environment that is bad for identification. A face area of a person is detected from an image picked up at an imaging means and stored, and a face detecting and identifying means identifies a person using face image information stored before then. An identification result reliability calculating means calculates, using information from the imaging means, whether or not a present lighting state is suitable for face identification. When the result of calculation indicates that the lighting state is not suitable for face identification, the robot is moved by a moving means. Thereby, incorrect identification can be reduced.

Abstract: A method of three-dimensional handling of an object by a robot uses a tool and one camera mounted on the robot and at least six target features which are normal features of the object are selected on the object. The features are used to train the robot in the frame of reference of the object so that when the same object is subsequently located, the robot's path of operation can be quickly transformed into the frame of reference of the object.

Abstract: An operation confirming method capable of making, in order to enhance an operation program correction efficiency, an operation path at an operation confirming time (teaching mode) identical with that at an actual job time (play mode) as much as possible; and a control device therefor. The method comprises the steps of inputting respective shaft operation instruction values (&ohgr;j) based on an actual operation speed to a mechanical simulator-carrying low-speed instruction converter (7), and instructing to a servo controller unit (4) a quantity (&ohgr;ij) (=&ohgr;sj/P), obtained by dividing an output (&ohgr;sj) from the mechanical simulator by a specified positive real number P at the low-speed instruction converter, as respective shaft operation values N times (N; maximum natural number not exceeding the real number P).

Abstract: A robot control system includes a scenario receiver to receive a robot control program or scenario, a scenario register to incorporate the received scenario in the robot, a scenario selector to select a scenario for execution thereof from scenarios beforehand incorporated in the robot and scenarios added to the robot, and a scenario executor to execute the selected scenario. Therefore, there are provided a robot, a robot control system, and a program of the same in which a new control program module can be added to a robot control program.

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: A method for controlling a hyper-redundant manipulator including a plurality of links coupled by joints by determining the shape the manipulator takes when the end of the manipulator is moved to a target position, includes modeling each link as an elastic body having a natural length and a suitable modulus of elasticity that enables the elastic body to stretch and contract, simulating the overall shape of the manipulator when the end has been moved to the target position with the joints locked at a freezed angle and the joints are unlocked to return each link to its natural length, and moving the manipulator end to the target position by controlling each joint angle to match the simulation outcome.

Abstract: A method and system for describing a three-dimensional path of an industrial processing machine, such as a machine tool, a robot and the like, is disclosed. According to the disclosed method and system, the path is described by a curve that includes at least one interpolation, wherein at least one interpolation parameter is a function of an angle along the three-dimensional path.

Abstract: A method and device is provided for multistage calibration of multiple-axis measuring robots (6) and associated optical measuring devices (10), especially 3D sensors, in a measuring station (1) for workpieces (2), preferably the bodyshells of motor vehicles. Calibration occurs in a measuring cascade comprising at least three calibrating steps, whereby the optical measuring device (10) and the operating point (28) thereof, the manipulator (6) and the axes thereof and the allocation of the manipulator (6) with respect to the workpiece (2) are successively calibrated. The calibration device (47) includes a control and a calibration system (27) for the operating point (28), a calibration body (15) for the axes of the manipulator and a calibration device (12) for the allocation of the manipulator with respect to the workpiece.

Abstract: A method for controlling movement of an automated machine. The movement is defined by a plurality of steps. First, a buffer of a predetermined size is defined. The buffer stores a current step and one or more previous steps in the movement of the automated machine. Then a current step in the movement of the automated machine is executed. Next, the buffer is checked to see if the current step executed in the movement of the automated machine movement is the same as a predetermined step of interest. If the current step is a predetermined step of interest, the buffer is checked to determine what at least one previous step was. If the current step was the step of interest, a new step is executed in the movement of the automated machine, the new step executed depending on what the at least one previous step was.

Abstract: When determining coordinates of a point of an object (2) in a reference system of coordinates and the orientation of the object in the space in a measuring position assumed by the object, the object is moved from a start position having known coordinates and a known orientation to a measuring position while detecting this movement. Said coordinates and the orientation of the object in the measuring position are calculated from information from this detection and about the start position. Furthermore, the acceleration and retardation of the object are measured during the movement, and the coordinates and the orientation of the object in the measuring position are calculated from information from this measurement.

Abstract: A location programming apparatus and method according to the present invention generates operation control information consisting of a locating control parameter and a locating program for a controller for controlling a motor for operating a subject which must be controlled, the location programming apparatus including: locating control type setting means (control S/W) for setting locating control type for controlling the operation of the subject which must be controlled; graphical data generating means (control S/W) for graphically generating graph data of the locating program on a work memory in accordance with the set locating control type; and operation control information generating means (control S/W) for generating operation control information on a parameter memory and a locating program memory in accordance with graph data stored in the work memory.